Re: [ST] for Rico - alps vs pyrenees

["Enrico Schuerrer" <enrico@xxxxxx>]

Hi Don!

I rode through the Alps and I rode through the Pyrenees. When you look at
the Alps you can drive from Vienna in Austria (one end) to Nizza in France
(the other end) - in this nearly 4000 km or approx. 2500 miles you will find
all riding conditions - from your loved "white lines", gravel, sand, narrow
ways of the lower category up to streets like highways in the Swiss Alps.
The characteristics you defined for the Pyrenees you can find in the Alps
also, especially in the Western Alps of Italy and France (Haute Provence).
You will find the second largest canyon route in the world after Grand
Canyon in the USA (Grand Canyon du Verdun), the nicest gorges with violet
schist and natural streets including tunnels made in 1900. You like roads
with less traffic and stronger conditions - take Col de Parpaillon. When I
was on the top of this Pass (2645m high) I found a tunnel built in 1902 with
real icicle in mid of June and then I rembered the words in the "bible" of
the lovers of alpine passes, the "Denzel": only for Enduros... Fortunately
my ST can't read this book :-)
You will find the best asphalt surface in Italy, the narrowest ways in
France, the craziest enduro routes at the border between Italy and France
and the highest alpine pass with asphalt in France (Cime de la Bonnette,
2802m).

If you want to see a few pictures of the different possibilities in the Alps
take a look on my old (german) website,
http://alpenmotorrad.motorradseiten.at. This year I have decided to revise
the page but the weather forces me to ride and not to seat behind the PC.

So maybe you will find some new impressions and hopefully you can take a
trip to the alps - on a Triumph :-)

enjoy your rides

Enrico
- --
'00 ST 'BlueBelle'
Vienna, Austria, Europe
if you will find misspelling or errors in grammar - they are for free :-)


- ----- Original Message -----
From: "don draper" <donnydogood@xxxxxxx>
To: <ST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, May 17, 2004 7:46 AM
Subject: [ST] for Rico - alps vs pyrenees


>
>  >>> IMHO the Alps are better than the Pyrenees ... <<<
>
>     To each his own, Enrico;... certainly the Alps have a lot to
> offer.  Depends on the kind of riding you prefer.  Generalities:
>
>     The Pyrenees, particularly on the Spanish side, are craggier and
> more severe, with many more steep valleys, sharper ridges and with
> steeper, tighter, windier roads;... with a greater range of pavement
> conditions - good to awful - and much less traffic almost everywhere.
>     Roads in the Alps are faster, smoother and more open with better
> pavement and more civilized than the Pyrenees but also more traffic.
> One might say the Pyrenees are more fun & exciting for the rider but
> the Alps are more comfortable and easier on the passenger. The Alps
> are much like the Rockies with a lower timberline; where New Zealand
> is more like the Pyrenees but with better roads (and better beer).
>
>     It must be stated that this is the opinion of an obsessive 'white
> liner' who tries to spend all of each day on the 'white line' back
> roads, avoiding even the secondary highways as much as possible.
>
>                               Have fun;
>                                          doggydoo   - - - o&\o
>
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