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Tornanti road yarns...Parts 1+2
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On the Road...day11
Once more it shows that staying at some private place outranks a hotel-stay anytime.
Just look at what our host presents for breakfast…whatever your heart desires, from various cereals to various breads and rolls, jams honey, yoghurts, cakes…and that’s just the start.
Then add the comfortable, rather cosy room…easy to feel “at-home” here…
The tube of 50+ sunscreen has spread itself liberally around the bottom of Goodie’s tankbag c
…we’ve totally forgotten about that; one just doesn’t need the stuff.
With all the hours we’ve spent in the sun thus far, we’d be burned to a crisp in AUS…NOT HERE! A bit of a tan is as far as it’s gone…
The sun pelts down as we join the early-morning traffic towards Aosta, a pocket-sized version of Milano.
Thankfully there’s a northern bypass, sort-ofc, leading up the Col du Grand St. Bernard which will get us across to Martigny, the Upper Rhone Valley (the Wallis or… Valais in French)…and Switzerland.
If we’d gone on last night, we’d left France for Italy, and 80km later Italy for Switzerland…3 countries within a stone-throw.
The lower Italian part of the St. Bernard turns out to be one continuous roadworks…
No idea what this is, looks interesting, though…
As usual, we’re passing most cars when traffic waits at red lights…. don’t be shy, as long as the oncoming lane is free, just overtake all standing traffic, then squeeze into the front, even if you can’t see the lights anymore…the first car will honk if you’re placed in a way that prevents the cars behind you going past.
Seems totally acceptable around here….
Things improve further up, the top half is clear of traffic and quite quick to ride.
Thinking of home??? ONLY when we see postcards…
The officials step in…the driver of that blue “Whatever” has got a car problem, as it turns out after some arguing.
Every tight left-turn triggers the horn which makes for quite a racket when they tried to get into a tight parking space…
Around the top…
Forgot the soap? Doesn’t matter…
Much more scenic is the drop towards Martigny…
We need some Swiss Francs…the Raiffeisen looks like the modern version of a servo, bowsers missing, but the ATM spits out some bundles of the needed stuff…
Rudi from the Alpenbiker Forum had suggested to turn off the main pass at Semblancher, only 10km short of Martigny... using the tiny Col des Planches and Col du Tronc to drop into the Rhone Valley at Saxon…a sort of a shortcut-with-a-twist. And bloody oath, there is more than one of those !!
What a fantastic area…one could spent a whole day on those little dirt roads…
And we just about to, finding out that the road is closed 1km short of Saxon due to some bridge repairs.
Once more it shows that staying at some private place outranks a hotel-stay anytime.
Just look at what our host presents for breakfast…whatever your heart desires, from various cereals to various breads and rolls, jams honey, yoghurts, cakes…and that’s just the start.
Then add the comfortable, rather cosy room…easy to feel “at-home” here…
The tube of 50+ sunscreen has spread itself liberally around the bottom of Goodie’s tankbag c
…we’ve totally forgotten about that; one just doesn’t need the stuff.With all the hours we’ve spent in the sun thus far, we’d be burned to a crisp in AUS…NOT HERE! A bit of a tan is as far as it’s gone…
The sun pelts down as we join the early-morning traffic towards Aosta, a pocket-sized version of Milano.
Thankfully there’s a northern bypass, sort-ofc
, leading up the Col du Grand St. Bernard which will get us across to Martigny, the Upper Rhone Valley (the Wallis or… Valais in French)…and Switzerland.If we’d gone on last night, we’d left France for Italy, and 80km later Italy for Switzerland…3 countries within a stone-throw.
The lower Italian part of the St. Bernard turns out to be one continuous roadworks…
No idea what this is, looks interesting, though…
As usual, we’re passing most cars when traffic waits at red lights…. don’t be shy, as long as the oncoming lane is free, just overtake all standing traffic, then squeeze into the front, even if you can’t see the lights anymore…the first car will honk if you’re placed in a way that prevents the cars behind you going past.
Seems totally acceptable around here….
Things improve further up, the top half is clear of traffic and quite quick to ride.
Thinking of home??? ONLY when we see postcards…
The officials step in…the driver of that blue “Whatever” has got a car problem, as it turns out after some arguing.
Every tight left-turn triggers the horn which makes for quite a racket when they tried to get into a tight parking space…
Around the top…
Forgot the soap? Doesn’t matter…
Much more scenic is the drop towards Martigny…
We need some Swiss Francs…the Raiffeisen looks like the modern version of a servo, bowsers missing, but the ATM spits out some bundles of the needed stuff…
Rudi from the Alpenbiker Forum had suggested to turn off the main pass at Semblancher, only 10km short of Martigny... using the tiny Col des Planches and Col du Tronc to drop into the Rhone Valley at Saxon…a sort of a shortcut-with-a-twist. And bloody oath, there is more than one of those !!
What a fantastic area
…one could spent a whole day on those little dirt roads…And we just about to, finding out that the road is closed 1km short of Saxon due to some bridge repairs.
On the Road...day11 cont.
Doesn’t matter, let’s stick our noses into some nooks and crannies high above the busy Rhone Valley.
We just can’t get enough of this
b…let’s go back and try to find another way towards Martigny…
Just above Martigny we pop out of the maze of gorgeous little tracks, fantastic vistas and some, sometimes, interesting riding.
High time again to top up the oil on the Beemers…the Bike Shop wasn’t too happy... rather, outright grumpy…. for us to do the job outside their shopfront (no dribbles!).
Who cares…the bikes are topped up, a few other small bits fixed, too.
Digging out the itinerary, there are the details for a BnB in Brigerbad, one of the many addresses I’d dug on the Net.
“5 adults? Sorry, can’t help…4’s fine, not 5…hmmmm, hang on…just call me back in 10 min, will you?” Ahhh, German…makes things a hell of a lot easier speaking the language fluently… even though, this being the Swiss version of it and I have to concentrate.
“Sure can !”
….
….
“Yes, my sister in law has space, here’s her address, she’s only around the corner from us…I already let her know, that was ok??”
PERFECT!!
The next 2 hours are a PAIN-IN-THE-ARSE commute-style ride, competing with the local traffic (and loads of tractors with trailers full of crates of freshly harvested grapes).
The going is slow…towns are only a few km’s apart and there seem to be an extraordinary amount of wine pressing plants…the sweet-sour smell of early fermentation is enough to knock one off the bike…just passing by!:wow:
It’s easy enough to find the place…after some asking around.
Monika is already waiting with a warm and hearty welcome.
The house and garden are a little heaven, which even includes a BBQ , a covered sitting area with table and chairs and the whole place is just bursting with flowers.
It’s a complete 2br holiday flat with kitchen and everything one could ask for… therefore, we’ll get our own stuff for breakfast.
But at 85SFR/ A$85 it’s still dirtcheap…ok, it’s low season, but still…couldn’t get a cabin on a Caravan Park in AUS for that! Not for 5 people!!
Once More…JACKPOT!!
As the heat finally bleeds out of the day, we walk through the vineyards to a small restaurant down the road…
…where some outstanding tucker is on offer. Again, at very reasonable prices.
As adventurous as the 3 Piccolini have grown in regards to food and drink over the last week…they DO baulk at the horse steaks Goodie and I are having.
And those are just SENSATIONAL !!
After having a tiny taste each, they wished they’d….nahhh, more tomorrow on that.
There’s another highlight-day in the wings…if the weather holds up.:???:
Doesn’t matter, let’s stick our noses into some nooks and crannies high above the busy Rhone Valley.
We just can’t get enough of this
b…let’s go back and try to find another way towards Martigny…
Just above Martigny we pop out of the maze of gorgeous little tracks, fantastic vistas and some, sometimes, interesting riding.
High time again to top up the oil on the Beemers…the Bike Shop wasn’t too happy... rather, outright grumpy…. for us to do the job outside their shopfront (no dribbles!).
Who cares…the bikes are topped up, a few other small bits fixed, too.
Digging out the itinerary, there are the details for a BnB in Brigerbad, one of the many addresses I’d dug on the Net.
“5 adults? Sorry, can’t help…4’s fine, not 5…hmmmm, hang on…just call me back in 10 min, will you?” Ahhh, German…makes things a hell of a lot easier speaking the language fluently… even though, this being the Swiss version of it and I have to concentrate.
“Sure can !”
….
….
“Yes, my sister in law has space, here’s her address, she’s only around the corner from us…I already let her know, that was ok??”
PERFECT!!
The next 2 hours are a PAIN-IN-THE-ARSE commute-style ride, competing with the local traffic (and loads of tractors with trailers full of crates of freshly harvested grapes).
The going is slow…towns are only a few km’s apart and there seem to be an extraordinary amount of wine pressing plants…the sweet-sour smell of early fermentation is enough to knock one off the bike…just passing by!:wow:
It’s easy enough to find the place…after some asking around.
Monika is already waiting with a warm and hearty welcome.
The house and garden are a little heaven, which even includes a BBQ , a covered sitting area with table and chairs and the whole place is just bursting with flowers.
It’s a complete 2br holiday flat with kitchen and everything one could ask for… therefore, we’ll get our own stuff for breakfast.
But at 85SFR/ A$85 it’s still dirtcheap…ok, it’s low season, but still…couldn’t get a cabin on a Caravan Park in AUS for that! Not for 5 people!!
Once More…JACKPOT!!
As the heat finally bleeds out of the day, we walk through the vineyards to a small restaurant down the road…
…where some outstanding tucker is on offer. Again, at very reasonable prices.
As adventurous as the 3 Piccolini have grown in regards to food and drink over the last week…they DO baulk at the horse steaks Goodie and I are having.
And those are just SENSATIONAL !!
After having a tiny taste each, they wished they’d….nahhh, more tomorrow on that.
There’s another highlight-day in the wings…if the weather holds up.:???:
motorradrudi
Tour Pro
Re: Tornanti Road Yarns part2
The pics looks like you enjoy it!
That's a good reason for doing it again!
Best greatings from a winterwonderland!
Since yesterday there are nearly 20 oder 25 cm Snow falling down the valley - in the mointains a lot more! It's winter in Bavaria!
Rudi
Rudi from the Alpenbiker Forum had suggested to turn off the main pass at Semblancher, only 10km short of Martigny... using the tiny Col des Planches and Col du Tronc to drop into the Rhone Valley at Saxon…a sort of a shortcut-with-a-twist. And bloody oath, there is more than one of those !!
What a fantastic area
The pics looks like you enjoy it!
That's a good reason for doing it again!
Best greatings from a winterwonderland!
Since yesterday there are nearly 20 oder 25 cm Snow falling down the valley - in the mointains a lot more! It's winter in Bavaria!
Rudi
Re: Tornanti Road Yarns part2
Snow around your area? This time of year? Isn't that a bit early?
Yo....the Col de Planches/ Tronc area...SUPERB !
If we ever get anywhere near it again...it's a definite!
The pics looks like you enjoy it!
That's a good reason for doing it again!
Best greatings from a winterwonderland!
Since yesterday there are nearly 20 oder 25 cm Snow falling down the valley - in the mointains a lot more! It's winter in Bavaria!
Rudi
Snow around your area? This time of year? Isn't that a bit early?
Yo....the Col de Planches/ Tronc area...SUPERB !
If we ever get anywhere near it again...it's a definite!
On the road...Day12
And it does !!
More sunshine and blue skies as we chew our “home-made” breakfast.
Down the Wallis a little, through Brig, we follow the signs to Zermatt. Only a short ride, TT has decided to dink it with Tim on the 1150RT into Tasch, the small town about 10km before Zermatt.
Zermatt is right at the end of the valley at the very foot of the Matterhorn, the mountain that is somewhat synonymous with Switzerland as a whole.
At nearly 4500m high, it’s a majestic peak, proliferated through chocolate wrappers and advertising photos.
The town itself is “car-free”, only horse-drawns and electro-carts are allowed (always have been).
It’s also been a magnet for anything and anyone drawn to the European Alps over the last 200 years or so.
We park the 4 bikes at Schaller’s Garage, one of a few transport mobs that offer parking space and transport to Zermatt by mini-bus (the train is an alternative).
It’s a walking day today; the bikes are only used for the 50km each-way-transport...
The walk through town…the Sunegga “funi” is the target
A short “funi”-trainride later and things look totally different !!
Holy cow, have a look at THAT !!:wow::wow:
Views are breathtaking, all of a sudden we’re, sort-of, amongst those huge piles of rock and glaciers. At least a lot closer…and that makes for a whole different “feel”.
While the heights are liberating, the scenery is also intimidating…it’s just massive!
We slowly walk the half-hour across to Findln, the former summer grazing ground for the Zermatt farmers and their dairy cows…today it’s a bit more touristy, with various small huts and restaurants offering snacks and drinks.
But there’s still a lot of the atmosphere left that “put in on the map” in the first place.
A cosy, cuddly place…cradled by massive mountains and starting point for 1000s of ice-climbs over the centuries.
Let’s enjoy the place… and take our time.
And here’s a real one!! A lucky shot…those buggers are lightning-fast.
Spellbound…again !!
No surprise that the Matterhorn has become such a popular sight…the shape of the mountain is magnetic.
A “Shoemaker’s Nail”…one of the Enzian family
Nailed to a shed-door…., how the hell did THAT get here??
An Akja…the only way to get injured folks off the mountains before choppers appeared on the scene….the modern version is still used today in bad weather when the whirlybirds can’t fly or access is too difficult.
And it does !!
More sunshine and blue skies as we chew our “home-made” breakfast.
Down the Wallis a little, through Brig, we follow the signs to Zermatt. Only a short ride, TT has decided to dink it with Tim on the 1150RT into Tasch, the small town about 10km before Zermatt.
Zermatt is right at the end of the valley at the very foot of the Matterhorn, the mountain that is somewhat synonymous with Switzerland as a whole.
At nearly 4500m high, it’s a majestic peak, proliferated through chocolate wrappers and advertising photos.
The town itself is “car-free”, only horse-drawns and electro-carts are allowed (always have been).
It’s also been a magnet for anything and anyone drawn to the European Alps over the last 200 years or so.
We park the 4 bikes at Schaller’s Garage, one of a few transport mobs that offer parking space and transport to Zermatt by mini-bus (the train is an alternative).
It’s a walking day today; the bikes are only used for the 50km each-way-transport...
The walk through town…the Sunegga “funi” is the target
A short “funi”-trainride later and things look totally different !!
Holy cow, have a look at THAT !!
:wow::wow:Views are breathtaking, all of a sudden we’re, sort-of, amongst those huge piles of rock and glaciers. At least a lot closer…and that makes for a whole different “feel”.
While the heights are liberating, the scenery is also intimidating…it’s just massive!
We slowly walk the half-hour across to Findln, the former summer grazing ground for the Zermatt farmers and their dairy cows…today it’s a bit more touristy, with various small huts and restaurants offering snacks and drinks.
But there’s still a lot of the atmosphere left that “put in on the map” in the first place.
A cosy, cuddly place…cradled by massive mountains and starting point for 1000s of ice-climbs over the centuries.
Let’s enjoy the place… and take our time.
And here’s a real one!! A lucky shot…those buggers are lightning-fast.
Spellbound…again !!
No surprise that the Matterhorn has become such a popular sight…the shape of the mountain is magnetic.
A “Shoemaker’s Nail”…one of the Enzian family
Nailed to a shed-door…., how the hell did THAT get here??
An Akja…the only way to get injured folks off the mountains before choppers appeared on the scene….the modern version is still used today in bad weather when the whirlybirds can’t fly or access is too difficult.
On the Road...Day12 cont.
The place is fascinating and it’s holding us captured.:wow:
We don’t really want to walk down through the larch forest into Zermatt, but…
Near one of the restaurants, Tim finds this and HAS to have a go…
Rack-‘n-pinion railways…a way of life in Switzerland.
We’re shuffling back through Zermatt, nobody wants this to end…
Someone's watching...a puppet stuck to the railing.
Looked damn real from below, though...
A few random impressions on the way back…
We pick up the bikes in Tasch and tootle down-valley, heads and hearts full of a glorious day “UP THERE”!!
Recognizing the name, there’s a little voice in my head…Rudi from Alpenbiker!!
“..in Stalden, tiny road up to Toerbel, …keep going even when it looks that the road ends…across the Moosalp, road drops through Zerneggen back into Brig…it’s a GEM!!”
Let’s give it a whirl, he was dead-right with the Col de Planches yesterday…
And up it goes…UP…MAJOR UP!!!…
Man, what a screamer!! Pillion-TT is holding on for dear life as Tim scrapes the 1150RT through the tight stuff…and keeps the camera rolling!
There should be some prime video footage of those 15 mins-of-sparks and wonderment…I’ll You-Tube it ASAP.
Not many pics, this one caught us by total surprise…
Quite a popular place with the locals…
...down towards Zerneggen, I’ve got the Tim-Doublepack in the mirrors….
Arms flailing, high-beam flashing…????
Bloody jokers, they’re having me on, putting on a floorshow like that!!!
Tim tries to overtake, TT is standing on the rear pegs, arms flailing wildly, shouting that even I can hear it under the helmet…then they drop back, come close again, drop back…kiss my arse, ya mugs, I’m not falling for that.
You wanna overtake…? … work for it.
My old shitbox is past it limits, hopping and bucking the narrow single-laner, no suspension to speak of, compression lockups before every bend…one learns to ride around the shortcomings…
The front tyre had worn into an angular cone-shape…the centre was still showing some thread, the sides were nearly down to the canvas…never seen a tyre worn like that…but the road is dry and the flip-flopping quick, so there’s enough “stick” in the front-end.
The 2 jokers just don’t quit and finally I pull over.
“ Mate!!…your bloody rear-light cluster is about to fall off, it’s dangling by it’s cable!!”
Oh shit !! Tim was game getting THAT close at times…if the damn thing would’ve let go, he’d run straight over it.
We shove the cluster back into it’s place, duct-tape does the rest…she’ll go tomorrow anyway, the planned bike- exchange in Martigny hasn’t been cancelled by Renato yet…
Getting back home, there's Ernst sorting and cleaning the spuds for the coming winter..
…he’s still got time for one of those with us
The day ends at the same eating-place as yesterday…and without even looking at the menu:
“3 horse-steaks please !!! …and Pete/ Goodie, what are you having tonight??”
Bloody Picolinis !!
Zermatt and the Matterhorn…another dream’s come true…
The place is fascinating and it’s holding us captured.:wow:
We don’t really want to walk down through the larch forest into Zermatt, but…
Near one of the restaurants, Tim finds this and HAS to have a go…
Rack-‘n-pinion railways…a way of life in Switzerland.
We’re shuffling back through Zermatt, nobody wants this to end…
Someone's watching...a puppet stuck to the railing.
Looked damn real from below, though...
A few random impressions on the way back…
We pick up the bikes in Tasch and tootle down-valley, heads and hearts full of a glorious day “UP THERE”!!
Recognizing the name, there’s a little voice in my head…Rudi from Alpenbiker!!
“..in Stalden, tiny road up to Toerbel, …keep going even when it looks that the road ends…across the Moosalp, road drops through Zerneggen back into Brig…it’s a GEM!!”
Let’s give it a whirl, he was dead-right with the Col de Planches yesterday…
And up it goes…UP…MAJOR UP!!!…
Man, what a screamer!! Pillion-TT is holding on for dear life as Tim scrapes the 1150RT through the tight stuff…and keeps the camera rolling!
There should be some prime video footage of those 15 mins-of-sparks and wonderment…I’ll You-Tube it ASAP.
Not many pics, this one caught us by total surprise…
Quite a popular place with the locals…
...down towards Zerneggen, I’ve got the Tim-Doublepack in the mirrors….
Arms flailing, high-beam flashing…????
Bloody jokers, they’re having me on, putting on a floorshow like that!!!
Tim tries to overtake, TT is standing on the rear pegs, arms flailing wildly, shouting that even I can hear it under the helmet…then they drop back, come close again, drop back…kiss my arse, ya mugs, I’m not falling for that.
You wanna overtake…? … work for it.
My old shitbox is past it limits, hopping and bucking the narrow single-laner, no suspension to speak of, compression lockups before every bend…one learns to ride around the shortcomings…
The front tyre had worn into an angular cone-shape…the centre was still showing some thread, the sides were nearly down to the canvas…never seen a tyre worn like that…but the road is dry and the flip-flopping quick, so there’s enough “stick” in the front-end.
The 2 jokers just don’t quit and finally I pull over.
“ Mate!!…your bloody rear-light cluster is about to fall off, it’s dangling by it’s cable!!”
Oh shit !! Tim was game getting THAT close at times…if the damn thing would’ve let go, he’d run straight over it.
We shove the cluster back into it’s place, duct-tape does the rest…she’ll go tomorrow anyway, the planned bike- exchange in Martigny hasn’t been cancelled by Renato yet…
Getting back home, there's Ernst sorting and cleaning the spuds for the coming winter..
…he’s still got time for one of those with us
The day ends at the same eating-place as yesterday…and without even looking at the menu:
“3 horse-steaks please !!! …and Pete/ Goodie, what are you having tonight??”
Bloody Picolinis !!
Zermatt and the Matterhorn…another dream’s come true…
motorradrudi
Tour Pro
Re: Tornanti Road Yarns part2
Hi Pete,
first of all: ab big
for sharing this story with us!
Many thanks!
second: For me Zermatt is the most beautiful place in the whole alps!
The mainroad - very busy, but leaving it - you're thinking of being in a small Wallis village! Simply wonderful!
Then the landscape around!
You couldn't believe what you see!
One picture-postcard follows another!
third: The Mossalp - another beautiful side of this area! And the road up and down to this place simply a dream!
So I can share you're impressions of that places!
Beste greatings from Germany
Rudi
Hi Pete,
first of all: ab big
Many thanks!
second: For me Zermatt is the most beautiful place in the whole alps!
The mainroad - very busy, but leaving it - you're thinking of being in a small Wallis village! Simply wonderful!
Then the landscape around!
You couldn't believe what you see!
One picture-postcard follows another!
third: The Mossalp - another beautiful side of this area! And the road up and down to this place simply a dream!
So I can share you're impressions of that places!
Beste greatings from Germany
Rudi
Re: Tornanti Road Yarns part2
Ain't that the truth !!
It's a magical place...the pics just can't do it justice :wow::wow:
Glad to hear you're enjoying the story
Ain't that the truth !!
It's a magical place...the pics just can't do it justice :wow::wow:
Glad to hear you're enjoying the story
Re: Tornanti road yarns...EuroAlps in OverDrive
Hallo Goodie ! Thanks for your response. But no thank you to me-----this whole tour gives me soooooo much fun and excitement. Even I don't know every Col and place especially in France, there are so many places I'm familiar with, have been there long ago.
It is just fantastic for me to read it all and on top the pics----.I cant wait for Switzerland, which has been ,for long years of our family life, the second home in winter and sommer. Love omi
Hallo Goodie ! Thanks for your response. But no thank you to me-----this whole tour gives me soooooo much fun and excitement. Even I don't know every Col and place especially in France, there are so many places I'm familiar with, have been there long ago.
It is just fantastic for me to read it all and on top the pics----.I cant wait for Switzerland, which has been ,for long years of our family life, the second home in winter and sommer. Love omi