OK here is quick generic Ride Report:
You fly close by, rent a bike and ride to the Alps. You pick the curviest small side road and off you go. Right, left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left,right, left, right, left...
When your head spins or you had enough, you stop in the closest village find B&B or family hotel, eat and sleep (the night will cost you about 50-70 EUR incl breakfast).
Repeat.
Some advices: from my about 1 minute long research I did before that trip, the Alpine roads in Austria, northern Italy and Slovenia (don't skip that one - its cheaper and at least as good) are very tight with a lot of switchbacks and therefore you will generally go slower - and in especially juicy places like Stelvio you might see some people who should not be allowed on bikes doing three point turns around the corners with their mamas and all wordly possessions on the back (and yes, my trip confirmed that).
Some of the passes in Switzerland have more sweeping curves which allow you to open up a bit (but then their police will shoot you if you step out of line - don't try to give them 100 Rand). I wasn't there so cannot confirm, but Swiss passes seem to be preferred by for example Porshe enthusiasts.
I loved it in Austria (key highlight there being their highest pass Grossglockner) and Italy (key highlight Stelvio, Dolomiti), but you have to approach it as sporty trip with a focus on killing those chicken strips on tyres. If you want it just as relaxing tourist cruising, then plan for short distances for a day as those curves - and I know this may sound as sacrilige here - do tire you down quite a bit, and I've seen people who wished they are rather in Utah or Arizona riding straight for 100 miles. And don't just hit the main highlights as Stelvio (that one is actualy not much joy to ride at least on eastern side as it is just too tight) - but string them together via small nondescript (but curvy) roads leading there and away - almost any road there will kill any tar riding in SA 10 fold (but there isn't much good tar riding in SA, sorry).
My 2c
Topic: ALPS BY BIKE? (Read 1158 times)
