ALPS CROSSING (SPLUGA PASS)
In 2004 we started a third tour to cross the Alps on bikes in North-South direction. Starting point was Ulm in Southern Germany, passing the Lake of Constance and following the Rhine Valley in upstream direction. Reaching Chur in Switzerland we turned into a side valley towards the Spluga pass (2122m) and crossed at the top the border to Italy. We finalized the tour after a rather spectacular downhill in pouring rain in Gravona at a little bungalow village at Lake Como.
This time the tour was organised in a more competitive way having all luggage in a support vehicle and some participants riding in full racing gear. The team comprises a bunch of people from Friends of the Earth in Ulm including Luigi, Joergen, Yenner, Erik, Michi, Stefan und Kalle.
Unfortunately, not the whole crew reached the destination on bike. We lost three people on the way, due to physical exhaustion, injuries and harsh weather conditions. Especially the final ascents to the mountain huts we chose to sleep in where surprisingly taxing at the very end of the day. Nonetheless, the Spluga climb was succeeded by at least all the people who got up in the saddle in the morning of the fourth day of riding. Everybody did the climb in more or less good shape earning full credits from the observers in the support vehicle. The success was later manifested in new haircuts for most of the participants, funnily enough in a very similar style.
Here again, you can find the exact route in the mapping gadget.