Back home via Mayen and Nurbergring

You don't need an alarm clock at the Hirsch. The cows complete with bells come out first thing and head for the hills.

Next weekend is the celebration of the cows coming down from the hills. The beer tents are set up and sounds like it's another good excuse for a beerfest.


Had a long ride on autobahn, with traffic and plenty of roadworks, up to Mayen - less than 30km away from the Nurbergring.


Mayen took a pounding during the war. Its now a mixture of modern buildings with some restored original examples. Chesterfield??

Spent the night watching Germany give Austria a good spanking at football. This seemed to cheer up the locals.


The next day I popped up the the WSB and Nurbergring.

Said hello to the BMW girls.

I went to find the public part of the circuit but the queue was horrendous.


Parked up at one of the track bridges.

Arrived into Adenau which is a real petrol-heads town, both cars and bikes.


Called in to say hello at the Blaue Ecke.

A nice afternoon tootle around the Eifel mountains before a quick dash back to the ferry.


For some reason I was allocated a cabin in the drivers area. I wondered what lay in store......but as it turns out the truck and bus drivers don't spend all night getting pissed and so it was one of the quietest crossings I've had.


Ended up chatting to 4 bikers from Leeds who had spent the week just in the Eifel mountains region and looked bemused at where I has been for the week ;)


The end.


Oh - did I suggest I did this trip on my own. Say hello to my co-rider.

Arrivederci Italia - Hello Hirsch

Nice start to the day, up and down various passes heading out to link up with the autoroute which takes me north towards the Brenner Pass.


Came across some traffic near Val Gardena on a series of mountain hairpins to find a coach had got it wrong and overshot the corner!! Reminded me of the scene from the Italian job.


Left the autoroute just as the weather turned. As I ascended Jaufenpass it had turned into another wet pea-souper. Stopped in St Leonardo fora break. Had a look at the fuel gauge which was low and had to decide do I attempt the Timmelsjoch Pass without refuelling?


Checked the sat nav which suggested there was a fuel station en-route. It was correct but it was closed for lunch!!! Attempt the Pass or go back to find a station? What would you have done?


I went for it on the basis that if it went wrong I could always roll back down..........


The weather continued to be mixed and was again thick fog at the summit.

It was also a bit windy......

Rolled down the Austrian side and found this place :)

Scooted across Austria and back into Germany to stay at the Hirsch again.

I would normally be on ski's around here.

Day off in Cortina

What to do?


A quick chat with the receptionist revealed plenty of options. I decided to head up to the Passo Falzarego which also includes 5 Torri (5 towers).


This is also where the WW1 frontline was between Italy and Austria and so should be some things of interest to see.


First of all up the cable car.

Got a one way ticket which meant a 3 hour walk back down. One option was to come back down through some tunnels but you needed a helmet and torch and so I took the walk over the mountain crests, around the back, and down. Interesting!

Ropes and ladders were needed. Strangely they gave some comfort as the route was not clearly marked and once or twice I wandered to an edge which was literally the edge!!


I set off with a number of other walkers, but they were only going to the top cross for photos. After this I was on my own which gave me a few 'what would happen if' thoughts.


Great scenery.

Tomorrows road.

The descent included this path.

You can see it zig-zagging down. It buggered my knees - ouch. The end of my squash career (what career??)


Then came to a WW1 museum.

It was closed for lunch. A 3 hour walk and it's closed for lunch!!! Tourism - not.


Going back down the valley I called into 5 Torri which is also the location of an open air WW1 museum. Fingers crossed they are not on lunch.

The 5 Towers are popular with climbers.

(click on the picture to see how many you can spot)


Local WW1 history lesson: Before the war Cortina was Austrian. All the males went off to fight Russia leaving Cortina free for the Italians to walk in. The front line between Austria and Italy was established in the mountains and the confrontation consisted of artillery from mountain trenches.

Went into Cortina for the evening. Landmark church together with modern art....

They had rolled out the blue carpet for me.

Back at the hotel an Italian Minister had turned up - don't even think corruption.....

Beauty and the beast