moto tour 2014 : 3rd day   imst( Au) - Grossglockner ( Au)   / 400 km - 7H30 

  What I preferred on my Triumph tiger !  

The pass of Jaufen :  impeccable road ,nice bends , this is real pleasure !

Report of this third day motorcycle tour 2014

In the morning of the third day, I wake up physically and morally tired .  I slept very little during the night and  the weather is still quite gloomy  (when will it stop? ).

I know that a very long day of riding is ahead of us (more 7:30 hours of mountain roads),  not easy even in  good weather , just imagine under the rain .....Moreover, it is during this day that we must see the most beautiful of Austria that is to say the pass of Jaufenpass (Monte Giovo); Timmelsjoch(Passo del Rombo), Gerlospass and especiallymythical Grossglockner!
 It is in the characteristic sound of my tricylindre that I carry out the group on a good rhythm in the direction of our primary goal:Timmelsjoch, fifth higher Italian pass! 

In fact, It marks the border with Austria and the High Adige Italian area. Like for many Austrian touristic roads you cannot go up without paying an expensive toll which includes a splendid motorcycle sticker!!!

 

((Small remark on the way: In Austria there are tolls everywhere!!!!! on the motorways (in spite of the purchase of the label (we did not understand!), on tourist mountain roads, everywhere ..... it is thus necessary to envisage a budget not too tight to ba able to see spectacular sights….)
Relatively little cars or courageous cyclists go through the toll section along with us. It should be said that the rise is carried out in the fog and the drizzle, the visibility is quasi void….
Jéjé goes in front, I follow his rear light while trying to appreciate all the same each curve of this rise!

Suddenly in a “rather easy” part the stop light of the 1200 GS flashes. I vaguely distinguish through the fog a black mass in front of Jerome's motorcycle. In fact it is a cow (non quipped with anti fog fires) walking right in the middle of the road: a big surprise for Jerome there!  

 

 

 

 Some bends further, we arrive at the top (2474m) and each one takes the time to take some pics of the place.

Grosses gouttes et grüss gött !!!  : (French pun on words, sorry...)

Tiger and sheep...

To celebrate this event, I also take the opportunity to stick my first moto-sticker “Riderbuzz” on the pass sign. (like everywhere in the Alps, on all the largest passes signs, you have to notice,there are stickers of clubs cyclists, motorcycles…)
Glad to find ourselves here, we immortalize this moment on “film”.

The descent of the pass begins with the crossing of a long tunnel. And there… second morning surprise:  the sky is clear for the first time since our entry in the Alps! Some clouds remain but what a contrast with the other side!  the tops finally appear.

The mountain tops reval themselves... 

 While my comrades drink a coffee while “conversing “ with the charming saleswoman, I take out my photo/videoequipment again to make you enjoy the point of view (really I sacrifice myself for you! - click on the picture).

 

I take the lead in the group in the descent.  And there third incident of the morning: at the time of a stop due to roadwork,Cyrille by going up the line, goes closely to my level . I start again touching his right brake handle  with my suitcase without neither of us realizing-->again large surprise with the first bend for my friend "Princess" (in the purest Joebar style)!!!  …

 

 

 

 We then fix Kawacyclette in the homemade way!

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Going down theTimmelsjoch : 

 

The descent of Timmelsjoch is splendid and is practically connected with another great moment of this day: the rise of Jaufenpass (Passo di Monte Giovo).
The weather is finally nice, the road is extra,the bends are rather easy to negotiate and through the pine forest: let's have fun! 

 

  In front of me a couple of German, each one in Ducati, goes up on a good rhythm, I cling to their path.
 VRAOOOOOOOOOM ........ Second bend,third, my Tiger is howling  in pleasure… and immediately the next bend is already there: Jéjé also sticks to my tail with its BMW..

 

 

 I absolutely loved riding this pass!

 

 

 

 

 

Arrived at the top everyone stops to recover from“his emotions”. The German couple leaves us with a friendly salute as we are remembering this beautiful rise !

283 kms… this is what remains to be made from Monte Giovo to rejoin Grossglockner. 283kms that I will find the longest since I am riding a motorcycle….The first part is done on the motorway of Innsbruck, despite a dense rain which makes its reappearance.We leave the motorway in the direction of Zellamndt Ziller and the Gerlospass.
There is dense traffic and many roadworks on the way: besides it is necessary to go up the files along the white lines, to overtake cars and trucks in every occasion (the motorists not very pleased about this, quite to the contrary… another culture! ), in short…  advance at all costs.The pavement is slippery again, the rain has got through my gear, I am cold, I cough, I cansee there almost nothing under my helmet but tiredness due to my lack of sleep of the night before: I can feel it now. For the first time since the departure, I 'm wondering  what I am doing here !

 

 

 

After the pass (with nothing to be seen), we dive in one of the major touristic site of the country: “Krimmler Waserfalls” of the Hohe Tauern national park : the highest falls of Europe. There are many tourists on the car park in spite of the rain. For me : just a quick picture taken by the road.
We continue… I scrutinize the tomtom from time to time… still 3:00… 2:00, 1:00 to go… this connection seems endless to me .

 

 

 

 

We finally arrive in front of the toll of the unmissable Grossglockner (and yes to have the opportunity of going up there, it is again necessary to pay!!) and like a reward, the rain  has stopped.

I know that this road is a “must see” of the Alps, which any motorcyclist of the world must have done. Extraordinary bends, drawn for the pleasure of any motorcyclist. A mythical place as well because it is here that an old motorcylcist race was disputed (there is also a museum devoted to this race at the top). A place where, in each bends, the landscape is a sight for sore eyes…  I know this because I saw the photos and I promised it to my fellow travellers.

 
I thus pay my toll passage right of 18 euros without regret as I am trustful and driven by such fantastic perspectives…. My vain hopes are quickly dissipated at the end of a few hundred meters of rise!
OK, once again, we have to cope with the lousy weather; then in the absence of the grandiose landscapes, we nevertheless take some nice pictures in the fog and the rain.

Our inn situated in the middle of the Grossqlockner is in sight at last!

What a day!!!