Spring in Austria ...

Hi Guys,

temps a currently rising in Austria like hell!

This week, I got my number plate back from the insurance office and mounted it on my GRiSO (we don't pay for the bike during winter time).
Today 24 deg.C and that's on March 31st!
Today they announced, that this March was the hottest in Austria since 200 years!

Currently I am running-in my bike and made my first tour to a lake within the alps (Almsee in Upper Austria).
I will share pictures with you, showing my GRiSO in front of the alpine lake and the marvellous Austrian alps.
Just the temp of the water is a little cold (around 7 deg C - will rise during summer up to 17 C).

24 deg C is hot ? I need a Jacket liner below 23 degrees

Some weeks ago there was still snow on the roads and now a rise up to 24 C.
For Austrian relationship it is unnormal warm for end March. Till end of April there could be snow till down the valleys.

By the way, I just recognized, that I lost the announced pics somehow and somewhere in the huge space of the Ghetto.

However, here they are:

... and you can still see the snow and the mountains in the background.


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Tomorrow the next tour is planned into the north.
Maybe Czech Republic and back via Germany.

I have to accumulate kilometers for my running-in program for the engine.

Take care,
Ralf

Very pretty scenery you have to ride in Ralf, nice photos. Are there fish in the lake ?

When you're running it in please don't be too gentle on it! They need a good loading up to seat the rings properly if you want to avoid higher oil expulsion down the track.

Beautiful area, loved it there last summer.

Pete

Beautiful, the bike and the scenery both!

Hey Il GRiSO, Nice photos and great to see the temperature is rising, I am really looking forward to exploring that part of Europe in the summer.

I was planning on leaving the gortex gear at home and ride with a jacket, jeans and summer boots with a two piece waterproof over suit {just in case), do you think that would be suitable for traveling through the Alps in mid June?

I know it is possible to get almost any type of weather, especially the higher up the mountains you go, but it can get hot also and I don't want to haul too much gear.

One time Esther and I were traveling in the American Southwest in July. 100+F (37+C) as we rode through Sedona, Arizona, but as we climbed out of the canyon we encountered a blinding hail storm. We were on a two lane highway with heavy traffic running in both directions and nowhere to pull off and wait it out. By the time we got to the top the hail had stopped, but we were soaked to the skin and freezing our asses off. As soon as we could we got off the highway and stripped down and put on every layer of warm, dry gear we had including Gortex. We were glad we had it with us. The hail was done, but it rained the rest of the afternoon. I like to travel light too, but I don't like to be cold and wet, especially in the desert or the mountains.

Today another pretty day with 22 C.

Made a 300 km tour up to the northern part of Austria and entering Czech Republic.

First stop: The historic city of Aschach at the river Danube in Austria:


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Second stop: One of the nice old towns in the hilly northern parts of Austria (Mühlviertel)


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Highest altitude on the border to Czech Republik.
Note the snow in the roadside ditch.


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The navigation directed me to a very small border to the Czech Republic


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Final destination: The barrier lake of the Czech river "Moldau".


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On the way back home I trook a photo of one of the first Storks in his nest on an old chimney, just back from his winter destination in Africa.


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Arriving at home at 8 pm at an outside temp of 8 deg C.

The V2/90 with crankshaft in riding direction combined with cardan-drive is an optimum from a technical standpoint.
This evening I recognized another huge advantage of this engine concept:
I learned to love the heat dissipation of the cylinders in front of my legs  


Take care guys in Aussi-Land and Donald-States

Ralf






















and entering Czech Republic and visiting the barrier lake of the Czech river Moldau.

Ralf,

Another great trip and fantastic photos. You're a very lucky man.

I also like your "Donald States" reference. I'm going to steal that and use it from now on - "The Donald States of America", brilliant!

Pete

Bah, he's got his dumb-assed name on enough gaudy stuff already.

Just a last one:

Donald:
Every day I see too much Grisos parking in front of my tower. Grisos are better then our Harleys and cheaper too and they have cardan shaft drive, which HD does'n have. And they look much better. Grisos are killing our industry and destroying Americas gross national product.
But I will make America great again. I will build a high and long wall between Italy and US to get rid of the Grisos in front of my tower.
AND: Italy has to pay for the costs of the wall!

Ivanka:
Dad, there is the Atlantic ocean between Italy and America!
You don't need a wall at all!

Donald:
Realy Ivanka?
Good to hear.
But I will stop all this Italian Muslims with their GRiSO at the customs check and send them back to desert.
And I will get ride of all EPA restrictions and reinforce coal as THE energy source for the future.
Ivanka, tomorrow morning I will directly sign a divine decree in order to force HD to change their 10 years line-up and introduce coal-powered steam machines to their bikes!
Let's make America great again!  

Ivanka:
Dad, .......

I like all the daily's newspapers since Donald's election!

Ah, but what will the Donald do with GRiSO owners like me. I'm of Italian (Sicilian) ancestry, and proud of it.

Woterbottle,

Like in all alpine lakes there are plenty of fishes in.
I am not a specialist on fishes, I looked into the www

That's what you can find in the Almsee (590 m above sea-level):
Lake trouts, river trouts, rainbow trouts, chars and graylings.

Really a nice area!

Guzzi Cat,

A prognosis about weather and temps in June for the alps is like readying in a cry stall ball.
Last year I went to Meran (South-Tyrol). Temp 30 deg C and back to Tyrol via Timmelsjoch (2509m) in a snow storm (all within 3 hours of riding).

Normally the temps down in the valleys will be worm enough to go without Gore-Tex. If you climb a pass route be brave (like all Irish people) and warm-up your legs by the V2.

Where do you plan to go to?

Guzzi Cat,

just an additional indication:

If you go up from valley to pass height, the temp will reduce approx. by 1 deg C per 100m @ dry weather and approx. 0,5 deg C per 100m at wet weather conditions.

Thus, a rainy day might be better in terms of temps, but I assume this doesn't help you really.

My personal recommendation:
Short before trip go into the web and look to the local weather prognosis and then subtract the corresponding deg's (1/100m).
I also wouldn't take too much clothing's with me on a bike tour.
In the case of, there are a lot of shops on top of the pass and you can buy

Ralf, Thanks for the recommendation on the Alpine dress code  I want to make sure that Mrs Guzzi Cat is warm and comfy or she can get grouchy ( I might get her a present of a heated body warmer)

We will be travelling from Memmingen to Fern-pass, Soelden, Livingo, Stelvio pass, Mandello Del Lario, Dolomites (Livinallongo) and Rauris to name a few.

We will be travelling on the Stelvio in mid June and yes we will check the weather before we go and we will buy if we forgot some stuff. cant wait,

Hi Guzzi Cat,

you are passing my house in Tyrol, which is in Imst.
When you go down Fernpass you will come to Imst entering the Inn-valley.
Then following the Ötztal to Sölden und via Timmelsjoch (dont't miss the complete new motorcycle museum at the toll-gate!!!) to Italy.
By the way, you can go for skiing in Sölden on the glacier all over the summer time!
It's great there!

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I am currently not sure to be in Imst end of June.

However, there is another route, which I can recommend as alternative to the Fernpass route. Fernpass is the car-route for tourists and a lot of traffic jam during vacation time.
Hahntennjoch is a real motorcycle tour via alpine area.


Congratulation for your planned tour, also or especially then for the riding in the Italian dolomite's and then the Stilfserjoch AND Mandell del Lario.

You will enjoy this tour !!
Ralf