A special thank you to all the riders of this family-sized group! It has been a wonderful time with lots of special lucky incidents that made this tour a special one!

Safe rides and I look forward to seeing and riding with you again!

Day 8 brought us back from Bozen via Penser Joch, Jaufenpass and Timmelsjoch

The bike return at the Edelweiss Bike Travel headquarters in Mieming

John and Greg inside and outside of the garage

Day 6 and 7 were our rest days in Klobenstein

No matter how many times you come to see the Dolomites, they will always be spectacular to look at and to ride

Near our hotel in Klobenstein

Earth pyramids near Klobenstein

A rest day without a ride? No we DON'T do that

Our second picnic at the passo Falzarego amidst the Dolomite mountains

Nor Delle and Holly at the Sella Ronda

Later the same day, the Lady threesome of our group secretly was sneaking away to visit the bee museum near Klobenstein A special event for all of us but especially so for Nor Delle - she is a beekeeper. Thanks ladies, this was truly a most enjoyable time!

Day 5 from Lugano to Klobenstein

This is the expert rider's day - long, countless curves of all kinds and so much fun

The morning starts out with a picturesque ferry ride across Lago di Como...

...and a relaxing coffee stop in a remote Italian biker's rest.

Antonio from Brasil always enjoys his Espresso

Passo del Vivione - probably the longest and smallest pass of the day but with a delicious lunch at the refugio

Towards the end of the day we mastered Mendelpass before we climbed up to Klobenstein, where we will stay for the next two days.

Riding Day 3 Brunnen to Zermatt

First thing in the morning was the ferry boat ride over the Vierwaldstätter See, one of the biggest lakes in Switzerland.

And soon after we came across a lucky incident:

We found a typical Swiss... ähh... how do you pronounce it???

Käsladen??? Ahh, a cheese producer's shop

It was a very interesting and enriching experience to watch Norbert producing his typical mountain cheese which is good to eat only after 2 (!) years of ageing!

  He even has Willhelm Tell, Switzerland's national hero, engraved on the wheel of cheese!

  Our ride continued to the passes around the Rhone Glacier - Susten, Grimsel and Furka...

...where Björn was awaiting us with a delicious picnic. Guess what we had - yessss, of course, some Swiss cheese

  Sometimes it's all about just sitting there and taking in, right John?

      Riding Day 2 - Pontresina to Brunnen

In the morning we passed St.Moritz and went up the first pass road for that day. View from "Splügen" Pass

      Antonio and Greg enjoying the landscape

First coffe stop. The cake they served was so delicious  

After San Bernardino we had lumch at a nice Italian restaurant close to Bellinzona:   Unfortunately we got a little bit wet during the afternoon, but as we had to go through the Gotthard-Tunnel due to a landslide that had blocked the Schöllenen Valley, we were completely dried on the 17 km long ride through the hot tunnel air.  

After having another coffee at Altdorf, the town of Wilhelm Tell, we reached the hotel in Brunnen next to the "Vierwaldstätter" - lake:

Riding Day 1 - Mieming to Pontresina   The chef of our base hotel for the Ultimate Alps Tour prepared the right dessert for us.

  Our Tour started in Mieming not far from the Edelweiss headquarters. Everybody adjusted to their bikes as we went through the "Inn-Valley".  

After going up the first pass road up to "Reschenpass" we stopped at the border to Italy.  

A few minutes later we visited the "Reschenlake". Nordelle and Jack in front of the floodes tower:

As everybody did very well on their bikes, after a Cappucino in Glurns, we went up the beautiful switchback road to Stelvio pass.  

Greg and the rest of the group in the background looking down into the valley from where we came up  

As we enjoyed Stelvio so much we went on to the Gavia pass

  While the riders continued over the some more passes, the "Van crew" took the route via Livigno, Italy...

...into Pontresina, Switzerland