2012-06-14 4AE1201 Edelweiss Alps Extreme

Willie has a mid life crisis:

So it all began when Willie looked at his upcoming 50th birthday and wondered what he could do to celebrate his surviving to this ripe old age, and the rest is history.  

Willie, or is it Godzilla!?

Willie did most of the work, acting more like a five year old the closer the tour dates loomed, and I wasn't much better as I was determined this was going to be the experience of a lifetime. Willie had selected a well known bike touring outfitter, Edelweiss Bike Travel leaving the rest of us to shell out the cash for the trip to our local travel agent and pack our gear for the trip, which would be six days on the bikes, and ten days in total. We would depart Toronto on the 13th of June and return on the 23rd of June after six days of motorcycle touring the Alps in Europe! 

Edelweiss Bike Travel 

Little did I know that I would have the herculean labour of more than 3,000 photos to sort through and upload to the then PicasaWeb (now Google Photos) albums. Updating anything became a daunting task, and I was easily able to set it aside until another day. Sorry folks.  

The Plan: (And the plan was good, but did not survive contact with the enemy, Chaos.)

Day 0 - June 13 - Leaving on a jet plane

Day 1 - June 14 - Arrival in Erding DEU
Day 2 - June 15 - We visit Munich DEU
Day 3 - June 16 - Bikes and Briefing
Day 4 - June 17 - Tour Day 1 - Erding DEU to KaunertalerGletscher, AUT
Day 5 - June 18 - Tour Day 2 - Kaunertaler Gletscher, AUT to Certosa Karthaus, ITA
Day 6 - June 19 - Tour Day 3 - Certosa Karthaus, ITA to Levico Terme, ITA
Day 7 - June 20 - Tour Day 4 - Optional - Day trip in the local area 
Day 8 - June 21 - Tour Day 5 - Levico Terme ITA to Monte Rota, Dobbiaco BZ, ITA
Day 9 - June 22 - Tour Day 6 - Monte Rota, Dobbiaco BZ, ITA to Erding DEU
Day 10 - June 23 - Totally off the rails
Day 11 - June 24 - There's no place like Home, There's no place like Home! 

Google Maps Link - Overview



The GPS file in all it's glory if you really must have it is here.

Day 0 - Leaving, on a jet plane:

And we're off!

 We arrived super early for the flight, and would spend a significant amount of time polishing the chairs in Pearson International.

Dazed and confused

It's a digital world.
Willie is showing Darryl his private collection
(of waypoints and tracks)

The engine purrs like a dream! 

Ten hours on a plane fighting over the arm rests... Sigh. Thankfully I managed to sleep for a time and subject the rest of the passengers to some real snoring.

Best out of three for the arm rest? 

And that is Europe down there! I'm so excited that I feel like a five year old.

That is Germany down there.
I'm fairly certain I've some distant relatives down there somewhere

Day 1 Toronto ON Canada to Erding Germany

Toronto CAN to Erding DEU

We'd boarded the plane on the 13th of June, and hopped off in Munich, Germany on the 14th. Tired and seat sore for sure. 

Bavaria Germany after a ten hour flight!

Hotel Mayr-Wirt
u. Str. 24, 83416 Saaldorf-Surheim, Germany

Some things are the same no matter what country you park in

We check in then deal with the real reason why we're here, to sample the beer!

Interesting indeed, but I'm pretty sure I'd just put on my rain suit instead... :)

Oops!

It's market day in Erding's main square. Bread, cheese and olives seem to be the norm, and what olives!

I imagine this square hasn't changed a whole lot but for windows and skylights over the years. 

The Mortar & Pestle of the Apothecary if anyone was wondering

Take note of the name. They brew some fabulous Weissbier

Weiner Schnitzel! Stuffed with bacon and cheese.

The beer garden in front of our hotel, and they've a head start on me!

The homes almost all sport red clay tiled roofs, and this example sits atop a  brick and stucco fence along the strasse.

Dessert! Brezels mit der wurst es Erdinger Dunkel.