The Highest Road in Europe
Pinerolo, Italy. September 25, 2016. 7 a.m.
Desi is pacing back and forth on the patio. She's excited. She heard the sound of the steel water bottles being filled in the sink and thinks she is about to have a long day in the mountains. Smart girl. But the water bottles are for Duccio and me, and they are being packed on the back of the BMW.
GS 1200
Duccio is my Italian host Dad. He and his wife Grazia have been more than kind enough to invite me into their home for three months while I'll teach English at a local high school. While exchanging emails before my arrival, he mentioned his motorcycle and said that we could go on a tour of the Italian countryside and the French Alps. I knew it would be fun, but I wasn't prepared for what I was about to see.
As we hit the road Duccio turns to tell me that the first hour is kind of boring and flat. That's ok. I've only been in Italy for 5 days and everything will be new for me. It's 12 degrees Celcius. We get moving on the two lane roads. We're averaging a smooth 120kph. As the sun rises higher over my shoulder, I see the light reflecting off of the many apple and kiwi orchards. There's also corn, rice, and grapes. We pass Saluzzo. Then we soon reach Cuneo.
We see many hikers and cyclists as we approach the french border. We drive through the small mountain town of Vinadio. There are small groups of nordic skiers training with their roller skis in preparation for the winter. Even little kids are roller skiing.
My right hand is freezing from taking photos without my glove on. I put my GoPro back in my jacket pocket because I know we have a long day ahead of us.
At the French border Duccio tells me this road is closed in the winter because of the snow. We see a small light-sport plane carving through the valley. It is a beautiful day.
Now we're in France and the scenery is becoming imaginary.
See the hikers for scale.
Just incredible.
We make it to the end of the highest paved road in France and park the bike. There is a small trail to the top of La Bonette. The air is thin at 2862 meters. And the view...
...is unbelievable.
Squad goals.
We quickly drop down in elevation and are greeted with a new landscape.
I find this sheep herding dog on the hillside. Living the dog dream.
More sheep. We can hear the dull ringing from their bells as they walk.
The sun is starting to drop and the lighting is spectacular.
Look at that road.
Fresh spring water refill.
Mountain Views from the 2006 Winter Olympic Village.
In total, we drove 412 kilometers for 11 hours, and I finally got to witness the majestic grandeur of the Italian and French Alps.
Pinerolo-Saluzzo-Cuneo-Vinadio-Colle Della Lombarda-Isola-Tinee-La Bonette-Jausiers-Vars-Guillestre-Arvieux-Col d'Izoard-Briançon-Monginevro-Cesana-Sestriere-Pinerolo
Poor Desi. You can go to the mountains another day.
