Oh Wow, Mk2

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Right let’s try to get this bloggy thing back on track.

Tonight I’m staying on a farm just outside Pavia in Lombardi, Italy. What it lacks in five star luxury it certainly makes up for in the warmth of the welcome and the lovelyness of its owners. My Italian language skills are not brilliant, but we are rubbing along just fine! In a way that’s the problem with Europe, so many bloomin’ languages in a small area; I  do ok in German, get by in Spanish, am pretty fluent in French, but I really want to learn more Italian because I just love this crazy country and it’s wonderful people; even the guy I gave the finger to on the Autostrada outside Milan, they are all wonderfully bonkers. Well actually he was bloody dangerous and I would have pulled his arms off for the way he cut me up, but I think he got the message!

Oh yes, I was going to tell you about the Großglockner. Well this is the view at the start. 

This internet connection ain’t to hot either; so I’m going to leave you with only this picture as a further teaser. What I will say is that the road is very special, to save me giving a blow for blow history, go check out their own site, http://www.grossglockner.at/en.

I promise I’ll do a proper post as soon as I get a decent WiFi connection, might have to go to a McDo’s! Sorry!

Today we should have ridden the Stelvio Pass, but poor weather at Bolzano, low cloud and rain put paid to that idea. In addition I have come to the conclusion that Baby Harls just ain’t the girl for that type of road, she’s too heavy and her long wheelbase makes it “interesting” on the tight hairpins. What she is good at though is “mile munching” and today she did that just fine. 

I chose a different route over Passo del Tonale, which at 1884metres still sticks up over a mile into the sky, but was a lot easier to ride than 73 hairpins. The pass is these days famous as a ski station in the winter, but today was largely closed; actually there were mountain goats everywhere and the place stank of them! Something else happened on Tonale, something that I found deeply moving and I’ll tell you more about that soon; it was the second such thing this trip and I need to get my head around how I write about it, so bear with me please.

Later in the day we called into Monza, well we were passing through Milan and it seemed crazy not to drop in. If you need me to explain about the Autodromo Nationale Monza, you need to go google! If not, welcome true petrol head!

Ok three moving experiences. . .  but this one so amazingly happy! It’s an amazing place, so much history and memories everywhere! I was very lucky, basically the guy in the gate let me in and said, “Enjoy, but don’t go on the track!” . . . But he didn’t mention the old track!!!!!! 

I’ll post pictures of Monza as well, but be happy for me, very happy, because I can’t stop smiling.

Then came the Milan traffic at rush hour, in 34degree Celcius heat. Now I have cousins who live in Chicago and last time we visited I hired a car, I know that they were worried for us in their traffic, but hey Peter, you ain’t seen nothin’! It was the most amazing, dangerous, crazy, yet exhilarating thing anyone can do! Think you are an ok driver? Come here and let’s see what you’ve got. The speed limit is purely a minimum I’m sure, because when the limit was 120kph most vehicles were doing over 150, I know because the was what I was doing and still people were passing me, lots of people! I loved it so much I might come back to do it again!

From Milan we slipped into Lombardi, the land is flat now, but the mountains frame the views North and East and I rather like that. There are fruit trees, grape vines and nut orchards everywhere, such a fertile land in the flood plain of the River Po, the largest river in Italy. 280 miles today, not bad. Tomorrow we head back in the Mountains, West to the French Alps.

“There’s a feeling I get when I look to the West and my spirit is calling for leaving.”

Catch you soon.

Dookes

Oh Wow!

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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


 

Sixth Sense

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The small town of Jenbach in the Austrian Tyrol is famous for being the Head Quarters of two different heritage steam railways and yes, one of the reasons that I chose to stop the night here.

Probably most famous of the two railways is the 760mm gauge Zillertalbahn, which runs about 20 miles to the alpine town of Mayrhofen. Mostly this is a busy commercial operation handling passengers and freight, but once a day it also runs a steam operated heritage train. Call it a sixth sense, but as I arrived in town I just knew that there’s was steam about and made my way straight to the station. Sure enough, five minutes later in rolled the train, headed by this splendid 0-8-2 dating from 1909. 

 

I got chatting to the train crew and was invited onto the footplate for a little ride down the yard on the engine where we swapped steam stories; railwaymen, small boys at heart, same the world over!

I said in my other post that we’d popped up to the Achensee. That was true, but the reason was to follow the other steam railway, the Metre gauge Achensee Bahn. This line is quite unusual being a rack and adhesion system; part of the route is so steep that the locomotive uses a gear wheel meshing in a rack between the track to pull itself and train along, whilst for the remainder of the trip it works like a normal train just using it’s own weight for adhesion on the rails. On the steep part the loco is always at the downhill end of the train but on the adhesion section it pulls it’s load. We caught the last train of the day pulling along near Achensee. The loco dates from1889 and the carriage 1907.

 

Now before anyone accuses me of getting this picture all squiggly, the loco really does lean forward. This is to ensure that on the steepest sections that it’s boiler remains level and the firebox inner crown stays covered in water, it stops it blowing up! Funny looking little thing though, kinda cute too!

“I know it’s only rock ‘n roll, but I like it.”

Dookes

Clouds and Rain

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Good evening from the Austrian Tyrol!

Today has been the sort that I can do without, but when you are off on a road trip you just have to accept what the weather clerk throws at you! It’s not often that I get out the rain suit, but today it’s been on almost all day, yeck!

I’m beginning to think that I need to avoid Switzerland, every time I go there it rains! It only took me a shade under two hours to ride from one end of the country to the other but apart from the last couple of miles it was awful! I crossed the River Rhine twice again today, once going in and later going out of Swiss territory. It was a lot smaller when we crossed the second time and passed into the tiny state of Lichtenstein.

  

It only took about fifteen minutes to cross Lichtenstein, and that included a stop at a petrol station too!

Once in Austria, I had hoped to go via the Silvretta Mountain road, but the weather was so bad I aborted that plan and went via the Arlberg Pass and that wasn’t much fun either! At 5883 feet elevation, that’s 1793 metres, it’s not the highest pass around, but sleety rain at the summit and a road surface like glass made for a less than pleasant experience. We rejoined the Autobahn following it East though the Tyrol, passing Innsbruck and by the time we arrived in Jenbach our night stop things were looking much better. Four countries in one day, that’s a bit crazy!

Things were brightening up, so we popped up to see the Achensee, the largest lake in the Tyrol. 

 

Oh yes, us bikers. . . What “No Parking” sign? 

 

Just time to grab a panorama shot on the way to the hotel which is in the village in this photo. 

 

 You know, it wasn’t such a bad day after all!

“I will choose a path that’s clear, I will choose freewill.”

Catch you later.

Dookes

When in Alsace

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Do you remember my old mate Floyd? He of the “to know a country you have to eat a country” mantra!

Well today he would have been proud of me! You see Mulhouse is in Alsace, part of France that has passed back and to between Germany and France so many times over the centuries that the people don’t speak just one of the languages, they speak both and sometimes in the same sentence! It’s the same with food, there’s a lot shared across the River Rhine. 

One of the most famous local dishes is tarte flambée an Alsatian and South German dish composed of bread dough rolled out very, very, thin in the shape of a rectangle or oval and covered with fromage blanc or crème fraîche, thinly sliced onions and lardons. It’s also known as Flammekueche,

One of this trip’s missions has been to track down a genuine tarte flambée and I’m pleased to report that in the rather splendid Cité du Train restaurant I succeeded! Et voila! 

 

. . . and very good it was too!

No it’s not a pizza either!

Crossing The Rhine

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After a thoroughly enjoyable five hours, yes honestly, in the railway museum we pulled out of Mulhouse and headed for Germany. Not such a big deal really, it’s only seven miles down the road and suddenly we were crossing the mighty River Rhine and the border. We certainly are crossing off the big rivers of Europe on this trip!

The plan was to head up into the mountains of the Black Forest, which frankly looked a bit forbidding and covered in cloud. As we took our planned route and began the climb we rounded a corner and that was it, the road was closed. . . No advance warning either, Straße Gesperrt! Oh yeah and no diversion route suggested as well, thanks Germany! A quick consult of the map showed two options, the Northern one would put at least sixty miles on our route and the Southern one would be a lot shorter, but probably a bit tedious on the Autobahn. South it was then, with strains of Kraftwerk passing through my mind! Thirty miles of Autobahn was enough for me, even though it had a 120kph limit, no one was sticking to it; no that’s wrong actually everyone was behaving except for anyone driving a Swiss car and they were everywhere, very fast, very close and very dangerous!

I decided to bale out onto ordinary roads and just for fun crossed the Rhine again, but this time into Switzerland; three countries in less than two hours, bonkers! Now here was a strange thing, in their own country all Swiss registered cars all stick to the speed limits, drive with plenty of distance and generally behave, strange! 

At Koblenz we crossed back into Germany and found our hotel in the old town part of Waldshut-Tiengen, a pleasant sort of place with a nice up-market feel and traditional buildings adding character. The Main Street is pedestrianised and makes for an agreeable stroll.  

 

The view from the hotel window. 

 

 Oh yes I’d better show you a picture of the Rhine as well! The chap on reception at the hotel said that it’s not so much of a river, it’s more about what defines people of these parts; I rather like that! 

 

101 miles today.

” Wir fahr’n fahr’n fahr’n auf der Autobahn.”

Bis später!

Dookes

Cité du Train

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First up, before I forget again, yesterday’s mileage was 343, but it honestly seemed a lot less, such is the ease of riding Baby Harls!

Today dawned a tad damp in Mulhouse, but that didn’t matter at all, because most of the day has been spent inside the wonderful Cité du Train, the French National Railway Museum. I spent the greater part of my working life on the railways, just under thirty years to be exact, and still class myself as a Railwayman. Additionally, I’ve long held a great admiration for French trains and the work of the famous engineers such as De Glehn and Chapelon, so the chance to get up close to some of their machines was too good to miss! Well, ok to be honest, I’ve been planning to visit this place for years and it didn’t disappoint at all.

Top marks to the place for keeping up with modern technology as well, you can download an App for your phone or tablet that gives a much greater insight to the exhibits as you walk around the large collection. On top of that, your admission also gives you a portable audio guide in the language of your choice, no Welsh though 😦 !

The collection is split between two large buildings, one being the old Mulhouse-Nord Engine Depot and between the two is a rather superb restaurant; this is France after all! It claims to be the biggest railway museum in the world, but as the British National Railway Museum at York is five times the size and has nearly four times as many visitors each year, I leave the maths to others! Anyway, I’m not being disparaging, it really is a super place and well worth a visit.

The first hall that a visitor passes into is the old depot, at first it takes a bit of getting used to, the lighting is all subdued and very atmospheric; exhibits are brilliantly highlighted as appropriate. My favourite by a mile was this fantastic 241  “Mountain” Class loco from the Est Company, dating from 1925. I love the blue lighting that gives a night-time feel to the scene. 

 

Now I realise that this could all get a bit photo heavy and posting from a tablet that’s going to cause me a few problems, so here’s the deal; I’ll whack some stuff on now and when I get home I’ll post more, probably in a few goes, ok? Good!  Otherwise it’s gonna end up a bit like Locomotive Porn!!!

Also in the atmospheric Hall One is a rather nice collection of classic passenger carriages that go back to almost the beginning of French railways. Most recognisable would be this wonderful CIWL Restaurant Car of the type used on the famous Orient Express.  

 
Hey look where it was built!  In the Second Hall, it’s all a lot brighter if a tad less atmospheric. There are some real gems here. 
 This Buddicom of 1844 is reputed to,be the oldest, original, loco in Continental Europe, built in Rouen by an English engineer, behind it is one of Robert Stephenson’s exports that was built in Newcastle around 1850.

Every thirty minutes Hudson 232.U.1 “Departs” Paris for Lyon in a cloud of steam, actually the engine has been jacked up and the wheels are spun by electric motor, but it still looks great and with some nice sound effects really captures the moment!  

 

More modern trains feature as well. There’s  a great display of Trans Europe Express equipment, stuff that I remember travelling on like this CC Electric, Number 6575. 

  

The exhibits continue outside as well, I end this post with one of the original Train a Grande Vitesse, TGV, power cars. 

 

I remember travelling on these as well, I’ll be in a museum next at this rate!

“Meet Iggy Pop and David Bowie, Trans Europe Express.”

Dookes

Cars

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Just a thought that crossed my mind yesterday as we bowled along the Autoroutes.

Am I the only one that thinks that nearly all modern cars are, well to be frank, Pug Ugly?

Now I’m not talking about the top end super cars, no I mean the cars that “ordinary” people drive! All those people carriers, small hatchbacks and family saloons all look pretty much the same as well. I know it’s all about fuel efficiency and making the things slippery through the air, but the “looks” department seems to have been fired!

To be fair France has over the years been responsible for some pretty poor examples as well as some of the best. I may be corrected, probably by Vifferman, but I can’t really remember a good looking Peugeot or Renault. Citroën, however, gave us the wonderfully quirky and much loved 2CV and the all time classic DS. So come on you car designers give us something nice to look at out on those boring Autoroutes!

  
The Citroën DS. I rest my case!

Dookes

Meeting People

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I’ve often commented about people I meet when I’m on the road and today has lived up to expectations.

My bikes always seem to grab someone’s attention and I really like it if they come over to ask some questions, it gives me a chance to practice language skills as well! 

It’s the unexpected things I love best, like this afternoon. I stopped in a small town called Avallon for some fuel and popped into a supermarket for some fruit. This time of year I adore the fresh French apricots, so much nicer than those that they export; clever people the French, keeping the best for themselves! So there I was perusing what was offer when I noticed an elderly French lady sifting through the fruit, but she couldn’t reach the top trays so I offered to help her and bring them nearer as the apricots looked better in those. She thanked me and dived straight in looking at the new fruit, then stopped when she saw what I was doing.

Clearly I was a novice and thus followed a lesson in how to find the best apricots! I’m not going to tell you how, go to Avallon and look for Madame yourself, I’m sure she’ll show you; me, I’m happy with my selection of excellent fruit aided by my new French friend!

Bon soirée!

Dookes

Across the Rivers and Plains

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After my splendid petit déjeuner Baby Harls and I hit the road around nine thirty. The day was warming up nicely, this was going to be a bit of a hot one, in more ways than one!

We had a tad of nonsense getting round Bourges, I think someone in the local highway department had a sense of humour when the town’s bypass was named “Rocade Jacques Bastard,” it certainly is a bit of one!  Anyway, we slotted onto the N151 with a bit of trepidation, you see I’d been along this road before in a car with Mrs Dookes and it wasn’t the greatest trip. Today though, was so different. Light traffic, ok there was almost none and lovely sunshine.

The road is pretty straight, the Romans were here a few thousand years ago, so we sang our Twin Cylinder song and purred East across the Cher Plain, this is the bread basket of France, wheat, barley and rape fields fill the land. I couldn’t resist trying to grab a “Big Sky” shot like Dhama Anchor  http://dharmaanchor.com does so well around Route 66.  

 I think that worked pretty well!

Dropping gently into the Loire valley and crossing the mighty river at La Charité we negotiated the narrow streets through historic buildings that even predate me! From Charité the road turns slightly North East and heads into Burgundy/Bourgogn, it’s still Roman so still pretty straight. Bourgogne is lovely, especially the Morvan part of which we passed through.

Clemency was were we crossed the River Yonne and shortly after the road became delightfully twisty winding through the Maulay Forest to the magical  hill top town of Vézelay. The town and the famous 11th century Romanesque Basilica of St Magdelene are designated UNESCO World Heritage sites, Mrs D and I visited in October a few years back and it was delightful; rather more tourists around today though! 

 It looked great across the fields.

From Avallon it was back on the Autoroutes I’m afraid! The first one was the worse, the A6, the infamous Route du Soliel. The motorway is the favourite of Parisienne holidaymakers as it is the main link to the South of France and the French Riviera. Notorious for traffic jams and accidents in the high holiday season, it’s reputation is well deserved and you certainly need to keep your wits about you! Once on the A36 we crossed the Saône and the traffic quietened down nicely, this is a super Autoroute with interesting bends and nice changes in gradient, enough to keep it interesting. 

. . . and so into Mulhouse, our stop for tonight. Not as plush as yesterday, but chosen for a reason and more of that tomorrow!

Catch you later and in the meantime, 

 “Don’t let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy.”

Dookes