Fotos: Late-Summer Day in the Swiss Alps

On saturday morning the weather was, well ... call it grey in grey. But the forecast was sunny, at last in the hills as we call here the Alps.
I put my items in the backpack and took me bike and went to the hills. It was an incredibly beautiful day in the alps. Crystal clear air, blue sky and sunshine the whole day.

My target for today was Juf. A little town of 30 seouls living at an altitude of 2126 MSL / 7100 feet SL. This town is the community at the highest altitude in the Alps, where people live the whole year (including winter).

In about one and an half hour I was in Andeer. There I topped the fuel tank off and then took the road to the Avers Valley. At the end of this valley is the town of Juf.
I made a few picures during the whole day. The following map shows the route I took.

- Blue Line: Route to Andeer. No fotos.
- Red Line: Route to the Lago di Lei, Juf, Splugen Pass, Chiavenna (Italy) Maloja Pass (back in Switzerland), Julier Pass, Lenzerheide.
- Yellow Line. Route back home No fotos

The whole trip was exactly 500 kilometers (310 miles). It took me 11 hours with 2 rest stops an hour each. I mad 67 foto stops.



The second map show the route where I made the fotos. In the foto-section of this report I will refer to the different points on this map.



And before I start with the fotos section, a last map which shows in which part of Switzerland (and Italy) the tour happend.



Well, I start this report at Andeer. Andeer is a little town at the road to the San Bernadino Pass.



The San Bernadino Pass road, called Via Mala (bad road). Point 1 on the Map



A little town at the Via Mala.



Filled her up before the adventure.



The entrance to the Avers Valley



The Ausserrhein River



A very good road.



Ausserrhein River



Even the water has to fight his way to the big Rhein River.



A little town with a narrow road.



A little lake with crystal clear water.



Not much space at the valley ground.



Avers Valley



Waterfall (foto taken from a bridge).



The road begins to ascend.



The Valley is still narrow.



The road to the Lago di Lei (Lake Lei). Point 2. on the map.



View to the Avers Vally from the road to the Lago di Lei.





Road to the Lago di Lei



Looking back to the Avers Valley



Scenery



A last tunnel ...



... and you're in front af a big dam.



It's the dam of the Lago di Lei. The dam itself is the border between Italy and Switzerland. The Lake is in Italy and Switzerland ... gets the electricity. No, it's a cooperation between the two countries.



Looking in the direction to Italy.



No, Sirrrr ... I didn't did that.



The proof I was there.



The 3 flags on the dam. Italy, Kanton (state) Graubuenden, Switzerland.



Back in the Avers Valley. Foto from a bridge.



As higher I came the lesser the trees.



Another picture from a bridge.







Houses in the Avers Valley.



Yep, it's a fuel station.



An old church.



The street gets bad.



Flowers in front of every window.



That's not off road, that's work in progress.



The end of the road: Juf. It's above the timberline.



An institution of Switzerland: The Postauto. This buses are operated by the Postal Service and they connect the remotest places of Switzerland with the socalled civilisation. The Postautos serve the public since 1906 and are successor of the post stages.
It once happend to me that I was fighting in the footpegs staying an narrow off road trail up a valley and I was sure, the only stupid cratures up here were my foolish self and maybe a few mountain goats. Then ... BLAM ... suddently I was in front of such a gigantic Postauto. I was completly flabbergasted. I had no idea how he did that trail with this monster. And they are always on schedule. Comes rain or hell. They are as accurate as a Swiss Watch.



You would probably call that a bus terminal. Maybe one shoe size smaller.



The scenery in Juf. Point 3. on the map.



The Town of Juf.2126 MSL / 7100 feet SL. 30 People.
Because of the influence of the mediterrean weather, in winter they have "only" 20 to 30 feet of snow.



My battle cruiser and 2 beemers.



It is for sure not a bad idea to have some fire wood for the winter.



The road back to civilisation.



The trees are reappearing.



Look at the bridge in the background.



The bridge. About 300 feet above the river.



I got this shy marmot in front of my camera.



What came up must go down.





The swiss side of the Splugen Pass. Point 4 on the map.



The custom station on top of Splugen Pass. 2113 MSL / 7043 Feet SL (lower than the town Juf)



The italian side of the Splugen Pass.



Scenery



Artificial lake.



The first italian town after the highest point of the pass.



To the city of Chiavenna you have to give up 1700 meter altitude (5700 feet). Point 5 on the map.



The San Giaccomo Valley is steep and narrow.



San Giaccomo Valley



Some Towns are glued to the mountain walls.



In Chiavenna they have impressive backyards. Point 6 on the map.



Back in Switzerland. Thats not a castle; it's a villa that looks like a castle.



Road up to the Maloja Pass.



Scenery



Top of the Maloja Pass. 1815 MSL / 6050 feet SL Point 7 on the map.

The road to the top of the pass is steep. But once you're up there, you see that the Maloja Pass is a fake pass.
It's more like the last step up to a high plateau. After the Pass top, it goes down 20 Meters (70 feet) und there begins the beautyful Engadin high plateau with several lakes.



Silser Lake



Scenery at the Silser Lake.



A silly biker. He looks sweaty and tired.
I had to drink urgently before I get seriously dehydrated.



Some are surfing in California, some do it in the Alps.



Kites from kite surfers on the Lake Silvaplana.
We've got around 1'500 lakes in Switzerland. They are allover the place. I think, 1'500 is not a bad number for a country, which one third of its territory is rock and ice and which is only insignifcant bigger than the central park in New York.



Scenery like in a fairy tale. Champferer Lake. Point 8 on the map.



The road up to the Julier Pass.



Julier Pass road. Point 9 on the map.



Top of the Julier Pass. 2284 MSL / 7613 feet SL. Point 10 on the map.



Julier Pass



Marmorera Lake



Surses Valley



Dam of the Marmorera Lake.





Marmorera Lake. Point 11 on the map.



My Battle Cruiser is in better shape than I am. I'm getting tired, unconcentrated, I'm hungry and thirsty.



Surses Vally in the evening.



No, not China. The town of Tinizong is in the area, where beside german, french and italian the forth official language, the Rhaeto-Romanic, is
spoken.



The town of Riom. What looks like a church is in reality a castle from the 13. century.



Fish and salad. I think I have earned that meal. Then comes the last leg of my journey. Driving home. Point 12 on the map and end of the story.

O MY!!! a great ride and show and tell, amigo many thanks for ALL the MANY pictures you put,

Your RR is so cool, full of mountains, color, woods and lakes, everything that makes riding a bike that much better.

Damasovi

Magnificent scenery and riding roads. That is one colourful 'strom.

Wow.



Thanks.

Surrlibrumm,

Great pictures and ride report!

Is that a Pharao Jacket and pants combo? if so how do you like it.

this is why we dig thru the ride reports! to find this sort of gem......great paint on the VS too.....love it....thx......Bruce

Thank you for your comments.

Yep, its a Pharao combo.

I like it very much. Practical, comfortable and very important ... water tight.

I have also the enduro-boots, the backpack and the bellybag from Pharao.

All items of the whole Pharao line have a good price performance and they do what they are designed for.

Beautifull pics and good report
Thank you
Here are few pics from my trip on Swiss alps on beggining of august 2008
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7628886&postcount=822

Beautiful scenery and pictures! Your V-Strom looks also great! Thanks a lot for your detailed report. Maybe some day I can travel that part of the world...

STUNNING! Scenery.. A must ride one day. Tell me Surrlibrumm, what ride suit are you wearing? It isn't BMW is it Rukka?

WOW !!!!!

Awesome photographs !

Absolutely love switzerland!

My gear is the "Pharao" line from POLO. POLO sells motocycle gear in Germany and Switzerland.
I don't know if they sell the gear also in the US.

http://www.polo-motorrad.de/

At least Steve Glenn knows it.

Fantastic Pictures


I rode through the mountains a couple of years ago with the missus, we stayed in Luzern. It's a beautiful country you have!

Super pics - you certainly had great weather.

I finally got to ride the Via Mala this year in mid July.

Over the Splugen Pass in the rain at 6 degrees C :eek1

Stayed in Thusis that night.

This is one of those parts of the world that photos just do not do justice to - it has to be experienced to be fully appreciated.

Wow mate very nice pics

Thanks for the great trip report. My wife and I fell in love with Switzerland on our honeymoon (almost 20 years ago - Grindelwald area, just west of this trip). We would love to do a motorcycle tour there some day soon. Your pictures are very motivating! (or is that motovating?)

rw

A few more pictures, not from the Alps but from the foothills of the Alps.

I made this loop on friday afternoon in the north-eastern part of Switzerland. In these area there are at least a gazillion hills before the mountains of the Alps.

It is a bike Eldorado. Turn after turn after turn after turn..

The loop I made was 200m Kms (about 120 miles) and took me 4 hours driving time.




Map



I started on a gravel trail.



Hills



Hills



Scenery



Scenery





The town of Lichtensteig



Hills (I told you there are gazillion of them)



Scenery



A rare gravel trail.



Guess what ?



Typical farmer house.



Choose between hills or scenery.



I needed refueling. In the background the Säntis, the largest Mountain of north-east Switzerland.



Ahhh ... hills ... probably.



The town of Hemberg at the top of a hill.



The Säntis comes closer.



No hills, no scenery; this is a foto.



Beautyful small roads. It seems, they are made for bikes.



Insert comment here by yourself.



Hi girls !!!



Säntis



We call 'em hills.



Road to the Schwägalp-Pass.



Pass road.



Earth history



View from the Schwägalp-Pass (1'278 m / 4'260 ft MSL)



Cablecar to the Säntis-Top.



Cablecar-Station



Säntis with cablecar station on top. (2'502 m / 8'340 ft MSL)



View from the foot of the Säntis.



View from the foot of the Säntis.



At the foot of the Säntis.



Back to the hills. A small town.



The border between hills and mountains.



Hill with farmer house.



The Alps are not far away.



A look back at the Säntis.



Small town.



Speaking of thumpers: a beautifully restored Lanz Bulldog.
A single cylinder, 10 Liters engine displacement.



The sun is slowly setting.



The Town of Sternenberg (Mountain of the Stars).



Not far from home.



A last bend and I'm home.

Seems you live in Paradise! I bet it gets miserable in winter though!!

Foto from a trip over the Pragel pass.



This pass road is very narrow and at some points very steep (18%). Because the road is
so narrow, it's closed on weekends. Otherwise the road would be completly clogged
within an hour.



Commming from the Ibergeregg pass, high above the Muotathal.





Muotathal Valley





The town Muotathal



Entry to the Pragel pass.















The road to the pass.



This picture is NOT from India.





this is an old and protected forrest. Trees are up to 500 years old.





At the road to the pass.



The pass in the background.



Last kilometers to the pass.







At the pass height. 1'558 Meter / 5'193 feet MSL

When I turned the bike around I got on a cowpad a laid her down.



The Glarner mountains on the east side of the pass.



First glimpse of the Klötalersee.



Craggy mountains













Klöntalersee (Lake Klöntal)



Which translates into ... Don't get your helmet off.







Coming back into the socalled civilisation.





On the way home