Day 5 - Wednesday 29 June
The sort of day I come to Europe for, that makes it all worthwhile.
My WDW2014 plan to ride some Swiss mountain passes being thwarted by an extra day in Mulhouse waiting for an alternator, I had unfinished business with Switzerland.
Not after today!
Setting off from Landeck, I was soon passed by my first WDW fellow-pilgrims (4 French bikers, 3 Monsters & a streetfighter). Over the border into Switzerland, I headed towards Susch with a view to riding the Fluelapass. Glorious sunshine, though still pleasantly cool, little other traffic, sweeping bends, and even when I had to stop for roadworks (some involving riding a few metres over gravel - eek ) I noticed that the Swiss seem to employ a disproportionate number of rather attractive roadmenders (although the high-vis orange doesn't really do it for me).
Although at Susch it turned out the Fluelapass was closed to traffic - unattractive orange high-vis guy stopping anyone heading right there - having consulted the map I realised I could make a loop of the Albula and Julierpasses. There followed a morning of playing in the mountains - again, on quiet, beautiful roads, through splendid scenery, rarely having to stop. At the cafe on top of the Julierpass (hot choc and stodgy nut pastry) I got chatting to a local on a Panigale. As I got off my bike, I stretched - I think he interpreted this as a sort of cheer/sun salutation/victory gesture, which it might as well have been.
Back down the mountain, with a splendid view of the kitesurfers on the Silvaplana lake near St Moritz (and a less fortunate view where a German lass on a metric cruiser had dropped it mid-hairpin - she was ok) I thought I must be nearly down to earth. There followed the insanely switchbacky Malojapass, and eventually the Italian border.
I bimbled down the west bank of Lake Como, stopping for ice cream in Dongo (yes, do go - there are lovely views of the lake there) before eventually arriving at about 6.30 at the Visconti hotel near Gallarate.
Ursa turned up shortly after (following the "Pompone-tours" rideout to Mottarone) and we exchanged smugness about our hotel having aircon, while the UKMOC boys' frathouse B&B did not.
After a shower, back into biking kit and Ursa & I rode off to Tradate for the 100HP knees up, meeting the rest of the UKMOC WDW contingent (the boys apparently taking even longer to do hair/make-up/get organised as they turned up later). My first grilling about Brexit this trip, as well as the grilled sausage patty (salmella) and an attempt to convince one of the 100HP that his girlfriend should get a Monster.