Gelati al lago
Recently, it was time again for letting my trusted iron horse run some distance:
On my personal list of passes within the Alps, the checkmarks for San Bernardino and Nufenen were still missing. And how about combining this with an ice cream in some mediterranean setting like at the shores of Lago Maggiore?
The idea was born, routes and waypoints planned accordingly and a title found for this report (gelati al lago => ice cream at the lake). Only thing remaining to do was to get up early to make ends meet.
Mounted the ride on 4:30 am and got out on the open road towards Ulm. Jumped onto Autobahn A7/A96 for a dash into Bregenz, which marks the end of the Autobahn for the day. I’m not going to pay for not having fun on the road (Switzerland and Austria have a toll system for their freeways)
Shortly after 6 am in Bregenz at Lake Constance, it is still a bit hazy and the mountains are covered with clouds.
[Blockierte Grafik: http://home.arcor.de/pk_frank/pics/20080627_LagoM/lagom_01.jpg]
The following 50 km through the Principality of Liechtenstein are of the boring type of roads. It started to rain a bit but not enough to require gearing up.
Some nice deviation from the boring road through the valley of the upper River Rhine can be found when taking the shortcut over Luziesteig, a ancient fortification at the border of Liechtenstein to Switzerland
[Blockierte Grafik: http://home.arcor.de/pk_frank/pics/20080627_LagoM/lagom_03.jpg]
During another trip in this area, looking for fuel had taken quite a bunch of fun from the tour. I simply waited too long to refuel and had to take it slow (in interesting scenery). So this time, I refueled in Thusis making sure the switchbacks and curves through the „Via Mala“ (translates to „bad road“, the passage through this tight gorge was very dangerous in the old days…) can be enjoyed without distraction. Btw, the water flowing down in the gorge still is the River Rhine…
[Blockierte Grafik: http://home.arcor.de/pk_frank/pics/20080627_LagoM/lagom_05.jpg]
Following the winding roads quickly lead up to the Rofla-Dam, where the Rhine is allowed to contribute to the generation of electricity.
[Blockierte Grafik: http://home.arcor.de/pk_frank/pics/20080627_LagoM/lagom_07.jpg]
I have been to San Bernardino several times; on family vacation in a cage. But my roller-coaster-proof sons have a somewhat sensible stomach when in a car...but this time, it’s up to me! Did I write that the street is empty? Meaning really empty?
So, let’s get up there to the San Bernardino!
[Blockierte Grafik: http://home.arcor.de/pk_frank/pics/20080627_LagoM/lagom_08.jpg]
At the summit, the patron of the ancient San Bernardino hospice is preparing the sunshades for the day. But at 10 am, there will be no guests for quite some time.
[Blockierte Grafik: http://home.arcor.de/pk_frank/pics/20080627_LagoM/lagom_14.jpg]
Continuing south, I pass Pian San Giacomo and Bellinzona going down until the village of Vira at the shore of Lago Maggiore, where I have my well earned Italian ice cream. Vira and the surroundings, despite the fact of being swiss, have that Italian flair, that draws the masses of middle-european tourists to travel south all summer.
[Blockierte Grafik: http://home.arcor.de/pk_frank/pics/20080627_LagoM/lagom_22.jpg]
[Blockierte Grafik: http://home.arcor.de/pk_frank/pics/20080627_LagoM/lagom_25.jpg]
[Blockierte Grafik: http://home.arcor.de/pk_frank/pics/20080627_LagoM/lagom_27.jpg]
Way before noon and already on the way back? Right, but there is much more to come...
Riding back north passing the city of Airolo the junction to St. Gotthard Pass (hey, should I ride the old Tremola road once again? 10 km of cobblestone with many switchbacks propose much fun..... but: "plan the flight - fly the plan") I follow the Bedretto valley leading to Nufenen Pass. The road is completely empty and the „brick“ is flying as it should.
[Blockierte Grafik: http://home.arcor.de/pk_frank/pics/20080627_LagoM/lagom_36.jpg]
Passing some huge piles of snowpack still on the road’s shoulders on the way up to Nufenen, there’s no surprise that it’s still really cold up there. So I do not stay for too long and continue down into the village of Ulrichen, where I turn right towards Gletsch, the junction of Furka Pass and Grimsel Pass. Gletsch also is the western end of the Furka cog railway. That section is also part of the “Glacier Express” leading from St. Moritz to Zermatt via a couple of Switzerland’s most spectacular passes.
Looking down on the intersection of Furka and Grimsel:
[Blockierte Grafik: http://home.arcor.de/pk_frank/pics/20080627_LagoM/lagom_39.jpg]
Furka Pass, with the remains of the Rhone glacier to the left. I had seen that glacier 20 years ago and the amount of ice that has gone since then is dramatic…
[Blockierte Grafik: http://home.arcor.de/pk_frank/pics/20080627_LagoM/lagom_40.jpg]
Following the south ramp up to Grimsel Pass, did I really already write that the streets are completely empty? Time for FlyingBrick again…
On Grimsel summit, the view due southeast points to Furka Pass, where the weather still looks bright.
[Blockierte Grafik: http://home.arcor.de/pk_frank/pics/20080627_LagoM/lagom_44.jpg]
Whereas, due north clouds start to roll in.
[Blockierte Grafik: http://home.arcor.de/pk_frank/pics/20080627_LagoM/lagom_46.jpg]
As could be expected, the entire distance until over Susten Pass, it stays cloudy but dry.
[Blockierte Grafik: http://home.arcor.de/pk_frank/pics/20080627_LagoM/lagom_47.jpg]
[Blockierte Grafik: http://home.arcor.de/pk_frank/pics/20080627_LagoM/lagom_49.jpg]
Likely as compensation for cloudy skies, the road is mine. All mine!
Dropping down towards Lake Lucerne, it starts warming up again.
[Blockierte Grafik: http://home.arcor.de/pk_frank/pics/20080627_LagoM/lagom_51.jpg]
Since it’s becoming a bit late, I follow the single track Pragel Pass and follow curvy swiss backroads towards Lake Constance again. The landscape reminds of a kitchy model train track.. For not having to endure the surroundings of Bregenz again, I opted for the ferry crossing the lake from Konstanz to Meersburg..
[Blockierte Grafik: http://home.arcor.de/pk_frank/pics/20080627_LagoM/lagom_56.jpg]
[Blockierte Grafik: http://home.arcor.de/pk_frank/pics/20080627_LagoM/lagom_54.jpg]
The iron horse must have smelled the barn:
Shortly after 10 pm, the trusty steed is parked at it’s usual place; its exhaust sizzling contently.
[Blockierte Grafik: http://home.arcor.de/pk_frank/pics/20080627_LagoM/lagom_57.jpg]
17 hours on the road,
930 km and
11000 m altitude covered,
grinning from ear to ear…
... that’s how a ride has to be!
concludes
Klaus