Day 7: Wed 5th July 2006
Ride: Chamonix to Andermatt - 129 miles
The next couple of days were going to be spent in Switzerland and we'd booked a hotel in Andermatt for the tonight. From Chamonix we headed due east over the Col des Montets and Col de la Forclaz, through Martigny and Brig, and towards the Furka Pass. Leaving Brig the road got more interesting and eventually we passed Ulrichen, the start point for the Nufenen Pass. Coming out of Oberwald the pass road starts in earnest. The road up from the western side takes you towards what you think must be the Furka but which is in fact the Grimsel. Bearing right at the base of the Grimsel lets you see the Furka in all its glory. It's a cracking road, reasonably wide and well surfaced.
The two views below were taken looking down from the Rhone glacier viewing point just below the summit. They just about show where the Grimsel and Furka meet in the valley floor. The hairpins on the right of the left-hand picture are the Grimsel.
Here's a group shot taken by Gaz at the same viewing point.
(L-R) Chris P, Kyle, Chris B and Phil
And below are a couple more photos taken at the same viewing point, this time of the bikes.
Kyle's SV and Gaz's Blackbird with Chris B and his K1200 in the background (L) and Phil's K1200 (R)
After a cup of coffee we got back on the bikes and rode up to the summit.
Top of the Furka Pass: Phil (L) and Chris B (R)
The pass going down into Andermatt on the eastern side is much tighter and without the benefit of any armco or any similar protection on the open side of the pass. A momentary lapse of concentration at this point and you are facing a long drop. However, we all arrived safely in Andermatt.
The hotel we chose, Hotel Bergidyll, was very popular with bikers. With secure parking, reasonably priced, and with good food it wasn't difficult to see why - later that evening there were at least 15 bikers who sat in the hotel bar to watch the World Cup semi final football match between France and Portugal.
Below is a photo of Chris P, Gaz and Kyle as they arrived at the hotel.
Hotel Bergidyll in Andermatt, Switzerland
Ride: Oberalp, Lukmanier & St. Gotthard - 97 miles
When we'd checked in at the hotel most of us were happy to get out of the saddle and relax for the rest of the day - except Phil and Gaz. While Chris B, Kyle and Chris P retired to the bar Phil and Gaz were the only ones with enough energy to get out and ride the Oberalp Pass, Lukmanier Pass, and St. Gotthard Pass roads. If you're planning a trip that takes you near Andermatt it's certainly worth making the effort to ride the 97 mile loop that includes all of these passes.
If you look at the photo above, towards the top left-hand corner, you can might be able to make out the entrance to the tunnel which the cog railway uses. This railway winds up the Oberalp immediately behind the hotel alongside the road, before joining it once again out on top.
The Oberalp is excellent for bikes with fantastic wide grippy hairpins and great sweepers once you get out on top.
Below is a view taken from the top looking back towards Andermatt. It's from here that you run down to Disentis where the Lukmanier is well signposted.
This pass could be one of the best but unfortunately the road surface is terrible. It's been laid in concrete in what appears to be 25ft long blocks so every 1/2 second you hit one of the joins between the two. Phil reported that neither him or Gaz could find a comfortable pace. Not even with the K1200's ESA where ultimately the Sport setting was the best.
Gaz next to his Blackbird enjoying a break on the way up the Lukmanier pass
From here we dropped down into Biasca and then hopped on the Autoroute A2 to get up to Airolo where St. Gotthard - or San Gottardo on that side of the pass - starts. The exit off the autoroute is well signposted but you need to remember that there are two pass roads. The one signposted is the newer pass - a fantastic bit of road engineering with hairpins built on stilts out from the mountain. But there is also the old original pass - the Via Tremola - which is still open for those with mountain goat blood in them.
Below is a view of the new pass showing one of the open tunnels.
And here's a fantastic view of the old pass taken from the same point.
The old St. Gotthard Pass
From there it's down the equally nice north side of the pass that takes you back into Andermatt.
