This was the ride of a life time for both Cathy and I. We experienced the most breathtaking views, saw historical architecture like no other and shared various cultures and foods with our new found friends from the group we rode with.
The ride is organised annually during the European summer, by Cliff Popp of Ozalps and is directed mainly to Aussies. He is a great bloke with a weird sense of humour and rides with you as a mate, giving us a group attitude of friendship from day one.
The ride is organised annually during the European summer, by Cliff Popp of Ozalps and is directed mainly to Aussies. He is a great bloke with a weird sense of humour and rides with you as a mate, giving us a group attitude of friendship from day one.
The ride went for 12 days including a day spent getting used to your chosen bike and the people you are riding with, and the final day shooting down the autobahn and returning the bikes..
Cathy and I arrived in Munich 3 days before the beginning of the tour, so we could come down from jet lag and to explore Munich on our own.
Cathy and I arrived in Munich 3 days before the beginning of the tour, so we could come down from jet lag and to explore Munich on our own.
Leaving Australia just after 6am.
All 5 flights on our holiday were taken on A380s. This is our flight from Dubai to Munich.
After a good night's sleep, the next morning we decide to take a walk to the BMW museum and showroom.(Actually we walked over 20km that day in all)
This is Hotel Hahn, where we spent the 3 nights before the tour.
Stand straight Cath....well done.
This is the Mercedes show room we came across along the way.
Here's a street shot showing some typical Bavarian architecture.
As you can see, very tidy and clean.
5 1/2 kms later, we find the museum.
Just near the sign above, we see this canal.
We were surprised to see a large fish swimming in it.
This is the BMW museum. In a word, WOW.
They've spared no expense, as you can see.
At first, I thought this was a Ferrari.
Wow, talk about large and extravagant.
The motorcycle section was upstairs. These are the 800 and 1200 GS models
Cathy found a classy looking scooter.
This is what we'd look like if I was the pillion on a tourer.
These bikes were lined up outside so you could test ride them.
After snooping through the showroom and using there free WiFi, we returned to the museum.
This display was a series of chrome balls suspended by fine line that formed various vehicles in time with classic music. Very impressive.
The museum had so many old BMW vehicles in mint condition.
And bikes of course.
An early model boxer engine, much like the one in our bike.
Various engines on display. This was and old aircraft engine.
So many classic BMW cars on display like this 1940's model coupe.
Along with BMW's various race cars.
Here they have race engines on display.
Various sedan models lined up through the years.
And old classics.
Various race bikes.
Then this weird looking bike.
Almost a normal bike inside a fancy shell.
This area displayed the clay modelling of new designed cars.
Incredible collection of BMW bikes.
Although the cars evolved so much, there's no mistaking the classic design of the BMW emblem and front end.
Cathy's favourite.
BMW's concept car design.
Ever wondered what BMW stood for?
Finally it was up to the "spaceship like" area for the Rolls Royce display.
Another unmistakeable front end.
This car used to transport Queen Elizabeth.
So that's where she left her pillow.
Adjoining the BMW complex is Olympia Park. Here I'm studying this sign and trying to work out how they knew so much about me.
The lake within the park is stocked with carp. We think it's the same type of fishe we saw in the canal earlier.
After our visit to the BMW complex, we were looking for a "Bier Garten" to have lunch. After asking a local, we were directed to this one about a kilometre away.
The Taxis Biergarten was our first true experience of Bavarian culture.
The beer was cold and the food was plentiful. We were there on a weekday, so it was quiet but we were assured that it gets crowded and loud on weekends.
The next morning we made our way on foot to Munich city. On the advice of a fellow bike rider, we went in search of Marienplatz where there was some sort of festival taking place. Along the way we came across this government building.
We have no idea what it was but its architecture and age blew us away.
Making our way deeper into the older part of Munich we stumble across this old and very narrow cathedral.
It was no wider than a terrace house but very grand no less.
And only 300 years young.
As with all cathedrals throughout Europe, no expense is spared.
Incredible attention to detail and art.
Along this part of the older part of Munich we find this wall and archway.
The Bavarian bakeries are brilliant and we visit many of them throughout our 2 week stay in Europe as you'll see.
Finally we find Marienplatz and its Glockenspiel.
We were there for the midday bells and display. The place went off and it was a pleasure to witness. I was "face timing" my son and his girlfriend at the time so they witnessed it as well. (all the way from Wagga Wagga)
Across the way was St Peter's church with its tall clock steeple. Cathy noticed there were people up top of it just under the top clock.
We realised that we could climb it and enjoy the view from a height.
For just $2 euro each we had the privilege of climbing the tower to enjoy the views.
Very narrow stairway to begin, with but then again, the church is over 700 years old.
Although there is some newer additions to the climb up, there are very old original beams still holding well inside.
The view over Marienplatz and Glockenspiel from the top.
We also spotted a rather large market place from the steeple.
Well, market equals food, food equals Charlie and Cathy.
These are fresh food markets and they didn't disappoint.
The smells were so good and I couldn't resist these olives.
Or these other preserves for that matter.
Man cannot live on olives alone. Well well well, there happened to be a great little ol biergarten right in the midst of the market. This was my first 1litre stein for the trip. ( lost count how many I actually drank)
This place was going off. The dood pouring beers was working flat out trying to keep up with the queue you can see lined up behind Cathy.
After lunch it was time to make our way back to our hotel. Feldherrnhalle is located in Odeonplatz and I just had to take this shot of the statues outside the hall.
This was another historic government building Bayerische Staatskanzlei. Surely built to last, but the glass additions either side were added after its near destruction during the war.
This is Wittelsbach Fountain, One of many fountains around the city.
There is so much to see in Munich alone and the culture and cleanliness and pride of the place is outstanding to say the least. We had so much fun in the 2 days we had there, it was almost easy to forget why we were in Europe to begin with.
After our first days in Munich, we were ready to join our group for our ride through the Alps of Europe. Today we were being picked up by Cliff and meeting up with the group. Our first day was spent getting to know each other and unpacking our luggage in preparation for the trip at Nature House in Weilheim. We also walked in to town for lunch and for a poke around to see what was on offer.
This is the local cathedral.
The extravagance inside was incredible. I never realised how religious the Bavarian culture actually was.
Here, Cliff and Cathy light a candle for "dry roads".... yeah right. We experienced the most rain Cliff has ever experienced on any of his 10 year career with Ozalps. As you'll see, it didn't bother us much.
Ok, candles lit, let's find food.
Oh look, another bakery.
Hmmm, so much choice.
So much character in the Bavarian villages.
An outside shot of the church we were in earlier.
This is the Nature House we stayed in for the first two nights with the group.
This river runs out front, past the drive way.
Note the special ramp built to make it easy for the trout to migrate upstream to lay their eggs.
These old sheds are all over the European Highlands, used for storing feed etc during the winter months.
Well, it was time for lunch. So off we went in search for yet more food. This is the town of Polling, a nice walk from our accommodation.Cathy and Donna posing with the geraniums.
This little town has so much history and so picturesque.
Yet another lovely stream running through this village.
Polling's church and monastery.
Scenes like this, we've only seen in magazines, but there we were.
Oh look, another biergarten.
Here, Cliff translates the menu.
Certainly no shortage of food in Europe, or beer, Cheers Marky.
This little stream runs along side our accommodation and under a little bridge.
Today was over 30c and after lunch and a long walk in the heat, it was a pleasure to wet our feet in the cool mountain stream.
Danger Dick shows us what he's made of.
I think those German kids thought we were nuts. Note Cathy's food baby.
The sign out front.
Today was the first day on bikes. We spent it getting used to them then picking up the girls for a ride for lunch. It rained so we couldn't see the spectacular views of Alps the restaurant had to offer.
Mind you, it didn't effect our appetite.
After lunch, it was off to the shopping centre for some nibblies to take back to Nature House. There's that farting sign again.
The next morning, it was time to begin the tour of the European Alps. We were all looking forward to it and everyone was on a high.
Map of the first leg of the tour. (Germany / Austria)
The bikes parked out back, ready to go. As you can see, there is quite a range to choose from.
As with most mornings, it began with a briefing from Cliff, giving us a run down of what to expect along with our expected route and what sort of habits to expect from the local drivers.
Here we stop at Rottonbuch Church, almost 900 years old. Incredible.
Incredible decoration within.
This is the town of Oberammergau, famous for its Christmas passion play and wood carvings.
Very traditional village.
Oh look, we found a bakery there too.
Cath, Donna and Mark enjoying morning tea in front of an elaborate water fountain near the town square.
As the clouds cleared, this monster appeared.
Here, I entered a wood carving store to sneak a couple of pics of the towns handy work.
A Christmas setting.
Hundreds of ornate wood carvings with attention to detail. Not one of them made in China.
I loved the real traditional Cuckoo Clocks.
A short ride away is Kloster Ettal.
A beautiful, historic Monastry.
Decorated ceilings and walls with oil paintings.
This pillar stood alone out front but was photo worthy due to it's old age.
Couldn't resist taking a photo of this strawberry plant growing out of the old wall.
Across the border into Austria, we ride past Plansee Lake.
Although it was a cloudy day, it was simply awesome to see.
Here, the roads became narrow and a joy to ride.
Pristine and tranquil.
Group lunch at a local cafe.
We arrive in Imst for the night. Great accommodation.
The view from our window.
This is the outside of our accommodation.
We took a walk through town to see what it had to offer.
When the snow starts melting in full swing, this stream swells high enough to spin this disc.
I just can't get enough of the European architecture.
Yes we're eating again.This was another traditional dinner.
And again, Cliff did well explaining what the dishes were.
Donna showing off the size of her sausage.
The next morning we woke to a sunny day, what a relief. The sunshine also showed off the huge picturesque mountains around us.
Map of the second leg of the tour (Austria / Liechtenstein / Switzerland)
Preparing to leave.
This was the first of our mountain passes. Arlberg Pass
Here's one that Cliff was kind enough to take of us.
This is where the scenery just overtakes your senses.
The mountains simply dwarf anything between them.
Passing through the tiny country of Liechtenstein.
As you can see, the scenery just doesn't give up.
More great roads to ride.
Here we are again.
Here we have a photo stop at the "Dragon's Teeth".
This is them. Named for obvious reasons.
What a peaceful existence these people must have.
Proof Cath and I were there.
So were Mark and Donna.
The sort of stuff you only hear about.
Well in to Switzerland now.
Hundreds of these mountain stream all through the Alps.
Another scene fit for a post card.
Today's lunch stop.
Cliff, giving us instruction on road etiquette for the area.
The villages within the Alps get smaller and their character seems a little different.
Here we approach the Klausen Pass.
As you can see, the weather begins to close in at the top.
Yet another spectacular road winding along the mountain side.
Again, the pic does not do this place justice, but the sheer height is incredible to look up at.
Mark and Donna pass after stopping to slip their wets on. We were just slipping ours on, but it had stopped raining.
One of our first looks at hi peak snow caps. It took our breath away.
We kept stopping to take pics. It was simply awesome.
The group was in front of us at this stage, on the other side of this road block. The storm up top had washed rock and debris across the road, closing it off to through traffic. Now we were wondering " Ok so the others are on the other side and we were all alone on this side.What now?"
Time for another pic of course.
Eventually the others were turned around as well, so we all descended upon a bar at the bottom of the valley for a break while the road was being cleared. This bull was out front. No Cathy, they're not real.
So what do you do when you're stranded at the bottom of Klausen Pass? You walk in to a bar and order a beer of course.
And take more pics of the country side.
One for the bike riders.
After an hour or so we got word that the road was cleared, so we headed up for another go at the pass.
Yes it was as much fun as it looks. Looking back about 2/3 of the way up.Excellent road by the way, and my personal favourite.
Another angle.
Not quiet at the top, we are met by yet another road block that was cleared in about 15 mins or so.
This little village type set up was where we stood waiting for the road to be cleared the second time around. We could hear the cow bells dinging away hanging on the necks of the animals in the sheds. Yep, people live up here. These are the same people that blow those really long horns in the Alps.
Ok, road cleared, we're on our way.
Finally, we reach the top.
Group shot.
Further along the pass. Huge drop off.
The valley just disappears and drops off dramatically.
That little fence is all that stops anyone from going over.
This beautiful valley and great road was why this pass was my favourite.
Notice the way the road snakes its way along the mountain.
My favourite pic of us that Cliff took. I was on such a high at this time.
I couldn't get a pic of cows wearing the bells but ......
A bell wearing goat will have to do.
Here we pass through a village famous for its statue of William Tell before going on to Erstfeld for the night.
Map of the third leg of the tour (Switzerland / France)
This morning we were met with yet more rain so we kept on motoring until morning tea in Wimmis.
Another historical and picturesque village in the Swiss Alps.
You have to love the way these beautiful buildings are propped up on the mountain side.
Yes we're eating again.
Cliff's food baby is clearly showing.
Just across the road is this old home with its perfect vege patch.
One of the locals directed us up the road to this very old home. One of the oldest in the village.
Approaching the French border we stop for lunch in Les Granges.
And find this great little cafe "Jack's Place". Run by a husband and wife team, they served the best hamburgers .
And this scene just across the road.
This poor little scooter was the subject of many photos by all of us.
Time for a pic with the man.
As we rode toward France, we began to see vineyards dotted along the sides of the hills.
A quick chat before heading in.
Descending in to Martigny.
One of many castles we passed along the way.
Riding through Martigny before crossing the border in to France.
The border crossing in to France from Switzerland.
This was our accommodation in Chamonix at the foot of Mt Blanc.
Our room.
Another great view from our room.
We could clearly see the Glacier des Bossons.
The glacier hangs over the town of Chamonix in this pic.
Another perfect village of the French Alps.
The clouds came and left through the afternoon.
A couple of close ups of the glacier.
The river running through Chamonix.
More fantastic architecture
Today we were left to find our own way around Chamonix and choose where we had dinner. Dicky, Mark, Donna and ourselves found a tiny 2 storey restaurant called "Poco Loco". As you can see it was long enough but just over 6 ft wide and not very high. Great food and atmosphere as well.
What is it with these fart related signs?
The glacier looks ominous at night.
Map of the 4th leg of the tour (France)
Today we weren't leaving Chamonix until early afternoon, so we had time to take part in an activity of our choice. four of the boys chose to hang glide from the mountain down to the town (taking about 25mins) and some of us took a cable car ride up to one of the peaks across from Mt Blanc for more photo oportunities.
This was the cable car of choice however the wait was way too long and so we had to abort and take another shorter cable car across the other side of the town.
The cars a quite large and the ride goes up in two long stages.
Parra gliders enjoying the views on their way down. To the left you can see the end of the first stage of the cable cars we took.
After a fair hike across town, we arrive at the second cable car system and to our relief, No waiting.
At the top of our ride we have a great look at those snow peaks.
Looking down on the first rise where the gliders prepare themselves.
The view across to Mt Blanc from where we stood on the second rise.
Who said I wasn't romantic.
The word majestic comes to mind.
At the top, there is also this curious old building.
"Love the camera girls"
This area was amazing to look around.
A lake so up high.
This gives you some idea of how high. Over looking Chamonix.
At last our first time touching snow, ever.
There are also hiking trails up here.
And if you're feeling ultra energetic you can hike the entire way up!
Here we enjoy a coffee from a little kiosk up top.
Yes, that dood brought his mountain bike up via the cable car. He then shot off down the entire mountain!
Just can't get enough of the views.
We left Chamonix early in the afternoon for a short ride to our destination in Albertville, where we spent the next two nights.
Quick photo stop.
This motorway went on and on, hugging the mountainside.
Another quick briefing before taking on a pass.
Some of the old homes are built in the most peculiar of places.
Here we arrive at our accommodation where we spent the next two nights. Here we also had our washing done. All we had to do was open our bags and the clothes simply walked themselves to the laundry.
A great spot, close to everything.
Rooms are simple but clean and comfortable.
Our view.
Enjoying an afternoon drink in the garden with the guys.
Dinner was in the garden within the grounds.
By this time, I was looking for a lighter option. No shortage of good food in Europe.
A quick photo with Dicky beside this wine press, before a walk in to town the next morning.
A lot of pride in their town, and it shows.
This beautiful French castle in the hill above us.
Here we found a fresh produce market where we all bought some nibblies to share for a simple lunch back in the garden.
Although we were in France, the stall holders were mainly Italian. These salami are as good as they get.
And these olives and sun dried tomato.
So many traditionally made cheeses.
Yummy pastries.
Dried fruit and nuts.
This town was built in the time of horse and cart, telling by the width of the streets.
Mark and I having a photo fest.
Another market close by and more beautiful food.
Donna showing off her fresh melons.
All through the Alps are these fountains of all shapes and sizes where you can drink the freshest, coldest water from the mountain streams. This one had a wheel on top that you turn to pump the water out.
Another great view of this town.
Crossing the bridge back to our accomadation. the river splits the town in 2.
Not a common sight, but not uncommon in this part of the world where old meets new.
Eventually we make it back to enjoy our European lunch.
After lunch, Mark and I set out to refuel the bikes in preparation for the next leg of the tour. But after this we set off into the hills and found this great little village with a family run cafe/restaurant. They were so friendly and happy to chat with us for some time.
Here's the village water fountain.
The main road (if you can call it that)
It's not beer, but it'll do.
The road back down the hill.
The local bus stop.
Another old bridge with heaps of character.
Another larger fountain on the way down to the town. Spring fed of course.
I really enjoyed riding through little villages like this.
Beer time.........again.
Dinner tonight was held in a restaurant within an authentic medieval city, on a hill overlooking the town. The next pics are taken simply walking up for dinner.
Untouched but so well kept.
Winding our way up the path. The clever ones among us rode their bikes up.
Yet another little fountain. So much fresh drinking water.
These walls certainly show off their age.
The castle within.
Also old homes just outside the city walls.
Finally we reach the entrance.
This is the real thing and its incredible that the city is still occupied but so well cared for.
I wondered how old this wooden door was. Note how short it is.
One of its alleys with its stone surface. No potholes !
Even a simple staircase had character.
This larger fountain stood in the city square.
One of the buildings now serves as a museum.
A group shot at the lookout overlooking Albertville.
We could also see our accommodation from up there.
This is what seemed to once be the main entrance into the city.
Small mosses and ferns grew comfortably in the walls.
Donna "appreciating" the old canon.
This old home must have a wonderful view of the town.
Above this entrance, Cliff shows us one of the arrow turrets once used to defend the city from attack.
Closer look.
Then this beautiful garden.
Decorated with grape vines. We would frown on this in Sydney but it looks so perfect here.
The stories these steps could tell. They led from the main garden above down to the little one in the next pic.
One of Cliff's favorite spots. Especially when the afternoon sun shines through.
After Cliff walked us through the city, we sat down for dinner.
You guessed it. I just had to try the snail, French style. (second on the menu)
And the duck for main.
Great group, having an unforgettable time together.
Let's not forget desert.
Time for another pic on our walk back down the hill to our accommodation.
Map of the 5th leg of the tour. (France / Italy)
Today saw us crossing the border in to Italy via the St Bernard Pass. As usual, many many photo ops along the way beginning with this little old structure. I couldn't help but wonder what the heck it's purpose once was, but I was guessing some sort of post where the locals could look out for invaders and the like.
This little place looks incredible and it's not even trying!
This was another excellent pass and not too difficult to execute. There were many bikes we saw along the way, all enjoying the picturesque surroundings.
Donna waiting patiently while Mark takes a photo or three. Come to think of it, that's how Cath and I must look doing the same thing.
The first sign we were reaching the border.
A St Bernard at St Bernard!
Still making our way to the border, the road is so good to ride.
Almost at the border, we stop to look back at the road we took. Absolutely a beautiful ride.
The border between France and Italy, with some highland cattle grazing to the side. Bloody hell, even the borders look incredible.
Cathy finds a new friend.
A closer look at the border.
Just in to Italy, we find this lake, and look the sun was actually shining.
Here we stop for a coffee in Thule.
Another great little Alpine Village.
Notice the welcome bikers sign.
Further on we head in to Champagne for lunch.
The snow seemed so close yet it was a very warm day.
Here we reach our lunch stop in Champagne.
Another great little restaurant which was family run.
Mark and I shared a traditional "bits of everything" dish.
You'll notice that the homes begin to look a little different as we ride through different countries.
No doubt of the Italian influence in these homes.
Tonight we spend the night in Candelo. This pic explains why Cliff's bike is called Noddy. (because it keeps laying over to sleep)
This was our rather large room in the loft.
Our view.
Outside our accomadation.
Before meeting up for dinner, Cathy and I took a walk to see the old walled city.
This walled "city" was actually built to protect the grains, wines and livestock from invaders who tried to pilfer the town.
One of its watch towers.
An old grain grinder used to make flour.
Again, architecture built to last. All the pebbles were mined from a nearby river adjoining the town.
Seriously, how long would it take to put it all together?
Although there's been some preservation work, alot of it's originality has been preserved.
This square tower is where all the water collects from the cleverly designed pebble drains and shoots out the back in to the canal below the wall.
Remember this place is over 700 years old and those timber beams sticking out the building on the left are original.
Gotta love the vines for a touch of Italy.
A view from outside the wall.
You just don't get this in a young nation like Australia.
Dinner tonight was at a privately owned estate. The kitchen and restaurant areas are within a converted barn.
Absolutely brilliant.
The kitchen from the outside.
This shot also shows the upper level where the feed was once kept.
The pump on this old cart, still worked with very good suction. (Yes we played with it)
Map of the 6th leg of the tour (Italy / Switzerland / Italy)
Morning tea in Arona.
Arona sits on Lake Magiorre.
Another majestic castle overlooking Arona.
A differant angle across the lake.
Here we cross in to Switzerland for a short time, then back in to Italy.
Peek a Boo, Donna.
This spot is near the start of the scenic road along Lake Como. Cliff is giving last minute instruction before setting us free to explore on our own at our own pace.
Beautiful towns dotted all around the lake.
And again, the historic charm is never ending.
This church stands directly overlooking Lake Como.
How lucky are the kids playing in the water, living in a place like this?
The Italian character of the buildings surely shows here.
This is the Kawasaki Versys we hired for the tour.
Cathy found this narrow alley and suggested a photo. Well spotted Cath!
Further up the stairs.
Part of the lifestyle, not just put on for the tourists.
Another beautiful old church.
Great scenery in every direction.,
I cant get over these stone walls still standing after hundred of years.
This was directly across the road from our room.
Waiting for the "thumbs up" from Cathy.
Yep, she loved the view as much as me.
And plenty of bike parking.
As always, we were off for a walk about town after unpacking and changing out of our gear.
This tiny single seater was parked outside a shopping centre. Right at home in a place like this, having such narrow streets. Wish I had one to get to work and back.
I love taking photos of bridges, but in Europe I almost had a bridge overdose, especially when you come across one like this.
More narrow alleys in the town's older sections.
A lovely, historic, man built harbour.
Then this dood in his 3 wheeler. Again, right at home here.
After our walk, it was time for a break. We found a great little pizzeria, right on the water with uninterrupted views. The olives and chips are complimentary. Winner!
Lovely waitress by the way, who spoke good english.
Tasty, authentic pizza dinner with great friends. It doesn't get much better.
Map of the 7th leg of the tour. (Italy / Switzerland / Italy)
Cliff's briefing for the today's trip ahead.
As you can see we had a wet morning, but that didn't get us down.
Adjoining the café, was a motorcycle workshop that also worked on the 3 wheelers.
Somehow, Dicky crammed his tall frame into one.
A little more difficult to get out again.
The clouds cleared to expose this incredible road laddering up the mountain. Not unlike some of the passes we road.
Waterfalls everywhere after the rain.
Briefly crossing in to Switzerland once again. The border.
These roofed roads were built in areas where there is a problem with snow drifts in winter. The snow passes over and keeps the road open.
Just over the border, this beautiful old bridge.
And another castle just up and to the side of the bridge.
Still standing in the same spot, this stream running under the bridge.
And this just behind us, still in the same spot.
Here we begin to climb the Ofenpass.
And again the road is superb and scenic.
Mark and Dicky enjoying the scenery and each other's company.
Lunch at the top of Ofenpass. It was very cold up there.
This statue across the road from the restaurant.
Approaching Latsch, we come across another beautiful example of European architecture.
This is our accommodation for the night. A pension is accommodation where the owners (or managers) also live on site.
Time for our walk about town. Although this Latsch is in Italy, the dominant language spoken is German.
One of 2 churches in the town.
Here's the second one.
Another one of those great water fountains found in the Alps.
During our walk, we stumbled upon this trout farm.
This where the fish are raised.
Not a bad size.
Further on we come across this apple orchard. Even the farms look pristine.
Apart from getting a little exercise we also discover so much on our walks.
One of the older, more traditional homes in the town. Note the large rocks on the roof to hold the thatch down.
Map of the 8th leg of the tour (Italy / Austria)
The last couple of days hampered our tour a little and today was no exception.
Because of the weather, we missed a couple of passes. But we did make Jaufenpass. A very tight steep bit of road and not much fun in the wet.
Here we stop for coffee in St Leonard..
This mountain stream close by.
Lunch was in Brenner. A larger town split by the border of Italy and Austria. It's known as Brennaro in Italy and Brenner in Austria. This photo on the Italian side.
This photo on the Austrian side.
Eventually we make it to Innsbruck, Austria (Tyrol). Off we go on one of our walks. to take a good look at the place.
A larger town with loads of rustic charm.
With many choices in cafes and restaurants.
Our group had dinner at this 600 year old establishment which was once a gift to the young people of the town by the king, used for education.
It had rooms scattered all over the place in several various levels, kind of like a rabbit warren. I have no idea how the waitresses found their way around.
I opted for the duck and red cabbage. Cath and I promised ourselves that we would stick to more traditional dishes throughout the tour so that we could experience all that Europe had to offer.
And Cathy the pork schnitzel.
We stayed in a guest house which has been in the same family for centuries. It's the building on the left of this tiny alleyway.
You can imagine how shocked we were when we saw a full size bus squeezing through it.
Notice the damage to the bottom of the wall across the other side? Even scarier, the main door to our accommodation, opens also in to the main bar and you step right out on to this alley after a big night out !!!!.
Our bikes parked wherever we found space, at the rear.
Map of the final leg of the tour. (Austria / Germany)
Sadly, all good things come to an end. Today we return to Germany to return the bikes and spend one last night with our new found mates. Here we take a final fuel stop.
These stables house the farm animals and their feed.
Finally, where it all began, the town of Weilheim, where we found our first bakery and sampled the Bavarian culture.
These local residents didn't mind me taking their pic.
At about this time everyone was racing around taking final shots of each other.
One last group shot of the guys for my collection.
On the final evening, Cliff held a mapping session so that everyone could map out the entire ride.
This is what the route looks like, correctly mapped out.
This ride was incredible for Cathy and I. We will never forget it or the fine people we shared it with. We made new friends, saw incredible scenery, enjoyed the Bavarian culture and the fine food that comes with it.
We are seriously considering joining Cliff once again on his Europe East tour in 2016. Anyone reading this and thinking they'd like to experience the ride of a lifetime, don't hesitate, just get in there and do it. You won't regret it.
