Easter tour 2014 *Picture Heavy*

[Cyclingbiker]

Background

I've been riding since August 2012 when I got my CBT, it was on a whim never having ridden a motorbike before. Rode around for a bit and did my tests in November 2012 and passed. I carried on with the CG until September 2013 and then bought a CB500S and restricted it, then crashed it and repaired and resprayed it (badly).
Back in September my employer released their factory shutdown schedule for 2014 which included three weekdays off around Easter, I combined this with 3 floating holidays and managed a total of 10 days off work.

I booked the channel tunnel in early Feb, originally I planned for 7 days but on advice from people on here I extended the trip to the full 10 days I had available.

I set about sorting a route that would make the most of the time I had. I knew that I would miss out on loads of things and would not really be able to top a lot and take it in but there is always time for the future. Another limitation was that at this time of year many of the alpine passes are still closed and had to plan around this and sort an alternative route. Luckily there was still a good pick to choose from, plus some unexpected openings that became known when I was down there, so it was not a big loss and i plan to tackle many of them next summer.

Below I have included a link to a Google Maps pages detailing my entire route as it panned out, barring a few times I got myself lost in the cities

https://goo.gl/maps/XSuFY

In total I covered approximately 2350 miles, the first and last days were the real miles munchers with me riding 500 and 460 miles respectively

For accommodation I sorted this in tandem with the route planning to ensure that each day would be manageable whilst still taking in the decent roads. I had every hotel or hostel booked in advance so I had no worries about availability whilst on the trip. In total I spent around £300 on accommodation for the 9 nights with prices per night ranging from £20 to as high as £62.

I checked the bike over before I set off and did the major service jobs that really needed doing like the steering head bearings. Also checked for tyre wear and made sure I had enough to last the trip (I did but only just!). Made sure her fluids were topped up and I had spare bulb and fuses as well as tools to get me through most eventualities, not to mention the breakdown cover just in case
I had new brake pads and discs fitted as well keep me going as the old pads were old and worn and the discs had become warped and worn beyond what I'd call acceptable.

Luggage was carried by a Givi 46 litre box attached to a Monorack and two Oxford side panniers, as well as a small oxford tank bag and a Buffalo tail pack. TBH I probably wouldn't have needed all of that capacity if I'd been more sensible with my packing but I got through with no issues but next time I will pare down my clothing and food to the bare essentials. The box was great but the panniers were a real faff to attach and remove from the bike at every stop for the night and I am on my way to fitting hard panniers for next years' tour, the panniers I flogged on eBay to fund the upgrade. Also would like a bigger tank bag with a proper sized window in the top for a map or GPS device.

So this is how it was the day I left at 6am from my home in Crewe, nervous about the long day ahead and daunting first steps abroad but excited all the same.

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2604_zps5d532d62.jpg

I will continue tomorrow with a write up of my first day/s or as and when I feel like typing it all up from my notes. I'm so bad at committing to sitting down and writing something, even emails or letters, I just keep putting it off. I am just a lazy fuck when it comes to any form of writing or anything that vaguely resembles an essay of any kind
____________________
Honda CB500s (1999) - Honda CG 125 BR-J (1991)

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

[Cyclingbiker]

Day 1 - Saturday 12th April Crewe to Bastogne (500 Miles)

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=201544275692364998717.0004f94de80c448b77e23&msa=0

So with a bit of hectic packing the night before I had the bike loaded up and ready to go and eventually after a bit of faffing I set off at 6:15 in the morning. Albeit after so molly coddling from my mum

I set off down the motorway and settled into the drudgery of 250 miles of this exciting road. Traffic was light for most of the way with some congestion around Dartford but nothing major. Did stop at the Services on the M25 at South Mimms to fill up and grab a snack. Got a message off my mum saying I left my EHIC behind, oh well no going back now but thankfully I didn't need it. I got to the tunnel terminal around 10:30am and had plenty of time to check in and grab a bite to eat. I must've been on the dodgy list as I arrived some armed police turned up and started a patrol around the food court .

There a slight delay in my departure for some reason but it didn't end up being more than 10 minutes. On boarding the bikes are held to one side whilst the cars board first and only once the carriages are full are bikes allowed on. I got chatting to a couple from Warrington on a BMW who were going on a short tour of the WW1 sites around France and Belgium.

Got into France at around 1:30pm local time (clocks go forward) and immediately stopped at the exit to check the maps to get my bearings and take a commemorative pic of the occasion:

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2607_zpscb0fffa0.jpg

I looked over the map and jotted down route numbers and major cities along the way to guide me across northern France and own towards the Belgian border. After I exited the terminal I joined teh A16/E40 and headed off towards Dunkirk, my first major stop. I didplan to have a quick nosy around the town but thought better of it due to time constraints and instead stopped on the outskirts and ate at a "Quick" restaurant where my extremely limited French caused me to fall flat on my face as I couldn't really communicate my order and they too barely spoke English
I managed to get order in just and ate it up and made a swift exit and continued on my journey. This time I headed south on the E42 route towards Lille. a fairly straight forward ride, I did stop off and took a couple of pictures at one of the junctions before continuing on:

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2613_zps5f9ca13a.jpg

Riding along a went into a cloud of eye-watering onion stench which was emanating from a huge pile of rotting onions beside the motorway next to a farm
Shortly afterwards I stopped for petrol in Bailleul just off the motorway and got stuck in traffic next to a very ripe sewage treatment plant that was giving off a lot of fumes in the warm sunny weather
It is therefore official that France smells of onions and shit

I got slightly lost around Lille as I found the motorway signs don't always continue with directions to major destinations that I am after, they keep stopping and starting which leads to confusion. Anyway managed to get back on track and continue into Belgium, where the road surface deteriorated markedly! I plodded on through Mons and many more motorway miles, stopping occasionally to take a break and have a drink of water or a coffee. I passed through Namur and took a quick pic of the very nice park before heading back out towards Bastogne:

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2618_zpsad5f9783.jpg

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2621_zps7876f59e.jpg

I got slightly lost again trying to find the way out of Namur and onto the motorway but found it eventually and carried on to do the final stretch. It was another 70km down the N4 route which felt very long and kind of lonely as dusk was settling in and eventually I got into Bastogne at around 7pm local time after around 12 hours of travel. My arse was sore that night!

I filled the bike up before reaching my hotel and then booked in. This night it was a Best Western, I wanted somewhere slightly plush to sleep after such a long trip. The room was cosy, I had a double deb to myself, wifi, TV, PC and a bath/shower (I needed it). I enjoyed a local beer from the bar and a Gratin dish for my dinner and retired to bed for the evening.

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2623_zps07dd12f9.jpg

Amazing to be in such a different place yet only a day's ride from home
____________________
Honda CB500s (1999) - Honda CG 125 BR-J (1991)

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

[HotdogMcDraw]

Looking forward to this
____________________
https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=284963 - What to expect on a MOD 1 (contains video footage) - Posted by BG5067

Honda Rebel 125 (L Plate Warrior) - Nov 2013 to Aug 2014, BMW G650 GS ABS - Aug 2014 to Current

[Cyclingbiker]

Day 2 - Sunday 13th April Bastogne to Seebach (228 miles)

https://goo.gl/maps/HjBcv

I woke up and had my first continental breakfast (basically cold meats and cheese with cereals). The first of many I assure you. I got the bike loaded up again and checked the fluids, coolant was fine but oil was now near the bottom of the dipstick. I suspected this would be the case but not to worry as I I picked up a bottle or oil from the next garage I came to too just inside Luxembourg. I topped up the level and was on my way again.

The roads through Luxembourg were really nice, twisty and smooth and the views over the rolling hills were pretty sweet. A few miles in I stopped at a viewpoint where there was a memorial to the battle of the Ardennes:

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2627_zps1f8ecf4e.jpg

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2628_zpsde28ba86.jpg

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2629_zpsb32b89b3.jpg

I carried on through the countryside, passing picturesque towns and villages along the way. I noticed petrol is dirt cheap compared to Belgium, about 1.32 eur/litre compared to 1.55 eur + elswhere. It works out at under £1.10/litre, I kind of wished I'd waited before I'd filled up the night before to save myself a few bob.

I passed into Germany at the river crossing at Grevenmacher and headed off into the hills towards Merzeig and Saarlouis. after Saarlouis I joined the autobahn and headed for Saarbrucken where I stopped for a spot of lunch. Kebabs seem everyday food there and is eaten at any time and from restaurants rather than exclusively from kebab houses late at night here. Scoffed one down and also had an ice cream as the weather was baking hot.

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2637_zpsba1202f6.jpg

After that I headed off down the route 51 towards Sarreguemines and onto the Autobahn again, this time a toll road, and off South and East to Strausbourg. The road was long and full of traffic, the bike kept up well and returned good fuel economy the whole way. The fuel though on the forecourts was ridiculously priced (is there any other sort? ), E10 was 1.66 eur FFS and plain old 95 was closer to 1.80 eur . Reluctantly I chose the E10 because of cost but I don't like to because of the crap it does to the engine and assorted hoses/rubber parts as well as the performance and MPG losses that come with it. I think the total cost of the toll on this road for me was something like 3.5 eur for the 100km or so I used it for, always remember though to use the manned booths to get the right tariff.

Got lost in Strausbourg but managed to use the satnav on my phone to find the route out east towards the Black Forest and Achern. The road I wanted bypassed Achern and headed off into the hills passing through several small villages before reaching Seebach. Here I was staying at Pension Willams, a place that was recommended by a few on here. To reach it you have to turn off the main road before leaving the village and follow the road down the hill and upwards on the other side of the valley. The hotel was down the 2nd road on the left and had plenty of spaces out front to park. I'm told the risk of crime is very low here so I needn't worry about security.

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2639_zpsed612854.jpg

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2642_zpse521dd31.jpg

Hotel is nice, if a little dated and lacking wifi. The place is runs a couple of british expats so communication no trouble and were great to chat to and were on hand to help. The beds were comfy and the views lovely but could've done with a better tv as the one in my room didn't seem to work. Didn't end up having a meal this night and just went straight to bed as I was so knackered after the days ride.

More to add tomorrow (8 days still to go )
____________________
Honda CB500s (1999) - Honda CG 125 BR-J (1991)

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

[_mjs_]

Great stuff
____________________
Previous Bikes: 2006 Honda XR125L > 2003 Yamaha DT125R > 1996 Honda CB500
Current bikes: 1997 Kawasaki ZZR 600 E5 > 2006 Honda Varadero XL125V

[sidewinder]

Brilliant write up .
looking forward to more

[Sabs]

[mudcow007]

nice effort, keep em coming

[pepperami]

Cool
____________________
I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[Cyclingbiker]

Day 3 - Monday 14th April Seebach to St. Gallen (173 miles)

https://goo.gl/maps/Km3rg

Got up earlyish at around 8:30 and showered and went down for brekkie, which was already underway downstairs. It turns out that another biker was staying at the hotel as well, a young chap called Jack, about my age from London way who was sampling the roads of the Black Forest on a Honda VFR800. He was also staying at the hotel for 2 days before heading back home whereas I was just passing through on my way to the Alps.
So I ended up having a good natter over breakfast with him and the English proprietor, where we discussed our touring plans and exchanged useful info, before getting packed up and the bike loaded up for my next leg.

I said my goodbyes and thought that would be the last I'd see of him but it wasn't long before he caught up with my on the approach to the B500 and we ended up going the same way. He then pulled in at a lay-by on the route 28 just after the end of that first section of B500 and there he suggested we stick together and follow the route of the B500 south to the Swiss border, there he would turn back to the hotel and I would carry on to St. Gallen. I thought that sounded like a good idea, it's always nice to have some company on the roads anyway, so we set off in the general direction of Triberg. On the way we went though miles of twisty minor roads the climbed and descended through dense forest and occasional pasture before opening out into a lush valley towards Unterharmersbach.

There we made sure we going the right route on his satnav and continued onto Triberg. The road was nice with a few decent bends and tunnels thrown in. We both stopped in Triberg to have a look around and have something to eat.

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2648_zpsa550b2c9.jpg

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2647_zpsefd9b406.jpg

That something ended up being a slice of the best Black Forest Gateaux (Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte in German) I've ever had + coffee, couldn't have had anything else considering where we were

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2654_zpsb415ff68.jpg

Had a quick nosey in the tourist tat shops and then moved on to the so called "House of a 100 clocks". They weren't joking in the name either!!!

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2650_zps7228c5bc.jpg

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2656_zpse9140a20.jpg

11,900 eur :
https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2658_zps8abae162.jpg

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2659_zpsabe0f602.jpg

Never bought anything in there as most of the cuckoo clocks were in excess of 500 EUR for the smalls ones, plenty of 'muricans with more money than sense about to snap up though.

It was time to carry on so we headed up out of Triberg along the B500 still heading south. From here the road climbed onto the exposed hills above the tree line were it was fairly exposed and was quite gusty with nasty sidewinds in some sections. The high vantage point gave some great views over the vast expanse of the forest and would've made some great pictures but unfortunately we didn't stop at all along this section. The road then descend into another valley and skirted around the town of Titisee and the eponymous lake. The traffic was backed up for over a mile along the shore of the lake in bother directions as there was what IU presumed to be tree-felling going on immediately upslope of the main road. We filtered to the front of the queue and waited for the all clear before heading off onto the empty road ahead
It didn't last long as there was town up ahead and we turned south again for the last stretch before Waldshut and the border. It was much of the same as before with exposed upland roads and lower forest sections with occasional town breaking the flow up a bit.

The road then descended into valley of the Rhine and into the bustling town of Walshut. Traffic was quite heavy due to the obvious bottleneck at the single-lane border crossing at the bridge over the river. We then split up with Jack heading back through the forest to the hotel and me crossing the border to carry on my journey.

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2663_zpsb5fe0f00.jpg

At the first petrol station I came to, literally just across the border, I paid 40 francs (33 EUR) for the Swiss Vignette (Motorway Toll) as I knew I'd be using plenty of motorways and also the San Gotthard Tunnel later on in my trip.

So I head out east towards Winterthur on a very slow 60kph road with waayy too many 50kph zones for my liking. Only the one section of 120kph autobahn made it bearable, but even that was short lived. I did eventually reach Winterthur but did not stay long as it was getting on and I was really wanting to get to St. Gallen before it got too late.

I decided to skip the trunk road and head for the Autobahn so I could keep up a good pace and get there as early as possible. It was on this road as I was approaching St. Gallen that I spied in the distance to mt SSE my first Alp, one which I now believe to be called Santis. This got my spirits up and I pressed eventually pulling off the autobahn into right into teh centre of St. Gallen. It was then I realised I had no idea where the hostel was in relation to me. Basically I was lost

I had no idea where i was in the city so I could not get direction form the hostel over the phone but luckily a nearby florist spoke English and very kindly printed off a maps from Google when I gave them the address of the hostel. I then followed this map and got to the hostel without further issue by 7:30pm.

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2668_zpse082a3d8.jpg

I set about getting my stuff unloaded, anything valuable going into the lockers and anything else under my bunk. My room had a good mix of people who were are very friendly and not the least bit murderous or psychotic

The hostel, being up the hillside, offered good views over the city and even had a slither of Lake Constance to view

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2669_zps5b7dad8e.jpg

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2667_zps818e5e72.jpg

Although I did have to contend with this coming past every couple of minutes with typical Swiss efficiency

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2671_zps16b3dd99.jpg

Ended up eating at a local kebab house for that night and got my first shock at Swiss food prices, they're a fucking rip off! 16 francs for a kebab FFS, about £10 and that's without drinks and restaurants are fucking astronomical!

Any my belly full I retired to my room and wrote my notes from the day and nodded off quickly and slept like a log....
____________________
Honda CB500s (1999) - Honda CG 125 BR-J (1991)

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

[smob67]

Good write up so far, appreciated
____________________
RM125, TS125, X5 200, X7 250, RD 350 LC ------- 25yrs later cbr600f (sold) - cbr1000rr (2014)

[Cyclingbiker]

Bloody hell I've been slacking, just CBA to do anything like type out an essay ATM

Here it goes...

Day 4 - Tuesday 15th April 2014 St. Gallen to Zernez - via Tyrol (210 miles)

https://goo.gl/maps/Sfef7

This was to be my first taste of the Alps so I was eager to get out but had a late start as usual. I decided to pop into town with a friend I made in the youth hostel as I was after a power adapter because the Swiss have their own power socket which is different to the rest of Europe (who knew?). I left him at his temporary workplace (tattoo parlour) and trekked back up the hill to YH and got my shit together and set off once again.

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2675_zps5f2ad888.jpg

This time it was straight onto the autobahn and towards Lake Constance then onwards towards the Austrian border at Lustenau where I crossed the Rhine once again. I meandered through Lustenau and Schwarzach before I found the tunnel on the L200 road that would take me into the heart of the Tyrol. From here on I wandered through the high foothills along lovely twisty and wooded roads, passing through towns such as Egg, which has an egg just outside

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2678_zps6ed4552d.jpg

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2677_zpse61a132f.jpg

The roads were absolutely lovely and soon I made it out of the small hills and then the views opened out onto this:

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2680_zpse0114ec3.jpg

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2684_zps8173c1ad.jpg

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2682_zpsc41e4573.jpg

This was the first time I'd seen a mountain so high, Mt Snowdon just doesn't compare

The road then started climbing up and up until I'd reached the snow line and that's about when the road designers went all crazy and started designing Hot Wheels tracks

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2685_zpsccc64b9a.jpg

The view down the mountain was awesome too:

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2686_zps18d3a3df.jpg

It wasn't long before I'd reached the summit of my first pass on my trip and boy did it feel good
I was amazed to be so high up, higher than any mountain in the UK in fact, and still on a paved and clear main road. If only our councils could keep our roads clear like this when we get a slight dusting of snow
https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2688_zps6899db96.jpg

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2690_zps7c8e39c6.jpg

I must note that at any time I could not lift the dark visor on my helmet as without it I could not see for the brightness of the reflective snow. I suffer from terrible photo-sensitivity and without my eyes can't be kept open wide in bright sunlight let alone this! I wear reactions off the bike but no need on it when I have a sunshade built in

I descended the pass and carried on along the L200 to the ski resort of Warth and then on the 198 east to next turn off at Stanzach. All along this road there were ski resorts that were simply dead with not a soul to be seen amongst them, nothing at all open and no sign of life. Just the occasional car on the road. The views were nice with uninterrupted vistas of snow-covered forests, snowy peaks and crystal clear rivers. It reminded me very much of Skyrim lol

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2692_zps9ee8151a.jpg

I then made my turn off towards Berwang on the L21, which was a narrow and twisty mountain road. I encountered no moving traffic whatsoever and the only other people up here we men doing road works. It also started snowing light whilst i was on here but it never became anything serious thank god. Lovely views again down the valley.

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2697_zpsae340879.jpg

After that lonesome stretch through the empty landscape and deserted resorts I descended down to main road at Bilchbach and headed SE towards the Fernpass. The road was busy with lorries and coaches so I kept my place and stayed put at a steady pace up to the top where I stopped for lunch at the cafe. It was just prior to reaching the pass that I reached my further point east on this trip and in my life, just the main road before the junction with the L71

Whilst I was up here the snow started again and the roads became damp but it never got too serious thankfully:

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2699_zps31332bde.jpg

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2698_zps00deb5e0.jpg

I then came down the other side of the pass heading due south towards the Inn valley at Imst where I turned west towards Ladeck. I decided to take the trunk road instead of the autobahn as I did not purchase an Austrian vignette, not worth it for this trip.

It was here though along the 171 that I had my closest near miss with a vehicle that I have had in my entire biking career! It was as I was travelling down a straight stretch of road stuck behind a tractor and 2 cars and we were all going about 30mph. The other lane was clear ahead for a good few hundred yards and the other 2 cars didn't show any sign overtaking so I decided to go for an overtake. I did my lifesaver and pulled out and accelerated up to 50 or 60mph and as soon as I approached the 1st car behind the tractor it started to indicate and slow and pull left into a driveway. As I was already too committed to stop now I carried on through and kept upping the speed and ended up missing the front of the car by about a foot
looking back I should've kept an eye out for possible turn off points ahead and planned accordingly. I think once I got my myself into this situation I was right to press on and continue the overtake as if I'd slowed at all I probably would've gone into the side of the car!
Scary stuff

After that event rattled my nerves I slowed down a bit and kept back for a while to say the least.

I then turned south into the Landeck tunnel and spent a good 5-7 miles sitting at 40 trying to not get bored in the tunnel. Luckily it didn't last long and the road opened out into the narrow Inn valley. All along the valley the road hugged the banks of the river and the mountains towered above, the river Inn was a curious deep blue colour weirdly.

The road directly to Zernez split off to the west and my road continued south towards Nauders. The road climbed up high above the valley bottom with great view across the mountains and down into the valley below.

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2709_zps0b0a73bc.jpg

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2706_zpsa2a067e9.jpg

I came across Festung Nauders, an impressive military fort that was built in the early 19th century and sits alongside the road. Lovely building it is with a great hugegun out front and assorted military equipment across the road.

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2719_zpsdf1b893b.jpg

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2721_zps392283e4.jpg

I crossed the border south of Nauders into Italy and stopped for a commemorative photo alongside Lake Reschensee.

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2722_zps6f9df945.jpg

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2723_zpscb9803c1.jpg

I cam across a nice looking war memorial on the downhill stretch to Malles Ventosa Mals.

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2727_zpsab45a847.jpg

The road then turned west towards the Ofenpass and back into Switzerland. The road climbed past Glorenza Glurns:

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2729_zps1528eb0f.jpg

The road headed towards the border but not before I hit a major roadworks site and had to take a gentle and careful ride off road for about half a mile as I negotiated a major road diversion project.. The road returned thankfully and I stopped at the border to fill up on petrol and carried on up to the pass.

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2730_zps1e4ec2d7.jpg

Once I reached the top of the pass the amount of snowfall they get at 2000 metres became hugely apparent

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2734_zps78e46b75.jpg

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2735_zps1e6ace7f.jpg

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2736_zpsf2cb2c89.jpg

The road down the other side was so awesome. So much fun that I never stopped to take photo
Just brilliant, it was just one sweeping bend after another for a straight 13 miles, the best road I've ridden up until this point

I got down into Zernez and found my hotel promptly, got unpacked relaxed in room until my dinner of venison , yum

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2742_zpsbc015aac.jpg
____________________
Honda CB500s (1999) - Honda CG 125 BR-J (1991)

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

[dan_flash]

Cracking write up and pics so far

You have, in fact, gone from 'almost where I used to live' (used to live in Liverpool) to 'almost where I live now' (Woergl in Tirol, though much further east from where you visited).

And I am, in fact, riding back on my ER5 in a few days - or at least hoping too, if it gets thru the MOT today without any major problems...

Look forward to reading the rest once you've uploaded it
____________________
Yamaha XJ600S, Volvo v40.

[sabian92]

Cracking writeup - don't usually read them as I find it hard to concentrate for more than about 5 seconds on stuff but this is a decent read I know where I'm going when I've got a licence

And I know what you mean about Swiss prices. I went to Geneva for the day and spent 80 quid without even realising it

[djrikki]

Just skimmed - but will be back to read this - thanks

[noobRider]

Great pics and a good read.
____________________
Licence: Nov 2012, Bikes: Suzuki GN125, Moto Guzzi Strada 750, Triumph Sprint ST 955i x 2
AnPhonEh: I need plans, I need contingency plans also, I need back up contingency plans

[andymach23]

Great report. Really enjoying it.

[MacZurbi]

[Ballpien]

[ScaredyCat]

Did OP get murdered? Where's the rest?
____________________
Honda CBF125 ➝ NC700X
Honda CBF125 ↳ Speed Triple

[reddeviljp]

Good stuff.Keep writing it up.

I suppose being from Crewe you'd need to get a crow bar to open your wallet

Don't ever plan on visiting Norway if you think Switzerland is expensive. I paid £63 for four cheese toasties in Tromso three years ago
Shocked is a perfect word to describe how I felt.
____________________
Bike: 1993 CB400 SuperFour - 1999 Yamaha FZS600 - DAS passed 7/11/13 - Working my way towards a Yamaha FZ1.

[HotdogMcDraw]

Please!
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https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=284963 - What to expect on a MOD 1 (contains video footage) - Posted by BG5067

Honda Rebel 125 (L Plate Warrior) - Nov 2013 to Aug 2014, BMW G650 GS ABS - Aug 2014 to Current

[expat200]

[Cyclingbiker]

I've been a bit meh recently and only just got the will to write this up so here it is...

Day 5 - 16th April Zernez to Chur (70 Miles)

https://goo.gl/maps/TvZoi

This was to be my shortest day of the trip, it was but a short hop over the mountains to Chur so I could take it easy and relax a bit to enjoy the scenery a bit more.
I woke up early-ish but had a good lie in watching tele before heading down to breakfast. Food was average but filling. The weather outside was perfect, slightly chilly in the shade but blindingly bright sunshine elsewhere else. It would be pretty much like this for the remainder of the day, fine by me as it meant perfect conditions for riding

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2743_zpsf23b0675.jpg

Before setting off I did a mini service to keep the bike running smoothly; topped the oil up, cleaned and lubed the chain, checked the coolant levels and checked the tyre pressure.
I set off but headed north first to the town of Susch at the base of the Fluelapass. I knew the pass was closed but I went up there any way to have a quick look for curiosity's sake. It is a lovely little town in my eyes:

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2746_zps1c474f43.jpg

Great views over the 3,000m+ peaks with clouds forming in their wake. I could only imagine how frigid it is up there! Also sat at the base of the Fluelapass, you cans see the barrier across the road in the foreground:

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2749_zpsdc94a0d6.jpg

Having satisfied my curiosity I rode south back the way I came and back through Zernes towards the ski resort of St Moritz. The road follows the course of the River Inn along the fertile valley floor flanked by the high peaks either side. Soon enough I ended up of the shores of Lake St Moritz:

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2754_zpsf82a5912.jpg

I lovely place but rather quiet at this time of year. Supposedly the most expensive ski resort in Europe so probably not the sort of place I belong in

Crystal clear water with a slight blue/green tinge, don't get this in Cheshire:

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2756_zpsdaa1e1b5.jpg

Stopped further along at Silverplana at viewpoint overlooking the town and the large lake (which is covered by snow):

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2760_zpscf04f50f.jpg

The road from here on rose up towards the Julierpass, it was roughly a climb of 400/500 metres over 4 miles from the town to the summit. It wasn't too hard going so i took it easy and enjoyed the view up to the top. I was greeted with a white wilderness:

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2765_zpsb5bccf98.jpg

I saw a couple of groups of off-piste skiers on the slopes next to the rode on the way up but didn't stop to have a go
Parked the bike up and enjoyed the view and marveled at the alitutude I sat at:

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2767_zps2c787247.jpg

The snow drifts quite well here too, there is also supposedly a lake somewhere up here:

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2770_zpsd819baed.jpg

I did get a portrait from a passing tourist but again had my sunshade down as I could not see for shit! Not my best look but it is here for posterity :

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2769_zpsa3f8b796.jpg

I carried on over the top and down towards the valley beyond. The road down the other side was sweet as a nut with may sweeping bends and serpentine sections. Got in some peg scraping action along the way. Didn't stop for photos along here though.

After a while I came across this reservoir, evidently they didn't get much rain this winter just gone as the levels are so low:

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2773_zpsa34ff484.jpg

As stopped overlooking the lake another car stopped in the layby I was in and out stepped a guy from Italy asking for directions. It turns out he was heading down from London with his family in a car he bought back in the UK as it was cheaper to carry his belongings this way than to transport them by air. He had been working for Porsche in London on a project for a couple of monthsand now that was over he was heading back home. I work for Bentley in Crewe and as they are owned by VW we both had a little bit in common, that was a bit of a chance encounter and fairly amusing. I was able to help with his trip as we wanted to know if the Julierpass was open and what passes were open into Italy. I told him what he wanted to know and showed him the map of the passes in the area and we parted ways.

Lovely views down the valley:

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2775_zpsa818bb42.jpg

I came across this lovely waterfall flowing off the side of the cliffs near to the road and into the forest bellow. I couldn't reach the base it self but tried my best:

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2779_zpsa7ed6b14.jpg

It was here that I had a little spill off road. I stupidly tried to attempt a slight grassy slope, my rear wheel lost traction and I slid back a bit and fell over
I was unscathed but I had a right job to lift the bike upright again but I managed it after wedging my leg underneath and levering it up with my body weight and brute strength. The was a slight scuff to the engine case and the soft panniers but my LH peg had snapped. Not to worry I simply swapped my pillion peg in it's place, not a match but close enough and did the job I needed. And I definitely won't be doing that again any time soon!

Back on it's wheel my bike was dwarfed by the scenery behind!

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2781_zps1ab0698b.jpg

The fast flowing brook that emerged from rocks just up the hill, presumably from the base of the waterfall.

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2784_zps1c0407ea.jpg

Continuing on with my bodged peg I passed through the pleasant town of Cunter (snigger....) and onwards towards Tiefencastle:

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2786_zpsfc39b1e9.jpg

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2787_zpsc95bc106.jpg

Onwards from here I decided against travelling via the autobahn so i went over the hills through Lenzerhiede. The road was clogged with slow moving traffic so i kept to a gentle pace for much of this leg. Nice views though:

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2790_zpsfe76c596.jpg

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2789_zps8efdfc66.jpg

Soon the road opened out and I was greeted with views over the valley with the sprawling city of Chur spread out between the mountains.

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2791_zpsdd95b107.jpg

I had little trouble finding my hostel in this city with help from my Sat nav on my phone. It was right on a main road but unfortunately I had to park my bike around the back in a side street. Luckily it ended being right beneath my dorm window at the base of the fire escape so was in view pretty much all the time. Did put the disc lock on though, not that it would do much good if anyone more than an opportunist had their eyes on it.

My hostel was nice I suppose but it was VERY quiet in there, there were no guests in my dorm so i had it all to myself. I barely even saw anyone in the rest of the hostel so I was pretty lonely that night. I don't think i;d stay there again and I'd pay the extra for a hotel and somewhere with better parking facilities.

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2798_zps84c7269e.jpg

I din't have any plans for tea this night, I snacked on a fair chunk of a bag of raisins and peanuts in the early evening and these gave me a bad stomach ache for the evening so my appetite took a hit. I wandered around the old town looking for a place to eat to nowhere really took my fancy, and plus the prices were one again extortionate to me.

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2792_zps86653b5b.jpg

https://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q721/Tom_McCallister/Alpine%20holiday/IMG_2794_zps8f15b91e.jpg

Instead I settled on a fast food burger from a kebab house near to my hostel and just settled down for the night keeping myself entertained with Youtube on my phone before nodding off around 11 or midnight.

More to follow I promise
____________________
Honda CB500s (1999) - Honda CG 125 BR-J (1991)

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

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

Wow - can't believe how lucky you seem to have been weather-wise. Unless you've edited out all the drab, rainy pictures.

How was the bike? I notice a distinct lack of commentary on that front.
____________________
"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125