Seven-day tour to High Five in Swiss Alps

[UKRider]

Hi, all. I just booked my P&O ferry and accommodation reservations for a solo seven-day tour to five passes in the Swiss Alps in July. My ride will start on Monday 2 July and finish Sunday 8 July. I’m done cycling in France before, but this is my first Euro moto tour. I’m not looking for riding partners, but I’d be happy to say hi on the road or meet up for evening drinks if others are in or near the accommodations I’m using.

For simplicity, I’m using the seven gps routes created and shared by Ride magazine. You can see and download them from the following link. I’ve already loaded them into my TomTom 400, but three of the routes are currently not rideable because passes are closed (should be fine in July):

https://www.ride.co.uk/routes-1/the-...second-edition

Here’s the list:

Day one Calais to La Roche en Ardennes
Day two La Roche en Ardennes to Baden-Baden
Day three Baden-Baden to Innertkirchen – no Swiss tolls
Day four Five-Pass loop anti-clockwise
Day five Innertkirchen to Gerardmer - no Swiss tolls
Day six Gerardmer to Soissons
Day seven Soissons to Calais

I like that multiple routes are downloadable for some days (with and without toll motorways, clockwise and anti-clockwise for the five passes day). In the Ride Magazine app, I also bought their Ride Guide to Europe 2017 for £3 that includes pictures and descriptions of around 200 GPS routes, all downloadable from the link above. It was a good investment in terms of deciding where to go!

I can post updates as the ride comes closer, but I’d be happy to see others in the evenings or on the roads. You can also PM me for accommodations details. For example, on the nights of 4 and 5 July, I will be at the recommended Hof and Post in Innertkirchen, which seems to be well populated by bikers.

I am planning a second trip on the week of July 16, which will do the North Coast 500 in Scotland (third time for me). I will ride either my BMW F700gs, or I may have a 1200gs by the time of the trips (or sooner). Most of my accommodations are around £70 per night or less.

Ride on!

[Daboo]

This sounds wonderful, Jim! Please keep us posted. Even though I can't join you for dinner in the evenings as you offered, I can try to live vicariously through your planning and ride description.

Chris

[Leptitmotard]

You'll like La Roche en Ardennes, we have a very small Pass called "La cote de Samrée there !
Unfortunately I live in Canada now, so I won't be able to say hi..

[Gunther]

... in the Swiss Alps...

Be careful about speed limit, people seem to have no sense of humor, if you know what I mean...
I've heard terrible stories from newspapers and even from fellow motorbikers reporting the behaviour of the police in CH, I also happened to read on a motorbike magazine that insurance companies tend to avoid problems with the swiss counterpark, in case of an accident, and some journalists suggest even to call your embassy, if you get stopped by the police.
I think that is only a matter of common sense, but be careful with speed and when/where yopu park.
In july I could be in the Dolomites, to meet an irish friend on a F800GS, a bit west to meet you too, but you never know.