Friday, September 2, 2022 | Franz Gmachl | Europe
Welcome to the Touring Center Austria, at lake Wörthersee , here in Velden, the Monaco of the Austrian Riviera (). Our guests arrived from Australia and USA are alllready familiar with European roads so we are looking foward to get our first KMs on our bikes. Excellent dinner at our Touring Hotel "Schönblick" gives the day a pleasant end. See you tomorrow......
We start our first riding day to the south entering Slovenia crossing the Loibl Pass. Immediatly you find yourself in an other culture and Landscape. Wild and rough mountainrange and deep valleys till we arrived in Bled, a beautifull little town on the same named lake with pitoresc fassades and excellent espresso.
As we got familliar with our bikes we increased the speed a little bit and arrived for lunchtime in Kobarid.
History of WWI and excellent restaurants make this little town allready a little famous. The Highlight of the day, the Mangart street and the Predil Pass make the first day perfect!
Second Day, Ridinggroup completed, finest weather, so we decide to ride up to the mountains. Low traffic, great landscape and neverending windig roads. Culinaric highlights allways on top of the mountains. Look at the pictures.......
Even if its raining you can have fun, and the first hours were not to bad. City of Klagenfurt, Chuch of Maria Saal, Fortress Hochosterwitz and Bistum Gurk. Great lunch and a Stop at the upcoming star of the chocolatiers in Friesach. have a look at the pictures.....
The day after the heavy rain, we started dry again and it stayed like this. Through the Julian Alps, and a nice coffestop in Venzone, we were at time for lunch, (the Bells were ringing), in San Daniele,.A short walk through te old town and then tasting Prosciutto and pasta under shady arcades, wonderfull.
The afternoon was mountainroad mc biking at its best, nothing for absolute beginners. Unkown passes like the Sella Chianzutan and Monte Zoncolan, including blocked road made us feel like on a real adventure tour. So now go for the pictures......
Our last riding Day on this tour starts with fine weather and so we got a sight that needs fine weather. Teh Pyramidkogel Tower. An impressing view over the lake district with disappearing mornig clouds. A small road lead us to the waterfall of Wildenstein, named after a castle that dissapeard after an earthquake in 1378!!!. The name is still there.Crossing Slovenia and entering Austria again over the Radlpass we finally got into the southeastern styrian wineregion an had a fine lunch at the Buschenschank from the vinery Tschermonegg, a famous one. The big final was the so called Soboth a fast but windy road, today with allmost no traffic. so time to say goodby. have a safe ride FRANZ