The European Chronicles 5.1 Passed Out???
The European Chronicles - Chapter 5.1
Passed Out???
These last few days, I've been relaxing and enjoying Casa Olea; the view, storms, sunshine, pool. Reading. Cooking. Walking down to Varenna and crawling back up. Getting lost on the pedestrian paths and ending up 700 meters too high. Watching the ferries' gentle wake slowly fade.
Kinda like this; as a Leo, I can relate:
But, Mia is in the garage and there's a pass just north of here connecting Italy to Switzerland: Passo della Splugen. Friday morning I head north for an "out and back" hopefully before more T-storms roll in.
The climb starts as any other pass, i.e., tight 180 degree uphill switchbacks. Turn your head, look up and over your shoulder to see what's coming down, carry some speed, look waaaaay thru the turn, throttle up and don't drift wide. Got it.
Except Splugen throws in a few more wrinkles: hairpin turns inside unlit tunnels that are themselves not wide enough for 2 cars, and uphill hairpins immediately as you pop out of a tunnel. All mixed with the usual cars, motorcycles, bicycles, vans and trucks. Going up and down. Beeping is the methodology to get thru a not wide enough tunnel.
I work my way up, including navigating a car that decided to back up in the middle of an uphill hairpin, and the TomTom tells me I'm a few kilometers from the top. But honestly, this is no fun at all. None. I pull over, take a few deep breaths, say "fuck it," turn around and do it all again...downhill. Still no fun. I've taken no pictures because, (a) I'm busy, and (b) there's no pull outs. I can barely tell you what the scenery looked like; see (a), above.
As I roll back into Casa Olea, the sky opens.
Am I "passed out"?
Sitting with another bottle of the very nice 2014 Barolo, I try to answer that question for myself. The Barolo is a good lubricant.
I truly love the Alpine scenery, it is breathtaking. The jagged peaks juxtaposed with lush valleys. The ever present party at the top, the culture. It is grin-inducing and inspirational. And most of the riding I've done here has been absolutely fantastic.
But if I'm honest, constant switchbacks are not my favorite kind of riding; I like the road to be a bit more open.
This, which was Alsace, France,
And this, the Route de Cretes, France,
Or this, which was Tuscany,
Or even this, Applecross Pass in Scotland,
Or all the roads Chris and Doris took me on in Switzerland, particularly thru Appenzell.
Vs. this, which is the beginning of Stelvio, and really, every other pass design is virtually identical.
A Google street view of a Splugen tunnel, uphill hairpin to follow
I like roads with rhythm; switchbacks are all stop and go, no flow. Hard on the gas, hard on the brakes, throw her over; repeat. The joy becomes the view at the top, and to the extent you have time to see it, the view along the way. Ideally, I'd like a bit more journey, a bit less destination. Constant switchbacks are like a one note song...once the novelty wears off, it's boring.
Really, I'm more of a Spa Eau Rouge kinda guy than a Monaco Fairmont Hairpin aficionado. Which looks like more fun to you?
That's why they make different flavor gelato...
So, passed out? Not quite, but I won't be rushing back to Splugen, at least the Italian side. And I certainly won't be doing it 2-up with either Dana or Krisanne. Just no fun at all. It can't all be pesche e crema, right?
But regardless, you have to do it with style...
Turn the volume all the way up!
Ciao!
Passed Out???
These last few days, I've been relaxing and enjoying Casa Olea; the view, storms, sunshine, pool. Reading. Cooking. Walking down to Varenna and crawling back up. Getting lost on the pedestrian paths and ending up 700 meters too high. Watching the ferries' gentle wake slowly fade.
Kinda like this; as a Leo, I can relate:
But, Mia is in the garage and there's a pass just north of here connecting Italy to Switzerland: Passo della Splugen. Friday morning I head north for an "out and back" hopefully before more T-storms roll in.
The climb starts as any other pass, i.e., tight 180 degree uphill switchbacks. Turn your head, look up and over your shoulder to see what's coming down, carry some speed, look waaaaay thru the turn, throttle up and don't drift wide. Got it.
Except Splugen throws in a few more wrinkles: hairpin turns inside unlit tunnels that are themselves not wide enough for 2 cars, and uphill hairpins immediately as you pop out of a tunnel. All mixed with the usual cars, motorcycles, bicycles, vans and trucks. Going up and down. Beeping is the methodology to get thru a not wide enough tunnel.
I work my way up, including navigating a car that decided to back up in the middle of an uphill hairpin, and the TomTom tells me I'm a few kilometers from the top. But honestly, this is no fun at all. None. I pull over, take a few deep breaths, say "fuck it," turn around and do it all again...downhill. Still no fun. I've taken no pictures because, (a) I'm busy, and (b) there's no pull outs. I can barely tell you what the scenery looked like; see (a), above.
As I roll back into Casa Olea, the sky opens.
Am I "passed out"?
Sitting with another bottle of the very nice 2014 Barolo, I try to answer that question for myself. The Barolo is a good lubricant.
I truly love the Alpine scenery, it is breathtaking. The jagged peaks juxtaposed with lush valleys. The ever present party at the top, the culture. It is grin-inducing and inspirational. And most of the riding I've done here has been absolutely fantastic.
But if I'm honest, constant switchbacks are not my favorite kind of riding; I like the road to be a bit more open.
This, which was Alsace, France,
And this, the Route de Cretes, France,
Or this, which was Tuscany,
Or even this, Applecross Pass in Scotland,
Or all the roads Chris and Doris took me on in Switzerland, particularly thru Appenzell.
Vs. this, which is the beginning of Stelvio, and really, every other pass design is virtually identical.
A Google street view of a Splugen tunnel, uphill hairpin to follow
I like roads with rhythm; switchbacks are all stop and go, no flow. Hard on the gas, hard on the brakes, throw her over; repeat. The joy becomes the view at the top, and to the extent you have time to see it, the view along the way. Ideally, I'd like a bit more journey, a bit less destination. Constant switchbacks are like a one note song...once the novelty wears off, it's boring.
Really, I'm more of a Spa Eau Rouge kinda guy than a Monaco Fairmont Hairpin aficionado. Which looks like more fun to you?
That's why they make different flavor gelato...
So, passed out? Not quite, but I won't be rushing back to Splugen, at least the Italian side. And I certainly won't be doing it 2-up with either Dana or Krisanne. Just no fun at all. It can't all be pesche e crema, right?
But regardless, you have to do it with style...
Turn the volume all the way up!
Ciao!
