Austria. Italian Alps/Dolomites. Black Forest. (trying again)

[Gerontious]

Just 28 days to go. everything booked and 3 of us going.

 

Overnight hotel near the channel tunnel, then an early crossing. getting down to Austria over 2 days.. toll free motorway for the most part. with some normal roads thrown in at the end of each day.

 

The Saturday heading for the German Pfalz, not far from the Rhine. France, Belgium, Luxembourg then into Germany and staying near a little town called Dahn. Sunday over the Rhine then heading south - see how much enthusiasm there is on the day for where we actually head for.

 

We'll be based in Austria as the petrol prices are much lower and from there exploring the Italian alps and Dolomites, with hopefully a day out to the Mangart in Slovenia.

 

Grossglockner is a must and our base camp is just 20 miles from its southern end. (handy)

 

Looking forward to showing my mates my favourite places and roads... like this:

 

 

And then at the end of our fortnight away.. heading west for home via the Black Forest. before crossing France back to the Tunnel.

 

As per usual, timings are to coincide with it being a normal working week.. so few if any tourists to spoil the fun.

 

tick tock.

[Yorky]

I might see you in Slovenia

 

I'm doing Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands.

Starting in 26 days time

[Gerontious]

Excellent.

 

If the weather doesn't play ball then we may well relocate to Slovenia and wait it out.

 

 

lovely place.

[rob m]

Well, I'm looking forward to it 

 

I might even post a few pictures if I get the time.

[Gerontious]

Trying to contain my excitement while watching how the spring thaw is progressing.

 

https://valgardena.panomax.com/dantercepies

[M620]

Skied that valley a number of times and really enjoyed myself, but never been there without snow - must check it out one day now I am retired 🏍

[Gerontious]

16 hours ago, M620 said:

Skied that valley a number of times and really enjoyed myself, but never been there without snow - must check it out one day now I am retired 🏍

It’s very strange seeing all the skiing infrastructure around in the sun and the heat. But it’s a great region for riding, like nowhere else in the Alps. Just a bit of a trek to get there. We’ll do the ride down over 2 days and the return over 3 or 4.

[Gerontious]

OMG 12 days... tick tock.

 

Just praying to the weather gods to give us a dry run down over the 2 days its going to take. then 10 days of fun and games. and taking another 4 days to wend our way home, via the Black Forest.

 

Staying close to the Italian border (for much cheaper petrol)  Black arrow.

The red oval is the Dolomites, though its actually much larger, that's really just the heart of it.

And the blue arrow points to the southern end of the Grossglockner high road. 25 miles from where we are staying.

 

 

Ive changed the wallpaper on the Mac just to get me in the mood.

 

 

 

Edited May 30, 2022 by Gerontious

[Yorky]

I've changed mine as well

Edited May 31, 2022 by Yorky

[Gerontious]

43 minutes ago, Yorky said:

I've changed mine as well

buying knock-off shower gel is never a good idea.

[Gerontious]

Never ceases to amaze me how quickly the time goes by on a countdown to one of these jaunts, and here we are the morning of the off. Luggage is packed, mostly. Just a final check needed to be sure I have everything I might need. Away for 16 days!! Today is the run down to the south coast, then an overnight stop close to the tunnel and then cross fairly early in the morning. all we can eat breakfast at 7 and setting off. for the fairly short ride to the tunnel after that.

 

Once across we'll split the first part roughly in half and do 150 miles to lunch and then the rest in the afternoon. staying the Saturday night in the Pfalzwald. which is one of those little gems that most people seem to pass by. Its a bit similar to the Eifel, only a lot lumpier. fewer towns. very few farms, lots of small rivers that drain into the Rhine to the east. and lots and lots of twisty roads.

 

(I really should organise a trip there one day as its so different, nothing even remotely similar in the UK)

 

 

Very.. err, lumpy. and 1,100 square miles of it

 

Then on the Sunday a lazy start followed by a 260 mile ride down to Austria. where the fun begins. Let all the weekend trippers go back to work and we'll be heading over the Timmelsjoch pass into Italy. quite a few passes on the Monday. Timmelsjoch. Jaufenpass. Penserjoch. And then onto the Great Dolomite Road to Cortina. and more passes.  And then on to our base just over the border back into Austria and cheaper petrol.

 

So, this is the start. 3 days of mostly motorway/autobahn and then 13 days of pleasure riding until the final dash to the tunnel on Sunday 26th and home.

 

I might even eat a pizza.

 

I'll add photos as and when....

 

[Marino]

Small villages in south Austria as well in Italy now have a similar petrol price, few euro cents difference. Just important  not to fill up on motorways. As well to avoid big names, Agip  Esso OMV if possible, small local are chipper.

Edited June 10, 2022 by Marino

[MikeHorton]

1 hour ago, Gerontious said:

Never ceases to amaze me how quickly the time goes by on a countdown to one of these jaunts, and here we are the morning of the off. Luggage is packed, mostly. Just a final check needed to be sure I have everything I might need. Away for 16 days!! Today is the run down to the south coast, then an overnight stop close to the tunnel and then cross fairly early in the morning. all we can eat breakfast at 7 and setting off. for the fairly short ride to the tunnel after that.

 

Once across we'll split the first part roughly in half and do 150 miles to lunch and then the rest in the afternoon. staying the Saturday night in the Pfalzwald. which is one of those little gems that most people seem to pass by. Its a bit similar to the Eifel, only a lot lumpier. fewer towns. very few farms, lots of small rivers that drain into the Rhine to the east. and lots and lots of twisty roads.

 

(I really should organise a trip there one day as its so different, nothing even remotely similar in the UK)

 

 

Very.. err, lumpy. and 1,100 square miles of it

 

Then on the Sunday a lazy start followed by a 260 mile ride down to Austria. where the fun begins. Let all the weekend trippers go back to work and we'll be heading over the Timmelsjoch pass into Italy. quite a few passes on the Monday. Timmelsjoch. Jaufenpass. Penserjoch. And then onto the Great Dolomite Road to Cortina. and more passes.  And then on to our base just over the border back into Austria and cheaper petrol.

 

So, this is the start. 3 days of mostly motorway/autobahn and then 13 days of pleasure riding until the final dash to the tunnel on Sunday 26th and home.

 

I might even eat a pizza.

 

I'll add photos as and when....

 

Good luck and look forward to seeing the photos! 

[Gerontious]

Beautiful start to the day here in Kent. Breakfast first and then down to the Tunnel!!

[MikeHorton]

I'm excited for you I'm guessing the photos will get better as the journey progresses. Can't.knock a premier in breakfast tho! 

My mate Pepa in Czech Republic is on a tour with his friends currently, not sure where but normally involves Austria, Croatia or Italy. 

[Bungleaio]

Has there been much maintenance/repair required yet? I'd estimate day 4 when the seat had to come off.

[Gerontious]

11 hours ago, Bungleaio said:

Has there been much maintenance/repair required yet? I'd estimate day 4 when the seat had to come off.

Yes. Electrics. Side of the road for 2 hours to locate the problem (in Italy) then limped over the border and another 4 hours locating a replacement part.

 

 

so the seat came off twice in one day which was a great result.

 

not been plain sailing for me either.. but was a 10 minute job and no seats were disturbed.

 

by the way the place he got the part from seems to do a roaring trade in broken touring bikes being traded in for something ready to go. Amongst a jumble of modern bikes of all descriptions. Including an 1800 gold wing with all bells and whistles, plus 2 seat side-car. I spotted this little treasure. It’s almost worth flying back to buy it. These things are highly valued in the UK.

 

an early 80s R90S in fabulous condition. Under all the grime.

 

 

[Gerontious]

Last day today. After an overnight In Eperney.

 

This is my favourite picture of the whole 16 days.. despite the lad cavorting. We were on the Mangart in Slovenia. By far the most dangerous road I have ever ridden in my life!! But so worth it.

 

[Bungleaio]

11 hours ago, Gerontious said:

Last day today. After an overnight In Eperney.

 

This is my favourite picture of the whole 16 days.. despite the lad cavorting. We were on the Mangart in Slovenia. By far the most dangerous road I have ever ridden in my life!! But so worth it.

 

That’s a fabulous picture. Not surprised to hear there was some maintenance faffing, it wouldn’t be the same if there wasn’t. 

[smallfrowne]

On 26/06/2022 at 19:13, Bungleaio said:

That’s a fabulous picture. Not surprised to hear there was some maintenance faffing, it wouldn’t be the same if there wasn’t. 

Calling it maintenance was kind. 

 

I've realised I never took the photos off the camera. So, I've dug it out and even found my captain's log which I'd lost back behind the oil bottle somewhere...

I'm getting comfy so I can pretend I'm writing up my important and very interesting memoirs.

 

#Day 1 Friday 10th June

Mileage at home: 58,867

Melting shop began production for the first time in weeks last night, but I gave them a mornings work to fix a few issues, there's always issues at startup. Finished at 12:00 to start faffing with tents, bags, all of it. Set off about 4pm but not long after getting on the A1 I was alerted to a pannier issue by a friendly type in a van - the right one was hanging off. It was held on by good old gravity but it was flailing around a bit, I hadn't fully clicked in the top bit. Mini disaster #1. Little bit late getting to Premier Inn but in the rush to meet two soups at the Harvester I must've bent the key for the pannier. Disaster #2. Good chat with Geoff, who came on the train - cheaper than petrol. Bless his cottons, he paid the bill. Had to be kicked out, too busy chatting. Late night googling foreign words for "Locksmith", "Key cutter".

[smallfrowne]

Day 2, Saturday 11th June

 

Made it down in time for 7am breakfast, fill up afore the slog. Channel tunnel pretty busy, long queues, made it to France, in French time, about 10:45 - in search of a locksmith. That one googled was described as an artisan.

Obligatory milling-about-at-the-tunnel photos:

 

Ok the key, it was still usable but clearly very weak.

 

Found the artisan key smith - but the shutters were down when we turned up. As we set off to leave the little green Citroen arrived and began to park - I just had an inkling that it was the artisan himself. It was. Surely I am saved. And on a Saturday in France. At the start of the trip. He had about a thousand different key blanks in that place. I'm pretty sure I found a match but was told "non, don't touch" (I'm guessing). That might have been enough to f**k me over because he didn't try hard enough and I didn't get a key. Anyway then, onwards, places to be.

 

Munich way through Belguique and hot sweaty Luxembourg, after Big T took a wrong turn even though he has a new sat nav! All mod cons!

Love a service station stop. This one was built quite nice and pointy.

 

Oh man, we're on holiday now:

 

Camping municipal in Maller on an oxbow lake of the river Morel.

 

 

It was lovely and tranquil (apart from massive massive foreign wasp things).

 

Well it was lovely and tranquil until an old shrivelled german twat beckoned me over to the lake and showed me his penis. I slept with my hammer on the night stand.

 

[Gerontious]

Camping Municipal de Malling. huge area. not far south of Schengen.  And it was on the bank of the Moselle. which made me come all over whistful. The Mosel flows through the Eifel.  I had to walk over to look at the river.

Cloudy(ish) though warm when we arrived, but the next morning was glorious.

I had an early night.. so no nocturnal excitement for me.

 

 

 

Edited May 5, 2023 by Gerontious

[smallfrowne]

13 minutes ago, Gerontious said:

The Mosel 

I can't read my own writing. It shows that I'd had a few.