Alps - 2017

[Moto-Charlie]

Ah yes, the old ride around the barricade trick. Must only apply to cars, not bikes, right??! So, around we went at the barricade at the bottom of the Furka pass. This is what we met at the top.


Once rode the Gavia pass in fog so thick you could barely make out the fog line on the side. First time on it so I wasn't aware of just how far down it was in some places!

The view of snow at the top of the Furka is a common sight if you come to ride the high Alps too early in the season - say late May, early June. It's not uncommon to ride for miles/kms up 90% of the pass road only to be blocked for the last 1/2 mile due to snow.

The Germans in particular are intrepid bikers. I used to think they came up these roads on purpose for the challenge of getting across the last 1/2 mile. They would be up there in groups of 3, 5, 10 bikes, etc. using muscle, ropes and winches to push/pull each other through the snow to the other side. I'd usually have to reverse direction and ride around the pass. Sometimes I would find the German group at the bottom of the other side having a well-deserved beer with their hard won lunch.

You meet all kinds in the Alps.

 

[drrod]

The view of snow at the top of the Furka is a common sight if you come to ride the high Alps too early in the season - say late May, early June. It's not uncommon to ride for miles/kms up 90% of the pass road only to be blocked for the last 1/2 mile due to snow.

This was in mid September. Lots of early snow in the Alps that year. The pass from the summit to the bottom of the Andermatt side was not cleared. I expect that there is a border between 2 cantons at the summit and the Andermatt side was not cleared yet. Not a big deal. Rode back down (no traffic!!!!!) and went around via Nufenen and St Gottard passes.
I love the Alps!!!!

 

[woodybelle]

I just happened to see this list while setting up my new phone yesterday.

Great Alps Ride of 2016- Passes Ridden
1. Schwagalp
2. Furkapass
3. Furkajoch
4. Passo di Elra
5. Hochtannbergpass
6. Ursprung Pass
7. Steinpass
8. Grossglockner
9. Passo D. S. Angelo
10. Passo Tre Croci
11. Passo De Falzarego
12. Passo di Campolongo
13. Passo de Gardena
14. Passo di Sella
15. Passo di Pordoi
16. Jaufenpass
17. Passo Staulanza
18. Passo di Costalunga
19. Mendelpass
20. Passo di Palade
21. Passo di Foscagno
22. Passo di Stelvio
23. Forcola di Livigno
24. Passo di S. Marco
25. Maloja Pass
26. Bernina Pass
27. Lukmanier Pass
28. Oberalpp Pass
29. L’ Petit St. Bernardino Pass 30. Col de I Iseran
31. Col du Galiber
32. Col du Glandon
33. Col de la Forclaz
34. Gavia Pass
35. Fluela Pass
36. Splugen Pass
37. Ofen Pass

My friend from Zurich is pretty good at making routes but I am sure that you could ride more passes if you wanted to. We rode all of these in 10 days.

 

[ChucksKLRST]

I went back over again this past Summer Aug 2019 and rented a bike out of Munich and rode some of the area where I grew up Garmich, Bad Tolz, Berchtesgaden, and the town my wife is from Ruhpoldig, Freelanced and had a ball. Looking to go back in 2020 and do some more of the Austrian Alps. Grossglockner and a few others. Here are a couple of pics. Pictures really don't do the Alps any justice. One need to go and experience them from the vantage point of a motorcycle.

 

[jspringator]

My dream vacation is a trip to Europe to retrace my dads footsteps in 3rd Army, 1944-45. He ended up at the end of the war in Munich Pasing working SS troops from Dachau loading captured wire on trains to ship back to the US. He had a free trip to a Swiss resort. I guess the Swiss were trying to rehab their image. He ate K-Rations!

I'm guessing it would be cheapest to fly into Paris. Then drive to Normandy, Mont-St.-Michel, Caen, Luxembourg and Munich.

How would I go about finding an inexpensive place to sleep on the road?

 

[drrod]

"....How would I go about finding an inexpensive place to sleep on the road? ......"

Virtually all of the towns have several small, mom and pop hotels. Very rare that you could not get reasonable accommodations. Caveat.....July and August are holiday time there and you could run into issues. Not a good time to visit there for that, and many other reasons. May/June and September are great though.

 

[Swede]

The Stelvio can be hard work especially on an ST11, overrated, depends on what you want from a pass I suppose. The Furka and Grimsel take some beating and the Petit St.Bernard is a lovely quiet road too. Have you thought about the Dolomites if renting from Milano, the Sella Pass triangle is probably the best day ride anywhere in Europe. No, it is the best day ride in Europe.
Upt'North.

Believe it or not but, years ago me and my wife did the furka on the guzzi and, whilst we were stopped at the top for a couple of photos, we sat there and watched a grasshopper with one leg missing, laboriously eating about 2inches off the edge of the tongue of my wife's leather shoe. Its true!.. Honest..... Swede.

 

[Upt' North]

Believe it or not but, years ago me and my wife did the furka on the guzzi and, whilst we were stopped at the top for a couple of photos, we sat there and watched a grasshopper with one leg missing, laboriously eating about 2inches off the edge of the tongue of my wife's leather shoe. Its true!.. Honest..... Swede.

I don't furking believe it .
Thanks for posting Swede, just looked through this again. Good memories and hopefully more to come.
Although if the EU don't get to grips with you know what, it could be a while.
Ta me duck.
Upt'North.

 

[ChucksKLRST]

There are a few things that stand out as being different to me. Having a discussion about which is better is like asking which oil or tires are better. Very few people have tried them all so most opinions are shaded by experience and personal preference. I have spent about 200 days riding in the western US Rockies and about 100 days in the Alps. I tend to enjoy narrower roads, with tight turns so my opinion is influenced by this. Others may enjoy the more open roads with sweeping turns. This is what I find:
- in the Alps, drivers and riders are much more attentive and "polite". ie. they pay attention to their driving/riding and treat motorcycles as equals on the road. Often going out of their way to make it easier to ride there. I feel much safer riding in the Alps (and Europe in general) than in North America.
- As good as the Rockie's roads are, the Alps tend to be tighter and more technical. 200-250 miles is a relatively long day in the Alps.
- I have not ridden all the passes in the west (nor in the Alps) but I think there is a higher concentration of great riding passes in the Alps. It is not uncommon to ride passes linked together, all day long, just to get to your next destination whereas in the west, there tends to be "transit stages" between the passes. There have been days where I have rarely got above 3rd gear in the Alps.
- I would be remiss if I didn't mention the ambiance of Europe in general and the Alps in particular. Something about staying/eating in little mom and pop alpine chalets that is so enjoyable. This is where we spent 3 nights in Andermatt. I think it had 9 rooms total and run by the most gracious family.


So to summarize, all things being equal (ie. time, expense,), I would ride the Alps over the roads in the west. It is a treat to go to the Alps because of time and distance whereas, within a day, I can be riding the great roads in MT, ID, OR, WA, and CA so maybe I am taking the west a bit for granted. I feel very fortunate to be able to do both.

Having lived and grown up in the Bavarian Alps and now living at the base of the Colorado Rockies and having ridden both places I can not agree more with what you have summarized. And what you said about the ambiance of Europe is so true. Of all things, I miss that the most.

 

[drrod]

It used to be more expensive (relatively) to tour in EU but lately (last few years) the cost of touring here has gone up dramatically. It will be interesting to see what has happened to the costs in Europe when I get back there (hopefully next fall).

 

[jspringator]

My 3rd Army tour is scheduled for early June. I hope Covid is under control by then.

 

[ChucksKLRST]

Going to cost 60 to 100 euros a night and that is in the out of the way places, IE. small villages and off the tourist track. Look for the Zimmer Frei signs or the Gasthof places. Even at those prices traveling alone back in 2017 and 2019 it got a bit pricy. But one can not put a price on bucket list items. Besides money is no good at the cemetery, might as well spend it when you can.

 

[Uncle Phil]

Going to cost 60 to 100 euros a night and that is in the out of the way places, IE. small villages and off the tourist track. Look for the Zimmer Frei signs or the Gasthof places. Even at those prices traveling alone back in 2017 and 2019 it got a bit pricy. But one can not put a price on bucket list items. Besides money is no good at the cemetery, might as well spend it when you can.

As I always say - You seldom see an armored car following a hearse!

 

[drrod]

You seldom see an armored car following a hearse!

So true but I will temper that with having seen people in "retirement", living in pretty poor conditions because of lack of funding.
Like most things in life, it is a balance. The great unknown is "how long are you going to live and in what physical state will you be?" Of course, that is what keeps the financial planners in business.

If you are really good at predicting and planning, and with an added element of luck, you will live your life exactly as you want to and have the check to the funeral home bounce!

 

[drrod]

Do you know how expensive is to leave this planet here in NE especially in the NYC vicinity? It's insane, pure extortion. Don't leave this burden on your kids - leave this last check here for them

Having dealt with my parents , a SO's, and a brother's death, I have had too much experience with the funeral business. IMO, if ever a business could be classed as "predatory", it is this one. Taking advantage of people when they are at their most vulnerable.........
My family knows my wishes and I have accounted for it. Safe to say, the funeral business will not get much of my estate's money.

Sorry.....don't let me derail the thread.

 

[ChucksKLRST]

To sort of get back on Track of this thread, what/where are your favorite Euro places to be. Here are mine.

Vienna, Austria, My city of Birth








Garmisch, Germany, The town I grew up in.







Bad Tolz, Germany, The town I lived at in my Senior Year of High School







Berchtesgaden, Germany, The Town I lived / stationed at when I met my wife.







Salzburg, Austria, Met my wife at the Castle





Ruhpolding, Germany, My wife's home town.

 

[Uncle Phil]

Wow! The scenery is just breathtaking!

You ought to see it in the flesh!

 

[ChucksKLRST]

You ought to see it in the flesh!

Yep.

 

[drrod]

Favorite places!! Ah, man that is impossible to say. Everywhere you go, everywhere you look!!
Here is one of my favorite pictures. Near Andermatt. The cows were coming down from the high country for the winter. This is a big deal for the towns in the Alps. Most have celebrations/festivals to commemorate it. A recognition of the importance of agriculture and also an excuse to party. The young lads bringing up the rear in this picture were having way to much fun and not a little too much to drink!!

 

[Uncle Phil]

My favorite shot from the Dolomites -