VFR Discussion Group -> Austria Trip Report

Austria
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Well, I've been back a week or so, so it is time to write down some of what I did in Austria. I don't have all my pictures scanned yet, but I should have enough digital photo's to give a few impressions.

We left on a Saturday taking the highway east and south. About an hour into the trip, it seemed we needed to be punished by the Gods of Rain, cause it seemed the world was drowning. Fortunately an hour later rainsuits could be put away never to be seen again and temperatures started rising up to 30C, which is quite warm in full leathers. We stopped close to Nurnberg, which is about 700km from our starting point.

Second day had another 600km coming, but we only took the highway untill we arrived at the Austrian border. Then we took the scenic route down to our final destination, which was my aunt's place. Driving secondary roads gave us a nice preview of things to come and it was just begging for more.

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Third day we didn't do much driving (none), just saying high to the family and enjoying the day in the sun. Fourth day we took a small ride of about 150km, and that proved to be the tendency of the vacation. Small roads, extremely hot weather for the time of year - 35C every day - and plenty stops to take pictures proved more than enough to have a nice drive, yet be back in time early enough before it got so hot riding wasn't fun anymore. Anyway, that day we took a trip north of Graz to an area with low mountains but excellent roads. Scenery was beautiful and the twisties just begged for a fast pace.

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Day 5 was a trip west into the direction of Zeltweg and the A1-ring for the racing fans amongst us. It was a drive over the B77, a secondary road, but wow. Long fast sweepers combined with tight hairpins which had the pegs dragging. We took a small road back (God I love GPS!), but that proved to be a bit of a challange. About 10 miles down the road, they put up road construction signs and for the next 10 miles we drove gravel up and down mountains. The scenery was one to enjoy though, so we didn't really mind we couldn't get much speed. The GPS had already proved more than its money worth, as we drove roads so small you wouldn't dare going into them using only a map. Now it seemed to get better and better behind each turn.

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Day 6 was a circular trip around Graz, fun roads of all kind. Large secondary roads and small roads less than a car wide and everything in between. The roads are all great and reliable, though sometimes there was some gravel on them, leftovers from winter when they put that on the snow for more traction. Next day was a typical tourist trip: visiting the stables where they bred and kept the famous Lipizaner horses, you know those white fellas that do them tricks.

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After we got back, we went to visit a cave system full of dripping stones and the beauty they create. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to take pictures inside, which sucked. Temperatures inside were about 10C, which is quite cold coming from an outside 35C.

The 8th day went down the "Weinstrasse" (Wine-road) which was very nice, but the weather threatening. Once in a while we would get some drops of rain, but we seemed to be able to avoid the real thing as it was turning between some mountains. We didn't stop much though to try and keep ahead of the rain.

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However, it proved to be such a nice road, we wanted to drive it again, in the other direction, which we did later.

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Next day we drove further south and close to the Slovenian border. When we saw that, we said to ourselfves: forget yesterday, this road we gotta take again. It was one of the prettiest roads we had had during the trip and we actually rode the same trip later in reversed direction.
Now it was time for one of the highlights of the trip, which we all very much looked forward to: the crossing of the Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse.

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This was too far out to do in a single day, so we took a hotel  about halfway there for 2 nights and drove the Grossglockner in between. Hotel was excellent, 4 course meals, multiple bedroom appartments, just great. The actual trip over the Grossglockner proved by long, but worth it. It's weird standing in the snow with your t-shirt on.

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The road goes up and up untill the visitor point next to the glacier and the summit of the mountain. It's a toll road, but you can drive up and down the road as many times as you want. At _17 it's expensive, but boy is it worth it.

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When you leave the glacier, you actually go further up to the Edelweisspitze to drive the highest point of the road at 2506m. Really in the snow up there, just the road cleared. But what a road and what views!

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The day after we got back, still full of ooohh's aaahh's and wow's we took up on our promise to ride the trip of day 9 again. It was even more beautiful now than we remembered, as the weather was nicer, though a little hazy, which is lousy for taking pictures.

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Day 14 was more tourist stuff. We went to visit the Riegersburg castle, which was very impressive. Too many pictures to show on here, but the link below as all.

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It had very nice paintings on the walls and ceilings though, very impressive.
Fifteenth day was shorter than usuall, about 140km but very nice. Long sweeping roads through the valley's where it is hard to keep close to the speedlimits, to tight hairpins going into the mountains. We always left early to beat the heat, but this day we found ourselves watching the dew vapourize and pull up from the trees in clouds. A very pretty sight indeed.

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In the afternoon we went into Graz and visited the castle there. This one was disappointing to me and not what I had expected. Can't have everything I guess. :) It did have very nice painted ceilings and walls though. At night we went into the city and see some of its architecture. It's very nice indeed and most of it is preserved, contrary to a lot of European cities. Reason was that after the royal family moved to Vienna, Graz had no money to change anything, so they just left it as is. Which is our luck, cause now we are still able to see the shine and past glory of the city.
Day 16 was the last trip before heading back home. The weather was cooperating with nice temps in the mid 20C's and we thoroughly enjoyed blasting through the twisties, knowing very well that the next day it would be over.

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Then it was heading back home using the highway, but not before stopping just after Munich, Germany to visit the German distributor of Staintune to pick up the highmount slipon I had ordered. I had a little luck there too, cause I got a _100 discount through the absence of VAT.

Now it's back home again, and only dreams are left. Austria is a wonderful country for driving motorcycles and you can find anything there. The part we stayed are the lower parts of the Alps and often called "The green lungs of Austria". The west is where the higher Alps are and that is very rough, but everywhere the roads are great and the people friendly. The food is great too, and no complains about the beer either. However, if you want to see the best parts, make sure you have a GPS. I have found the GPS to be invaluable in driving the smaller, quieter and most beautiful roads. Just 30 mins the night before on my laptop to set out a route for the next day, upload it and have fun. Best spend money in years. For all pictures available so far, please visit http://gallery.crashdot.com/austria. It's not all of them, but it's a lot already. Enjoy!

That is so beautiful - I wish I could have ridden that too.  I have slides from when my Grandfather visited there 30 years ago.  Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Miguel. :) It was beautiful. The pictures we made don't do it just. But, if you are in the neighbourhood one day, I'll be glad to show you around some. :)

Outstanding write up. I gotta get out of the flat lands and hit some mountains :twist: . Those pics are amazing :wow: . Thank you very much. :wheel:

Just realized the VFR content is kinda low.  :wow:

So.. as a bonus.. ;)
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VFR in austria

That SMART Roadster looks sharp !

Nice pics man.  :D

Great pictures. Maybe when things settle down in the world we can schedule a trip over there. I would love to see the sights, and ride those nice old fashioned roads.  :D

Old topic from the archives

Damn beautiful.  I need to take a trip over there.  Maybe an Edelweiss tour or something (once I hit the lottery of course).  I would kill for roads and scenery like that.  Though northern Utah is awfully close, except for the good beer part.  

Nozz

Great post!  We all enjoy a well written motorcycle adventure/tour artical to ease our winter pains.  FYI it's 17deg. here in MO. :(

Nice write-up and great pictures, well done!  Those shots are amazing, I can almost smell the countryside from here.

As I wake up in my cold, dark hell of Ohio at 6:30 and head off to work I wonder what I'm doing here?  /Shiver

Thanks for sharing!

Toppers~