Category: Year 2020

“THE LAST DAY”

Each journey has an end. The Covid Detour Ride is no exception: This is the ride report of the last day of my journey. The last day of this ride started in Western-Carinthia, followed one of the most famous Austrian-Scenic-Roads and went also through some common known Valleys of the eastern Alps. Enjoy …

“DOLOMITES”
(Part 2)

This is the continuation of my ride through the famous Dolomite mountains in north-eastern Italy. If you haven’t already read the first part, I recommend you to do so. You will find the first part ➡ HERE ⬅.
So, lets start with the second part of day number ten of my “COVID DETOUR RIDE” within some of the most famous areas of the European Alps.

“DOLOMITES”
(Part 1)

Due to the gaining pandemic and the uncertain travel conditions I was now, instead of somewhere along the Trans Euro Trail on Sardinia Island, in northern Italy on my way back to Austria. Overall this change of my plans was OK for me.
I was lucky to get not trapped on one of the Mediterranean Islands. Leastwise I had the chance to ride through the famous Dolomite-Mountains, which I haven’t been for a long time.

“BACK TO MAINLAND”

Travelling along the uncertain pandemic conditions forced me to skip the next intended goal which was Sardinia Island. Instead, shipping from Corsica to Sardinia was the famous “Plan B”. So Чернотa and I took the ferry from Corsica to the Italian mainland-city Livorno, from where our ride back homewards to Austria/Vienna continued.

“RELAX”

The last night I made the decision to skip my plan of shipping over to Sardinia, which is the Italian neighbor island of Corsica and has also a nice part of TET to offer. The near future of the pandemic development especially in Italy was very uncertain back at the time of my journey. The last thing what I needed was to get trapped on one of the Mediterranean islands. So I booked a ferry ticket from Corsica back to the mainland of Italy for the day after the next day. That meant for the incoming riding day on Corsica Island, that I had more than enough time for getting back to the northern part of Corsica. So I improvised a quick plan for doing some “unusual” sightseeing along my way.

“TET CORSICA”

Do you know that feeling when you are very upset about the bad weather whilst riding a motorcycle? On the seventh day of my tour my patience was stressed to its limit. The bad weather with rain, very cold temps, snowy mountain peaks and bad view accompanied Чернотa and me nearly the whole day along the TET Corsica …

“TET CORSICA”
(Part 1)

Trying to find some sleep on a ferry without having a cabin is in general an uncomfy undertaking. Thinking about myself how smart I am, I made the plan to sedate myself with vodka. That worked very well, and I faded away quickly in my sleeping bag, outspread in a staircase corner, somewhere at an upper deck of the ferry boat to Corsica. But I wasn’t aware about how loud my own snoring noises went, when a proper pillow is missing and alcohol affects the throat muscles. For me that was no big deal, because I don’t get disturbed by my own snoring, but for my direct neighbor at the staircase floor it was. The poor dude aside me had to wake me up three times this night …

“FRENCH RIVIERA”

Riding along the Route des Grandes Alpes in autumn 2020 was no bad decision. The roads had been nearly empty so far. The same applies to th Côte d’Azur. Usually the coastline of the French Riviera is a pain in the ass to ride due to the crowded mass tourism. This time, during the Covid Outbreak, the ride along the coastline was a constant flow without any remarkable delays, except the high populated area around Monaco and the center of the city Nice.

ROUTE DES GRANDES ALPES
(Part 2)

During the htird night the temperatures decreased sensitively, surely close to the freezing mark. I woke up around 02:00 in the morning due to a soft breeze of ice-cold wind caressing the sheet of the tent. I went out for a pee and had a look at the impressive clear starlit sky surrounded from the high mountains of the alps. Whilst watching the clearly visible Milky Way, I started shivering. No wonder just wearing underwear and wool socks. Hence, I put on an additional layer and went back into the sleeping bag, which was now operating at its comfort zone limit. I fell asleep again quickly …

“ROUTE DES GRANDES ALPES“
(Part 1)

Chased by cold temperatures Чернотa and I pushed forward consequently. The main goal of the riding day number three was reaching the entrance of the “Route des Grandes Alpes” before midday. This way it would be possible to do at least about 1/3 of the “Route des Grandes Alpes”, what was my second goal for this day.
This way it would be possible for us to stay ahead of the incoming first snow in the high alpine regions on the next riding day. That was the plan and probably our last chance this year for passing the incoming, about 2800 meters or 9100 feet high alpine areas!

“SILVRETTA AND SWITZERLAND”

When I got up in the morning of day number two, I checked the weather forecast and I found out, that I had to finish crossing the alps at least in the next three days. Reason for that: Cold temperatures and first big snow masses in high alpine areas have been announced.
Now I was a bit in a hurry, because the remaining distance along my route to the southern edge of the alps was surely somewhere about 1300 km or 800 mi. Avoiding getting stuck on some of the highest roads within the Alps due to the onset of winter had now grown to my primary priority!

“LET IT BEGIN”

Two of my main goals of this trip have been: On one hand side the “Route de Grandes Alps” and the other side: the Island “Corsica” within the Mediterranean Sea. From my hometown Vienna, to the entrance point/ferry port of these two goals it needs a ride which is about 1100 km or 700 mi long. So the first two days of the trip I’ll serve you a few impressions of nice places along the way to my first chosen goal, which is the entrance to the famous “Route de Grandes Alps” in Western-France. Lets start!

“PLAN C – THE FINAL CHOICE”

In the year 2020 each of us suffered from the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Many of us had to postpone or cancel detailed travel plans due to heavy lock down measures or got affected in another way of the pandemic.
My person was no exception. This is the plan behind my 4000 km or 2500 mi Covid-19 dual sport adventure …