My solo euro tour

[Cyclingbiker]

I have finally got round to uploading my pics from the trip I took to the Alps at end of July into August.

I had 2 weeks off of work to do this and I planned to use as much as possible on this trip. I was originally planning to 3000 miles but over the whole 15 days but I was forced to cut short at 2000 miles and 11 days in. I'll explain that bit later: lol:

So I had my trusty CB500 that I had last time I went to Europe. I had planned on upgrading to something bigger for this trip but my prior trip to New York had left me short of the necessary cash.

Day 1 Crewe to Reims 23/07

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This first day was a long slog on the motorway from Crewe to the ferry port at Dover and then from Calais to my hostel in Reims, left at 6am and checked in at around 7pm. The A2 to dover was nose to tail for 15 miles and I went past it all before getting hung up in the port itself for another 2 hours. I did make my sailing despite the holdup, the checking in staff commenting I was the only one to make it on time that day.
I even made it into a helicopter shot of the traffic in the port, sat chilling waiting to check in with my helmet on the bars and at the same time sweating my bollox off.

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The sailing itself was smooth and the long stint on the toll motorway from Calais to Reims went well, little traffic and good weather all day. After checking I went for a wander around the city centre, this place is always pleasing on the eye and I'd recommend it to anyone. I stayed here last time around and it didn’t disappoint.

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Day 2 Reims to Baume-Les-Messieurs 24/07

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Today was a fairly straightforward ride heading south along the main A-roads and avoiding the toll roads. I passed through loads of quaint little towns along the way, didn't really stick around in one place too long and just kept on moving.

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The highlight was my destination, Baume-Les-Messieurs is absolutely stunning. Cliffs rise up on both sides and tower over the village and it’s just really picturesque and peaceful as there is little traffic. I booked into the municipal campsite there and chilled for the evening, I had to go a few km to find a restaurant that wasn’t fully booked though. I’ll have to come here again.

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Day 3 Baume-les-Messieurs to Beaufort 25/07

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This day I got my first real taste of the twisty roads that I had been anticipating. The road through the Jura Mountains from Clairvaux- Les-Lacs to Lavans-les-Saint-Claude was deserted and just fantastic to ride. So too was the D436 over to Gex which had some awesome twisties throw in to the mix. Afterwards was a trundle across the centre of Geneva, stopping for lunch, before popping out the other side and taking the toll motorway as far as Cluses to the very start of the Route Des Grande Alps.

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First up was the Col De La Colombeire which was pretty sweet, Spent some time at the top taking photos and sauntered off down the other side to La Clulaz and onwards to Flumet over the Col de Aravis. The final part of the day was spent going over the mountains via the ski resort of Les Saises to my campsite in Beaufort. I had a walk around the essentially deserted village before choosing a place to eat and then wandered back to camp.

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Day 4 Beaufort to Ceillac 26/07

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This was a fantastic day and I got to ride some of the best passes in this part of the Alps. I was off in the morning strait into the Cormet de Roseland, which gave stunning views over to Mont Blanc from the very top. After a swift decent into Bourg Saint Maurice I headed straight to the Col de Iseran. On the way up, as I passed 2000m, I found that my bike really didn’t like high altitude as it started hesitating upon opening the throttle. I guess it started running a little rich because of the thin air, it got worse the higher up I went and upon descending to normal altitudes it sorted itself out.

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Anyway the top of the pass was barren and sparse but full of people enjoying the view. Later on I took in the brilliant Col Du Galiber and on the way stopped at this old fort/zip wire centre, it looked like tons of fun and definitely one to take a look at when I return.

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I made headway towards Briancon and onwards over the Col d Izoard, a fantastic pass with a Martian like landscape at the top. It was a brilliant ride down the other side through a gorge alongside a river.

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The dead end D60 road to Celiac was unexpected in its awesomeness; I absolutely caned it along there and had so much fun on the last stretch to my campsite just outside the village.

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Day 5 Ceillac to San Remo, Italy 27/07

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Started off that day with a run back down the D60 to the D902 and turned south to take on the Col de Vars and then the lofty Col de la Bonette. I went on the ring road around the summit of the Cime de la Bonette, which reaches 2802m, and then walked up to the summit at 2862m. What an amazing view from the top, 360 degree view for miles and miles. I’m super unfit though and that walk nearly killed me.

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I stopped for lunch in Saint-Martin-Vesubie and headed off again south before picking up the D2566. This was an amazing stretch of road and was one of the few rides I’d filmed on my helmet cam. At the top was the Col de Turini, where I stopped off for a short while before tackling the other side. The other side was badly paved on the uppermost sections but improved the further down I went.

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(spoilsports)

Through Sospel I carried on to the Med at Menton and the end of the Route Des Grandes Alps for me, the route carries on to Nice but I was heading east from here. Not wanting face the busy coat road I doubled back and took the toll road over the border into Italy and descended into San Remo, I had to use the sat nav on my phone to find my hotel here. I spent the evening wandering around, eating pizza and taking in a free concert from a moderately famous rock group.

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Day 6 San Remo to Travo 28/07

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I set off early and initially attempted to reach Genoa by using the coat road, this was futile as the traffic was stop start all the way so I relented after an hour and picked up the toll motorway at Marina di Andora . Got to Genoa around midday, had lunch in a Maccies and swiftly headed out of town. I did not rate Genoa too highly, I felt it was just too busy and outside of the main tourist areas it was a dump. I couldn’t get out there quick enough.

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TBH I felt a little low this day, probably just the heat and humidity of the day as well as me maybe feeling a little homesick. I just plodded along the mountain route to Bobbio, taking it easy all the way and trying to keep my chin up.

I reached my B and B early evening and was greeted by the enthusiastic hosts, got my stuff unloaded and settled down for the evening. They really couldn’t do enough for me and I spent all evening chatting to them and their family and friends at the bar. I’d really recommend this place for anyone visiting the area, it really lifted my spirits.

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Day 7 Travo to Limon Sul Garda 29/07

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I headed off mid-morning down the road to Piacenza and skirted the edge and onwards to Cremoa. I stopped off for lunch here and, sticking to the country A-roads, headed northeast to the outskirts of Briesca. From there I went east on SP11 to Peschiera Del Garda where I picked up the road the skirted the eastern shore of Lake Garda.

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It was pretty slow going as the road was 50kph most of the way to Riva Del Garda but it was outstandingly beautiful. It would be a fantastic place to spend a couple of days taking in the scenery and the architecture.

Reaching Riva I turned south along the western shore to my destination at Limon Sul Garda, a beautiful town but with very little parking. Most of town is pedestrianised which meant I had to walk half a kilometre to my hotel with my heavy roll bag and tank bag. I spent the evening walking around the town, snooping in the shops, taking in the atmosphere and trying the local food.

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Day 8 Limon Sul Garda to Lienz, Austria

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I had a long day of riding ahead of me today through the magnificent Dolomites. I headed back north to Riva and onwards Trento where I picked up SS612 and headed off into the mountains. I picked my way through numerous stunning passes and glorious valleys on the way to Cortina D’ Impezzo. Then I wound my way north to Toblach where I turned east towards the Austrian border.

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I followed the road along the wide valley all the way to Lienz, once there I attempted to find a shop that was open from where to procure dinner. I was unsuccessful, it seems that every shop in Austria including supermarkets close at 6pm sharp on a Saturday. There was no option but to visit the local Maccies and head to the campsite. I had to make a dash from the town to the site as a large thunderstorm was looming over the north. Once there I checked in quickly and put my tent up in a flash (geddit).
No sooner had I done that then the heavens opened and I experienced a full on Alpine thunderstorm, plenty of close CG strikes and gunshot thunder. Saw plenty of big flashes late on in the evening and the odd rumble from storms some 30 miles distant over the mountains to south and west.

Day 9 Leinz to San Leonardo in Passiria 30/07

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Got off reasonably early and headed north to the southern end of the Grossglockner alpine road, paid my toll and made a beeline for the glacier. The road up and down from the glacier was brilliant and view was great, I had a walk around up there and could’ve headed to the tip of glacier itself but elected not to in light of the time.

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I back tracked to the main road and once again headed north, this road was well worth the price of the toll and I’m glad I got to experience it. So once down the other side I headed west to Krimml to take in the impressive waterfalls here, I got wet in the spray and a little lost on the trail back to the car park.

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I was short for time so I had to make headway, it was also beginning to rain here too. I rode over the Gerlos pass, payed another toll, and north again to the Inn valley. I took a chance because of the time and joined the Austrian motorway and headed west to Innsbruck and south towards the Italian border. I didn’t have a vignette but I was lucky and wasn’t stopped, though the motorway after Innsbruck incurred another toll!

Into Italy and on to Vipento where I took ss45 over the mountains and into San Leonardo to my hotel for the night. It was a long ride that day and I got rather damp, though my wet weather gear held up well.

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Day 10 San Leonardo in Passiria to Livigno 01/08

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I got away early and immediately headed north up over the Timmelsjoch , not much a view from the top and rather cold and blustery too. Down the other side and got held up and the head of a very large queue due to a bike accident, someone had slid into the front of a delivery truck. The poor sod was being scraped up and carted off in an air ambulance; apparently he survived according to an article I found. The front of the van was ripped off, the bike was bent in two and there was a large pool of blood on the road visible as we were waved through once the helicopter had gone.

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It was a little sobering and kinda shook me up for a little while, shit can go wrong so easily.

Once back to the Inn valley I went west to Imst and then headed south towards Italy once again, following part of the route I did last time around. Climbing up and over the Stelvio pass was spectacular but also a bit of a chore, there were 40 hairpins on the eastern side going up. I had a good long rest at the top, scoffed some bratwurst and had a look around the various tat shops there.

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Pressed on to Bormio and over the Foscagno Pass and down into Livigno. I had a look around and settled on a campsite just south of the town. Once settled I decided I wanted a break from riding and booked two nights, this would prove to be a big mistake…

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Day 11-15 Livigno to A&E 02/08 - 06/08

So I got up early, did a bit of clothes washing and headed off into the town to find something to do. I had set my mind of trying out the MTB trails above the town, it’s a big thing around there and people some form all over Europe to ride there.

So I rent an E-MTB from a local shop and head to the nearest gondola to the top of the mountain. Once at the top I set off on the supposedly easy trail and a little over 500 metres down I realise this is way above my skill level and I panic. Too scared to brake on the loose surface I end up picking up way too much speed and plough straight off the trail into a hillside full of rocks!

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I sit there in pain and shock realising I broken a piece of the bike, the helmet’s broken the retaining strap and my shoulder hurts like hell. Eventually stupidly I try to continue (should’ve turned round and gone back down the gondola), can’t raise my left shoulder to reach the bars without putting pressure on it as I do so. Somehow I manage to reach the bottom after a few more kilometres of extremely cautious downhill riding and one more near tumble after my brakes burned out on a steep forest road; I laid the bike down on the grass going 30mph plus and came away shaken but no worse than before!

Once back in the town I took the bike back and stumped up for the damaged, 15 euros on top of the rental fee, and headed to A&E. I got seen by a female doctor who spoke good English and was told to have an X-ray, either that night in a hospital 60km away with no way to get back, or the next morning in the same clinic; I chose the latter and had a terrible night’s sleep back in my tent with my arm in a sling.
I got the X-ray the next morning and got confirmation that I’d broken my left collarbone.

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FUCK!

I suppose I’m lucky as it’d taken me 24 years to break bone, no matter how hard I tried. Still my tour was at an end and I had to sort myself out and get me and the bike home. Luckily ADAC, my breakdown company, were understanding and got my bike collected that afternoon and organised for it to come back to the UK. They also offered transport for me to get home but I politely declined and said I’d speak to my travel insurance.

My Travel insurance on the other hand were unhelpful and the next morning (4th) informed that I was not covered as I had been using an MTB at an altitude over 1000m

Double FUCK!

Luckily ADAC step in again and offer to get me home regardless. Over the next few days they organise a flight from Milan to Manchester and a private ambulance transport from Livigno to Milan as well. I can’t fault their service and I am eternally grateful for how they had helped me.

In the meantime I took a very long bus ride on the 4th to hospital in Sondalo to see the orthopedic doctor and get my shoulder seen to, and I got fitted with an uncomfortable figure 8 brace that I would come to loathe.

The 5th was spent sitting around the hotel room I’d booked myself into the day before feeling sorry for myself and flicking through my phone all day. I only left the room to get lunch and dinner that day.

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The 6th I woke up early to take my ambulance ride to Milan, they arrived earlier than expected but I got some breakfast down me and got on my way. It was 3 hours to the airport where I then got sit in the assisted travel lounge. My flight home was uneventful and once back into Manchester I boarded the train back to Crewe where I was picked up by a family member.

Now as I write this I’ve been off work since the 8th August, I hoping to go back to work next week although I have to get assessed by work’s doctors first. My bike is currently in Europe still, somewhere in Germany at the last check but I’m still a few weeks off riding yet anyway but it’s driving me nuts.
The fracture’s healing well and wasn’t showing up X-ray at 3 weeks although there is stiffness there.

Total riding distance was a little over 2000 miles in the 10 days I had. I did plan 3000 over the full 15 days but that didn't come to pass. Despite the early ending I enjoyed what I got to do and I am looking forward to my next tour.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading me waffle on about my trip, writing this has taken too long and I’m sure I could’ve condensed it down better but he ho. Thanks all.
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Honda CB500s (1999) - Honda CG 125 BR-J (1991)

Mod 1 - Passed - 12/11/12 --- Mod 2 - Passed - 26/11/12

[chickenstrip]

Wow, eventful!

Stick to motorcycles son, those MTBs are lethal
Great report, great photos, and a very worthwhile trip despite the injury.
Hope you get the bike back hassle-free and heal well

I've ditched the idea of a second Euro trip for this year, but you're making me wonder!
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Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE!

[Cyclingbiker]

Well I'm back in work full time thank god, now I can get a decent wage coming in and start planning for my next trip.

My bike is back too, I picked it up this evening although apparently it was dropped off last Tuesday but ADAC didn't notify my until I called them about it yesterday. It was a pig to start up having sat for 7 weeks but I coaxed back to life eventually, I'll look into it sometime over the weekend when I've got time to do so. It turned over fine but it wouldn't catch, I suspect fouled spark plugs as it was running rich at high altitudes before I had my off and it maybe didn't get a chance to burn off.
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Honda CB500s (1999) - Honda CG 125 BR-J (1991)

Mod 1 - Passed - 12/11/12 --- Mod 2 - Passed - 26/11/12

[Hahadumball]

great pics and great route! shame about ending early though!

should have just taken 2 days rest then gone full ham and ridden the rest
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Fin: no matter how much I look at It I can't understand what was going through my head, all I remember is going about 80 and redlining it to stop it seizing.
360 Deg... Five 1/4 turns. :- Teflon-Mike 18 Jan 2015

[pepperami]

Impressive
Serious questions..... Did you encounter any problems by doing the tour on your own and not being part of a group?
Or was the fact that you did the tour on your own give you advantages?

Security, timetables, campsite`s policy, ect, ect?
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[Cyclingbiker]