2004 Within These Walls - Pass, Pass, Stop

While we were breakfasting a group of Dutch motorcyclists came down in their leathers all prepared for their days ride after they had eaten. Although I was all dressed for the off Ian and Guzzisue never get changed into their riding gear until they are ready to leave. The Dutch group were a little bemused when Ian appeared a little later wearing his leathers and carrying our panniers.
Outside the hotel two men had the same look on their faces as Ian wheeled the Guzzi to the opposite side of the road so Guzzisue could get on. We often get bewildered looks as Ian's legs are so short that he cannot get both feet on the ground, here in Splugen this looked even more strange due to the steep camber on the road.
Undaunted we set off and headed for the Splugen Pass. On the Swiss side of the pass the road surface was very good and we passed through their boarder crossing without hindrance but got stopped at the Italian boarder while the guards checked our number plate. The Skat sticker strikes again! The Italian side of the pass has got to be the worst we have travelled on. There are very tight blind hairpin bends, awful road surface and no lighting in the many tunnels that are on this pass. It was fortunate that we stopped in Splugen and not tried to do this pass last night as there were very few villages to stop over in and we would not have made any of them before nightfall. This is one pass I cannot see us doing again for a long time!
We slowly head south and our final pass of the day, travelling towards Bresica, where we pick up the motorway as we will be able to pick up some petrol during siesta time. Pulling off the motorway at the junction for Peschiera Del Garda we try to get in at a couple of hotels, the first was too expensive, the second was full, so it was in to the Tourist Information Centre who found us a hotel, Albergo Favorita, located 30 minutes walk from the town centre along Lake Gada's shore line. This will be our base for the next four nights, giving Guzzisue chance to do some washing.
Below are some of the photographs Guzzisue took while we walked along the water's edge during our stay.