The Highest Passes of the Alps - Challenge Part I completed!

Dienstag, 31. August 2021 | Thomas Ritt / Domenico Schiano Moriello / Holger Homann / Dieter Arnoth | Europa | Keine Kommentare

Checking another big one off our list...

The AMA Alps Challenge Part I is, unfortunately, over. Our riders from Utah, Tennessee, Arizona, and Washington had the ultimate blast while riding across two dozen passes in three countries, covering about 1,200 miles. They enjoyed switchbacks and sweepers and pizza and pasta (and pineapples) as they made their way across some of the highest mountain passes of the Alps. Memories were made and new friends were found and now everybody is waiting impatiently for next year when the AMA Alps Challenge Part II will take participants across Switzerland and all the way to the French Alps.

Cameraman Dieter is already busy working his way through 500 GB of video footage so you can look forward to some great entertainment later this year on the Edelweiss Youtube channel!

Motorcycle enthusiasts from around the US put their AMA membership to good use and descended on the Alps for a very special tour: The AMA Alps Challenge, part I.

This is the first of a series of three tours that feature the 40 highest paved mountain passes in the Alps over the course of three years. Part I covers the northern and central Alps from the Großglockner High Alpine Road all the way to the Swiss passes Albula and Flüela. In between, well-known pass jewels like Stelvio, Gavia, Sella, Giau, and many more are waiting for our eleven riders from Utah, Tennessee, Washington, and Arizona. Three days are behind us now and they absolutely LOVE the trip!

Day 1 - Arrival in Erding

The members of the American Motorcyclist Association have arrived, the bikes are ready... let the games begin!

Holger and Domenico checking out the bikes

Day 2 - Erding to Lienz

From the flat area of Munich, passing by the beautiful Chiemsee (the biggest lake of Bavaria), we went straight into the austrian Alps today, and there is no better way to begin this AMA Alps Challenge than facing the Grossglockner high alpine road! The quiet and beautiful little town of Lienz, on the other side of the Grossglocker, was our destination for today! Well done guys!

King Ludwig II guarding the Chiemsee, Bavarias biggest lake

A first glimpse of the mountains!

Rich passing on the Großglockner High Alpine Road

The Tennessee Three on the Edelweißspitze.

Teresa and Paul on the Edelweisspitze

Day 3 - Lienz to Klobenstein

A tour in the Alps is not complete if you don't ride in the Dolomites area, and that's what we did today! Leaving Lienz, we soon reached the border to Italy and, thanks to the beautiful weather, we enjoied a great ride on the most beautiful mountain passes of the area, Giau, Falzarego, Pordoi, Sella, Gardena... just to mention the most famous! Time passed by very quickly as we were amazed by the stunning landscapes, and finally we reached our beautiful hotel in Klobenstein, just above Bolzano, with its breathtaking view!

Lago di Misurina, the gateway to the Dolomites

On Passo di Giau, possibly the most beautiful one of the area!

We could have stopped at every corner to take pictures

Picnic by Holger. The first Edelweiss picnic where we didn't run out of butter...

On the Pordoi pass. The Dolomites are Unesco World Heritage, did you know that?

Last coffee break!

The view from the Sella Pass. In the distance you see the Marmolada glacier, the only glacier on the Dolomites

View from the hotel in Klobenstein. Not too bad...

Day 4 - This is not a restday :-)

A few options for today: go for a long ride until the Timmelsjoch, go for a shorter ride around the Ritter mountains, or just rest and go for a walk in Bolzano. The important thing is that everybody had a good day! Enjoy the pictures!

First picture stop overlooking Bolzano

Our movie director, Dieter!

Coffee break

The biggest vine in Europe! And probably the oldest too...

We drove up to Passo del Rombo...yiehaa! .what a great ride Paul! ..

Lunch on the Penegal mountain

Back at the hotel

Bolzano old town

Day 5 - Klobenstein to Livigno

Day 5 is the longest, highest, and hardest of the tour. We covered no less than 7 passes were on our menu today, with Gavia and Stelvio being the highest ones. Everybody had a blast!

Rich, taking a selfie in front of the awesome coffeestop panorama

Terasa being mad at Paul for riding all these passes! Especially this one, Passo Gavia, without guard rail, single lane, tight hairpins...

But the reconciliation followed soon! )

Day 6 - Restday Livigno

Breathtaking views of the Morteratsch Glacier at Piz Bernina

Day 7 - Livigno to Längenfeld

Eric enjoys his cigar...

Here the icecream micro AMA interview starts )

...and now Mitch being interviewed...Super!

Teresa helping Domenico for his once in a lifetime best super picnic

Thank you very much Teresa for letting it happen! Great food at a great location!

Mitch and Eric at the Garcher view... Wow, a shear drop down here with views on the upper Inn valley

Day 8 - Längenfeld to Erding

Our last days briefing...taking the challenge again. Most taking the way up to Timmelsjoch to take it from the bucket list which Paul did not need to do because he was already up there from the southern side.