Alps, August 2019 − Travels − Captain Tom

Alps, August 2019

And again the Alps in Southern France. And again with Marcellus and Extreme-Tours. We have reverted the routes and we look forward to complete new views next to familiar places and beautiful well known views.

Then I went to Wuppertal to visit friends before I proceed into the Eifel mountains to seek some scenery. And I attended a training on Nürburgring Norschleife race track.

I did in total about 7000 km (4300 miles) of which 800 km (500 miles) on Nürburgring Nordschleife.

I had some technical issues again. The radiator started leaking during the tour. Supported by Marcellus and KTM Motorradsport Schmitt I made it save home and got the radiator replaced in between.

1 Alle Bilder

We have taken about 1500 pictures during this ride. Marcellus, Marcus and me are the photographers. I have put all the pictures in chronological order into a video.

2 The Journey to the Alps

I did the journey in two days. The first day I went to a little village close to Würzburg. The next day I went to and through Black Forest, then through Switzerland to Lac Leman. There I have met the other riders.

Leaving Berlin
Hotel Steigerwaldhaus
My first beer during this vacation
Marcellus and Andi get ready too
Kurt is waiting
The GPS shows a lot of rain so we cancel the ride together.
Sauschwänzlebahn railway
Lac Leman
At Lac Leman I go up the mountains to get a nice view over the lake
Lac Leman
We meet in Champery and have our first joint dinner.
3 Champéry-Toussuire

A brilliant day and a day packed with highlights. We start with Col du Grand Saint Bernard, ride through the Italian Aosta valley. We return to France via Petit Saint Bernard and then proceed to Cormet de Roselend, Col du Pré and Col de la Madelaine and finally Montvernier. Great. I notice my leaking radiator and we will need to deal with it over the next days.

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Map 2019_08_18

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Before we start
Col du Grand Saint Bernard
Col du Grand Saint Bernard
The group on the pass
Col du Grand Saint Bernard
We proceed - Beat
Tom
Morning coffee
View to Mont Blanc
Cormet de Roselend
Lac de Roselend
Lunch
Mittagessen
Andi is ready to go
Col du Pré - just passing by
Col de la Madeleine
Col de la Madeleine - Coffee break
Col de la Madeleine - View to Mont Blanc
Montvernier
Hotel Beausoleil in the evening
Dinner
4 Toussuire-Barcelonnette

The day starts with fog and rain. But it will get better over the day. We look forward to more highlights. We have Col d'Izoard, Col de la Lombarde and Col de la Bonette on the agenda. But first Marcellus and I have to take care of my radiator.

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Map 2019_08_19

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Hotel Beausoleil - Departure in the fog
Fixing the radiator
Col du Glandon
Tom on the pass
Col du Glandon
Col du Lautaret
Other bikers on Col du Lautaret
Col d'Izoard
Col d'Izoard
We eat something and the big furry thing wants to have it's share
Begging
Southern ramp of Col d'Izoard
Col de Larche
Sand storm
Heavy rain on southern ramp of Col de Larche
Marcus and Tom on Col de la Lombarde
Beat and Andi arrive
Col de la Lombarde
Gendarmerie saves cows
Col de la Bonette
Col de la Bonette
5 Barcelonnette-Southern Loop

We stay in Barcelonnette and do a southern loop. Beat, Marcus, Wolfgang and I ride via Roubion and Entrevaux and the others visit Grand Canyon du Verdon. The radiator works for the moment.

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Map 2019_08_20

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Hotel Azteca - Ready to go
Col de la Cayolle - Northern ramp
Col de la Cayolle - the group: Karl-Heinz, Marcus, Tom, Andi, Marcellus, Beat, Michael, Horst
Col de la Cayolle
Col de Valberg - Western ramp
Morning coffee in Valberg
The village is quite busy
Roubion
Roubion
Lunch in Entrevaux
Entrevaux
Entrevaux
Entrevaux
Clue de Saint-Alban
Clue de Saint-Alban
The other group is at the same time in Grand Canyon du Verdon
Grand Canyon du Verdon
Grand Canyon du Verdon
Grand Canyon du Verdon
Heavy shower in Colmars
Col d'Allos
6 Barcelonnette-Gresse-en-Vercors

The mountains are not as hight as the days before but views on Lac de Serre-Ponçon and Col du Noyer are stunning. And we get a delicious dinner in the evening.

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Map 2019_08_21

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View to Lac de Serre-Ponçon while climbing Col Pontis
Col Pontis - View to Lac de Serre-Ponçon
High fog at Col de Manse in a distance
Lac de Serre-Ponçon
Lac de Serre-Ponçon
The group leaving Col Pontis
Lac de Serre-Ponçon
Paragliders
Lac de Serre-Ponçon - Viewpoint Belvedere
Col de Manse
Col du Noyer
Col du Noyer
Col du Noyer
Col du Festre
Col du Festre - The dog wants care
Col du Festre - Lunch
Chestnut farms
Luggage transport
Here you get best food
Soup
Appetizer
Main course
Cheese
Dessert
7 Gresse-en-Vercors-Aix-Les-Bains

We go further north. The chestnut farms in the Isere valley are waiting as well as the roads carved into the rocks at Col Gaudissart and Gorges du Nan. The radiator is leaking again and we try to get help at KTM Grenoble. They cannot help but we refill anti leakage fluid.

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Map 2019_08_22

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Hotel Le Châlet in the morning
Beat and Marcus get ready
Morning fog
Morning Coffee
A dog again
There are many varieties of ice cream
Col de Rousset
Col de Rousset
Chestnut farms
Col Gaudissart
Col Gaudissart
Slackliners in Pont-en-Royan
Mountain Road
View to Gorges du Nan
Gorges du Nan
Gorges du Nan
Gorges du Nan
Gorges du Nan
Vinay
Lunch
Repair works
The radiator
Marcellus works on the bike
Mont du Chat - view to Aix-Les-Bains
Mont du Chat
Mont du Chat
Dinner in Aix-Les-Bains
8 Aix-Les-Bains-Champéry

The last day in the mountains. We go back to Champéry. The high fog makes great views. In particular in the morning on Le Revard it looks magnificient.

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Map 2019_08_23

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Le Revard within fog
Le Revard
Le Revard
Le Revard
Le Revard
Col du Grand Colombier in a distance
Col du Grand Colombier
Col du Grand Colombier
Col du Grand Colombier
Col du Grand Colombier
Le Pont de la Caille
Le Pont de la Caille
Lunch
Marcus
Nap
View to Geneva
Chateau d'Avully
Col du Feu - last coffee break
Col de la Ramaz
Snow covered mountains in a distance
Pas de Morgins - last pass of the tour
Back to Hotel Suisse
All are safe back at the starting point
9 The journey back

I go to Wuppertal to visit friends.On Sunday we do a family tour to a tree top path in Waldbröl. It is very hot and I cannot do much this day.

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Map 2019_08_24

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Sun is shining in the valley
Lac Leman
Vineyards
River Mosel
City gate Ahrtor in Ahrweiler
Viewpoint in Waldbröl
View to Bergisches Land
10 to be continued...

The tour is not over yet. Now I proceed >into the Eifel Mountains and to Nürburg for a Nürburgring Nordschleife race track training. But this is a different story.

Afterwards I got some greetings from France. Looks like I was a little bit too much in a hurry on my way back.