Day 47: Salzberg to Klaussen Pass Switzerland. Via Piz Buin pass and St Anton am Arlberg 500km 8.5 hrs

From the calm interior  of the Aldstat hotel we stepped out to the square

The sun had risen

Orlanda was still hiding in plain sight,

The souvenir shop (aka motorcycle sticker shop) was open,

Mozart is on his plinth with an angel at his feet.

We have had coffee and are on our way.

Breakfast can wait.

We are now in countries where breakfast is not always included in the tarrif. 

We came to Salzberg in 1984 when we 'escaped' from an organised bus tour.

We discovered then that we were different travellers, 

Organised travel generally brings people to the centre of a town.

We now know that there is a lot to discover beyond the city boundaries.

Today we discover that trucks are being randomly searched at a check point on the highway to the west.

We have nothing and no one to hide on our bike.

We ride through... past the queued trucks and motorhomes.

Soon we are riding in the Autrian Tirol.

Gorgeous farmland and picture book houses.

Time for a break.

Most Cafes that are accessible from the road are linked to petrol stations.

Fuelled up we are ready to ride.

We ride up and over the  PizzBuin pass, 

In the sunshine..

This is one of the joys of motorcycling,

Riding tight turns, arriving at high places, wonderful views...

And riding down the other side, dropping from one U valley to the next until we reach the valley floor.

Cows are up at the high alp and hay is being mown on the middle alp.

We ride through valleys and low passes,

Through Liechtenstein,

Past Sargans where we began our Via Alpina walk across the Swiss mountain passes in 2009,

Through Elm, to  Linthal...

This time we are riding the road that takes us to Klaussen Pass.

We walked over the Klaussen Pass in 2009.

I can recall the many motorcycles riding over the road which was mostly well away from the walking trail.

Sometimes our path crossed the road near the summit.

Now it is our turn.

I can recall the delight when the KlaussenPass hotel came into view.

And the even greater delight when it had a vacant room.

We are delighted to return.

There is a room for us today, too, in the backpackers block.

And  salad, rösti (like big hash browns) with chese and speck for dinner and an over sweet Radler to drink.

A wonderful day on the road.

 

 

 

 

I have a meatball and vegetables for brunch.