8:30am - Everyone is excited about the next step in their tour guide training. This includes loading the bikes, pack all the things you need for our Edelweiss adventure and get prepared for the next chapter on our Edelweiss tour guide journey. Tom and Markus, two true veterans, will be our instructors and show us the highs and lows, mistakes and solutions for things that can happen on tour. It will be a tough week, but a great one!

Today we were able to scout the route we will have to guide in the following days. We were supported by one of the Edelweiss veterans and left in small groups of 3 in different directions.

You could feel a certain buzz already at breakfast. The same conversations happen on different tables. What is the weather forecast? Did you charge your GPS? Which route are you doing? And what motorcycle was allocated to you? Everyone was threatening the Harley Road King, except Ralph, who is a passionate hog rider. (Just a heads up some of us changed their mind regarding the Harley later.)

Under a blue sky and in hot temperatures we left the hotel. Everybody made their own personal experiences regarding the routing and other problems that showed on the ride. Some discovered the route was not optimized, coffee stops were closed and road access to sights not available. All in all an educational 1^st riding day.

Back in Bolzano we enjoyed the sun on a city tour through the town. An it is no surprise that we raided one of the many ice cream places and with some exceptions we treated ourselves to a big portion of Italian gelato. The evening found a hospitable ending in the Torgglhaus with an fabulous Italian menu...

… this is how the day's entry could have ended. But in reality this is were the work set in. Because this was the first time we had to our disposal. So we started to prepare our own briefings and flip charts way past midnight. 

After a scrumptious breakfast we were able to practice some of the exercises and skills from the Edelweiss-Alps-Prep course in the Safety Park in Bolzano. This was a lot of fun and everyone did take something on board from it. Riding technique is the foundation of safe, comfortable and efficient riding.

In the afternoon we went back to the classroom for more theory before Rubin and Heiko presented the 1^st welcome briefing on tour. They are scheduled to guide the ride for the next day. The two of them did a great job even so they got a hard time from our newly arrived American guests (real Doppelgänger of Tom and Markus )

Additionally, we had some late arrivals Florence from New York (don't mix her up with our operations manager Flo!) and Ernst a through and through passionate cyclist, who will be a new e-bike guide for Edelweiss.

Kurt is highly focused and looks kind of cool on the Multistrada

Today we start, the first holiday awaits us. After the first 15 hairpin bends we continue on fantastic routes to the church of Saint Helena with a good coffee on site. Flowing roads then lead us to our destination at Levico Therme. A great day with a cool group.

The second day of riding starts at 8:30am with the daily morning briefing. The tour guides and participants are highly motivated and look forward to a route from Levico Terme to Bolzano. It first goes along a highway in the direction of Trento, where the first surprise is already awaiting the tour guide. After this little test we were heading into the Brenta Dolomites and along the beautiful Lake Molveno. 

After an excellently prepared picnic on the way to Fai de Paganella, we went to the famous pilgrimage site of San Romedio. On the way to the Mendola Pass the first kilometers of free riding are celebrated. After reaching the top of the pass, a snow shower was successfully avoided during a short coffee stop before the day ended in an inconspicuous but unique fish restaurant.

After the daily briefing, shortly after Bolzano we set off towards Kardein with some great curves.
Finishing the ride on a very narrow forest road, we made a short stop at the famous "Kaserer Bildkapelle", where the tour guide told us some interesting details about the history of the chapel.

We left the forest and had immediately a stunning view of the famous mountain range called "Rosengarten".

After a short refueling stop, the plan was to make our way over the "Passo Lavaze" to Truden, where a sensationally arranged picnic would await us.
Unfortunately, we had to change our route at short notice because the pass was covered in snow.
Despite the cold weather, we really enjoyed our picnic.

Afterwards, we continued our journey towards "Levico Terme" just in time, as it was already starting to snow again when we left the picnic spot.

A short coffee stop at Sover allowed us to warm up a little with a cappuccino and affogato.

The winding mountain roads led us to "Lago Levico" where our tour guide colleagues enthusiastically welcomed us at our hotel "Al Sorriso".

After an extremely rich dinner and a good nightcap, everyone went to bed tired but very satisfied after this eventful day.

Tour-Guides: Lasse & Kurt
Van-Driver:    Heiko & Rubin

Last but not least – Our last day on tour starts with a smooth ride from Trentino to South Tyrol. We stopped for a photo opportunity in front of the castle in Pergine Valsugana and continued to the old town of Lavis, where we went yet of another coffee. It is no surprise that the patisserie across the road was immediately discovered and raided by our participants.

After a short break we made our way to the picnic location near Mezzolombardo. Here everyone had the chance to open their throttle on a free ride up and down the sweeping corners to Fia della Paganella.

Our picnic location this time was a little highlight in itself, away from the road in a little park-like area facing the mountains.

After the open-air briefing we set off to our second highlight of the day, Lago di Santa Guistina. This man made lake offered a spectacular vista over the valley. Requested by one of the participants we stopped once more in one of the local apple plantations, where the intoxicating aroma and abundance of the apple flowers temporarily clouded our senses. After a short intermezzo we were back in track where Markus our part-time journalist took some pictures of the individual riders in action.

Unfortunately, it then happened that one of our riders came down hard. Luckily, it looked worse than it was, after a short break Tom was able to continue the last leg of the journey on his bike.

It started off with the winding decent from the Gampenpass before we reached the busy valley with its quaint little villages and smaller towns. It was only a short distance to Bolzano before we reached the last hotel of our incredible journey.

In short, it was an exhausting but amazing week. The joint experiences brought us closer and I now do understand why our guests enjoy coming on tour with us. We are ready for the new season and very much are looking forward to it! Bring it on!