Tuesday: Switchbacks and Lakes

Today was a rider’s day.  Our main focus was on experiencing one entire mountain pass of nearly 50 consecutive switchbacks.  It sounded daunting to all of us, but really I think the drivers in our party were absoutely beside themselves with the challenge.  I wasn’t so sure how it would feel to ride on the back of the bike with absolutely no say-so in the speed or arc chosen for all those turns.  But I was set on putting it all in Raye’s capable hands and focusing instead on the thrill of the ride ahead. The switchbacks were carved into the Austrian Alps, the most beautiful mountain passes I have ever seen. As you look up the mountain, the road looks like a pile of ribbons, looping gracefully back and forth all the way to the top.  Raye maneuvered us carefully up through the turns without a hitch.  This was breathtaking and thrilling all at the same time since the sides of the road simply stop at the edges of the mountain.  Not much to catch you should you misjudge things too significantly.  We stopped at the peak near a dam holding back a beautiful “see” –- a lake — and enjoyed an espresso and some Austrian chocolate with our riding companions. Moving on, we passed through a quaint town with a chocolate factory, and you could smell the fruits of their labor all throughout the city. Frank took a pretty good ribbing from the ladies who couldn’t imagine not stopping at the chocolate factory gift shop.

Calling on my German more and more, today I successfully translated lunch menus for our table, and I can read many signs in the towns we pass through. Fierwehr – fire protectors, geminde amt – city hall, backeri – bakery, artz – doctor, apotheke – apothecary (pharmacy).

We stopped for lunch and ate sausages from the grill at an outdoor café on a mountainside. The weather has been warm, so we actually take off jackets, zip out the linings and sit outside under some shade to cool down. I never imagined the Alps region would be this warm but it is only like this when you are not sky-high.  At the top of the passes, it is quite cool.  And the mornings are always chilly regardless of where you are.

The ride up the next mountain is also filled with switchbacks and we see some minor incidents on this leg. One time we were riding too close to each other and our bike almost ran into the bike in front of us in the middle of a curve. The rider in front had to stop suddenly because an older man on a bicycle was just a few yards ahead of him but in the center of the road. Usually bicyclists stay to the edge of the road, but this one had wandered too far out. Fortunately no one was hurt, but the bike behind us had its rider slide off the back in the sudden stop. She hopped off but then hopped back on without too much trouble.  Believe me, you’re not going very fast in these curves, but the last thing you want to do is misjudge the apex of the curve.

Another time as we were riding down the mountain, we had to stop as a young man coming up the pass had just jumped off his motorcycle, put down the kickstand and jogged back down to the edge of a curve to help his female traveling companion with her bike. The young lady’s bike was off the road and up against the face of the rock wall, a victim of too much speed at just the wrong point on the curve. He helped her pull the bike back down to the road, and we slowly passed by them as he waved to assure us everything was under control and he did not need assistance.

We also find that, to move along in a timely manner, we have to pass slow-moving cars on these passes even when you cannot really see much ahead of you. This is always an interesting experience. Raye is very careful, but since I have no idea how fast the bike will go when we really need it, I just don’t watch at these moments. One of our fellow riders says his philosophy is that double yellow lines are just “suggested no-passing zones” as far as motorcyclists are concerned since we can move at a much higher rate of speed much more quickly than a car can.  Raye comments that on occasion the bike we are on sputters a bit when he turns up the juice. But otherwise I think it has been great fun to drive.

Dinner is always served at 7:30 p.m. in the dining room of the restaurant where we are staying. The cream of carrot soup and wienerschnitzel were sumptuous this evening. Raye and I have taken to the fresh salad bar and the cheese buffet afterwards – Austrian cheese is better than desserts.

iPod playlist: Steely Dan, Boston and Van Morrison

Want to see more photos? Click on the set “Tuesday: Switchbacks and Lakes ” to see highlights of the hairpin turns and immense peaks.)