This year we decided to ride from my parent's place to the Dolomites and back. We didn't have enough time to do the whole trip on bicycles and had to jump on a train for some sections. The purpose of the trip was not just to ride, but to meet friends and family along the way as well.
Our first stop along the Rhine - the cute town of "Stein am Rhein".
One of many castles along the way. You can hire this one for parties!
Kirsten has a new bike computer. I'm not sure it knows the tracks that well, it wanted us to ride down that hiking trail!
Taken on a gorgeous day walk by our friends. Don't you think these Swiss cable cars are dogdy?
On a day ride from Klosters to the Vereina mountain hut.
Some of our favourite food: roesti, veal in mushroom cream sauce and a cider!
After a short trip on the train through the tunnel into the Engadine valley we cycled our first mountain pass of the trip: Fuorn Pass (as in "oven" used in ironworks in the area, now it's part of the one and only Swiss National Park!). Not my favourite mountain pass because the road is too straight, so the cars go way too fast - not nice when you're going very slowly!
First impression of the South Tyrol: lots of different kinds of smoked pork, but you can also buy salami made of deer, stag or wild boar.
How's this for a local pub??
Every tenth apple in Europe comes from here, the valley floor of the South Tyrol, also called the Alto Adige. The guidebook suggested to ride on top of the hills rather than along the Adige river....
...so we tried. They made us fit 2 bikes and 6 people into this tiny cable car!
My parents met us in Bolzano for a 3 day round-trip to Cortina d'Ampezzo in their car. Cortina is at 1,224m altitude and the cable car takes you (in 3 stages) to Tofana di Mezzo at 3,244m !! And what a view - in the heart of the Dolomites!
Feeling a bit dizzy from the altitude, so I better sit down to enjoy the view!
My parents, looking fit and ready for adventure!
I took this shot without the cars, but Kirsten thought it was important to show that we were not the only ones! We had to pay for parking!
Just another impressive set of rocks in the Dolomites.
Back on the bicycles and eating large lunches!
We had to catch a train to make it to Milan on time to meet our Spanish friends. Just as well because it was 38 degrees every day! We really needed that abanico!
The Cathedral in Milan is very impressive - and impossible to get into one photograph.
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is one of the world's oldest shopping malls.
The next day: sunny and beautiful. So Kirsten decided it was time to do 2 mountain passes in one day (she didn't like the look of the accommodation half way).
So here's the first one....
...... then down we go, a quick lunch, and up the other side. Lucky the second pass was not as high!
One of the alpine lakes on the Grimsel Pass.
Towards the end of our trip we spent a few days with my sister in Interlaken. This is the view from her living room!
There must be too many bike riders in Switzerland! They are running out of space to store them at train stations and had to be inventive!
Great to see your report and the photos.Too bad I missed you in August.
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