Day 5- First Day of riding

The morning started out drizzling with rain and reports the temperature at the top of Stelvio Pass, the highest point of the day and in fact the trip, would be 1 degree. So we rugged up and put our wets on, but as it turned out the lowest was 14 and the highest was close to 30. The new Explorer is great to ride the only issue with this one is the Arrow aftermarket exhaust is very loud - too loud for a touring bike you will be on all day. It has the adventure boxes on it two an they make it arkward to get one and off the bike. Anna is loving her Ducati 950 Multistrada. 

Our riding guide for today was Jonas, an Italian. Trained as a engineer, he has become a teacher of maths and geography which became clear through his passion for his country.  We would travel in three countries, starting in Austria, then in Italy, before coming to a stop in Pontresina, Switzerland.  

Today we rode three mountain passes. First Stelvio. Getting there was slow because we traveled the country roads which was better because you got to see stuff, but the average speed was about 40km/h. As we rode, the weather lifted and the road dried. We were all a bit careful after the stories of yesterday’s fall. We rode for about a hour at a time, although we did one long stint later in the day which probably was a mistake.

Highlights - Jonas took to his home village and we rode up some narrow street and his mum came out to wave us by. We then headed into some narrow sealed lanes just wide enough for one car that wound through the farm land - just magic. 

We visited a lake that was raised to supply hydro power to an Italy gearing for war. The raising flooded the town and the clock tower is still sticking up out of the lake. 

Our morning tea stop was in Glurns, a medievil town that was destroyed in the 14th century, in a war between Swiss farmers and the Hadsburg army. When they rebuilt it, they built a 30 wall around it. We rode through the gate to get in. 

Stelvio Pass - This was the road we came to ride and it was not what I expected. It was not like anything  I have ridden before and demand riding skills I developed as we went. The 48 switchbacks, numbered so you know how you are going, are the steepest and sharpness I have seen.  The road is wide enough in most places but the challenge is, that as you turn in the corner, you need to be careful not to exit on the wrong side of the road. If you were to meet a bus (and thankfully we did not) you would have to stop because there would not be enough room for the bus and you in the turn. Once into the corner, always in first and working the clutch, you had to commit and push through. Turns were so steep that if you stopped in the turn you would fall off. By turn 32, I was starting to get good at it. Add to this thousand of other motorbikes, cyclist and a good dose of cars and the occasional van. You really had to be on your game. Great sense of achievement to have done it. Not sure I would do it again. The bonus was at the top Bruno was there cooking German Sausages for lunch. Just the thing after riding the pass. 

The next pass was Gavia Pass. This was more open although the road condition was much more Australian so it needed some care. It was just good fun for the most part. From here we rode for a full hour and a half . I think Jonas was being too cautious and the pace was too slow.  It was hot, up to 28 according to the bike. When we did stop in Tirano, we were tried and thirsty. It was about 5pm but our day had one more joy in store. 

Bernina Pass was an open winding climb and descent. Wide road in good condition and little traffic. If it was not so late, it was the type of road you would go back and ride again. We don’t have any photo because the camera, a bit like us, was flat.

At the hotel in Pontresina, just after 7pm, we climbed the stairs to our 4th floor room and had a shower then down to a lovely although slightly slow dinner at 8pm. We are travelling with a good bunch of people and before we knew it it was 10 and we need to be heading to bed to do it all again tomorrow. 

That’s Stelvio pass and yes we rode up. All 48 switchbacks.

The entrance into Glurns

Anna and the other enjoying a ride in the Italian countryside. Thinking if Dad and Uncle Ian own the farm for another 400 years, maybe the track on it will be bitumen too.