With yesterday’s’ weather being so c%#p and a not too brilliant forecast I was getting a bit resigned to not being able to ride the famous Großglockner High Alpine Road, it was closed by snow yesterday!

This morning dawned bright and sunny in Jenbach, but the forecast worried me. 

“Go do it, it’ll be ok,” was the advice of the lady who owned the hotel and who also cooked me a fantastic omelette for breakfast. “Trust me it’ll be fine, I was born here I know the mountains, now go ride it!”

I got Baby Harls ready, put a Plan B in the back of my mind and set off. I wasn’t being pessimistic, but I know, understand and most of all respect mountains; things can go wrong very quickly if you are not careful.

We had a splendid cruise to Zell am See, except that most of the Austrian roads were being resurfaced, traffic ground to a halt at St Johann but hey, we got through.

At theGroßglockner toll booth I was pleased to see that the road had reopened. After parting with my fee, a rather hefty €24.50, I prepared Baby Harls and set off. The view from the start looked pretty good, but I’m going to have to tease you with that thought! Although tonight’s stop is very comfortable and halfway up an Italian mountain, the internet connection seems to be powered by a snail on a treadmill and I can’t load any pictures!

Sorry to leave you all hanging, but I’ll continue tomorrow when, hopefully, I get better internet access; trust me it will be worth it!

Anyway I’m knackered now!

Goodnight everyone and yep, we collected another country

“It’s better to burn out than to fade away!”

Dookes