Tour of the Alps 2006

[jobst....@stanfordalumni.org]

A version containing pictures we took will appear in the Trento bike
pages later. This is the wreck.bike version.

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Tour of the Alps 2006
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At noon Sunday, 09 July, I flew with Virgin Atlantic and Swiss
Airlines from San Francisco via Heathrow, to arrive Monday afternoon
In Zurich. I took a through train from the ZRH airport to Schwyz
where my friends, the Dierauers, picked me up for the short ride to
their house in Ibach, home of Victor Inox, aka Swiss Army Knife.
Edith and Turi Dierauer have been my gracious hosts for many bike
tours, as were the senior Dierauers before them.

I unpacked my bicycle from my Nashbar soft-bag and assembled it
installing the right crank, turning the fork and bars to the front and
installing the rear derailleur and chain. Amazingly the Dierauer's
house from last year was gone and a new airy and modern house stood in
its place needing only final landscaping. After a great dinner I got
a good night's rest in preparation of getting on the road the next
morning, jet lag and all. Richard Mlynarik, my ride partner, had
spent time with his wife in France and would arrive in the morning.

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1. Tuesday, 11 July (Ibach - Goldswil (BE)); 144km, 3200m):

Richard arrived as planned and stowed his extra bags in the garage
before we got going to Brunnen (435m) on the Vierwaldstettersee (aka
Lake of Lucerne) to take the Axenstrasse along the east shore into
Canton Uri (William Tell country). The end of the lake is at Flüelen
where the Reuss river, that is fed from the Klausen, Susten, and
Gotthard passes, enters the lake.

http://www.schweizerseiten.ch/info/axenstrasse.htm

The Axenstrasse is hewn into the vertical granite walls above the
lake, as it alternates between ledges and tunnels in the cliffs, a
barrier that was only passable by boat in ancient times. Below the
road, the Gotthard railway lies almost entirely in tunnels from
Brunnen to Flüelen. Meanwhile, the freeway tunnels deep in the
mountain for the entire stretch with no view of the Alps.

This road can be appreciated best from a bicycle because that way one
can use the original tunnels and narrow road that are more exposed and
give a panorama, shown in the web site above, instead of the current
road with longer tunnels that leave no view of towering snow capped
peaks and the lake. We passed the noted Tellsprung, where Wilhelm is
said to have jumped to shore in a raging storm to escape from
Austrians who had taken him captive.

http://www.picswiss.ch/Historie/g-hip3-7.html
http://www.bartleby.com/26/6/
http://www.kulturschweiz2004.ch/geschichte/200jahre.asp

In Altdorf, Richard took pictures of me posing in front of the Tell
monument where he stands proudly, bigger than life, in bronze, son at
his side, with crossbow (Swiss trade mark) over his shoulder in front
of a mural of the Alps of canton Uri. We rode up the valley past
Erstfeld (472m) the north portal of the huge SBB 57km Gotthard base
tunnel that is nearing completion.

http://www.tell.ch/schweiz/telldenkmal.htm
http://www.neat.ch/pages/e/index.php
http://www.neat.ch/pages/e/aktuell/pressemitteilung.php?jahr=2003

The climb toward the Gotthard pass begins abruptly on a stone-arch
bridge over the Reuss at the SBB hydropower plant in Amsteg where the
valley becomes a steep and narrow gorge. Our road wended its way
along the granite walls while the double track SBB, in order to not
exceed a 2.7% grade, uses helical tunnels to gain altitude on its way
to the original 16km Gotthard Tunnel. As usual, traffic was light,
because most of it stayed on the four lane Autobahn that remains
mostly out of sight in tunnels and avalanche sheds. To our benefit,
in spite of regular vacationer's traffic jams, most drivers choose to
wait patiently for traffic to move rather than trying the old highway.

In Wassen (916m), where the road to the Susten pass takes off, we
settled for a hearty grocery store lunch, it being before noon when
stores close.

http://www.wassen.ch/

In Wassen, the Susten road starts with a classic tunnel-into-the-wall
above the Meienreuss with a nearly uniform 8% grade to the Susten
Pass. After the curved bare rock tunnel we crossed a stone arch
bridge over a waterfall of the Reuss and entered another tunnel
followed by more tunnels to climb into the Meiental above the narrow
gorge that had, in earlier days, required arduous climbing over higher
ground. The modern Susten Pass was completed in 1946 with a uniform
grade that, above Meien village, is visible as a sloping contour line
to the summit.

The Susten Pass is not well known for its great vistas and many
glaciers, probably because it has no ski areas, but I choose to call
it the glacier highway of Switzerland. After a 200m long summit
tunnel, a large parking lot in front of an all day cafeteria allows
tour busses and to cars stop in front of the breathtaking panorama of
the Sustenhorn (3503m) and several other glacier covered peaks of
nearly equal hight above the Steingletscher that ends 360m below,
where the road passes the Steingletscher Hotel.

The road runs down the north side of the Gadmental, across from the
glacier, passing through rough bare rock tunnels and along spectacular
cliffs on its way to Innertkirchen in the Haslital. At Innertkirchen
we crossed the Aare river and climbed the Kirchet (pass) of four short
traverses between narrow hairpins to rise over the narrow slot, the
Aareschlucht, through which the Aare river leaves the Haslital to
reach the Brienzersee.

http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos/s21.html
http://www.aareschlucht.ch/englisch.htm

Just beyond the Kirchet we turned off onto the road to Rosenlaui where
one of the great Swiss glaciers lies behind a similar narrows in
granite walls. As we passed the Reichenbachfall at hotel Zwirgi, we
listened carefully for the last utterances of Holmes and Moriarty as
they went over the falls in Conan Doyle's works. The watering trough
at the waterworks came in handy on this warm and sunny day. This is a
steep but rewarding climb as it levels off just below the Rosenlaui
Glacier with the backdrop of the magnificent Wetterhorn (3701m). We
dropped in on Andras and Christina Kehrli, the proprietors of Hotel
Rosenlaui, to say hello and down a delicious afternoon dessert before
heading up the road to the end of the public road at Schwarzwaldalp.

http://www.evo.org/sherlock/europe/reichenbach_falls.html
http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos/s38.html

The climb from Schwarzwaldalp (1454m) to the old bus turn-around was
steep as always and required a bit of extra effort, but then the rest
of the hill with its 12% grade went all right. The restricted road is
smoothly paved but is only as wide as the bus that generally does not
slow down for bicyclists, something that is stated with a picture of a
bicyclist at the beginning of the road. The road climbs scenically
through meadows with grazing cows amidst wildflowers on its way to
Große Scheidegg (1961m) at the foot of the glacier crowned Wetterhorn.

http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos/s37.html
http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos/s84.html

We had heard of large rock falls on the Eiger north face but saw
nothing from across the valley in Grindelwald (1034m) below. The
grand trio of Eiger, Mönch, and pure white Jungfrau looked as good as
ever as we cruised through town and descended next to the raging
Lütschine.

It's all downhill along the icy Schwarze Lütschine that sends up a
freezing air to the road at bridges and narrows. At Zweilütschinen
(655m), where the Schwarze and Weisse Lütschinen join to flow down the
nearly level valley to Interlaken (563m). We looked back across the
large meadow in the middle of Interlaken for a postcard view up the
Lauterbrunnental to the Jungfrau. After crossing Aare to the north
shore of the Brienzersee we made the short climb to the Hotel Schönegg
in Goldswil, which literally sits on a cliff overlooking the lake.
Here we found good food and lodging that I had envisioned on other
times I have passed here.

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2. Wednesday, 12 July (Goldswil - Reuras); 122km, 2930m):

We rode along the north shore of the Brienzer lake to Brienz where we
just missed the departure of the BRB 800mm (Abt cogwheel) steam train
that goes to the top of the Brienzer Rothorn (2353m). From here, it's
not far to Meiringen a few kilometers past the end of the lake.

http://www.brienz-rothorn-bahn.ch/bahn/?lang=en
http://tinyurl.com/y3udeb

We photographed Sherlock Holmes in the center of Meiringen in
life-sized bronze, with pipe, cape, and deerstalker cap pensively
sitting on a rock, probably thinking abut Dr. Moriarty. Leving town
up the hill to Willigen, where a short climb took us ovr the Kirchet
(709m) to back to Innertkirchen and up the Haslital to the Grimsel
Pass. The Grimsel road has three reprieves, one in Guttannen (1057m),
with a good grocery store, and another at Handegg (1402m), with good
accommodations in case of foul weather and finally a hotel above the
upper dam as the road follows the lakeshore. The road climbs between
granite walls to lower and upper concrete dams of the KWO power
company.

THis time there was no snow or ice on the summit lake on the Grimsel
Pass (2154m), where the road passes through a gap from which a
panorama of the Rhone Glacier, source of the Rhone, and the Furka pass
to the southeast, opens. Although the Furka Pass is 267m higher then
the Grimsel, it is not the climb it appears to be, even after the
descent to Gletsch which makes it a 672m climb.

http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos/s67.html

The Grimsel summit gave us a view to Gletsch (1759m) with its hotel,
train station, and the Furka road junction nearly straight below
beyond a series of hairpin turns of the Grimsel road. Above to the
east, the Galenstock (3583m) and the gap of the Furka Pass make a fine
backdrop for the Rhone Glacier and the adjacent Hotel Belvedere.

We stopped in Gletsch at the DFB (Dampfbahn Furka Bergstrecke) Furka
Steam Railway train station, where a train full of tourists was
getting ready to depart. I made the annual dues paying ritual with my
M/C card which still seems to be a financial hurdle for these folks,
as they use a manual "ratsch-ratsch" credit card printer (the reason
for raised numbers on the card). The train started puffing up the
cogwheel climb to the summit tunnel as we headed up the pass.

The Furka Pass (2431m), 267m higher than the Grimsel, lies in the gap
at the head of this valley that is swept clean, except for some
shrubs, by avalanches. The Furka has a great panorama that, as I
experienced once on an exceptionally clear day, can include the
Matterhorn to the west. We could see the portal of the DFB summit
tunnel still showing a wisp of smoke from the train that just left
Gletsch.

We passed the remnants of the glacier where barely any ice is visible
above the cliff and rode around the historic Belvedere Hotel perched
adjacent to the Glacier. From here the grade lets up even more so we
cruised over the top and started the long gradual descent to
Tiefenbach (2106m) where the grade gets steeper and the curves tighter
on the way down to Realp (1538m) in the upper Reuss valley. In Realp
we visited the roundhouse and shops of the DFB where the locomotive we
had seen in Gletsch was already parked for the night.

http://www.furka-bergstrecke.ch/

Being too early to stop at my favorite hotel Rössli in Hospental, we
rolled on through Andermatt (1447m) and headed east over the Oberalp
Pass (2044m). This pass is a comfortable climb and crosses the FO
cogwheel RR, the original Furka railway, as it climbs at a fairly
steady 12% grade, while we made do with 8%. We stopped on the way
down the Vorderrhein Vally in Reuras (1424m) just above Sedrun.

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3. Thursday 13 July (Reuras - Samedan); 140km, 2260m):

With another beautiful sunny day, we rolled easily down the
Vorderrhein Valley toward Ilanz, passing the Gotthard tunneling
construction at Samedan where a cogwheel line descends over a
temporary concrete bridge and tunnel to the site that is connected by
elevators to the tunnel bore 925m below.

http://www.alptransit.ch/pages/e/galerie/index.php

The road was amazingly better than the early days when it was barely
two car width and many tight curves. Many of these improvements came
about to make winter access by skiers more inviting. Other than that
the scenery is as magnificent as ever and we saw it without headwinds.
At Ilanz (698m) we took the road on the south side of the valley while
the main route follows the north side and climbs continuously to a
higher elevation at Flims (1081m) than our wiggly but scenic route
over the narrows of the Vorderrhein through Versam (908m).

On this unspoiled road, we passed through several villages and came
upon the landmark fountain, said to be the largest watering trough in
the Alps in Carrera. We got a drink and took pictures while a
photographer for a bicycling publication asked us to pose at the
statue of lady bountiful that adorns the water spigots. From Carrera
a gradual climb took us to the highpoint along this spectacular ravine
with its white chalk cliffs and a thin line of the RhB railroad, on
which the Glacier express carries many tourists, visible far below at
river's edge.

In Bonaduz (655m) we headed south along the Hinterrhein to Thusis
(760m) and Tiefencastel, where the Julier Pass heads south. At
Filisur (1032m), famous for the magnificent stone arch Landwasser
Viaduct of the RhB that crosses 65m above the Landwasser in a long
curve ending spectacularly in a tunnel in a vertical granite wall.
Davos, of winter sport fame, lies on the headwaters of the Landwasser.

http://www.ebepe.com/html/filichure.html

From here we rode up the Albula canyon with the RhB zigzagging its way
over loops and curved bridges as the road climbs steeply through this
narrow valley. As in most of the central Alps, the vertical scale is
amazing, often topped by snowy peaks whose names are common in tourist
photos that seem like optical illusions for the height and beauty.

As we climbed, various trains went by, including a Glacier Express
with air conditioned glass domed cars. Local trains, in contrast,
allow opening windows to watch the scenery. Of course by bicycle the
experience is more intense, especially in the marvelous weather we
had. I recall the rides I have taken here since the days when many of
these passes were unpaved. The Albula Pass (2312m), although now
paved, has remained unblemished by development of hotels and ski
slopes, pristine as it was when I first saw it.

An interesting feature of the railway is that fat tired descending
"bicycles", without pedals, can be rented at the Preda (1789m)
station, the south end of the summit tunnel, and returned at Bergün
(1367m), the road being continuously downhill on this stretch. The
bicycles have hand brakes, a normal saddle, and a scooter-like running
board in the center, but look at first glance like regular bicycles.

The road climbs higher than the RR to the Albula summit (2312m) after
which a brisk descent took us to the Inn Valley at Bever (1711m) we
turned west toward St. Moritz, stopping in Samedan (1721m) at the
Hotel Weisses Kreuz in the center of town, where I had stayed many
times over the years years, recalling when the garage was still a barn
with hay and cows. I think this was my last time, because the old man
that ran the place was gone and the dining room was closed. Although
we ate down the street, we got a good nights rest in the old hotel.

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4. Friday, 14 July (Samedan - Borgomanero, 222km, 1200m)

We pushed off into a cool sunrise, choosing the urban route through
Celerina and St. Moritz (1837m) to get a closeup view of the ritzy
hotels, so called after hotelier César Ritz (1850-1918) who invented
the genre in Paris. Among other things, we passed the giant aerial
tram, the Signalbahn, that connects downtown with ski and hiking area
toward Piz Nair (3056m).

Riding west along Lake Silvaplana, past Silvaplana (1815m), at the
north ramp of the Julier Pass, the scene was right out of a tourist
calendar. Farther on, we rode along the Silsersee, the source of the
Inn River, to reach the one sided Maloja Pass (1815m). From here a
curvy zigzag but brisk descent took us down the wall of the box canyon
to the flat valley above Casaccia (1458m) and on down the valley
toward the Italian border at Castasegna and finally Chiavenna (325m).

We crossed the Mera River to ride along the west side of Lago di Como
to appreciate the many unbelievably ornate villas with manicured
gardens surrounded by stone walls, fences of fancy ironwork, and
neatly trimmed hedges. Sail- and motorboats were sailing on the lake
and once in a while a ferry/cruise boat plied its course between the
major towns around the lake.

Before I realized it, we had passed through Menaggio where I had
planned to turn west to Lago di Lugano to view more villas, but we
were doing all right here and continued to the outskirts of Como where
we took secondary roads south of Varese to Borgomanero (538m). We
found a wonderful hotel with a garden dining atrium at the end of a
long cul-de-sac off the busy main street.

We parked our bicycles in the garage and got cleaned up to appear for
dinner in our travel finery to enjoy a delicious Italian dinner on
this comfortably warm summer evening. During dinner, alpine swifts
darted overhead, picking off insects while giving their characteristic
modulated chirp as they worked until dusk. After that, bats took over
the task.

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5. Saturday, 15 July (Borgomanero - Ivrea [Cuneo] 60km, 660m)

We started out in the direction of Biella (420m), cruising along the
more or less flatland, taking a route northward from Biella to arrive
in Ivrea (254m) before lunch. We gave Brian Tomlin, our local contact
over the years, a call and he picked us up at the main bridge over the
Dora Baltea, the river that drains the Val d'Aosta coming off the
Great St. Bernard region. We followed Brian across town to his place
and enjoyed a fine lunch that he prepared for us.

Richard's rear wheel had pulled a spoke out of the rim, so he needed a
new one. Brian assured us that would be no problem because his bike
shop was super at such jobs. As it turned out there was only one
36-hole rim in the shop and it took the same spoke length as the old
one. For a mere 20EUR the job was done while I got some shuteye on
Brian's sofa.

We decided that we didn't want to ride across the Po valley as in the
past, through Torino traffic and the long haul to Cuneo. So we got
train tickets for us and the bicycles (SUPPLEMENTO 24 ORE per
transporto bici al seguito del viaggiatore) after getting to the train
station with little time to spare. On the way to Torino, we were
delayed by track work so that our connecting train from Torino had
already left. This gave us an opportunity to take a bicycle cruise
around town and find a good dinner before returning to FS Stazione
Centrale for the next train to Cuneo.

In Cuneo we made a traditional stop at the huge fountain in front of
the station where we got a drink before going into town to find nearby
lodging at Hotel Fiamma for the next stage into les Alpes Maritime.

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6. Sunday, 16 July (Cuneo - San Martin Vesubie; 153km, 3484m):

For old times sake, we crossed the high double decked bridge over the
Stura di Demonte, the bridge over whose lower deck we arrived by train
last night. The reason for this little backtrack was to savor the
Japanese plums that are ripe at this time on trees that line the
bridge approach. I recall one year when we arrived in heavy rain that
did not deter us from stopping to eat plums. Yes, they were juicy and
tart.

From Cuneo (587m), the road climbs gradually toward Borgo San Dalmazzo
(641m) where SS20, the Tenda highway, turns south through Robilante to
Limone. Although closed today, we noted the chain saw store with its
unique commodity in the center of Robilante, and rode on to say hello
to the folks at Albergo Aquila Reale where we have stayed often.
Farther up the Valle Vermenagna we passed huge cement plants along the
Vermenagna river while the Tenda Railway did its thing, being either
on a bridge or in a tunnel as it climbs past Limone (990m) to the
north portal of its tunnel (1184m) to emerge at Vievola (994m).

At Limone the road gets steeper with hairpin turns in the narrowing
valley on its way to the Tenda highway tunnel (1321m) that descends to
(1279m) at its south portal. We made a pit stop at the small store
and bar at the tunnel entrance to get something to drink and peruse
the great collection of maps offered there before heading up through
Quota (1400m) to the old summit, laid idle by the tunnel in 1913.

With good asphalt pavement we climbed through ski slopes on the old
road to the top of the ancient pass (1962m) in ideal cool weather with
puffy clouds in a blue sky. The road was in excellent shape because
last year a stage of the Giro d'Italia finished on the top of the
pass. However, pavement ended at the French border so we were on the
rocky course of the ancient road that was replaced by the tunnel so
long ago. The top of the pass was full of parked cars of people who
came for a Sunday hike and picnic.

http://www.centcols.org/libre_service/col_de_tende.htm

We had the usual slow descent over the rutted rocky road with its
myriad hairpin turns until we reached the new road where it emerges
from the tunnel. From here it's a gentle descent to Tende (1089m)
with the railway almost entirely in tunnels and making a loop to lose
altitude. Tende was its usual picturesque self with its ancient tower
and houses plastered on the steel slopes.

http://www.beyond.fr/villphotos2/tendeP02.html

We continued down the rough the Gorge du Saorge with the lineal
village high above at the rim of the abyss. One house in particular
has roughly a fifty meter drop from the kitchen window to the Roya
River. The sad part of this is that a tunnel is being completed that
will carry the road through the dark at this beautiful location.

The gorge barely opens wider as the Tende Railway crosses on bridges
as it enters and leaves helical tunnels that help it change altitude.
Above Breil, at La Giandola (350m), we headed west up the Brouis Pass
(879m) to Sospel (349m) in beautiful Mediterranean weather. As we
cruised through town we noticed that the sweet shop abd resaurant,
with the proprieter I call the village philosopher, was closed for
remodeling with no one in sight.

We headed north along the Bèvera river, crossing the railway line to
Nice where it ducks into a long tunnel, and began climbing the Turini
Pass, first to the gap at Notre Dame de Menour and to the back of the
canyon to Moulinet, before climbing through a pine forest to the
Turini summit (1607m).

This is not a spectacular pass if you see it in summer, although there
are great panoramas on the west side. Its significance has mainly
been found in the Monte Carlo Auto Rallye whose route passes here,
often before the snows of winter have melted. The many hairpin turns
make this a favorite for auto race fans.

In contrast, we had mild weather with a lovely descent past such
photogenic sights as la Bollene-Vesubie (650m) set in the midst of
Alpes Maritime.

http://www.beyond.fr/villages/bollenevesub.html

At the bottom of the descent we arrived in the Gorge de Vesubie (520m)
where we turned north toward St. Martin (975m). This is a gradual
climb that was once a route of the Chemin de Fer de Provence, the train
station and sheds still visible on the town square.

We found a good place to stay and had a fine dinner. It was another
marvelous day with cool sunny weather.

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7. Monday 17 July (St Martin-Vesubie - Barcelonnette; 165km, 3620m):

The climb to the Colmain (Col St. Martin 1500m) begins at the edge of
town, just beyond the old train shed, looping up the canyon wall so
that we soon had a panorama with St Martin so far below that it seemed
unlikely that we had just been down there. The road, notched into
cliffs, passes through rough hewn tunnels in which Crag Martins darted
past us, undaunted by passing motor traffic.

These gray-brown, swallow-like birds, tend their nests in the rocky
tunnel ceilings where their young are safe from predators. Traffic
and diesel exhaust seem not to bother them. Beyond the flat summit of
green meadows and a ski area, we descended the Valdeblore to the Tinée
where the terrain is dry with sparse vegetation in the red rock Gorges
de Valabre (503m).

http://www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/macdonalds/296/a/a1/avionroquero.htm
http://www.asks86.dsl.pipex.com/europephotos/ptyrup6167.jpg

Across the Gorges de Valabre, roads that are tiring just to look at,
follow tortuous paths climbing through cliffs to mountain villages
like Ilonse (1200m). We crossed the Tinée at St Sauveur (510m) on
Rt-D30, the Col de la Couillole (1678m), near whose summit the ghost
town Roubion a typical picturesque hill town located on steep terrain
above impassable cliffs that dissuaded intruders. From the Couillole
we descended to Beuil (1450m) and climbed to Croix de Valberg (1829m).

http://www.provencebeyond.com/villages/roubion.html

We took the "back" road, Rt D29, down to Guillaumes (1200m) where we
got a great lunch but were careful not to repeat the excesses of a
couple of years ago, when my friend and I spent more than two hours
savoring the fine food and drink. In pleasant sunny weather, we rode
up Rt N2202 in the Gorges de Daluis along the Var River toward the Col
de la Cayolle (2327m).

I find this road especially appealing because it lies in the Parc
National du Mercantour with no ski areas and accompanying development,
having only villages with simple accommodations. The Cayolle has
remained unchanged since my first ride here in 1960. For me,
nostalgia puts a special accent on some of these roads. It's been
awhile!

http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos/f88.html

The climb, and especially the summit, is set in the midst of steep
green alpine meadows, rich with a beautiful wildflowers. Only a small
stone monument marks the summit across from a short parking strip. As
we descended through the Gorges du Bachelard along the Torrente
Bachelard toward Barcelonnette (1136m) a thunderstorm approaching from
the west remained just off course enough that we got a few sprinkles
when the canyon went too far to that side.

I had in mind to ride to Condamine to the Hotel du Midi where I have
stopped often, but as we turned east toward Jausiers (at the foot of
Col de la Bonette) we faced a nearly black sky with occasional flashes
of light. Just before Jausiers, turbulent wind with rain and hail hit
us with gusts that made riding straight, difficult. We continued to
town and found the hotels full, so I thought there was a possibility
of finding something in Condamine which is a flat run from here.

Now it was coming down steady with a crescendo of Thor's timpani at
work. We rode to Condamine (1267m) at the foot of the Col de Larch
and Col de Vars but found the dining room full of motorcyclists who
had no rooms, the hotel having been filled with he first thunder clap.
We had no alternative but to return to Barcelonnette 13km back.

There the man in charge of the hotel we tried said there was no room
left in town but that knew of a place a mere five kilometers from
here, and that if we wished they would send a car to pick us up. I
didn't get it at first but these five kilometers were all uphill to a
ski hotel. We said OK and left our bicycles there, taking our bags
with us for a wonderful hotel stay above town. In the morning skies
were again blue as we took a taxi back to town.

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8. Tuesday, 18 July (Barcelonnette - Monetier les Bains 117km, 2520m):

Retracing our steps from yesterday, we rode past Jausiers and
Condamine with clear cool weather as we rode up the Ubey River past
the huge Fort de Tournoux from past wars high, above on cliffs full of
passages that tunnel from the valley to the top (1700m) and today
keeping silent vigil for enemies long gone. In the valley, empty
buildings, their plaster riddled with bullet holes, remain as combat
mementos.

http://www.routedesgrandesalpes.com/pages/home/index.php

We rode up the Ubey on the Route des Grande Alpes (D902) and began
climbing the Col de Vars (2111m) that starts just beyond the junction
with the Col de Larche (1991m), aka Colle della Maddalena, from the
Italian side. Interestingly, Col de Vars has kilometer posts with
distance to the summit and average gradient, with a randonneur sign-in
stamp at the summit, something we didn't notice elsewhere. That way
you can have "proof-of-purchase" in you log book.

On the descent to Guillestre (1000m), we could make out the gap of the
Galibier Pass in the distant panorama of snowy peaks and glaciers
above the Durance Valley.

We came down the Col de Vars into Guillestre just after midday,
shortly before the Tour (Stage 15, from Gap to l'Alpe d'Huez) came up
the Durance valley and passed through town. We didn't realize how
lucky we were not to have come sooner because the road had been closed
to all traffic for about two hours. As it was, the last of the
sponsors' entourage of advertising vehicles blasted through two
abreast as we arrived.

We waited about 40 minutes for the riders and the following support
vehicles to pass.

http://mly.smugmug.com/gallery/1853816/3/89285952

What we had missed was the the huge preceding, spread-out, hours-long
advertising procession.

It wasn't long before the lead race vehicles came by and then a small
group of riders, the ones that mattered, came by at speeds one
generally expects in flat time trials. Then after a gap of a couple
of minutes, the main field arrived after which domestique riders who
had expended their abilities came by working hard to make closing time
to stay in the race.

Rather than get into the tail of the event, we went to a nearby
supermarket (the Champion supermarket chain, as it happened; sponsor
of the red polka dot climber's jersey) where we bought the usual
bread, cheese, salami, melons and yogurt and ate in the meager shade
in the parking lot, which itself was filled with tour merchandise
vendors and an "ecran géant" (giant screen) showing the TV race
coverage but with live local commentary.

About 2pm we followed the Tour course up the Combe du Queyras toward
the col d'Izoard where we met many TdF fans in cars, RVs and on
bicycles, heading back down the valley from their race-watching spots
along the road.

http://mly.smugmug.com/gallery/1853816/4/89290798

Many RVs were still parked along the road, with satellite TVs to make
TdF tourism of the day, or maybe just waiting to see us ride by? Some
of these can be seen

http://mly.smugmug.com/gallery/1853816/4/89291158

We were in bright hot sun for the first steep grunt through the fields
above Arvieux (1544m), but after Brunnisard we reached the forest
where the grade lets up and the road zigzags to the first summit.
Meanwhile the afternoon storm, that had been chasing us, arrived and
dumped rain an hail for about 20 minutes. Afterward, where the wind
was right and in the shade, hail remained next to the road looking
like light snowfall.

http://mly.smugmug.com/gallery/1853816/4/89291393

The barren landscape looks more like the moon, with slopes of dark
gray scree at the angle of repose as we descended and began climbing
to the main summit, passing the Fausto Coppi monument. The Izoard
(2361m) climb was pleasantly cool and drying off. Wearing Parka and
gloves we made the cool descent to Briançon passing some slow RV's.
As Richard stopped for photos he got passed by them and also on the
short uphill in the gorge of the Cerveyrette past the
corrugated-iron-roofed village of Cervières at the outskirts of
Briançon.

http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos/f72.html

From the Izoard (2361m), we could see the gap of the Galibier on the
horizon while we made the unspectacular descent to Briançon (1391m).
The difference from other times was that we could readily see the road
because it was lined with white campers of TdF fans. Having once
experienced the "no room at the inn" and what we knew of the TdF, we
rode to Monetier les Bains and fou8nd a hotel, instead of going to the
Lauteret summit and the Hotel Bonnabel (aka Hotel des Glaciers) for
the night.

http://tinyurl.com/kdds

----------------------------------------------------------------------

9. Tuesday, 19 July (Monetier les Bains - Bonneval; 77km, 1840m)

Starting as early as hotel breakfast permits, we got on the road and
headed for the Galibier (2645m) with a stream of cars and more and
more RV's parked along the road. We stopped briefly on the Lautaret
(2058m) to say hello to Domenic Bonnabel and head up the hill on the
road that was still open to pedestrians and bicyclists.

The summit tunnel (2555m) being closed to bicyclists makes them go
over the old Galibier (2645m) reached by a narrow twisty uneven climb
of up to 12% in places. From the top, a panorama of the glaciers of
the Massif de la Vanoise (3600m) and the Massif du Sorieller (4000m)
were gleaming in bright sunshine.

Foolishly, we stayed on top long enough to approach total road closure
and had difficulty bluffing our way through the many gendarmes, a few
of which made us dismount and walk our bicycles behind the fences.
Not taking many pictures, I got farther than Richard but alas, I to
was stuck in Plan Lachat (1961m), where I resigned to watch the
commercial parade for the next two hours.

http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos/f30.html
http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf/presentation_tdf.php

Finally, the deedle-deedle of a police car came racing down the road
after which the same or similar lead group we saw yesterday came
whizzing through town as the fans screamed. You need to know your
heroes well to recognize them when they flash by with helmets and
wrap-around dark glasses. About an hour later, Richard was able to
come down the hill and we rode to Valloire (1430m) and up the 5km
climb to the Télégraphe (1570m), from which it's a steep winding
descent to the Arc river at St. Michel du Maurienne (711m).

With the autoroute taking most traffic, route N6 is again nearly as
pleasant as it was years ago. At Modane (1057m), the railway heads
into the Frejus tunnel (built in 1871) to Torino and the autoroute
heads to its 12.9km tunnel leaving us on a nearly empty Rt N6 toward
Lanslebourg.

http://tinyurl.com/kdo4

This year the supersonic wind tunnel at la Bourget had a new light
blue colored storage tank to replaced its four spherical ones typical
of such installations, meaning they are still at work. Two years ago
we had the pleasure of hearing a test run that sounds like a 747 at
full power standing still for more than a minute.

http://www.onera.fr/modane-avrieux-en/index.php

Above Avrieux we climbed over the narrows of the Arc at the the
Barriere de l'Esseillon canyon where huge Le fort Victor-Emmanuel
stands and was a formidable obstacle to invaders in ancient times.

http://www.sabaudia.org/v2/dossiers/patrimoinefortifie/documents9.php

The road levels off across from the fortress and clings to the wall of
the deep defile of the Arc River, passing through tunnels and narrow
cuts in the wall. Tourists cross the breathtaking gorge to the fort
on the Pont du Diable, a slender truss foot bridge that accentuates
the depth of the chasm. Beyond the gorge, we descended to Arc and
rolled gradually up to Termignon (1300m). From here, it's a short
climb to Lanslebourg (1399m), from where the Col du Mont Cenis (2083m)
connects to Torino.

We got some food and drink in Lanslevillard, the upper end of
Lanslebourg, before the Col du Madeleine (1746m), a short but steep
climb into the high valley of the Arc that has sparse traffic in
summer. Great panoramas of the Glaciers de Evettes on the slopes of
the Croce Rossa (3546m), Via di Ciamarella (3676m), and l'Albaron
(3638m) opened to the east on the way to our days stop in Bonneval sur
Arc (1835m).

---------------------------------------------------------------------

10. Thursday 21 July (Bonneval sur Arc - Ferret; 110km, 2690m)"

After an early breakfast, we headed up the Col d'Iseran that starts
here with two long traverses to the Gorge de la Lenta, a box canyon
that lies south of the pass and from which the road climbs the east
wall to rise over waterfalls as it passes through bare rock tunnels.
Here, above the box canyon, the Lenta cascades into the gorge through
a slot, above which the road crosses the river on a stone bridge and
takes two long traverses in a narrow valley to the summit of the Col
d'Iseran (2764m).

Being another cool sunny day, this was a pleasant climb. This side of
the pass is not as marred by ski development as the north side that
Jean Claude Killy made famous though his three gold medals at the 1968
winter Olympics in Grenoble. Val d'Isère (1840m) is so entirely ski
oriented that snowfall should be expected any minute, judging from the
crowds.

http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos/f83.html
http://tinyurl.com/dm4pp

Below Val d'Isère the road climbs a bit, passe through a few tunnels
and runs along the Lac du Chevril before descending to Ste Foy (1051m)
where we took a "short cut" to Rosiere (1850m) on the Petite
St. Bernard pass. Although cutting a diagonal to Rosiere and not
descending to Seez (984m), this road has its ups and downs that I
forgot from previous rides.

We got on the main road that has a moderate grade and good alignment
to cruise to the top next to the old monastery and Statue of the great
saint. Descending to Pré St. Didier (1004m) in the val d'Aosta we
turned north toward the Mont Blanc tunnel past Courmayeur to Entreves
(1306m) at the tunnel portal and turned east up the Val Ferret. This
is a small steep road that sees little traffic except hikers and
mountain climbers, there being almost no major ski facilities. After
Planpincieux (1579m), the road levels off into a moderate climb to the
end of the val Ferret.

We stopped at Lavachey (1642m) where we found good lodging and with a
great view of the valley.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

11. Friday, 21 July (Lavachey - Varzo; 190km, 2485m):

We started out up the valley riding past the end of pavement and up to
Rifugio Elena (2218m) which is looking more substantial than in
earlier times.

It was here that I was disappointed to see one of my favorite glacial
shots, melted away. We took a picture for comparison.

http://mly.smugmug.com/gallery/1815091/10/90657821
http://tinyurl.com/egdhb

The road ends here and the hiking trail heads abruptly up the steep
grassy slope where the mode is push or carry depending on the
steepness. The trail is well maintained and the most difficult steep
sections replaced with longer traverses. Intermittent riding was
possible as we got close to the summit. Just the same, the Col Ferret
(2537m) is a short climb. After a summit picture we descended into
Switzerland, making use of the sections that could be ridden down to
where the trail meets a farm road to Orsieres (901m) where we joined
the Grande St. Bernard road to Martigny (417m) and the Rhone valley.

From here we hoped to catch the afternoon wind up the Rhone Valley but
it was merely a breeze. Just the same, we made good time to Brig
viewing the construction site of the BLS Lötschberg base tunnel work
that looks much like the work on the Gotthard with piles of granite
and tunneling machines. At Brig (684m), we headed up the Simplon Pass
and stayed on the new road over the bridge past Ried, just after town
as I usually have.

It's a gentle climb up to the Schallberg tunnel, where the road turns
south and up the Saltina gorge to go around the mountain into the
Gantertal (1840m), where a curved concrete suspension Berisal bridge
crosses over the Gantertal cutting off the old loop to the back of the
valley. Cars were being diverted onto that old road to avoid
construction at the bridge but we weaseled our way through.

Above here, we were back in the Salzach valley with the road clinging
to the east wall, ducking in and out of tunnels and avalanche sheds
that are completely enclosed with glass bricks as windows to the
canyon. The Simplon being and all year highway, is well covered in
the areas where snow hazard exists.

At the kiosk at the top of the grade, near the famous granite eagle
sculpture, I bought a couple of postcards of the monument to send to
an old bikie friend who rode tandem here with his wife. They had cold
and snowy weather, both here and in Zermatt, from where I received one
of these post cards mark at the top of the pedestal claiming "snow was
up to here". Upon seeing his slide show, I was sure there was snow
but only a few inches deep, not several feet to the base of the eagles
talons. Therefore, I have since then always sent them this card with
the notation, the snow was up to here.

From the Simplon (2005m) summit,'s a gradual descent passes the old
summit hotel (1472m) and Monastery below the road before entering the
Gondo gorge, a spectacular granite walled slot in the mountains from
which Gabi (1228m) can be seen a good 200m meters seemingly straight
below as the road winds through bare granite tunnels.

Below Gabi, we passed Iselle (673m), where the south portal of the
20km Simplon railway tunnel (completed May 19, 1906,) lies directly
next to the road. Shortly beyond that we started the short climb to
Varzo (532m) that lies on the top of an alluvial fan on the east side
of the Val Divedro. The heat of the day had already been displaced by
an approaching thunderstorm but now that it was here, it blew
ferociously with intense flashes of nearby lightning strikes along
with simultaneous dry crackle of thunder. In a narrow canyon with
bare rock walls, this was an amazing experience. First rain, then
hail and finally 10mm hail stones.

At the height of the downpour we were in front of the hotel Locanda
Hollander where we ducked in, stowed our bicycles and cleaned up for a
well deserved diner. During the night I was surprised at the density
of freight trains that pass through the Simplon, having seen mostly
occasional passenger trains during the day. This reminded me of the
days when I worked on the railroad as a summer job and bunked in a
railway car near the mainline. Those trains didn't interrupt my sleep
much either, other than to note that they were passing.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

12. Saturday, 22 July (Varzo - Cama; 150km, 2299m):

In the morning there was no sign of yesterday's harsh weather, showing
that this sort of weather occurs often enough to leave much of a mark.
Soon Varzo will also have a quieter main street, an elevated autoroute
being nearly finished after five or so years of construction. The new
elevated road will span from Iselle to just above Crevola d'Ossola
where the autoroute enters a tunnel to Domodossola.

Just above the tunnel, we took the old road, as bicycles must, and
stopped at the classic stone arch bridge over the Diveria, the bridge
looking as sturdy as if it had been built yesterday, although it has
surely been there more than a couple of centuries. At Crevola
d'Ossola (530m) above the Valle d'Ossola, we turned northeast toward
Crodo (539m), the source of bottled Crodo mineral water and up the Val
Formazza past Baceno (655m). Today was not the day to appreciate the
Toce river because it is diverted into penstocks by ENEL the national
power company, except on Sunday and Thursday afternoon.

http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos/s25.html

In spite of that, it is a lovely valley with steep walls from which
"cutters" are sawing huge 2x2x4 meter blocks of the finest structural
granite. Large trucks carry single stones down the valley to be
processed and cut to custom sizes such as table tops in factories in
the Valle d'Ossola. Four years ago a stage of the Giro d'Italia
finished at the top of the falls, the "Cascada del Toce" just below
Riale (1728m), so the pavement in this remote dead end valley was
excellent.

The road to the finish line in front of the hotel at the top of the
falls, climbs in concrete avalanche sheds up the canyon wall with a
ten percent grade. We stopped to view what is otherwise a spectacular
cascade but today was a trickle over dry polished cliffs. From here
the road is flat to Riale in the high valley where we turned off onto
the unpaved Passo San Giacomo, an ancient road that ends on the
summit.

http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos/i53.html
http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos/i54.html

In the years I have ridden this road, I have seldom seen even one car
go by. The road is also not plowed so it is often covered by snow
even in summer. On the way up it passes old stone arch railings
before going past the north side of a hydro-electric lake Lago Toggia
(2191m). Today the road was clear and relatively smooth so that we
could ride to the old stone border shack at the San Giacomo summit
(2313m) where a great panorama exposes the Val Bedretto to Airolo (the
base of the Gotthard Pass) and the peaks of the Bernese Alps to the
north.

In spite of having been here often, I picked the wrong hiking trail
for our descent, there being several that descend into the Val
Bedretto to the Nufenen Pass road (1812m). We were on one of the
steeper ones on which we met hikers going up. They were sure they had
the best route, but I assured them there are better ones. In any
event, we got to the bottom, crossed the Ticino river and were on our
way down to Airolo (1141m).

We were headed for the Val Mesolcina and the San Bernardino pass so it
was one long descent into a warm headwind down the Valle Laventina
along the Ticino river. The road comes in relatively flat steps
between steep sections, the first just below Airolo, the Ambri-Piotta
and Rodi-Fiesso valley (976m), then Faido (711m), and finally down to
Bodio each with narrows and steep sections with tunnels next to
helical railway tunnels that help trains climb the 2.7% grade. The
autoroute crosses the valley on amazingly high bridges from which not
much of the valley is visible.

At Bodio (330m), we passed the southern portal of the new 57km
Gotthard rail tunnel, continuing to Biasca (303m) where the Valle
Santa Maria from Olivone (889m) on the Passo del Lucomagno (1915m)
connects. The remains of the RhB meter gauge railroad that went up
this valley are still visible at the Biasca train station where a
split waterfall was doing its thing with its legs crossing over each
other.

At Castione (242m) we turned east into the Valle Mesolcina and noted
that this branch line of the RhB railway was dead, although the tracks
and overhead wire were still functional and had a yard full of old
rolling stock parked near the Arbedo SBB train station. We rode up
the flat part of the valley before the climb to Mesocco and stopped at
Cama (320m) the end of track for the RhB,and found a pleasant hotel.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

13. Sunday, 23 July (Cama - Bregaglia; 110km 2850m):

About 20km from Cama we reached the end of the flat valley where the
road the road began to climb past Soazza and up to Mesocco (790m). As
the road turns into town, it dips through the old railway crossing in
front of the grocery store and climbs the straight cobbled main street
that climbs at an 8% grade out of town and up to Pian San Giacomo
(1170m) where we pass under the concrete arch bridge of the autoroute.

As the name implies, this is a plane with grassy wet meadows from
which the next climb took us to San Bernardino (1608m) with a bump
before town so that we could coast down the main street. The town is
the north portal of the highway tunnel but doesn't seem to be affected
by it considering that I have stayed here for the night without
noticing any traffic.

From here the road is especially charming as it winds through rolling
terrain with traces of the Roman road that served the ancients and
water flowing abundantly in the scrub pines, alpenrosen and
blueberries. As with many alpine passes, there is a natural lake at
the summit with trout and a hotel with a gift store with the required
stuffed toy St. Bernard dogs.

We descended into the upper Rhine valley of the Hinterrhein to the
town of the same name under a blue sky with puffy clouds. Today,
maybe because it was Sunday, the usual thunder from the Swiss
artillery range, that occupies the upper end of this remote valley was
missing. The autoroute emerges from the tunnel at the edge of this
gently sloping glacial valley and deigns to give us a frontage road
down to Splügen (1457m), the small town at the road junction where we
will turn up the Splügen pass. We took a table on the terrace at the
restaurant and had a tasty lunch while taking in the sunshine in the
pleasant high altitude air.

The climb is moderate and changes landscape as it goes from cow
pastures to high country with cliffs and water falls. Although we
have often seen dippers (Cinclidae) in the creek next to the road, we
did not see any of them this time. These brown birds with a white
breast and a stubby tail live along fast flowing mountain streams and
have the ability to walk under water by holding onto rocks as they
search for bugs. When standing on shore they most often do a series
of random squats as if getting ready to launch into flight with their
short wings that they flap at a high cadence. To make up for that, we
saw them later in other streams.

As the road leaves the riverbed, it makes a series of traverses up to
the old Swiss border guard house that appeared empty now that we have
the EU. From here we were in and out of avalanche sheds to the summit
from which the south side appears as a rocky steep and barren
landscape with the town of Monte Spluga below at the shore of a large
hydro-electric lake. The town always looks as dead an remote as the
mountains and was probably originally housing for ENEL the national
electric company. The granite houses have roofs of granite slabs and
the streets are paved in granite to make a gray town even when the sun
is shining as today. In the rain it looks even drearier.

The road passes the dam on a causeway that is a dam in itself because
toward the shore, there is no water in an apparent natural crevasse
into which the contents of the lake would spill were it not blocked
off. The dam has the date 1931 in huge granite roman numerals across
its face.

From here the road dives into avalanche tunnels that once were like
others in the alps, one lane dark obstacles. As a bicyclist in
earlier times I often wondered how two way traffic ever made it
through these things and heard from people who had the experience that
it was absurd. Today most of the tunnels are two land but tight and
the road has a length restriction for trucks and buses.

Just the same, it is a fantastic experience to descend in stacked
short tunneling hairpin turns that descend in the granite wall with
spectacular waterfalls next to the road. The road returns to earth,
so to speak, at Campodolcino (1104m) where it reverts to a fairly
straight mountain road to Chiavenna (325m). The striking part of the
descent was that we got to the heat wave (40C) that we kept reading
about as we approached town. At the same time the afternoon
thunderstorm of which we hat the best example at Varzo, came rolling
in with clouds and wind to blow us up to the Swiss border at
Castasegna (686m).

From here its a mild climb to Bondo/Sottoponte/Promontogno (821m),
three towns that overlap at the hotel Bregaglia our goal for the day
on which we decided when we passed here a week ago. The old hotel was
as spacious as ever with its 3 meter high ceilings and grand stairs.
We cleaned up and had an outdoor dinner in the patio before the rains
came.

http://tinyurl.com/leb2f

----------------------------------------------------------------------

14. Monday, 17 July (Bregaglia - Temù; 140km, 2768m):

After an early breakfast we headed out past the duck and goose pond
onto the granite cobbles and through the short tunnel to start up to
the Maloja Pass. I suspect that the leaning rock was preserved more
fro necessity than historic preservation because the hillside would
come down if it were removed.

http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos/s15.html

Farther up, Richard took the aerial tram to Lago dell'Albigna (2653m),
a single span of 1250m vertical gain, a spectacular rise above the val
Bregaglia. I rode up to Casaccia (1458m) where the Septimer Pass (a
Roman road) cuts over to the Julier pass. It was here that the road
had its steepest part as it climbed to the valley at the base of the
Maloja wall. This grade was mitigated by a large ess-bend making it
easy for tour buses.

The zig-zags to the top of the Maloja Pass (1815m), that seemed so
steep when descending were easy riding and as I mentioned, there is no
downhill after the summit. I rode past the Silser, Silvaplana, and
St. Moritz lakes down to Punt Murgal (1728m) in the val Bernina.
Above Pontresina, at the Bellavista curve on the RhB railway with its
panorama of the Morteratsch Glacier and Piz Bernina (4049m). I got a
good picture but without a red train in the foreground.

From here the road climbs gradually past the Diavolezza aerial tram
that takes passengers to a magnificent view of Piz Bernina and Piz
Palü and the glaciers that surround them. A short way farther, the
Lagalp aerial tram for skiers climbs the other side of the valley
before the road begins to climb to the summit lakes. Richard reached
the Bellavista curve of the RhB at a better time and got a train in
the foreground.

We rode over the relatively flat Bernina Pass (2328m), took some
pictures and descended the long and fast runs down to Poschiavo
(1014m) and squeezed through the narrows of San Antonio where the RhB
tracks pass between buildings in the middle of a one lane street.

It's a flat run to where we joined forces once more Lago di Poschiavo
and Miralago from which we descended to Brusio for a rich lunch with
the finest home made ice cream as a topper at Hotel Bottoni, located
just above the helical railway viaduct. From there it's a short
descent to Tirano and Italy where we rode a kilometer or so down the
Valtellina to cut across to Stazzona, the shortcut to the Aprica Pass.

It was a moderately warm day but the climb was pleasant as it made its
way through a chestnut forest. Farther up on the main road there was
less shade but we were already higher up in the cooler air. Just the
same, the rich lunch and cool beers caught up with me and required a
rest stop where there was some grass and shade. After that, the rest
of the climb to Aprica (1176m) seemed almost flat. On my first ride
through here I was surprised what large crowds came up here to escape
the muggy summer air of the Lombardia.

From Aprica a long gradual descent took us to Édolo (675m) from which
a similarly gradual climb took us past the junction of the Mortirolo
from Tirano and on to Temú (1144m) where we had hoped to stay at
Silvano Macculotti's hotel, Veduta dell'Adamello. I had not expected
the hotel to be full but it was, so Silvano got on the phone and found
us an ideal hotel just up the road.

We found good food and lodging at the Hotel Nationale that seemed to
be a chartered place. All of the guests were men and diner was served
at one sitting without menu with a standard but excellent dinner.
Later that night we got a raging thunderstorm, assure us the roads
would be washed for the next day.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

15. Tuesday, 25 July (Temù - Naturno; 128km, 250m):

We pushed of in refreshing air after the rains of the night and rode
through Ponte di Legno (1258m) that lies on both sides of the raging
Frigidolfo rapids that cascades through this town with its elegant
tiled old main street that is now a pedestrian mall, At the upper end
of the mall, we ducked under the house that once was the height
limiting gate for traffic up the Gavia Pass and began the gradual
climb to Apollonia above which the Frigidolfo meanders across lush
meadows at the base of the Gavia.

I stopped at the gazebo where natural rusty carbonated water comes out
of the ground to give strength to those who dare to ride a bicycle up
this road. It's an old tradition and I don't want to violate sacred
rites so a sipped a bit of water for good luck. The road starts off
in more than oriental splendor with smooth toe lane highway width,
but... there is a bunch of signs that warn of snow, ice, rock fall and
narrows ahead.

True to form, the old road begins there where the 16% sign stands
under the trees. It has no center stripe and barely wide enough for
two cars to pass with carefully. The road has a good asphalt surface
today but is no less steep, curvy, and narrow than it was 100 years
ago.

Much of the upper part is in avalanche territory, without trees, only
shrubbery and wildflowers, and a marvelous panorama. We didn't take
the tunnel at the cliff but went around the old road for pictures
before climbing the last three kilometers to the Rifugio Bonetta on
the Gavia summit (2621m).

Sig. Bonetta greeted us with a what'll you have to drink and said he
had a present. He pulled out a package of postcards of the picture at
the cliff from 1978 that hangs as a poster on his wall. Then he got
his family together so we could make a group photograph on the steps
of his hotel. I happened to be wearing the same jersey I had on for
that poster picture to close the loop for the occasion.

We headed for Bormio In bright sunshine and puffy clouds while being
aware what a rare summer this was with such pleasant weather. I
always mention that it can snow any day of the year in the alps, and
has on many of my tours. After Santa Caterina (1734m), a ski area,
the road is wider as it descends the Valfurva Valley where there is a
steep dash from the town Valfurva (1339m) to Bormio (1197m).

In Bormio, we cruised the main drag that has become a lovely
pedestrian mall, at the upper end of which is the Braulio liqueur
store and pizza shop across the street. This restaurant was once a
great place to eat and meet but today its large front windows, that
made eating there a sidewalk affair, are gone and apparently its
fornaio as well.

We got on the road and headed into the Val Braulio up to the Stelvio.
Not much has changed here and the scenery is as grandiose as ever.
The approach to this pass is like a great symphony with more emphasis
as the enormity of the landscape unfolds. I find it the greatest road
I have ridden, but that may be because I first saw it as an unpaved
ancient road. Coming from Bormio, the view at the Stelvio summit
(2765m) of the Ortler (3905m) and Gran Zebru (3851m) across the abyss
of the Val di Trafoi, is intimidating.

The descent into that abyss is also a unique experience of making a
near full stop at the end of each traverse, because they end in a
buttressed narrow hairpin turn, all together 48 of them. The road
levels off after the fortress in Trafoi and reaches the valley in
Prato (913m).

http://tinyurl.com/agnvh http://tinyurl.com/9ah2r

It's a pretty flat run from here to Spondigna (887m) across the Val
Venosta from Prato, we crossed the tracks of the newly refurbished FS
railway line that had been abandoned a few years earlier. Now it is
the Ferrovia della Val Venosta with half hourly two car self propelled
trains per hour with good patronage. Running against a slight
headwind we rolled easily down the Val Venosta to Naturno (529m) for a
pleasant hotel Bad Kochenmoos in south Tirol.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

16. Wednesday, 26 July (Naturno - Corte; 131km, 2500m):

Without any wind, the ride down this valley is a breeze so to speak,
it being mostly down to Merano (302m) where the huge Forst brewery
sits on the only steep part of this descent near the city limit. The
buildings are painted in a huge green and white checkerboard. A large
outdoor bier garden and restaurant is across the street from th plant
that fairly fills the upper end of town.

We rolled into the valley and took old N38, the Stelvio Highway, south
to Bolzano. This time I was prepared for the misleading road signs
and so was the Italian highway department that likes to send all
traffic to the autostrada tollway. Now there were also indicators
that there is another way at the many new roundabouts at many road
junctions.

Although I wasn't sure about the roads in town, I knew we had to pass
the train station so we followed signs that got us there. Although
both Merano and Bolzano have charming city centers, we skipped those
in favor of riding int the Dolomites and enjoying the small towns of
the area. Heading north on N12, the Brenner highway, along the Isarco
river, we found route N241 and the bottom of the Val d'Ega (Eggental),
a spectacular narrow cut in the solid rock through which the Ega
flows.

The first 1.2km of this road, that was once a challenge at 16% grade
and much rockfall, has been replaced by a 1.2km well lighted tunnel
that doesn't impress the visitor with the challenge to the ancients
who first built the road by chiseling a bench in the wall above the
roaring stream. I once thought that this wasn't so bad because the
rest of the road was still an amazing sight.

But not to worry, the skiers don't even want that, so at least two
more tunnels, being built, will out the whole Ega out of sight. That
is a great loss. When I first saw this road many years ago, I never
thought that skiers had enough commercial clout to erase this wonder
from the scene.

http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos/i92.html

Just as surprising is the lush green agricultural valley above the
narrows as we climbed to Welschenofen and the Costalunga Pass (1745m)
just above the Lago di Carezza with its azure green waters that
reflect the Latemar (2842m) with its myriad Dolomite spires. The
Rosengarten (3002m), so named for the colors its grey-white stone face
reflects at sunset, lies to the north of the pass presenting an
inspiring view even at noon.

Just beyond the summit a giant panorama across the Val did Fassa, with
views up several smaller valleys, the San Pellegrino and San Nicolo,
mostly unspoiled by their natural open ski slopes. After a gentle
descent, over terrain that seems to be moving because no one would
build a road so undulating, we dropped into Vigo di Fassa (1382m) and
continued up the valley to Canazei (1465m), the junction of the Pordoi
and Fedaia passes.

Although the Fedaia pass crosses just under the Marmolada (3342m)
having the only Glacier of the Dolomites, there was more to see on a
dash over the Pordoi Pass(2239m) and the view of the Marmolada and
Cinque Torri from the north as we rode along the high ground in the
Val di Livinallongo to Corte (1475m) for the days goal. Only great
photography can do these mountains justice. They are truly awe
inspiring.

http://www.dolomiti.org/ita/Cortina/5torri/index.html
http://www.dolomitesworld.com/photo_gallery/cortina_ampezzo_alta_badia.asp

With a wonderful dinner over which we recalled other rides over these
mountains and reveled in the great weather we were having.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
17. Thursday, 27 July (Corte - Barcis ; 127km, 2344m):

After a buffet breakfast we rolled off along the canyon wall to the
Falzarego Pass (2477m) that starts climbing in Cernadoi (1495m), the
junction with the road from Caprile (992m) at the bottom of the
Fedaia. After a short descent with a beautiful view of Cortina
d'Ampezzo, we turned south on the Passo Giau (2236m) whose new
alignment, after the early days when it as horribly steep, is still
steep in places with short parts of 16% grades but it's not high from
this side so we cruised over the top in good form. At the summit we
had a view to the northeast to Cortina d' Ampezzo and Passo Tre Croci,
while southwest was the Marmolada, Monte Civetta (3220m)

I was disappointed to see the famous Rifugio Piezza, one kilometer
beyond the summit, seemed to be renamed to Rifugio Aurelio, which by
searching the web seems to still be the gourmet dinner spot that it
has been these past years. This slope seems to be steeper than the
north side but then that happens often when descending to Selva di
Cadore (1335m) where we stopped for some grocery supplies before
heading up the Val Fiorentina toward Monte Pelmo (3168m), a beautiful
dolomite peak in the distance.

http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos/i80.html

We descended briskly down to Selva di Cadore (1335m) over where I had
once seen as a rocky unpaved road and was now a smoothly paved road.
At Selva we headed east to the Forcella Staulanza (1766m) along the
Torrente Fiorentina, all the while heading straight for Monte Pelmo
(3168m). The Staulanza is an easy pass and comes as a surprise
because there is no apparent gap past Monte Pelmo. After a few
hairpin turns at the foot of the mountain we were over the pass.

Typical of the Dolomites, this route is a scenic wonder. We descended
to Longarone (472m), notorious for the dam disaster at 22:42 on 09
October 1963, when the town was destroyed by a "tidal wave", that a
landslide from Monte Toc (1921m) had forced over a dam and through a
narrow gulch across from the town, claiming 1909 lives. We rode past
the memorial church designed by Le Corbusier stands in the center of
town and a similar smaller chapel, above at the dam that still stands.

Instead of a ride around a lake, we climbed over the remains of Monte
Toc to Erto and over Passo di San Osvado (827m) and down to Barcis
(409m) on the azure blue Torrente Cellina that once filled the lake
along this vacation town. Boat docks and diving boards were a good
30m higher than the water level as a result of a new hydro project
that drains the lake into a tenfold larger lake below.

We found a comfortable hotel, and a fine dinner and were glad we had
no plans on water sports, because there were none.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
18. Friday, 28 July (Barcis - Most na Soci ; 148km, 1400m):

As we left Barcis we saw the abyss and the tiny dam that formerly held
back Lago di Barcis as we headed south past the new dam that was just
finished. This project will flood the fantastic road through the deep
crevasse that we bypassed though a 4.2km long tunnel. Blow the dam we
went west to Maniago (283m) and Tarcento (230m) where Rt646 heads east
into Slovenia. This pleasant road climbs gradually along the Torrente
Torre, to the low Passo di Tanamea (848m) a few kilometers before the
border.

This time we showed out passports at border and rolled down to Zaga
(579m) on the Soca River where we turned south to Tolmin (200m),
stopping at Most na Soci a short distance beyond at the railway
station. Here we found an excellent Hotel "Hack Stefan S.P." whose
inn keeper spoke several languages including English. There we
reviewed the timetable so we could catch the tunnel train that would
get us through the mountain that I had ridden over in past years and
found had no tourist value but exercise.

We seemed to be the only guests for dinner, so we had a long chat with
the host who served us fine food. We heard one or two trains in the
night but not much else. This is not a moan route by road or train.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
19. Saturday, 29 July (Most na Soci - Oberdrauburg; 175km, 2020m):

After breakfast we had a bit of time before the train came along so we
rode up the valley knowing there were several railway stops before
Podbrdo at the tunnel, so we kept track of the hour and picked a
station where we could buy a ticket and catch the train. Unlike in
the past, there was now a bicycle baggage car and the train always
stops at Podbrdo.

We got off at Bohinjska at the other portal and rode through this
beautiful landscape down the Sava Bohinjska to Bled (504m) that is the
epitome of an Alpine vacation spot, unspoiled by commerce. Marshall
Tito's Dacha is across the lake and looking good as ever while swans
cruise across in front of the row boat rental pier.

After soaking up the scene, we rolled down to Lesce on the main
east-west highway N1 from Kranj to Tarvisio. I was amazed how towns
here change when we rode through Jesenice that on my first visit
looked more like Gary Indiana steel town except that the smog was
pink. Today, the town is as pristine as the beauty of the Karavanka
mountains of this region.

http://tinyurl.com/wgah5

We rode up the Sava Dohinka river valley past Gozd:

http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos/a46.html

Continuing up the valley with the beautiful Karavankas to the south,
we reached Podkoren (936m) where we headed up the Würzen Pass (1073m)
to Austria and the Drautal. This pass looks formidable on the map
with its 18% grade, but these are only short bumps from the Slovenian
side in contrast to the longer ones on the Austrian slope. It's a
short climb and then, with care, the descent is not the hazard one
might think for brake heating if done with that in mind.

We crossed into Austria and descended into the lush green Gailtal
(520m) that is green for the plentiful rain that keeps it that way.
In contrast, we were graced with sunshine for the entire trip, with a
passing thunderstorm now and then. Upstream at Kötschach (708m), we
turned north over the Gailberg Sattel (982m), a small but steep climb
in parts, to get over the divide to the Oberdrautal of the Drau river.
We stopped for the day in Oberdrauburg (621m).

----------------------------------------------------------------------
20. Sunday, 30 July (Oberdrauburg - Wald; 167km, 2930m):

We made a discovery that Richard had a well developed crack in his
left crank that meant, from my experience with many crank failures at
the pedal eye, that it could be made to last over the hill if no
climbing while standing were done. It is the standing load at the
bottom of the stroke that causes these failures and the crank was
already visibly cracked.

Today was the big one, the Gross Glockner, but first the preamble, the
Iselsberg pass (1204m) got us out of the Drautal over the hill into
the Mölltal at Winklern (958m), the Möll being the river that flows
from the glaciers of the Großglockner (3798m). The Iselsberg has its
steep parts as most Austrian roads do, but it's not long and is
rewarding with great panoramas on both sides of the pass.

http://www.grossglockner.com/grossglockner/

From Winklern its a gradual climb to the upper end of the valley and
Heiligenblut (1288m) where we got lunch at the corner grocery that
stands right where the road begins its climb to the summit, 1217m up.
The store is open daily for the tourist, unlike many stores in Europe.

Time came to put the bicycle in low gear and start the main part of
the climb with the toll station about one kilometer up the road that
levels off at Kasereck (1911m) with a grand view of the Großglockner
south side before descending slightly to the junction with the road to
the glacier. Under a blue sky with billowing clouds hovering over the
peaks, it was a great ride to the summit Hochtor tunnel (2505m).

Of course, after Hochtor there is a descent to Mitteltörl (2328m) with
its short tunnel, more descent and a climb with a 12% hustle to
Fuscher Törl (2428m) from which a breathtaking panorama of the
Großglockner rises above the abyss of the Fuschertal more than a
thousand meters below.

http://www.grossglockner.at/static/cams/grossglockner.jpg

The descent to the valley is mostly 12%, but it does not make high
speeds possible because it not only curvy but has hairpin turns that
require nearly stopping. Just the same, the last bit straightens and
allows the bicyclist to blast through the toll station in Fusch (807m)
at a swift clip because only motor vehicles pay.

From Fusch it's a gradual descent to Bruck (757m) on the Salzach
river. We headed west through Zell am See and followed the river
toward Mittersill, noting that the Pinzgaubahn 760mm (30") narrow
gauge was all but abandoned with the tracks between Mittersill and
Krimml being gone. That was sad, as another antique bites the dust.

http://www.pinzgaubahn.at/

About here, we made a decision based on Richard's cracked crank. The
Gerlos pass with its 18% parts and the subsequent climbs would be too
much for the hardware, so Richard rode back to the train station in
Zell am See and used his rail pass for the rest of the trip while I
continued up the Pinzgau to Wald (868m), where the old Gerlos Pass
starts, and rode up to Gasthaus Grubl where Frau Kaiser presides over
a comfortable inn with fine food.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
21. Monday, 31 July (Wald - Nederle a Silvretta; 197km, 1600m):

After a good buffet breakfast I bid Mrs. Kaiser good by and headed for
the 400m section of 17% that starts at the front door of the Gasthaus
Grubl. The day started cool cloudy with a bit of drizzle which wasn't
bad for the climb, especially because the sky cleared and left me with
balmy weather as I got to the top of the old Gerlos Pass (1486m),
where the road was already dry as I descended to the new road from
which I could see the trace of the old Gerlos descend into the
hydro-electric lake that displaced it. I descended past the huge
earthen dam to Gerlos (1245m) where the road stays high while the
Gerlos River rushes down the narrow defile of the Gerlostal. At
Hainzenberg (1000m), the road finally gets steep, taking a series of
hairpin turns to descend to Zell am Ziller (575m) in the Zillertal.

I stayed on the main road that runs parallel to the quaint
Zillertalbahn, also a 760mm gauge RR, that has a better attraction
than the Pinzgaubahn, which is part of the ÖBB federal railway. That
might be much of the problem. The Zillertalbahn has good publicity
and a good vacation goal.

http://www.zillertalbahn.at/Englisch/f_main_e.htm

I followed the RR to Straß (559m), crossed over to the north side if
the Inn river, and rode a tailwind along the county road to Hall and
Innsbruck. After a brief look at town I got blown west along the
south side of the Inn to Telfs by a pleasant tailwind. From this road
a great view of the gigantic smooth granite Martinswand rises across
th river revealing windows where the railway climbs through a tunnel
to the Zirlerberg Pass (1180m).

Meanwhile the road does a classic Austrian Climb that is so steep that
the surface of th road is visible from the valley and bicycles are
prohibited down. In spite of that, bicyclists often climb this grade,
that is hazardous descending because it causes tire blow-off. The
road has six runaway tracks for trucks.

http://tinyurl.com/jhiu

At Telfs, I was back on the main road N1 the Arlberg Route that
remains fairly flat until until it passes the Ötztal, from whose upper
end the Timmelsjoch (Passo Rombo; 2474m) crosses to St Leonhard and
Merano in South Tyrol. Making a short descent after crossing Ache
River of the Ötztal, I crossed to the north side of the Inn to climb a
gradual two kilometer grade over the narrows of the valley followed by
a two kilometer descent to the turnoff to Bahnhof Imst and the river
rafting set-in to take the bicycle path to Landeck.

The paved path lies between the autobahn and the river, avoiding the
climb to Imst and Imsterberg that the local highway makes. At Landeck
(816m) I remained on the Arlberg highway and turned off at Pians
(859m) to the Silvretta Hochalpenstraße (toll road Rt A188), the
Bielerhöhe Pass to Bludenz in the Montafontal.

The Silvretta road drops down into the Sanna River and heads up the
Paznauntal along the Trisanna River, passing under the high railway
bridge of the Arlberg Line. These are much sought after white water
rivers.

http://www.andyw.freeserve.co.uk/2003/july/austria/22-sanna-matt.html

Our road remained fairly flat until Haiming, the mouth of the Ötztal,
from whose upper end the Timmelsjoch (Passo Rombo; 2474m) crosses to
St Leonhard and Merano in South Tyrol. With mini-markets at most gas
stations along this route, we were well supplied with food and drink.
We crossed the high bridge over Ache River from the Ötztal and crossed
to the north side of the Inn to climb two kilometers over the narrows
of the valley.

After the climb and a two kilometer descent, we turned off to Bahnhof
Imst and the river rafting set-in to take the bicycle path to Landeck.
The path lies between the autobahn and the river, avoiding the climb
to Imst and Imsterberg that the local highway makes. At Landeck
(816m) we took the Arlberg highway (Rt N1), and turned off at Pians
into the Paznauntal and the Silvretta Hochalpenstraße (toll road Rt
A188), the Bielerhöhe Pass to Bludenz in the Montafontal.

The Silvretta road drops down into the Sanna River and heads up the
Paznauntal along the Trisanna River, passing under the high railway
bridge of the Arlberg Line. These are much sought after white water
rivers.

I stopped in Nederle (Kappl) (1258m) under a blue sky with rosy clouds
colored by the setting sun.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

21. Tuesday, 01 August (Nederle a Silvretta - Linthal; 185km, 1690m):

Today was William Tell day, or the Swiss national holiday equivalent
to the fourth of July in the USA. With light tailwind on dry roads,
but with a high overcast, I rode up the gradual climb along the
Trisanna River to Galtür where road gets steeper up the desolate
valley that is inhabited by skiers nowadays, but only in winter. The
cows reign in summer. The last kilometer to the dam of the summit
lake of 12% got us to the Bielerhöhe Pass (2032m). The Silvretta lake
straddles the summit and is contained by an earthen dam on the east
and a concrete dam on the west.

The overcast blocked the magnificent view of glacier-covered Eckhorn
(3117m), Wiesbadenerhöhe (2490m), Piz Silvretta (3248m), and Piz Buin
(3312m). Having been here often, I filled in the blanks from memory
before heading down the Montafontal along the Ill river:

http://www.quaeldich.de/Bilder.pl?PassID=178&BildID=870&Zoom

The descent down 32 hairpin turns to Partenen (1027m) is easy because
there are no tight turns, all of them being gentle sweepers but tight
enough to not reach terminal velocity on the 11% grade. From Partenen
I cruised into a slight headwind under clearing skies to Schruns
(690m) where it began to rain lightly as I continued to Bludenz (559m)
and Feldkirch (455m) in the Rhine valley.

From Feldkirch (455m) I headed south and crossed to the west bank of
the the Rhine past Vaduz, the capital of Lichtenstein and on to
Sargans (482m) Switzerland in dry weather. I took the bike path to
the lake and rode to Mühlehorn (427m) where I took the main route over
Kerenzerberg through Filzbach (740m) to Näfels (437m) in canton
Glarus.

http://www.picswiss.ch/StGallen/SG-l4-04.html

The rain returned for the rest of the day but after Glarus (472m)
traffic as I rode up the gradual slope of the Linth valley to Linthal
(648m). I got a hearty dinner with a good 0,6l Eichhof Bier and
wholewheat country bread before getting a good night's sleep for
tomorrow's end of the ride.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

22. Wednesday, 02 August (Linthal - Ibach; 57.3km, 844m):

Linthal (662m) is the end of the valley and the SBB rail line through
Glarus lying at the base of the Klausen Pass. Here the road turns
into the rock wall of the canyon and begins its zig-zag climb into a
higher valley above, the Urnerboden, that belongs to canton Uri by a
quirk of border demarcation.

This climb may be tiring to someone who doesn't know how far it goes
because only the valley below is rather than the top of the climb.
Once in the Urnerboden, the road gently rises to Port (1372m) before
once more climbing a rock wall up to the Klausen Pass (1948m). The
upper part of this pass is spectacularly scenic as it passes through
the U-shaped Urnerboden and climbs the granite walls at the head of
the valley. My experience has always been that the mountains look
extra high here because their tops seem to always vanish in clouds.
Today was no exception.

The top of the pass is fairly flat and starts its descent gradually as
a glorious panorama to the north opens underscored by the Schächental,
a box canyon that drops off precipitously, shortly after the summit.
The road clings to the edge passing through rough rock tunnels as it
gives vertical views of roofs of farm sheds nearly straight below as
the Staübifall traces its route from the glaciers of the Tödi (3620m)
to the lip of the canyon from which it free-falls and is blown to mist
before reaching the ground thereby earning its well deserved name.

I stopped at Posthaus Urigen (1200m) for lunch and a hello to Stefan
and Karin Truschner who own and operate the hotel. Their daughter,
Joël, is about in her her teens, reminding me how many years I have
been stopping there. Although they had a full house for lunch, Stefan
complained about the cool weather. As usual, I ate outside under a
Sinalco umbrella as the Postauto came up from the valley sounding its
famous three tone bugle salute, the essence of swiss mountain roads.

After a short dash to Spiringen (995m) in the Schächental, there is a
little climb before the stretch down to Altdorf and the statue of
William Tell and son that we passed on the first day of the trip.

Many of the places mentioned in this report can be seen at:

http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos.html

That was 3160km and 51545m climbing
==========================================================================
Jobst Brandt
Palo Alto CA

[jobst....@stanfordalumni.org]

----------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.schweizerseiten.ch/info/axenstrasse.htm

http://www.wassen.ch/

http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos/s21.html
http://www.aareschlucht.ch/englisch.htm

http://www.evo.org/sherlock/europe/reichenbach_falls.html
http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos/s38.html

http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos/s37.html
http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos/s84.html

---------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.brienz-rothorn-bahn.ch/bahn/?lang=en
http://tinyurl.com/y3udeb

http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos/s67.html

http://www.furka-bergstrecke.ch/

---------------------------------------------------------------------

construction at Sedrun where a cogwheel line descends over a temporary

[Mike Kruger]

<jobst....@stanfordalumni.org> wrote in message
news:456a2705$0$34540$742e...@news.sonic.net...

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tour of the Alps 2006
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks!

[sergio]

jobst....@stanfordalumni.org wrote:
A version containing pictures we took will appear in the Trento bike
> pages later. This is the wreck.bike version.

Hi Jobst,
out of curiosity.
Where did you lodge at Bonneval S/Arc?
Nice move of yours to take the (steep) shortcut to Rosiere!

Sergio
Pisa

[jobst....@stanfordalumni.org]

Sergio Servadio writes:

>> A version containing pictures we took will appear in the Trento
>> bike pages later. This is the wreck.bike version.

> Out of curiosity, where did you lodge at Bonneval S/Arc?

La Pastourelle, Bonneval Sur Arc (F) ,76.00 Euro

as it says in my M/C statement.

> Nice move of yours to take the (steep) shortcut to Rosiere!

I did that once before with Jeanie Barnett.

Jobst Brandt

[sergio]

jobst....@stanfordalumni.org wrote:
> > Out of curiosity, where did you lodge at Bonneval S/Arc?

Not where I stayed this year. By the way, I passed there when the road
up tp the pass was still officially closed; they were still working on
the snow banks. Just magic to do the ascent in a car free environment!
I am particularly fond of Bonneval S/Arc and of that side of the
Iseran.
For those who have never been there, in 'downtown' Bonneval to drink
from the fountain often yoiu have to struggle against the cows
gathering there.

That day I went over the Piccolo to finally end up in Aosta, but I did
not take the shortcut we were talking about. I preferred the long
boring climb from Seez. I did that hoping to pick some wild cherries
from the side of the road, since there are so many such trees all
along.
How stupid! The season was way too early for that.

Cheers

Sergio
Pisa

[Ken Roberts]

Thanks for all the careful details, Jobst. You do get to lots of interesting
places few us think of trying, so your posts work as a kind of "guidebook".

The other funny thing with your reports is when I read the passes and
villages and think, "that sounds like enough for a full day", but for Jobst
it's only a full _morning_.

> The Susten Pass ... I choose to call it the glacier highway of
> Switzerland.

Yes it fits that. My theory of why Susten is not better known is because
Furka fits better with lots of drivers (and cyclists) larger itineraries,
and with the long (fading?) tradition of viewing the Rhone-glacier from the
Furkapass road.

> We rode along the north shore of the Brienzer lake to Brienz

I'll think I'll try that next time.

> Although the Furka Pass is 267m higher then the

> Grimsel, it is not the climb it appears to be ...

Easy to say when you're as strong a rider as Jobst -- but it's true that the
climb is not real steep and pretty well graded.

> various trains went by, including a Glacier Express with
> air conditioned glass domed cars. Local trains, in contrast,
> allow opening windows to watch the scenery.

Yes, it's funny that the Glacier Express customers pay so much money and
miss out of the fun of leaning out the windows.

> The Albula Pass (2312m), although now paved, has
> remained unblemished by development of hotels and ski
> slopes, pristine as it was when I first saw it.

As long as you don't regard power transmission towers as violations of the
"pristine".

> we didn't want to ride across the Po valley as in the past,
> through Torino traffic and the long haul to Cuneo. So we got train
> tickets

Helpful advice to us from long experience.

> However, pavement ended at the French border

Same experience I had when I climbed over Colle della Lombarde from Italy
into France.

> from Croix de Valberg (1829m) . . . We took the

> "back" road, Rt D29, down to Guillaumes (1200m)

I didn't think the descent on the main road was that interesting, so thanks
for checking out an alternative.

> Col de la Cayolle ... has remained unchanged since my first ride here in
> 1960.

Yes it had a very quiet remote feeling when I rode it a couple of weeks
ago -- and almost no cars at this time of year. I think the north-to-south
direction is nicer for riding over Col de la Cayolle, because climbing up
the north side allows more time to contemplate the scenery, and I didn't
find going down the north side to be one of the more fun descents in the
Alps.

> we went to a nearby the Champion supermarket

A couple of years ago I waited in that Guillestre store's parking lot for a
taxi (to set me up for a backcountry ski tour).

> From the Izoard (2361m), we could see the gap of the
> Galibier on the horizon while we made the unspectacular
> descent to Briançon (1391m).

Yes, not spectacular -- but I remember feeling that some parts of my descent
of N side of Izoard were kinda fun.

> This year the supersonic wind tunnel at la Bourget

I never knew about that ... have to look (and listen) for it.

> We started out up the valley riding past the end
> of pavement and up to Rifugio Elena (2218m)

Yes -- Reading that, I'm not going to again make the mistake again of
pushing and carrying my bike to Rifugio Elena. The first hill on the hiking
trail was almost more strenuous what it required above the refugio to reach
Col du Grand Ferret.

> unpaved Passo San Giacomo, an ancient road that ends on the summit.

I'd been wondering about that pass -- thanks for your report on it.

> Splügen pass ... a fantastic experience to descend

Thanks for the tip -- hope I can find an excuse to get there.

> The Staulanza is an easy pass ... this route is a scenic
> wonder. We descended to Longarone ...

Another new idea I hope to get to try someday. Looks like I could try making
a loop around Monte Civetta, thru Agordo and Alleghe.

> east into Slovenia.

This idea of riding some of the roads in eastern Italy toward Slovenia seems
interesting -- thanks for the details.

Ken

[Tim McNamara]

In article <iKjbh.119904$Fi1....@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>,
"Ken Roberts" <iKen7Robert...@yahoo7.com> wrote:

> > unpaved Passo San Giacomo, an ancient road that ends on the summit.
>
> I'd been wondering about that pass -- thanks for your report on it.

Isn't a pass that ends at a summit something of a misnomer? I thought a
"pass" was the point at which one passed over the summit and down the
other side.

[David Kerber]

In article <timmcn-CCC2EF....@news.iphouse.com>,
tim...@bitstream.net says...

Nope, not that either. A pass in this context is the lower elevation
crossing between two mountain summits. So a pass that ends at a summit
is something of a misnomer unless it goes through a pass, and then on to
a different summit.

--
Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in the
newsgroups if possible).

[sergio]

It all depends on what means of transportation you want to consider.
There are a lot of passes that can be climbed and gone over only on
foot.
In fact, I was reading a book about passes over the Alps known to the
Romans, 2000 years ago. There were more of them at that time than we
know of nowadays.

Sergio
Pisa

[jobst....@stanfordalumni.org]

Tim McNamara writes:

>>> unpaved Passo San Giacomo, an ancient road that ends on the summit.

>> I'd been wondering about that pass -- thanks for your report on it.

> Isn't a pass that ends at a summit something of a misnomer? I
> thought a "pass" was the point at which one passed over the summit
> and down the other side.

You can drive a car that far, but after that there are only steep,
true, single track hiking trails. I call that a road that ends at the
summit. The pass is there and is marked on maps. Ride it. It's a gas.

You can check earlier ride reports on:

http://tinyurl.com/92vpb

Of crossing this pass and other ones that require pushing the bicycle.

See also:

http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/alps_photos/s52.html

How to ski with a bicycle.

Jobst Brandt