moto tour 2014 : 2nd day Mulhouse ( Fr) - Imst ( Au)  / 370 km - 6h30 - 7 H 

 what I preferred on my Triumph tiger ! 

- the ride under the drizzle and in the fog of Furkajosh (first pass of the day)… but I quickly will have enough of these  weary  conditions !

- descent of Fernpass: impressive on a wet road !
 
Report of this second day motorcycle tour 2014

Monday morning, the German dealer opens at 8:30, we thus leave early Mulhouse after having absorbed the sad breakfast of the hotel (it will be better in Austria…)
I take the lead in the convoy and a half hour later, we are  in front of the concession. The technician examines “Kawacyclette” and delivers his verdict:  it is necessary to repair because it is” Kaput “and “gefährlich”, no question of going  as far as Austria so… 2H30 of work (Oops…. in other words we  can cross  the Black Forest off our trip ! ) and

230euros (Oops again ….).

We visit Lorrach, drink a coffee, and  do some shoppings for today's picnic.
 It is finally  approximately 1:00 PM when we set out again in the direction of Austria.

we cross the borders between Germany and Switzerland without very realizing it. we progress but it is however necessary to stopin Sankt Gallen (in Switzerland) to supply our motorbikes and to have a lunch .
 

And it is truly there, while setting out again, that this B#@¤#*!  depression has caught up with us. We thus make a triumphal entrance in Austria under a heavy rain!!!
 This part of the roadbook (between sankt Gallenand and Imst) is in theory made up of roads crossing the typical villages with yesterday's  charm of the Alpine valleys  but we absolutely saw nothing ! ….Just rain and very slippery roads.

At half way we attack our first Austrian pass (Furkajoch) in pea mashed potatoes… we do not see anything of  the landscapes (see photo(wikipedia) in comparison with Furkajoch by clicking here).   
 

I am cold but I make against misfortune good heart by singing “Flower of Scotland” under my helmet at the time of the rise (it is not really the place butthat seemed to me all the same of circumstance! )

 This day there, we do not ride on a good rhythm because of slippery roads and of the flow of circulation (there are always many trucks and cars to be overtaken in the Alpine valleys), GPS makes its crisis of the style “turn left”, “turn right” and “make half turn as soon as possible” in the same intersection! In short sometimes it is better to rely on a good Michelin map !

It is thus approximately 6:00 pm when we arrive at the bottom of the last pass : the Fernpass.
 

Jéjé engages the first but quickly stops in front of a red light : the pass is closed!!!! A little further our two linguists (Jéjé and Marc) go to knock at the  door of a country cottage. The inhabitants explain us that because of intense rains of in the morning there was a crumbling and that the passage is impossible! Only solution according to them, to turn back and make a detour of 1H30 by the close valley! (Oops again ! ). 

Hardly gone up on its 1200 GS, Jerome sets out again in an angry howling bicylindric in opposite direction.
 Too much quickly however, because while passing in front of the intersection of the pass he does not realize that light has just turned green! (great luck , during our conversation the road was reopened).
 He joins us to finish this wet end of the day in the vertiginous descent of the Fernpass to Imst and our inn.

The evening continues then in front of a good meal ,poker game  and a spa session for the boys while I  study the route of tomorrow and reload all my “electronic devices”!