The European Chronicles 2025.4 - To Austria
Riders on the Storm
Like a dog without a bone...
Big thunderstorms were forecast for Andermatt late morning, and that front would be chasing us East into Austria...the plan was to get an early start and, hopefully, run ahead of the rain.
We ride around all the Radisson Blu parking barriers, head into the village and start up Oberalp Pass on a beautiful morning. Oberalp is 2044 meters, 6700 feet, glass smooth and very, very pretty. It starts at the village roundabout, with the Canton symbol in cobblestones.
"Enter the roundabout and take the second exit." 😂. You get very used to that command from Betty...
The climb begins immediately.
Including through some tunnels...there are always tunnels... 😂
Krisanne hard at work...
The Furka - Oberalp train runs up the pass as well.
Internet shot of them bringing it up:
You might ask, "Why a lighthouse?" The Oberalp Pass is where the Rhine River catchment area begins, and the local tourist office wanted to commemorate that with something unusual that would be a talking point. They succeeded.
The ultimate goal is to have the lighthouse joined by a large ship. The plan is to sail a Rhine barge from Rotterdam to Basel. It will then be cut up for transport, reassembled next to the lighthouse and turned into a museum.
I hope they do it, it's a stunning pass.
We make use of Mia's new Swiss vignette and take the highway. Swiss highways, like almost all Swiss roads, are glass smooth...and beautiful. No unlimited sections; speed limits are generally between 100 and 120 kph, 62 - 75 mph. The kilometers click by quickly.
We head over the Rhine...
...and...Welcome to Austria!
Austria also requires a vignette for highway use, but it works a bit differently than Switzerland. You can buy it in shorter increments (only annually in Switzerland) and it can be ordered online and tied to your license plate, no sticker required. That's what I've done this year.
Agan no unlimited sections, but the limit goes up to 130 kph, about 80 mph.
Almost as smooth as Switzerland...😂
You can see the clouds building now, so we're staying on the highway. There are a series of tunnels, one of which, the Arlberg Tunnel, is Austria's longest road tunnel at just shy of 14 km, built between 1974 and 1978. When it was inaugurated, it was the longest road tunnel in the world.
But it is only one of several tunnels all along this route from Vaduz to Seefeld, both before and after Arlberg.
Sooooo many tunnels!!! Done now, time to head up to the Inntalerhof...
Where we are met with Prosecco (ok, so Krisanne wanted a local beer; she's a heathen; I drank her Prosecco 😎).
And this view:
The Inntalerhof in Moserer, just North and West of Innsbruck, will be our base for the next few nights and the jumping off point for Krisanne's planned Inn to Inn hike; she'll hike, I'll ferry our stuff to the next hotel and meet her there. Or send out a search party... 😂
Just a few hours after our arrival, big boomers rolled through. Soooo glad we missed that!
Mia gets her own garage...and she's running perfectly, love these bikes!
Not far from the Inntalerhof is Swarovski Crystal World; that's right, sparkly crystal thingies in a park-like setting, right next to the factory...that seemed like a must do attraction. 😂
Krisanne was very happy to go...
Not very far, but an itty-bitty road route.
Relive 'Swarovski'
Caterhams out for some fun...
Ok, let's be honest here. This was not what we expected. We both assumed that because "Crystal World" was adjacent to the factory complex that there would be at least some information/display/tour/film...something...about "how it is made." Nope. A semi-interesting sculpture garden, pleasant restaurant and enormous "gift shop." That's it. Feel free to give it a "pass" if you're ever in the area.
The Giant Head
Tomorrow, Krisanne does her Inn to Inn hike, and I get to play Sherpa!
Ciao!
xxxxxxxxxx
