Thursday - Bolzano to Davos

We left Bolzano at 8.30 with a good mist across the valley in the direction of the Austrian border. It didn't take long before we started our ascent up the mountain before Steve took a wrong turn in to a building site and a dead end! An about turn and we were climbing the valley with churches hanging on top of hills above. Amazing scenery on the way to the Penserjoch mountain pass.


On the way up to the Penserjoch.

On the way up, with me leading Steve we came across a wire fence blocking the road and some workman. I squeezed through the side entry if the fence carefully avoiding collision with my panniers. Further along another fence blocking the road. Not knowing what to do or why the road was blocked I waited and an angry looking man appeared and moved the fence for me. I rode on. Later Steve caught up with me and said the man was waving his arms about and shaking his fist at him. Turns out there had been a rock fall and they had closed the pass (without any signage). We learned later some of the other riders had to turn around because of great boulders dropping on to the road.





Next came the Passo Giova and then up the Jaufen Pass - well into South Tyrol now, on the Italian side.

 I really enjoyed that one. The road surface was damp after a recent downpour, cloud based hanging everywhere below as we climbed up. It was good to simply cruise up and around the bends taking it steady this time and admiring the scenery.

Stopping for Hot Chocolate at the top of the Jaufen Pass.

View near the top of the Giova, and then on to the Timmelsjoch.

Later, myself and Steve crossed the border in to Austria where it becomes Sud Tyrol and on to the Timmelsjoch Pass. This is a toll pass 14 euros I had ridden before in 2013. Superb free flowing ascent with little traffic as we climbed the 2509 metres. Trouble was, I felt a bit fatigued and think it was the altitude. I could have happily pulled over and had a kip in a hedge somewhere. Later a Red Bull sorted me out though, maybe it was just these higher than usual mileages catching up with me.

We later followed a Tesla sports car for quite a few miles. It was the only car able to keep with the bikes and some kind of promotion model claims 700 hp,! Weird following behind and no engine noise from it at all. As we got stuck behind traffic Ian with Cristina and Les following sneaked up and overtook us all including the Tesla!

We knew at some point later in the day we would see some rain, I convinced Steve it would be ok to do the last two passes .. Ober Alp pass and Fluelapass. We had a bit of fun with Ian and Les chasing me up and over the Ober. I think I hurt a bit of southern boy pride and in Gandalfs words, "they shall not pass" - and they didn't where they cudda and shudda ... later, blaming a set of road works and me going through temporary lights after the real road was done. Poor excuse. 😉.

On the Fluelapass , sadly my conviction was incorrect and Steve got soaked as we came the last few miles in to Davos for the night at the Hotel Seehof. I pulled up on the mountain to put my rain gear on despite me being already wet - but didnt want to get completely soaked. I waved at Ian, Les and Cris followed later by Steve and started my descent down into the Town. A few cock ups on the way in with navigation I got the wrong hotel (the receptionist looked puzzled when I asked for my key) and Steve got the wrong car park - it was on two levels and sods law says we picked the wrong one, but 'hey ho' great day riding and a nice Schnitzel for tea at a local restaurant that didn't look much from the outside but was superb. 👍

Wednesday - Celerina to Bolzano

Today we left Switzerland for a night in Bolzano, Italy - crossing the border and riding the passes via Tione de Trento in the Trentino region. The weather couldn't be better - warm and sunny, we all set off pretty much at the same time via the Bernina Pass with a quick stop at the town named Africa for coffee.





 Al having issues with biker hair (below) but Steve doesn't have any problem for some reason.



The next leg of the trip took myself and Steve in to the Trentino region with a quick lunch Stop in Dimaro. The road surface was a bit more gnarly than those in Switzerland as we climbed a twisty forested path up with Ian and Cris following for a while.

Passo del Tonale near Dimaro

Just after Tione de Trento not far from Riva del Garda and along the Passo del Tonale.

Quick coffee stop near this crystal clear pool.


The pass coming into Belzano. A biker in opposite direction waved to slow down , on the next bend the Cabineiri were waiting with a speed trap and a car park full of confiscated bikes. Hmm that was close.

Bolzano in the distance below.

Hotel Magdalenahof, Bolzano

With Steve in the bar just after we arrived at the Hotel Magdelenahof.

Vineyards at the rear of the hotel. Over 30 degrees myself Ian and Cris straight into the unheated outside pool to cool off.

Les, me, Steve G, Steve F and Cliff

Ian and Cris

What a day superb riding. Good meal in the hotel with great company. Looking forward to tomorrow as we head in to Sud Tyrol.

Tuesday - Stelvio ride out

Today was billed as the Stelvio ride out since the focus was to ride the 48 hairpin pass, but also many of the other passes on and around Swiss / Italian border. Steve felt like taking the day of the bike to make use of the free cable car guest passes on offer at the hotel, so I opted to ride with Steve Freeman our tour leader along with Les, Cliff, Sean and Alan. The start of the day didn't look too promising with low misty cloud so we set off later, around 10, but by the time we reached Livigno for a coffee stop we had blue skies and sunshine.

Quite warm sat outside in the sun before our ride up the Stelvio via the toll Munt La Schera tunnel, one of the best narrow brick tunnels I've ridden that travels up an incline all the way 2 or 3 kilometres then spits you out right on the lake ahead. Great fun, traversing those hairpins and all the guys could ride at a good pace too. A fun place to ride, one for the bucket list but more of a novelty pass since it's not as free flowing as some - but there are some good bits... see the 5 minute video below:

That said hundreds of bikers up and down both sides and the top was rammed with bikes and hot dog stands. We carried on over and headed back down soon enough after a quick photo stop.

Afterwards we set off to ride the Oberalp pass of which was much faster.  I was following Alan who was riding the very fast RR and I have to say I was keeping up well around the switch backs, but he lost us all on at least one section of straight. All of us enjoying endless bend after bend on the smoothest of surfaces you could ever hope for.

Les in the foreground on his GS Rallye, Cliff on his GSA, Steve our leader on the RT and Sean on the K1600.



Alan enjoying his RR on the Fluelapass I think, or was it the Albula Pass? There are just so many great roads. What a great day riding.

Tour leader Steve, almost at the end of the day on the Albulapass.


Back into Celerina for the night. More mountain passes tomorrow. Fantastic Pizza for tea too👍Great company. One of the best.

Church of San Gian