Tour Reports

Friday, 21 May 2010

As I write this, eagerly awaiting my wild boar stew, I look out over the mountain vista where across from the restaurant the owner’s son tends his goats, the faint sound of their bells hinting at the desert of goats cheese to come. Jesus, I wonder if I am really here or am I dreaming after getting stoned off my tits watching Heidi on the classics channel? It’s like something out of a kids story book, except I’m in it!!!

First site of the Matterhorn

First site of the Matterhorn

Road to Cervinia

Road to Cervinia

This morning I awoke at 5:30am, got my camera kit together, hoped on the bike and headed into the Alpine valley towards the great mountain peak, and for the 30km of twisty roads with utterly indescribable views, I realized my face had become wet with tears of pure joy, what a ride, I have no way of describing the sheer walls of rock and ice with heights that staggered my senses. And I was not the only one, on the way up I pulled in beside a group of German bikers, the look on their faces and the look on mine said it all, within seconds all of us had stupid grins, shared smokes like we had known one another for years and stared in dumb struck awe at the most powerful view I have yet to see, honestly it was like kneeling in the shadow of Titans! Nothing can really prepare you for seeing this place for the 1st time. Do yourself a favour and put this place on your list of things to do before you die or you will surely die before really living.

Mont Cervinia (the Matterhorn)

Mont Cervinia (the Matterhorn)

Tomorrow I head back over the French border but as feared the best and highest pass of Col de l’Iseran is still snowbound and no place for motorbikes so I have no choice but to take the motorway south to Torino and head west over the Montgenevre pass into France and the old Roman outpost of Briancon at an altitude of 1,326 meters it is the highest town in Europe.

These photos are geo-tagged, so just drag and drop in to Google Earth to see the locations of each shot. These shot were taken with just a compact camera. I’ll insert the links to the really good photos when I get a chance to go through them all.

Bon Route,
Denis


Next: 2010 Euro Bike Tour. Day 4 – Matterhorn to Briancon


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