tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45378627864944190392024-03-13T00:55:43.394+01:00blitz trip to the French - Italian Alps with BMW GS AdventurePeter Schefferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109386379264431489noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537862786494419039.post-4749130823690669902014-10-16T19:44:00.002+02:002016-06-23T11:44:44.438+02:00<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This summer there was another "blitz trip" on the program.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Executive Board (the missus :D) had granted a 5 days off free to plan card.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I had three things on my wish list:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 A few "Big bertha bike friendly" gravel passes. On Conti's TA2.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2 The highest / best-known French Alpine passes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3 Discovery work in the Italian Alps west of Cuneo.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In order to realize point 1 reasonably safe (given my limited experience in this area), I had decided that I would only go after 3 days dry in this area, and preferably 2 days thereafter to do 2 and 3.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And last Saturday was the day.`</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On my own. Just me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A bit selfish but my trips are for me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I can do what I want, when I want.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ride all day. Stop when I want. Or don't stop.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Just away from talking, concensus, common ground, compromise. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That's the rest of the year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That's me...on my motorcycle holidays.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What passes etc did we encounter on our travels:<br />
Susten, Furka, Grimsel, Cormet D'Arêches, Col D'Iseran, Col du Mont Cenis.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Col delle Finestre, Assietta Kammstrasse, Col d'Izoard, Col / tunnel Parpaillon, Bonette</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Col Lombard, Colli di Cueno (= Colle Fauniera (also called Colle dei Morti), Colle di Valcavera, Colle Esischie)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Colle di Sampeyre, Col d'Agnel(lo), Col d'Izoard, Col du Galibier, Col du Madeleine. Route des Crêtes.</span><br />
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About 3200km.</span><br />
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This was the route (route going there from Holland there and back is not attractive and is Autobahn mainly).</span><br />
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In Switzerland, fresh snow had fallen on the higher peaks.<br />
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(Sustenpass west side)<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> (sustenpass east side)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Furkapass, where James Bond's Goldfinger has the famous car chase scene)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Early up as Sunday+sun= busy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Done Sustenpass, Furkapass and Grimsselpass.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At 10.30 I was already heading to France. Lots and lots of daytrip people heading my way for a day out in the Swiss Alps.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cormet D'Arêches (60km below Lake Geneva) was next and just before that you can drive along the beautiful Lac de Roselend. See how the slopes just seem to glide into the water.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Lac de Roselend)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then follows Cormet D'Arêches. Gravel with some mean stony patches.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A laugh for the true offroad veteran but exciting for me as it was the first mountain offroad experience for me. Lovely gravel piste. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Cormet D'Areches)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then Col D'Iseran. Already 6.30pm and totaly desolated exept for a German in his Volkswagen.. Chilly as well at 7 Celcius.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Col de L'Iseran from the North)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(The summit at 2700+ meters)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then cross into Italy : Col du Mont Cenis (+lake). Cloudy and eerie atmosphere...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sleep in Susa </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Italy, Piedmonte, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">in a B&B called "Scotty&Co" but only speaking Italian :D .</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Next day it is early up. Top up on the engine oil as a whole lot of gravel lies ahead.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Next up is Col delle Finestre. Well to do gravel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Weather wasn't bad at all. :D</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Col delle Finestre: The Giro d'Italia also once came by here....)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Assietta Kammstrasse. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My must have for this trip.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Local wild life testing my "don't use the front brake on gravel reflex". All goes well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">just moments later...a fox and its pal (who just crossed over).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the Assietta it's quiet. 5 crossers, 2 cyclists and two BMW GS.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On this very spot I spent like 25 minutes. Sandwich. A bit of water. Looking around me. taking in the scenery. Sole mio. Lovely. This is one of the reasons to do this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One keeps looking and making photo's.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The GSA was doing just fine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Weight works also in a positive way as one does not come to a standstill at every bump.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I felt perfectly comfortable "dancing" with the big bird on gravel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And the bottom torque works wonders.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The bicyclists however go down the track way faster than me :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then, unfortunately, the last planned gravel piste: Col de Parpaillion. Stonier. Steeper. A bit meaner. Lovely.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cherry on the pie: the 500 meter long tunnel at 2637 meters. One of the highest in Europe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A bit tense I drive into the arched tunnel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Over 500 meter at over 2600 meters.....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pitch black. Water falling from the ceiling. Potholes up to 50cm deep filled with ice cold water.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mud. Patches of ice (in August!). Rocks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But there's light on the end of the tunnel. Literaly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Don't go into the light. But we go anyway. :D</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZyheBW2ruo">Tunnel de Parpaillion at 2600m video</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I feel quit the man when I park my BMW on the other side of the tunnel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A small 1 cylinder 4stroke pulls up next to me. The better tool for the job.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An Italian gentleman on it, telling me he's 73. Mmmm, perspective.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Parpaillion east side driving down)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then onwards to Col de la Bonnette. Moon like landscape. Highest paved pass in Europe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Alianating. Not beautiful. Impressive none the less.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By the way. It's not the road half way on the mountain side....look at the top of the ridge....yes, there it is!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(The summit @2802 meters)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTIBjdsr_pSeTKZs4xPfZmPeSuBG4xp2DeQEdpvjMdstemxBIt3Pvgafcg1d1vTghJrOgmkoTVsdeZD7Tu8SNsGNXIsHpDr_pKp3sBDBuwb24qWiEWwrbGBZRJs2WIRlcDu_Guv_Jd4o/s1600/WP_20140818_16_58_37_Pro_Snapseed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTIBjdsr_pSeTKZs4xPfZmPeSuBG4xp2DeQEdpvjMdstemxBIt3Pvgafcg1d1vTghJrOgmkoTVsdeZD7Tu8SNsGNXIsHpDr_pKp3sBDBuwb24qWiEWwrbGBZRJs2WIRlcDu_Guv_Jd4o/s1600/WP_20140818_16_58_37_Pro_Snapseed.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At the top of 2802m a French girl on her bicycle finishes her run to the top.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All the way from the valley. a 2200m climb! Wow! What an achievement.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spending the night in a run down ski resort called Isola2000, right on the border of Italy and France.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Walking to my hotel room I have this incredible deja vu moment. The Shining....!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Looking around me for twins or Jack Nicholson.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But all ends well. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At night fierce thunderstorms pass over the mountains.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Next morning into Italy via Col de Lombarde with rain. What a contrast with yesterday.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But it looks to become brighter on the Italian side.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then there are several passes of the Col del Cuneo range (west of the town of Cuneo), of which the Col dei Morti (pass of the dead !) impresses me beyond words. But I'll try anyway. The landscape is fierce and desolate. The pictures, like usual, don't convey the feeling. But trust me...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is a tiny road. Filled with potholes, gravel and missing road. I am totally alone for almost 2 hours...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then we weave our way back into France: Col D'Agnel(lo) at over 2700m. Better wetter as in more sun. But cold with a near gale wind at 7C.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Second time Col D'Izoard, this time from South to North. The tarmac is absolutely great.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the curves near the summit, professional photographers take your picture which you then can buy and download later online (which I did of course)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Followed by Col de Galibier, more to the North-West.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then via the Col de Madeleine I leave the Alps.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After a night sleep in Switzerland I drive home via the Vosges Route des Crêtes, which means "summit route"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Last year September with 30C and now with 9C !</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A very enjoyable trip with lots of sun but on the chilly side.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Main takeaways for me:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Big Bertha" (Kampfelefant) does all well (offroad, highway, in between)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Best investment below €100: a set of rok straps</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Best investment over €100: a set of HyperPro's</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most impressive pass: Col dei Morti</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">More offroad!! Next year the "Ligurische Kammstrasse" is on my wishlist.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Peter</span>Peter Schefferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109386379264431489noreply@blogger.com0