Flies in your Teeth: Stelvio Pass

Wednesday, 19 June 2013

Stelvio Pass

After many years of trying to imagine what it would be like, I finally rode the famous Stelvio Pass in northern Italy yesterday. It was better than I imagined.

More pictures and a write up of my trip to Rome later.

21 comments:

Roger said...: It looks ok I suppose......; 19 June 2013 at 06:36
Rex J. Covington said...: Congrats! It's On My Bucket List!

Look Forward To More About It!; 19 June 2013 at 07:31
redlegsrides said...: Someday Gary...I too shall ride this pass....wow!

Thanks for the pic...did you perchance shoot video as you rode it?

dom; 19 June 2013 at 13:59
Unknown said...: Gary:

I don't see any Pass, just some squiggly line on the side of that mountain.

I too am waiting for the video

bob
Riding the Wet Coast; 19 June 2013 at 16:16
Trobairitz said...: Better than you imagined? Is that possible? So jealous.

I am glad you got to realize the dream.; 19 June 2013 at 16:20
Oz said...: I have that road on my list to ride. Looks amazing. I think I would want to ride it multiple times.; 19 June 2013 at 16:58
David Drouin said...: Wow. That looks amazing.

I'm jealous!

I looked forward to reading your ride report.; 19 June 2013 at 17:37
Anonymous said...: huh; 19 June 2013 at 17:37
Ike said...: Really nice road, both for bends and landscape. It was nice meeting you Gary, even though the circumstances were not pleasant!
Have a safe ride home!; 19 June 2013 at 19:45
Gary France said...: Roger, you know you would love it. In fact, out of all my friends, if I had to choose just one that could ride it, you would be very near the top of my short list.; 19 June 2013 at 20:02
Gary France said...: Rex, I will write more when I get home.; 19 June 2013 at 20:05
Gary France said...: Wow indeed. I didn't shoot any on-bike video, but I did get a couple of short clips from look out points. Rome trip video coming!; 19 June 2013 at 20:07
Gary France said...: Thanks Ike, it was great to meet you too. It was a difficult time and I wish we could have talked more. I would have really enjoyed finding out more about you. Next time!; 19 June 2013 at 20:09
Ike said...: Next time for sure! I know it sounds like advertising, but if you want to check out this blog I "covered" the event!

Bye!

http://www.rideproudlivefree.com/2013/06/110-candeline.html; 20 June 2013 at 16:26
SonjaM said...: I didn't do the Stelvio Pass yet, so I am looking forward to your ride report.
All those twists and turns they must be hard work on a cruiser style bike. Was it?; 21 June 2013 at 00:02
Sash Johnson said...: Wow! I was just talking to my hubs about Italy about two weeks ago. Sounds like a plan. . . Awesome!
Sash
www.SashMouth.com; 10 July 2013 at 22:30
Gary France said...: Bob - I laughed at your squiggly line comment. The Italy trip video will be posted later today! It has taken a long time, as I have been out riding too much!; 17 July 2013 at 06:41
Gary France said...: Trobairitz - Yes, it really was better than I imagined. I am already dreaming about going back one day. Can someone have too many dreams?; 17 July 2013 at 06:42
Gary France said...: Oz - If you ever get the faintest whiff of a chance to go ride it, do it. I will ride out and do it with you!; 17 July 2013 at 06:43
Gary France said...: David - I will post something later today.

Sonja - You now live so close to Stelvio, you MUST go there. That is an instruction, not a suggestion. Yes, I have to admit, it was hard work. In order of easiest to ride Stelvio Pass on starting with the easiest, I would say... A scooter... a sports tourer... a sports bike ....
a normal bike.... a tourer.... anything with long forks!

Tina - Put it on your bucket list.... somewhere near the top.; 17 July 2013 at 06:48
GF said...: It's on my bucket list for sure. Loved the video you made.
You would take that guy from down under with you? He would be criticizing your ride style all the way, take me instead LOL; 23 July 2013 at 16:58

US Tour - My Favourites Places I Went To....

It is difficult to choose, but here is my list of the highlights of my US tour, in the order I saw them in....

1. Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, New York City.
2. Lobster in the New England states.
3. Provincetown in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
4. Niagara Falls. New York.
5. Chicago, Illinois.
6. The Harley-Davidson Museum, Milwaukee.
7. The Sand Hills, in Nebraska.
8. The Badlands, South Dakota.
9. Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, South Dakota.
10. The Needles Highway
in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
11. Devils Tower, Wyoming.
12. Bighorn Canyon, as it was such a surprise!
13. Cody, Wyoming.
14. Riding Beartooth Pass, on the Montana/ Wyoming border.
15. Bison, waterfalls and geysers of Yellowstone.
16. The Tetons, Wyoming.
17. Colorado generally and the Rocky Mountains!
18. Riding above the tree line – Mount Evans, Pikes Peak, Rocky Mountain National Park.
19. Bishop Castle, near Colorado City, Colorado.
20. Skyline Drive, Canon City
21. The Million Dollar Highway, between Silverton and Ouray, Colorado
22. Antelope Canyon, near Page, Arizona
23. The Grand Canyon
24. Monument Valley
25. A road called Moki Dugway
26. National Parks in Southern Utah: Arches, Canyonlands,
Bryce, Zion
27. Death Valley
28. Yosemite
29. San Francisco
30. San Diego

31. Back roads and small towns anywhere.
32. Meeting really nice people, in just about all of the places I have been.
33. The camaraderie of bikers. Everywhere, US.