Swiss Alps 2002

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We were down to 3 now, Donkey, Richard and myself. Patto, had declined a weak offer of a ride around the passes saying he would have a look around Andermatt instead.

Here's the route in yellow, follow the numbers round.

So the three of us fuelled up and set off up the Oberalp Pass heading for Disentis (2). Below is a picture Patto took from the ski lift showing the upper part of the Oberalp Pass rising out of Andermatt.

We were soon in the little town of Disentis (2),  where we took the road south for the Lukmanier pass at 1916ms high. Alpineroads.com don't rate this road but I found the scenery quite stunning as it changed from the bleakness on the top of the mountains to the lush green lower down. By the time we had reached the top of the pass we were all pretty cold. We stopped for refreshments at the Hozpezi Maria Hotel. Very nice, if expensive!

Martin on the left, Richard on the right in the Hozpezi Maria car park.

While we had been coming up the road we had seen a few old cars. They all stopped at Hozpezi Maria. This is an old Ford Thunderbird in immaculate condition, but not the bases of the Batmobile as I had thought!

We pressed on down the mountain toward Biasca (3) to where we would turn North on the old road toward the St. Gotthard Pass. The surroundings had very noticeably taken on a Italian flavour, very nice, it's only when you look at a map you realise just how close you are to the Italian border.

The road zigzagged North, part under the A2/E35 motorway. This motorway is a miracle of engineering. It rises on spindly concrete legs to a dizzying height, and perched on the top is the roadway. I wonder if anybody has driven over the edge?

Before us then was the St Gotthard Pass. It starts at Airol, there are 2 roads up.
The old cobbled road that's dodgy in places or the more modern tarmac road. The roads cross in places so you can change if you want. I admit we did as the cobbles were a bit too 'interesting' in places :-)

This puzzle of pictures shows the bottom of the pass with Airolo on the right hand side. The newer road is the sweeper along the bottom of the picture. I believe the old road is the one that looks like a path next to it. Way down in Airolo you can see the motorway sweeping just before it disappears into the mountain.

Richard and Donkey on the St Gottard pass.

We pressed on again over the pass to Hospental (4), where we turned left toward Gletsch and the Furkapass. This is the highest pass we would be riding over at 2,431ms or 7,975ft.

A little way up the Furka we stopped for a coffee and some chips! This picture was taken in the car park. way in the distance is, first Hospental where we had just come from (just behind the Tmax screen) then beyond that Andermatt.

The Tmax and R1100Rt, the Tmax was more than up to this trip. She was never last and never missed a beat. Donkey Dave said it was a very comfy way to travel.

Through the cloud and mist we made it to the top 7,975ft. Boy, it was cold!

This picture shows the Furka Pass dropping into the valley bottom called Gorms and heading toward Gletsch (5), it then zigzags back up again for the Grimsel Pass. Just out of view on the right is the Rhone Glassier the start of the Rhone river.

Click on the picture for a Panoramic version 179kb.

We climbed out of Gletsch (5) up toward the Grimsel Pass. In the background of this picture: on the left is the Rhone Glassier, on the right is the road we had just come down from the Furka Pass. The furthest point to the top right is where the above picture was taken.

At the top of the Grimsel Pass we travelled through weird terrain like the surface of the moon, passing strange green coloured lakes swathed in mist. Very surreal... heated grips on full cap'n.

We dropped out of the Grimsel without event and turned right at Innertkirchen (6) for the Susten Pass 7,300ft high. By now it was getting late in the afternoon and the cloud had come down even further. The next two pictures were taken from near the top of the Pass. Above the tunnel is a painted sign, "URI Canton" and a picture of a bull.

In the picture below is the road as it drops down, of course this is nowhere near the bottom, that's somewhere in the mist!

As we headed to Wassen (7) we passed a group of men on a corner. all had high power rifles with sights. One guy was sat on a 3 legged stool with  a telescope watching the tree line in the distance. Were they looking for an escaped convict?

At Wassen (7) we split up, Richard went to keep Patto company while donkey and I went down to Altdorf to visit Kid. Kid was looking better every day and arrangements had been made to airlift him back to England at the weekend. We dropped the bikes off at the apartment and walked to the pub, As we passed an open garage we found the reason for the shooters near Wassen. There was a deer carcass hanging by its back legs over a bucket. and a family cheerfully carving it up! The hunting season had just opened.

Patto told us his bike wasn't ready yet but hopefully tomorrow. we would see. So after a 200 mile tour it was back to a nice warm pub.

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