First timers Alps Tour

[wannaberacerdude]

   To start off I want to thank Alex, for the post he wrote up in this forum on  going to the Alps and not have to use the organized tour groups.
Just that made me realize that I could. I had been thinking of doing so, but thought it would be to scary for me to handle, I speak only English.
So I talked my husband and his cousin and her husband into going to the Alps without going on an organized tour. It was the best choice I have made in a long time. We had a great time! I never thought my husband could stand to ride with the big group and I thought why pay them to hand me a map of how to get to the next hotel.
So the four of us landed in Munich June 22,08. We rented bikes from allround auto and we got a hotel for the first night just  walking distance away from the rental shop.  We rented 2 BMW 1200 GS. We got the side bags and trunk, and bought extra km. brought a tank bag. Stayed at hotel Galleria at 89 euro for the 2 of us.
   June 23, Monday, got up early to get to the shop as soon as it was open.(ok we waited outside a half hour till they opened.) Got our bags packed and headed out. First stop Neuschwanstein Castle! Took the tour. What a beautiful place. Then headed out to get as far as we could, made it to Lechtal, Austria,. Hotel Berg-Heil.  Paid 64 euro for the 2 of us. And had dinner for 20.40 euro.
   June 24. Got our first pass in first thing in the morning. Pass Hochtannberg Pass. (oh and this was the trip to see how many passes we out get.) Stayed out of the big cities as much as we could. Headed through Liechtenstein. Well that was a small country.  For lunch we stopped at a small café in a small village. No English! Got nervous, did we do the right thing, can I go 11 days and not figure out what people are saying!! It was a small café and I believe that they served only one dish. She realized we didn’t understand and she didn’t know any English so she walked away saying “ a surprise!” It was a good surprise, slices of pork roast, spatzel, and fried veggies, w/gravy. Headed out to get to our hotel in Sedrun. I booked this hotel for 2 nights. Got to the hotel early enough to get unpacked and went for a ride. Went on trip #2 out of the book “Motorcycle journeys through the alps.” Great book! So we got in a few more passes for the day. Yeah! Gotthard Pass-cobblestone only need that pass once in a life time. Glad it wasn’t wet out.
   June 25th.. Headed out to see what the passes had in store for us today. Beautiful day out again. We headed towards Lukmanier Pass then down to Biasca and then up to Airolo then over to Nufenenpass ( a pass repeat from yesterday) Then up and lunch on the Grimsel pass.  Then headed to Brunig pass then turn around to go to Lauterbrunnen. To the land of waterfalls. Yosemite of Switzerland. I am glad we didn’t go to far out of our way to see this, cause it wouldn’t of been worth it. Seeing the windsurfers  on the lake was better then the waterfall. Had to back track out of there same way as we got there then off of get to Susten pass.  Then a stop at the devils bridge. Windy!!! Had a guy run up to me and tell me his bike just blew over and we better move where we parked ours. So fast stop and back to the room we go. We stayed at Hotel Kruezli. It was 167.74 Euro for 2 people for 2 nights. Or 260 CHF. Switzerland everyone takes CHF or Euro. I will remember this and only take Euro next time.
   June 26th. Still moving west. Stopped this time at the Rhone Glacier. Very Cool! Stopped in Brig at a bike shop (to look around) look McDonalds is across the street.  Not my favorite place but  it is nice to get a fast meal so you can get going. Got a lot of passes to get to. Very long lunches here not use to that. Us Americans are very use to fast food and most everything being open 24/7. Which is something I wish could go back the way it use to be. But businesses are wanting more and more money. Made it all the way to Aosta for the night. The gentleman that ran the hotel spoke pretty good English and he ran everything he checked us in and tried to get our air conditioning to work for us at 11 pm. Then he was the one that prepared our breakfast and checked us out. Nice BMW/KTM bike shop in town. Walking distance from our hotel.
   June 27th. Headed for the Matterhorn “Monte Cervino” as the locals call it and only know it by this. Not sure why America has it’s own name for their mountain.  Had to go to take the road that gets you as close as you can get to Monte Cervino. Then we headed back to Aosta and ran the Petite St. Bernard. Then the Cormet de Roseland then headed up to Martigny to get an autobahn sticker. The road from Brig to Martigny took us 4 hours the day before and we didn’t want to waste that much time on the same road that goes through all the villages slowwwwlllly. So we made it back to stay the night in Brig at Good Night Inn. That cost us 109 CHF.
   June 28th The Simplon pass was the way we were headed. Then east.  Heading towards Passo del San Bernardio then down the Splugen pass.  Headed towards Tirano to see about a room. Didn’t really find one. Well decided it was hot out and wanted to find a hotel in the hills. So we headed up to Poschiavo and got a room for 2 night there.
   June 29. Our longest day. About 500 km and 12 passes in about 11 hours. Then back to our room in Paschiavo.
   June 30th Left Paschiavo and headed to the Dolomite! The hotel we had in Paschiavo was a nice place not a lot of English, But  the elderly lady took a liking to us. She even got out her translator  book to try and help us figure out what we ordered for dinner. I missed the photo I really wanted. A pic of the elderly lady standing in front of the hotel watching us leave.  Priceless!! And I missed it. Will have to go back and get that. I need to hug the wonderful lady. Anyway on to the Dolomites!!
I have booked and room here in Alba Di Canazei for June 30 and July 1st Very nice place. The desk lady loves America! Mostly California, but so do I.  The hotel we stayed in was Albergo Miramonti and it cost us 160 euro for 2 people for 2 nights. Very nice place! Pizza place across the street in a basement. What a gorgeous place. They took us and showed us the wine cellar. WOW! The wood in the place was just beautiful. We both got a pizza and coke for 16.50 euro. The pizza was a personal pizza about 13 or so inches. More then what I could eat. My husband could eat all of his but not mine. Well we liked it so much we eat there again the next night. The gentleman that waited on us was from Romania and spoke very good English. The Hotel is also by a Ski lift, so we took that up to the top. What  view!!
   July 1st. Ran as many roads and passes that we could.
   July 2nd. Left our lovely hotel to get as many passes as we could on our way to Goossglochner pass.
It was raining by the time we got there. I heard that you should only take it if it is clear out. At 18 euro and  we thought we better get going.  we were going to have to go up and back down the same way we went cause time was running out on  us. So we headed back towards Leinz and the hit the Staller sattel pass. Found a hotel in Pontigl.
   July 3rd. Found we had time to take the long way to get to Innsbruck so we got in 3 passes for our last day. Then headed to Innsbruck to find a KTM shop or some bike shop. My husband bleeds orange so we were hoping for a KTM shop. Not that impressive. So off we go. Need to get to  Munich by 5. Had to head east from Innsbruck. road construction going west and not being able to read the sign we didn’t know for sure if the road we needed was closed or how to get around the no detour signs! So we went eat to Jenbach and then headed to Munich. Made it by 4. We had to be back before the shop closed cause they kept our airplane luggage. Or we could of got back whenever and left them at the hotel we stayed in the first night. m to keep our luggage for eleven days and we only stayed there the first night. The Man there spoke very good English. The only complaint was it was hot and no air. If you get back on a Sunday the hotel keeps the bike and the rental gets them on Monday. Didn’t know this till we got there.
   July 4th that saddest day of the year. The early flight home. My husband and I sat with a map and put our route we took on it. Counted passes and then looked over  our pics. I didn’t like any of them and thought we should go back and retake them. They just didn’t look as wonderful as I remember. They do now though when I look at them. But I still want to go back.
So that was our trip 11 days of riding in Europe!!
6 countries, 4100 km. one day we got 12 passes and another day we got 13. Never got our passport stamped at the borders. The guards waved us on or the buildings were empty if there even was a building left.
54(?) different passes.  We stopped at grocery stores to take food to the passes when we could. The beauty of staying close to a pass is that you  have to travel it several times to get to and from your hotel.
They love coke! And no Pepsi (anywhere!)which I think that is pretty cool. I am a coke fan. If you like it cool at night I would recommend staying in  some elevation anyway. Depending on time of year. Not a lot of air conditioners and when they did have them they don’t go as cool as we are use to. My husband and I do like it cool at night.
We wore cool max and under armour  shirts/socks/ underwear. I did our laundry in the sink  at nights and hung them in the window to dry.( which my husband was very embarrassed by not sure why it was my bra hanging in the window not his.) I showed him that we weren’t the only ones with laundry in our window. And he realized it was the only way. Never found a laundry mat. Heard there was one that was closed ( it was after 6 pm) but could use the next day. No time for that, roads are calling us.!! Glad I had brought the sink packets of  laundry soap or we would have been some stinky people.
We used auto routed, Europe chip for Garmin.(needed that) the Motorcycle journeys through the Alps by John Hermann, Michelin maps which we cut up in sections and laminated, a book on Driving in Europe 101. This book was helpful on showing the road signs and explaining them. They are different from here. And the best help of all ALEX!!
I asked my husband and he said he would take me back within 5 years. He has forgotten how much he hated the flight length.!!! YEAH!!

[Orson]

 

pictures please!  

For lunch we stopped at a small café in a small village. No English! Got nervous, did we do the right thing, can I go 11 days and not figure out what people are saying!!

I have trouble a lot of times figuring out what da heck is on the menu   I'm not a finicky eater though, and usually what I end up ordering is pretty tasty. Especially in Italy  

[photomd]

Yes, yes...post up the pictures.  

[Global Rider]

I asked my husband and he said he would take me back within 5 years.

The best reward for my efforts is that someone that might never have had the opportunity, got to experience riding over there. Its tough to beat, isn't it?

I see your accomodation expenses are in line with what I've been claiming all this time. The nay sayers must be staying at 5 star hotels.

Considering we were both there at the same time (I flew back July 6th  ), maybe we'll meet up the next time. The good news is I may be retiring early in 4 years. Guess where I'll be all summer long?

I hope to see some pics.

[Global Rider]

June 23, Monday, First stop Neuschwanstein Castle! Took the tour. What a beautiful place.

And I drove through Füssen where that castle is located the following Sunday with the founder of the Alpenbiker.eu web site and a few of his friends.

If you can, maybe post links to the places you've stayed and also for the rental company.

June 27th. Headed for the Matterhorn “Monte Cervino” as the locals call it and only know it by this. Not sure why America has it’s own name for their mountain.

Since it lies right on the Swiss-Italian border, in Switzerland, it is known as the Matterhorn and in Italy as Monte Cervino. I drove up the road on the Italian as well.

[wannaberacerdude]

Ok, Here are two pics. I am having trouble figuring out photobucket. Any advice on this would be great! It made them to small. I have tried to resize them but this is the best I can get it. I can't get it to take them at a larger size. The first pic is of a glacier and the second one is of a pass (Stelvio) I need to be on right now to destress myself! If I get it figured out I will post more pics, I have alot!
Sorry!!  

[TexPaul]

I read your trip report with great interest as my wife and I are headed to to Europe in a month to do a similar trip.  We're also renting from Allround in Munich, but for 14 days.  I wanted ask you about the extra kilometers.  For two weeks we get 3500 and I'm not sure if that is enough or if it is worth it to buy extra.  The fact that you did 4100 is 11 days tells me more might be a good idea.
So, I was curious about the process and cost for getting extra.  Your post made it sound like you bought them up front, as opposed to paying for them at trips end.  Could you please give me some details of how you did this.
Also thanks for all the info.  Alex has been so helpful with info but it's nice to hear from someone who has just done what I'm about to do as our situation is very similar to yours.

[Global Rider]

We're also renting from Allround in Munich, but for 14 days. For two weeks we get 3500 and I'm not sure if that is enough or if it is worth it to buy extra.

Paul, I think I remember you telling me that you're renting a R1200RT. The rates at AllRound are listed here:http://www.allroundrent.de/bikes/bikes.html

Note that you're getting the second week for €110 less than the first week. Thats not such a great deal unless you are parked a lot. If you spend that extra €110 and pay full price for the second week, you'll get an extra 1500 kms (if you need them) worth €675. Thats provided they let you do that.

[Smurfslayer]

Very interesting.  My wife & I just got back from a trip to Europe.  We also rented from Allround rent.

Unfortunately, our luck was not as good.  the '05 r1200 brake modulator went out about 5 days into the trip.  The replacement '07 r1200 (both RT's) mysteriously stopped in Brescia Italy.  We did get to ride a little bit of Grimsel pass, Susten Pass, oberalp & St Gotthard's pass around Andermatt.  Both breakdowns cost us a great deal of time; the bmw dealer said in no uncertain terms don't ride the bike with the modulator busted and they didn't have another one.  When the 2nd bike just mysteriously stopped, I could tell my wife's patience was wearing thin.  Particularly when BMW roadside assistance came to pick up the bike - and left us there in the middle of nowhere with all the gear.  Long story short, the remaining trip days were by Fiat Punto.

www.bighammer.net/euro08.html  <- don't try this with dial up folks....
     

[wannaberacerdude]

Sorry I have been at the races in Mid-Ohio.
Yes, I did pay for my extra miles before hand. If you buy them up front you only get charged 1/2 price.
This maybe a little different this year I had my price from '07 they gave me '07 prices on everything due to I reserved my bike in the fall of '07. This is the quote they gave me..."Either you can exceed mileage and py the exceeding km fee of 0,45 Euro/km or you can

pebuy kms at 50% (0,225 Euro/km) . Nt consumed prebought kms will not be refunded.

 

Regrds Moritz

[wannaberacerdude]

Her are some pics of the Rhone Glacier. A must see!!

[wannaberacerdude]

The first pic is of Neuschwanstein.The next pics are of the Grimsel pass that is coming up and the last one is looking back on the pass.