On the road again

After a fantastic 4 day rest in Como while the wet weather passed, I hit the road with the start of the fine weather. That night I cycled on and on, but was unable to find a suitable place to put the tent after clocking up 75km and starting the day at 1500 I thought id better stop at the hotel that was at the end of week four it has been dark for a couple of hours by now and the roads seem dangerous even during daylight There was a good cycleway that lead me into Crema for about 6km.

The sky is blue this morning and looks as if I'm in for a hot day.

Location : Via Luigi Cadorna, 7, 26013 Crema Cremona,

At last

Taking a few days rest before leaving for Rome  I had some rain but its lovely and sunny now enjoying great Italian cuisine and hospitality. Had to repack my front wheel bearing. My bike started making a noise on the Gotthard pass where i just put oil inside and adjusted now running tight and smooth wondering what will happen once i get to Rome and the possibility of carrying on to Brindisi or possibility of going to Grease. South seems the only option with winter coming to northern Europe.

Location : Via del Galletto, 18b, 20020 Cogliate MB,

Metal spaghetti in the lasagna

Thought last night was going to be the night where I got the on the spot fine for stealth camping in Switzerland, with a helicopter circling over head last night and again in this morning.
The mountain hardwear trango 2 ain't the least bit camouflage being orange and grey.
Pushed off about 10:30 after coffee and obligatory hang the fly to dry there is always quite a bit of condensation. I got to lake Maggiore and followed it to the Swiss Italian border. Where I met Andre a Mexican moving to Switzerland with his family we stopped for lunch at what seemed a posh lake side restaurant but when the wine arrived it had cork in it, i didn't mention it, just fished it out but when i found metal wire in the lasagna I had to say something. The waiter brought me a new plate but no discount or free wine. Oh well should have made a bigger fuss. Don't remember the name of the restaurant may be Andre if he reading this will let us know.  Now setting up camp in campo del flors a national park next to a ruined house. Great day, nice weather got the thermals back in the deuter panniers and shorts back on.

Location : Valganna Varese,

Gotthard to the north

The weather was fantastic today set off from Andermatt at about 10:30 with the temp at about one deg it was 12km to the summit and was surprisingly easy. Not the steepest road we have encountered so far the mountains where snow capped and plenty of people giving thumbs up and cheering as they drove by. I stopped at the top and got stove on for coffee. After about a hour it was starting to get cold so started the decent on the cobbled road  now 1853M and still got about another 100M to descend before starting the next climb before making it to Italy. The temperature is  much warmer here. The road broke in to tarmac at Airolo. I stuck to the road all the way. Not  the route bikeroutetoaster had made was more for walkers but if you had a unladen mtb and didn't mind walking some of the way even carrying it over some big rocks, a good man could have done it. Terrific ride some of the best scenery so far.

Location : 6524 Moleno,

Andermatt and chilly

Left the hotel with clean dry clothes and well needed rest cycled  past lake Lucerne where i stopped for coffee, with magnificent views of Buochserhorn 1807m snow capped and just as i sipped back on hot coffee admiring the view the swiss air force came over doing loop da loops in formation they buzzed about for quite a while having all kinds of fun. propeller driven planes on the nose quite big I thought I was at biggin hill watching the red arrows again, finished off the coffee and went through quite a few tunnels great cycle path all the way to Erstfeld where i caught a train to Andermatt 1000m gain in  altitude. The road signs say Gotthard pass open and icy....   great :-P

With snow forecast for tomorrow night and 4deg C temps during the day i think it going to be my last chance to make it over before it to cold sets in. Think ill put the Patagonia thermals on for tomorrows ride along with full length gloves. Ive still got about 600m altitude to climb to summit the pass should be fun the start of week fives map and then on to Italy.

Location : Gotthardstrasse 2-18, 6490 Andermatt,

Snow ice sun and rain

Stopped for a rest today to wash clothes and charge batterys. The weather clearing and i can now see the snow on the alps still many meters to climb looks as if the temperature on the gotthard pass is -1 yeah its cold wonder what the night time temp is. Wednesday the temp is going to rise to 8 deg C so itooks as if that will be the day to cross over to the south side of the bump into Italy. Thinking of getting a train to Andermatt where i will keep a closer eye on the weather got way tomuch kit for such a climb i think Andermatt will give me a good start at 1820m and me being at 440 and the summit at about 2107 it going to save me breaking my self a bit worried about sno and ice on the road wish i could have my mtb for a day or 2.

Location : Müswangerstrasse, 6288 Schongau,

Location : Mattenstrasse, 6343 Risch-Rotkreuz,

Wet wet wet

Swiss rain has been getting the better of us. Tried to find hotel but every thing is booked out. Just found out there on the spot fines for stealth camping in Switzerland. I'm going to have to recycle my clothes tomorrow ugg. Dry in the tent for now.  phone battery getting really flat.

Location : Müswangerstrasse, 6288 Schongau,