I have to drive over 1000 kilometers from Berlin. I'm doing it in two stages on the outward journey. First, I'm going from Berlin to Großbettlingen, south of Stuttgart, and then the next day I'll continue across the Swabian Alb and Switzerland to Châtel in France.

In Thuringia I spot a "Rennpappe" (Card board racer)

I go over a covered bridge

And I get my Thuringian Bratwurst

In Bavaria I meet friendly Harley riders

It is quite hot this day

Marcellus prepares his bike at the same time

Marcus is ready to go

The next day I have dense fog for a long time while crossing Swabian Alb

Later I will see perfect Black Forest scenery

Beat gets ready too

I have planned a small challenge and have selected a specific photo object above Montreux

Caux Palace above Montreux

Caux Palace

View to Lac Leman from Caux

I get into France via Pas de Morgins

We meet at hotel Macchi in Châtel

The first day of the tour. We head for the small passes south of Lac Leman. A very beautiful area and the best conditions in glorious weather.

The motorbikes are waiting in the morning

But at first we have to celebrate Beat's birthday

The first pass

We are not able to ride this road

Ride over Col de la Ramaz

The beautiful weather allows for views to Mont Blanc

Our bikes with view to Mont Blanc

We meet two cowboys on Col du Feu

There we get our first morning coffee

Paraglider

Afternoon coffee on Col du Granier

View from Mont du Chat to Aix-les-Bains

Tom, Hermann, Marcus

In the evening rain pours down in Aix-les-Bains but we find a nice place for dinner

It rained during the night and the roads are still damp in the morning. We drive through the Chartreuse into the Vercors. There are lots of rocks, deep gorges and rugged mountains. A very beautiful area.

Beat gets ready

View from Le Revard to Aix-les-Bains and Lac du Bourget

Le Revard

Le Revard

The seven motorbike riders

Gorge at Pas du Frou

Chestnut farms in Isère valley

Vinay

Lunch in Saint-Marcellin

Gorges du Nan ahead

Gorges du Nan

Gorges du Nan

Col de Toutes Aures près Presles

Cirque de Combe Laval (Col Gaudissart)

Cirque de Combe Laval (Col Gaudissart)

Cirque de Combe Laval (Col Gaudissart)

Col de Rousset

Paraglider over Col de Rousset

Afternoon coffee

We have brilliant dinner as always in Gresse-en-Vercors

We continue south. The main destination is Mont Ventoux. But there are other highlights on this day. On Col de Grimone, the Glandage section was closed. The detour via small mountain roads opened up incredibly impressive views of Gorges des Gâts. And then there was the D994/D94 between Serres and Curnier. 50 kilometers of very well developed road with numerous bends and great scenery and very fast to drive. The Streetfighter and Superduke lived up to their reputation as hooligan bikes.
In the evening, we end up in an inconspicuous but good hotel in Séderon in the middle of nowhere. A “Relais Motards”. Very nice.

Gresse-en-Vercors at sunrise

Col de Fraisse - View to Mont Aiguille

Mont Aiguille

Pont de Brion

Col du Banchet

Gorges des Gâts

Gorges des Gâts

Gorges des Gâts

Gorges des Gâts

Morning coffee

Les Claps

D94

Mont Ventoux ahead

Mont Ventoux

Mont Ventoux

Tom and Marcus on Mont Ventoux

Sault

Montbrun-les-Bains

Dinner in Séderon

They offer Génépi

We pass the southernmost point of the tour. Then we head north again. Today's main destination is the Grand Canyon du Verdon. The weather is moderate. After morning fog and a few raindrops, it was gray all day. After midday we had a few kilometers of rain north of Castellane. Nevertheless, the canyon and the reservoir are quite impressive. Only the blue of the water was missing. You need sunshine for that. We reach Allos on the southern ramp of the Col d'Allos. Unfortunately, the pass is closed. We were aware of this.

Morning fog in Séderon

Sisteron

The Col de Pas de la Graille is very bumpy on the northern ramp. It is also raining lightly.

Pas de la Graille

Morning coffee in Forcalquier

Lac de Sainte-Croix at the begin of Grand Canyon du Verdon

Grand Canyon du Verdon

Grand Canyon du Verdon

Grand Canyon du Verdon

I have to look at it carefully

Grand Canyon du Verdon

Castellane

Little friend at lunch in Castellane

Cue de la Roche Percéa

Col d'Allos is closed. We get the message early

Ski Hotel Plain Soleil in Allos

Allos

Dinner in the hotel

There were heavy thunderstorms with heavy rain during the night. The rain eased a little in the morning, but the roads were still wet. A mudslide on the Col des Champs blocked our way. So we had to head back south and then over the Col de Colle-de-Saint-Michel and through the Gorges de Daluis towards Valberg and then over the Col de la Cayolle. Everything was wet and then rain, fog, cold and wet roads on the Cayolle. Things could be better. Fortunately, another mudslide before the Col de Var had already been half cleared and we were able to pass. After lunch it dried up and so we were able to ride the Col d'Izoard and Col du Galibier on dry roads. All in all very exhausting.

We meet participants from the UK Triumph Rally again and again

A mudslide blocks the way over the Col des Champs. Marcellus drives the touring enduros over it, while Marcus, Klaus and I turn around

Crossing a mudslide

Col des Champs

UK Triumph rally

Gorges de Daluis

Gorges de Daluis

Col de la Cayolle with rain, fog and cold

Col de la Cayolle

Marcellus visits the Alpes Aventure Motofestival, while Hermann changes tires

KTM is there

Honda too

Mudslide before Col de Vars

After Col de Vars we all meet for lunch in Saint-Marie

Lunch

Col d'Izoard

Col d'Izoard

On the way to Col du Lautaret we run into Klaus

Afternoon coffee on Col du Lautaret

The other group arrives

Col du Galibier just at the cloud line

Marcellus

Straw figures in Valloire

Porsche Rally on Col du Télégraph

The old lady prepares dinner in Hotel Beausoleil

Bright weather again today for the last lap back to Champéry in Switzerland. After Col de la Croix de Fer and Col du Glandon, the highlight was the Col de l'Isèran. Simply magnificent. And very impressive in this weather. After that, a short ride through Italy and then back to Switzerland via the Great St. Bernard.
A small moment of shock on the Colle San Carlo in Italy. I overlooked a patch of gravel and skidded really badly. It sounds strange, but I got saved by my speed, which gets me over the slippery patch quickly and the bike is able to stabilize itself without any problems.

Sunrise in Toussuire

Morning in Toussuire

Klaus and Tom get ready

Col de la Croix de Fer

Col de la Croix de Fer

Col de la Croix de Fer

Marcus and Tom on Col de la Croix de Fer

Col du Glandon

Other bikers

Marcellus visits Fort Marie-Thérèse on the way up to Col d'Isèran

Fort Marie-Thérèse

This huge truck comes at us

Col de l'Isèran

Col de l'Isèran

Col de l'Isèran

Col de l'Isèran

Col d'Isèran

Col de l'Isèran

Marcus and Tom on Col de l'Isèran

Val d'Isère in the valley

Lunch in La Rosière

Grand Saint Bernard

Grand Saint Bernard

Grand Saint Bernard

I drive the 1100 kilometers back to Berlin in one go. First the freeway through Switzerland, then more than 600 kilometers of country road to Thuringia and then the rest on the Autobahn back to Berlin.
It's very exhausting but possible in the good weather. I am very exhausted in Berlin and it turns out that I brought Covid-19 with me. Almost all of the other participants of the tour are also affected.

1099 Kilometers to go

Back to Germany

Break

Elevator test tower at Rottweil

Castle Veste Heldburg

Back to Berlin

Test positive