Euro Cycle Touring 2018

A 16-day adventure by Nikki Read more

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Trip start
August 28, 2018
Euro Cycle Touring 2018 Traveler
Milan
August 28, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Warm weather welcomed me to the lovely city of Milano. Picked up my rental touring bike - which came with the worlds biggest heavy duty bike lock (and that was their lightweight one!). Successfully navigated back to my accomodation - but was very wary on the cobblestones and across the tram tracks - I felt like a tortoise compared to the locals who zip round at speed without a care in the world.

So you’re meant to shop in Milan...so I did. Was it for designer fashion, elegant shoes or handbags? Unfortunately nothing quite so glamorous just some adaptors whilst checking out the flagship Apple store - and this one didn’t disappoint with a spectacular entrance worthy of its location in the mecca of fashion!Read more
TravelerGreat photos & blog... stay safe ❤️🌹
9/1/18Reply
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Mooching in Milano
August 29, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
A visit to the Duomo and the roof terraces was a great way to start the day. Inside - stunning marble floors and 52 soaring gothic columns and after 250 steps up to the high roof terraces - spectacular views of the 96 gargoyles, 135 spires and 224t statues.

Fun Facts:
• The Gothic cathedral took nearly six centuries to complete
• If the statues were placed on top of each other, they would reach a height of about 5,300 metresRead more
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More Milano
August 29, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C
Next stop was Galleria Vittorio Emanuele where all the high end designer brands are showcased under the fabulous glass domed roof. Too bad they didn’t get any business from me that day!

I nearly missed the famous La Scala opera house. From the outside it is an unremarkable building. Perhaps on another visit I will get to see the sumptuous interior or even a performance.Read more
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$Sore or fractured?$
Plans go astray
August 30, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
A very frustrating afternoon trying to get consistent answers from Trenitalia regarding getting the bike on one of the train sectors the following day. ‘Booked out’ seemed to be their fall back position. After much angst I decided I’d wing it and see if I could sweet talk my bike on (it is Italy after all)....

The downside would be that if I couldn’t get on (or got booted off the train) then I’d forfeit my prepaid accommodation in Rosenheim and have to find somewhere else for the night and reschedule a different place to meet up with the others.

Also my arm/wrist continued be painful after my bike mishap 10 days before on a Sydney ride. Consultation with Dr Google suggests it could be badly sprained or I could have a fractured scaphoid in the wrist! Either way I needed to purchase a wrist support so that was an interesting exercise in visiting multiple chemists.

Next issue was that being a flat bar bike the hand/wrist position aggravated my injury so I had to find a bike that stocked accessories and bar ends. A cycle across the city over the dreaded cobbles and tram tracks was so painful but found the Decathlon sports store and got the necessary bike bits.

And to top it off, the dinner at the ristorante (which looked promising) was truly underwhelming. I mean how hard is it to make a decent pasta diviola in Italy!

Happiness Factor: extremely low right nowRead more
TravelerLooks painful!
9/1/18Reply
I am worried about your wrist if it really is a possible scaphoid fracture. I asked a Dr friend of mine who said if it is still this sore after 2 weeks you might need to get it checked (xray and possibly MRI as the fracture may not show up) as scaphoid can develop avascular necrosis if not treated properly and part of the bone dies. It really doesn't like being broken!! I hope it is feeling much better and it is just a nasty sprain. Penny x
9/4/18Reply
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Verona Vacillations
August 30, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
Travel day - or is it?

Panniers are packed and I get to Milano Centrale for the first train to Verona. I know I have this covered with tickets for both me and the bike. Getting the bike up onto the train was trickier with my sore arm not being able to take any weight but managed it in the end. I hadn’t anticipated how crowded each carriage was, so to find a seat required squeezing past multiple people whilst carrying the panniers.

To fill in the time before the next train I thought I’d take a ride around and find somewhere for lunch but that didn’t work out - I didn’t want to stray too far from the station and there wasn’t much on offer so station cafe it was.

I got to the platform with plenty of time to plead my case about getting the bike on - but not a single official looking person in sight or checking tickets. The train pulls in and I’m looking for the carriages with bicycle signs - and I’m still nervous about winging it and can’t even see a bike spot and I’m still standing on the platform. What to do... what to do.... finally with about 2 minutes before departure goes I see a conductor so I rush up and explain my predicament. So I must have done something right as whilst he agrees all the spots are booked he is opening up the bike area, lifting my bike up, tells me he’ll get it down for me in Rosenheim and then directs me to my seat (and I don’t even pay for a bike ticket)!

Happiness Factor: Creeping back to normal.Read more
TravelerIs this a bike rack on the train?
9/2/18Reply
TravelerHope the arm is getting better. Enjoying that you can now enjoy the cycle. Enjoying our cycle in Bali
9/2/18Reply
TravelerIt’s a bike rack outside a local station. Just one of many.
9/2/18Reply
TravelerHow is the arm now?,
9/6/18Reply
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Wet Wörgl
August 31, 2018 in Austria ⋅ 🌧 16 °C
How hard can it be to meet up with your fellow cycle buddies as the designated time and place?...Challenging apparently. Chris alerts me that he has hopped on the train going in the wrong direction and Richard & Greg are going to be late due to a logistical hiccup.

So with the weather worsening I decide to avoid the rain and hop on a train to our next destination of Wörgl rather than cycle. By the time we joined forces the rain had eased off so a gentle cruise around town was the cycling for the day.Read more
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Kitzbühel Kapers
September 1, 2018 in Austria ⋅ 🌧 12 °C
Arrived at Kitzbühel (by train) and explored this well known Austrian ski resort. They were having a weekend community festival with fire brigade rescues, market stalls and a wonderful oompah band. It’s a pretty little village even without snow.Read more
TravelerIs it cold then??
9/6/18Reply
TravelerIt was cool on the descent- and some intermittent rain
9/7/18Reply
Very pretty ....
9/7/18Reply
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Wörgl to Innsbruck
September 2, 2018 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
Time to move on to Innsbruck. Weather was overcast with some rain predicted. We pretty much followed the Inn River. The cycle paths were generally sealed and in excellent condition.

Cruised past lots of corn crops and through some pretty villages like Rattenberg (the smallest town in Austria, population 400).Read more
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Mayrhofen to Jenbach
September 3, 2018 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
Caught a couple of local trains up to Mayrhofen in the Zillertal Valley. This area in the Tirol is known for its ski resorts. It was a really pretty ride following the fast flowing Ziller river.

Spotted people practicing rafting capsize techniques. They did have wetsuits on but the water was glacial.Read more
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Innsbruck Efficiency
September 3, 2018 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
So this afternoon I fronted up at the Accident Department of Innsbruck Hospital to get my hand/wrist checked out. I had psyched myself up for a very long wait but in very Austrian efficiency I was in seen, x-rayed, diagnosed, reported on, strapped up and back out the door in .... drum roll .... 70 minutes! Unbelievable !

Anyway the excellent news is that nothing is broken or fractured, just very bad muscle bruising and wrist sprain.

Just as well they spoke excellent English as I would have had a problem reading this report!

Happiness Factor: High😊Read more
That's great news. If only we were always in and out that quickly from A&E. Px
9/5/18Reply
TravelerGood to hear you are ok!!
9/6/18Reply
Gosh .. that was a quick visit. Very pleased to read all is well ❤️🌹Amanda
9/7/18Reply
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Gallivanting to Gossensass
September 4, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C
Chatted to some locals on the train up to the Brenner Pass and they were recommending a really scenic diversion down a sealed rail trail to Gossensass.

So a quick change of plans and we were almost able to freewheel the whole descent. Glorious! (But is it cycling)?Read more
TravelerWow impressive looking!
9/6/18Reply
Sounds like a good mixture of sightseeing & cycling. Deb
9/7/18Reply
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Barrelling down Brenner
September 4, 2018 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C
So one descent before coffee, quick train back up to Brenner ready for our ride back to Innsbruck.

We barrelled down the initial road descent before diverting onto the signposted ‘Radweg’ (cycle route). This took us up some short but steepish climbs, through some tiny scenic villages. Great views throughout. An excellent day!

Saw quite a few touring cyclists with panniers going in the opposite direction (uphill) - they should have thought of the train option !Read more
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Ambling from St. Anton
September 5, 2018 in Austria ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C
Another day of cycling when you’re not really cycling. Train up to St. Anton (which probably looks prettier and more impressive covered in snow). Then the start of our 110km ride. A few warmup kilometers before a glorious descent that lost us most of the altitude. Then a scenic but long slog into a headwind. The guys were very chivalrous and I drafted a fair bit!

We shared the forest trail at Roppen with cows (unexpected) and as we wound through the trees we got glimpses of kayakers and rafters tackling the rapids on the Inn River.Read more
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Investigating Innsbruck
September 5, 2018 in Austria ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
The Bergisel ski jump overlooking the city is huge.

Fun Fact: From the top you look directly down into a cemetery (not very comforting for the athletes)!

Mooched round the old town area seeing the well known Golden Dachl (roof) and the Hofburg which is a former Hapsburg Palace with beautifully restored interiors.Read more
The cemetery at the base is just an exquisite example of perfect logistics planning.
9/8/18Reply
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Gaming the System
September 6, 2018 in Austria ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C
It’s always very satisfying when you can overcome bureaucracy- not once but 3 times!

Getting bikes tickets on trains (particularly cross border trips) has been challenging. So getting Greg’s bike on 2 sectors which apparently had no more bike places left was a major win. As was the four of us getting on without tickets, after our Brenner diversion.Read more
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Sermione Sights
September 6, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Bye Bye Austria, Hello Italy!

A Sirmione side trip gave us a couple of hours to see this resort town on the southern bank of Lake Garda. I liked the medieval castle of Rocco Scaligera but it was a classic case of a well known spot overdone. Gelato stores, tourist trinkets or expensive clothing throughout the small streets.

Happy to cycle onwards.Read more
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Not so boring Brescia
September 6, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
At first look this second largest city in Lombardy didn’t look seem appealing but the Piazza della Loggia had a temporary installation of plants in colourful Mondrian patterns against the backdrop of the imposing city hall.Read more
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Looping Lake Iseo
September 7, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
A glorious clockwise cycle around the lake. Pretty views all the way, through tunnels and arches and past crumbling old properties.
It doesn't take much to convert desert to deserve.
9/12/18Reply
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Leisurely Lecco
September 8, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Train delays, missed connections so a later than expected arrival into Lecco. Fab Airbnb accommodation. Managed to fit in a ride around town and short 35km ride along the river cycleway.

Lecco appears to be the favoured stop for the motorbikers who are doing a Lake Como loop. A 3 day Moto Guzzi Festival meant it was motorbike heaven!Read more
Looks stunning!
9/15/18Reply
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Novate Mezzola
September 9, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
Train up to the northern end of Lake Como to start our cycle down the Eastern shoreline. The route wound through small villages, past rocky beaches and small boat harbours.
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Views from Varenna
September 9, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
Supposedly the jewel of Lake Como. But all the small towns clinging to the steep shoreline are lovely. Some more tourist oriented than others which are still just local communities.
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Bellagio Beckons
September 10, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
Winding cliff hugging roads, a couple of dark 2km tunnels and then a climb to the saddle of the peninsula before a descent to Bellagio.

Sensibly avoided the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni for lunch as it would have broken the bank with the menu listing main courses at €80 and upwards.Read more
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Argegno to Mennagio
September 10, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
Five bikes on the ferry necessitated a call to the Captain so we were able to get to Argegno. It was great to see the lakeside villas from the water.

Villa Balbianello was spectacular - no wonder it featured in Casino Royale. Villa Carlotta at Tremezzo was very grand and is renowned for its gardens. Of course we were also on the lookout for George and Amals place - and contrary to popular belief, it is in Laglio, not Bellagio!Read more
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Italian Riviera
September 11, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
So the waterfront real estate on Lake Como’s western shore (Cernobbio, Moltrasio, Laglio, Brienno) is something else. Very grand palazzos, huge expensive hotels, lush and manicured gardens!

No offer of a Nespresso at L’Oleandra (where are your manners George?). Basically real estate envy for about 20kms.Read more
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Stairway to Nesso
September 11, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Ferry to tiny Nesso. Drawcard is the Orido (gorge and waterfall) that splits the town. The bridge is perfect for jumping off - as a few kids were doing. Drawback - carting the bikes 340 steep cobbled steps up to the road.Read more
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