+ Week The European Chronicles

[kickstandsup]

Bolzano a piedi

I needed a day off! With the hotel came a "Bolzano Card," free public transport and museum entrance. Hopped the bus to Piazza Walter Platz for some sightseeing. The Bolzano center is all pedestrian, at least today, Saturday. Great for people watching and a stroll.

If Florence is the city of scooters, Bolzano is the city of bicycles. They are everywhere, ridden by everyone.

Interesting bus system; displays the arrival times for each line.

Integrated so the road is still passable...

Inside the sports store is an entire floor of e-bikes

Time for a cocktail and the bus ride back. A very nice, relaxing day.

 

[kickstandsup]

Riva del Garda

As pretty as the lake is (and it is) you're looking at THE reason to ride Europe...small, twisty country roads thru idillic villages surrounded by vineyards. If you like to travel by motorcycle, it is paradise.

Just look at this road...I was having too much fun to stop and take photos...but it winds and twists its way up from Trento and thru vineyard after vineyard. Just stunning, as this internet stolen shot shows.

Oh, and there are castles; did I mention there are castles?

This is Castle Belfort, built 1311, burned in 1670 and rebuilt.

More passes to climb, ho hum... 😁 Sella del Bondone

Then Passo Bordala and Passo di Santa Barbara, winding steeply down to Riva del Garda and this:

With a piazza at the northern tip, that's Riva del Garda

 

[kickstandsup]

Since these are the "European Chronicles," I want to take a moment and say F**k Putin and I stand with Ukraine. Atrocities met by bravery.

Back to our regularly scheduled programing...

The bell tower was built in 1200.

And yes, another castle up on the hill

And one right on the square, the Rocca di Riva, which now houses the Civic Museum of Riva del Garda.

Wet Speed

The Hotel Europa, my digs for the night.

Mia safely away, so I believe it is happy hour...

Tomorrow is a milestone day...a ride to Lago di Como, where I get to settle down for several weeks living la dolce vita and waiting for the most important people in my life to arrive. 😄

Ciao!

 

[staticPort]

Outstanding!

 

[kickstandsup]

Outstanding!

Thanks for coming along. Can't wait to go back this summer.

 

[kickstandsup]

Iniziando la dolce vita

Casa Olea in Perledo, up a steep, steep hill from Varenna, will be "home base" for the next month. It is gruesome, backbreaking, soul ripping duty, but, well, you know the rest...

The view

But first, breakfast in Riva del Garda before setting off for Lago di Como

You can see the clouds building; dry when I left, "chance of thunderstorms" and I did hit some heavy rain on the way. Up over a few passes (I know, you're shocked, shocked I say), then down to the lake.

Starting the climb

Going to hit the rain any minute now

A couple of comments on some new gear for this trip. The gloves I'm using are Held's Air and Dry, a 2 in one concept. You have a "dry" compartment that is Gore-tex, and an "air" compartment where the palm is vented. They are working exceedingly well, and are a great compromise: I've only brought them. Not as cool as a true summer glove, but warm enough in 40 degree weather with the heated grips. Totally dry when in that compartment, and it is pretty convenient to just pull your hand out and reinsert in the desired chamber. Typical Held quality and attention to detail with a built in visor wiper on the left index finger, decent armor and Superfabric sliders on the kangaroo palm. When it is time to replace my touring go-to Held Steves at home, these may just do it.

Boots are another new try...Dainese Freelander Gore-tex. Totally dry, very comfortable, very, very light. I actually like these better than my Daytona Road Stars, they are significantly lighter, cheaper and just as, if not more, comfortable. Great grip wet or dry, comfortable to walk in. These were a "find."

UPDATE: Both the gloves and the boots failed miserably on my 2021 trip and were returned for a refund by Gore...more on that when I get to the 2021 post.


The Aerostich works as it always does...perfectly. The only downside to the one piece is that it takes up a lot of room at the cafe when you take it off...things are "tighter" in Europe, so that's a bit more of an issue. Otherwise, perfect.

Ok, back to more fun stuff (although I do find the gear fun).

 

[kickstandsup]

No pictures of the rain ride, and it was back to sunny as I climbed my way up to Casa Olea. The road there:

Now I want to try and give you some perspective on what these roads actually look like, and I'll use Google maps "street view" to do it since Mia does not have my unicorn bike's desired "nose cam"

This is literally "turn one" as you come up from the lake...in the shot above, it is the hard right hander just below and to the right of the SP72 moniker.

Another example a few turns later...

And another...this is why a nice light bike is my unicorn. Remember, these are 2-way roads, and that includes trucks, buses, pedestrians, cyclists and the truly dangerous: tourists like me. You quickly learn to twist your head, trust your tires and throttle up!

But the reward is soooooooo worth it.

Casa Olea is peaking thru the olive trees (they harvest the ones on the property) and this is the door to the Bat Cave

Mia, as always, is well cared for (well, except when I dropped her on Stelvio 😭😭😭)

You take the lift up to the "pool level," walk up a pathway to the deck and the waiting welcome party!

The entire house is made from the stone you see, inside and out. You enter into the bedroom, the living area is upstairs.

Bob's already taking a rest.

 

[kickstandsup]

Up the stairs...

Kitchen area to your right

And now the money shot...

A flurry of unpacking, a walk up the hill to a small, but exceedingly well stocked grocery store for some essentials like Aperol spritz ingredients, and I raise a glass to the luck and hard work that's allowed all this to happen.

That night, we had some big, big thunderstorms and I woke up to these stunning views:

But OMG, I forgot something vital at the grocery: coffee. I'm starting to shake typing this hours later...a great excuse to hoof it down to Varenna for some breakfast and a perfectly crafted cappuccino (or due).

There are some shortcuts down

Past the train station

And the ferry dock

Along the path and thru the tunnels

Worth it!

 

[kickstandsup]

After the required lunch for breakfast, let's wander Varenna's nooks and crannies, shall we?

Gone too long without a motorcycle shot. 😀. The main piazza.

Now you have to love this set up: house is below, this is off the road, behind a fence, you must take the lift up to the "viewing platform"

Took a couple of "shortcuts," one of which put me about 700 meters too high. See the church? I need to be over there... Oops. 😢

A truly beautiful place! Time to stroll to the market and decide what's for dinner...

Ciao!

Update:

Fresh pasta, garlic, zucchini, olive oil and an excellent 2014 Barolo. 😁. They need better wine glasses...I'll suffer thru...I did notice a decanter somewhere...

 

[Chickenstrip]

Beautiful trip, stories and photos. Remind me when these are from .... recent? Spring last year? I ask because it's looking pretty cool and damp. I love to see a photo of that lake vista with sunshine.

 

[kickstandsup]

Beautiful trip, stories and photos. Remind me when these are from .... recent? Spring last year? I ask because it's looking pretty cool and damp. I love to see a photo of that lake vista with sunshine.

This was August, 2019. There often were afternoon/evening/overnight thunderstorms that rolled thru. The weather was "changeable" sunny-ish in the morning, almost always some clouds hanging about, made for interesting skies and sunsets.

The rain never lasted very long, but could be quite heavy for short periods.

 

[kickstandsup]

Passed Out???

These last few days, I've been relaxing and enjoying Casa Olea; the view, storms, sunshine, pool. Reading. Cooking. Walking down to Varenna and crawling back up. Getting lost on the pedestrian paths and ending up many meters too high. Watching the ferries' gentle wake slowly fade.

Kinda like this; as a Leo, I can relate:

My daughter will be arriving sometime next week, and my wife the week after that. But, Mia is in the garage and there's a pass just north of here connecting Italy to Switzerland: Passo della Splugen. Friday morning I head north for an "out and back" hopefully before more T-storms roll in.

The climb starts as any other pass, i.e., tight 180 degree uphill switchbacks. Turn your head, look up and over your shoulder to see what's coming down, carry some speed, look waaaaay thru the turn, throttle up and don't drift wide. Got it.

Except Splugen throws in a few more wrinkles: hairpin turns inside unlit tunnels that are themselves not wide enough for 2 cars, and uphill hairpins immediately as you pop out of a tunnel. All mixed with the usual cars, motorcycles, bicycles, vans and trucks. Going up and down. Beeping is the methodology to get thru a not wide enough tunnel.

I work my way up, including navigating a car that decided to back up in the middle of an uphill hairpin, and the TomTom tells me I'm almost at the Swiss border. The Swiss side is much more "open," or so I've heard. I'm not going to find out today because there is a large black cloud directly in front of me, with some bolts of lightning.

I pull over, take a few deep breaths, say "fuck it," turn around and do it all again...downhill. I've taken no pictures because, (a) I'm busy, and (b) there's no pull outs. I can barely tell you what the scenery looks like...this has not been a very enjoyable ride.

The storm has been chasing me down the mountain and as I roll back into Casa Olea, the sky opens.

Am I "passed out"?

Sitting with another bottle of the very nice 2014 Barolo, I try to answer that question for myself. The Barolo is a good lubricant.

I truly love the Alpine scenery, it is breathtaking. The jagged peaks juxtaposed with lush valleys. The ever present party at the top, the culture. It is grin-inducing and inspirational. And most of the riding I've done here has been absolutely fantastic.

But if I'm honest, constant switchbacks are not my favorite kind of riding; I like the road to be a bit more open.

This, which was Alsace, France,

And this, the Route de Cretes, France, a "ridge road" with spectacular views.

Or this, which was Tuscany (shout out to my wife who has serious pillion camera skills)

Or even this, Applecross Pass in Scotland (ditto)

Or all the road through Appenzell...

Vs. this, which is the beginning of Stelvio, and really, every other pass design is virtually identical.

A Google street view of a Splugen tunnel, uphill hairpin to follow immediately.

I like roads with rhythm; switchbacks are all stop and go, no flow. Hard on the gas, hard on the brakes, throw her over; repeat. The joy becomes the view at the top, and to the extent you have time to see it, the view along the way. Ideally, I'd like a bit more journey, a bit less destination. Constant switchbacks are like a one note song...once the novelty wears off, it's boring.

Really, I'm more of a Spa Eau Rouge kinda guy than a Monaco Fairmont Hairpin aficionado. Which looks like more fun to you?

 

[kickstandsup]

That's why they make different flavor gelato...

So, passed out? Not really, but I won't be rushing back to Splugen, at least the Italian side. It can't all be pesche e crema, right?

But regardless, you have to do it with style...

 

[Chickenstrip]

Regarding turns of choice, I hear you about non-stop hairpins, but really, I'll have to imagine it ... maybe one day I'll do Stelvio enough to say I'm bored with it. But I grew up watching F1 in Monaco - I imagine many of us did - I when I think of F1 that's what I think of.

On the other hand, my GF's sister lives in Spa. So maybe, if I'm lucky (or plan for it), I'll get to see F1 there.

 

[kickstandsup]

Regarding turns of choice, I hear you about non-stop hairpins, but really, I'll have to imagine it ... maybe one day I'll do Stelvio enough to say I'm bored with it. But I grew up watching F1 in Monaco - I imagine many of us did - I when I think of F1 that's what I think of.

On the other hand, my GF's sister lives in Spa. So maybe, if I'm lucky (or plan for it), I'll get to see F1 there.

Stelvio is a very busy pass b/c it is so famous. Have to say though, that as I gain experience doing the "others," the lesser known passes (to us) are much more fun. That said, you have to do it at least once. John Hermann's Motorcycle Journey's Through The Alps is the bible.

And, what the hell are you waiting for? Ship that Triumph! As the saying goes, if you wait, all you get is older.

A sneak preview:

 

[Simmons1]

Stelvio is a very busy pass b/c it is so famous. Have to say though, that as I gain experience doing the "others," the lesser known passes (to us) are much more fun. That said, you have to do it at least once. John Hermann's Motorcycle Journey's Through The Alps is the bible.

And, what the hell are you waiting for? Ship that Triumph! As the saying goes, if you wait, all you get is older.

A sneak preview:

Linda and I at Stelvio circa 2005.

 

[kickstandsup]

Linda and I at Stelvio circa 2005.

LOL...my first time was 2005 as well...looks like you had better weather!

 

[kickstandsup]

The following week my daughter flew in from Chicago. One of the best things about Varenna is the location...not only stunning, but an easy train ride from Milano Centrale, which itself is easily accessed from Malpensa airport.

We did the tourist thing for a week, including taking the train back into Milano to explore the city.

A few highlights:


Milano Centrale

The street entrance

Walk out the front and the Pirelli Tower is immediately to your right

La Scala Opera House

On to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II at the Piazza Duomo. Now this, this right here, is how shopping should be. 😎. Designed in 1861 and built between 1865 and 1867.

Hmmmm...owwwwww....

The tradition is that if a person puts their right heel on the bull’s testicular region and “turn on himself three times,” which is to actually rotate backwards, or counterclockwise, this will bring good luck.

You walk out the other side to the Duomo di Milano, the fifth largest church in the world; it took nearly 6 centuries to build.

It is hard to convey the building's scale...it is enormous, with incredibly intricate detail, everywhere.

 

[JimVonBaden]

According to this it is actually the third largest. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/largest-churches-in-the-world

Other than St Peters in the Vatican, 1st largest, I have seen 4 of these on the list, but my favorite is none of them. It is this one in Seville:

 

[kickstandsup]

Yeah, according to Wikipedia:

The cathedral took nearly six centuries to complete: construction began in 1386, and the final details were completed in 1965. It is the largest church in the Italian Republic—the larger St. Peter's Basilica is in the State of Vatican City, a sovereign state—and possibly the second largest in Europe and the third largest in the world (its size and position remains a matter of debate).[4]


Forever arguing who's bigger... ;)