From: bhilden@bigriver.Eng.Sun.COM (Bruce Hildenbrand)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.rides
Subject: Guide to Bicycle Touring in Europe
Date: 19 Nov 1992 09:13:52 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems Inc., Mountain View, CA
NNTP-Posting-Host: bigriver-248

I have updated this guide with new and correct information.  I would
appreciate any comments from the net.

Thanks,

Bruce
bruce.hildenbrand@eng.sun.com

--------------------------- Cut Here ----------------------------------

	Guide to Bicycle Touring in Europe

This guide has been written in an effort to help prospective cyclists
get the maximum out of their European cycling experience.  It based on
knowledge gleaned from my many European tours and those of others, most
notably, Chris Wiscavage who never gave me an incorrect piece of advice.

It is important to set some sort of goal for your trip.  This can
be as simple as "I just want to have fun!" to, "I gotta get up
the north side of the Stelvio".  For instance, in 1988 my goal was
to see as much of the European Alps as possible, particularly those
passes that have played roles in major European professional cycling
races (Tour de France thing, Giro de Italia, Tour de Suisse) as
could be had in about three weeks US to US.


LOGISTICS

We will start with getting there in one piece and with a functioning bike.

On most international flights, if you check your bike as one of your
2 pieces of luggage you will save the $50 (or whatever) charge(each way).

New York's JFK Airport is to be avoided at all costs.  If you want to
spend a horrible night in NYC, suffering from jet lag, then put Kennedy in
your connections.  First off, it has been my experience that NYC workers
would not go out of their way to help anybody(even close family relatives).
Secondly, there are no outgoing continental(AKA US) flights departing from
Kennedy after about 7pm, so if you miss connections for some reason, you
will have to spend the night(I did once and with all the stranded passengers
and confusion it was a horrible end to a great vacation).

I think the key here is that you want to go through customs and change
planes as close to your final destination as possible, which in my case
would be either Dallas-Fort Worth or Chicago.  If you miss a connection
because of flight delays or custom delays, you have a better chance of
catching a flight out the same day.

Also, allow 2-3 hours for making you international connections.  Most
airports have separate terminals for international and continental
flights.  There may be some distance to be covered to make plane
changes which may result in either you or your baggage not making
the flight if you cut the connection time too closely.

My favorite airlines are American, United, Delta and British Airways.
They served excellent food, headphones were free and they were on time.

I would not recommend TWA for flying to Europe.  They use a hub system based
in Paris, that necessitates a plane change in Paris.  The terminal is crowded
and because of the hub, scheduling is a mess.

Most airlines have beefed up their security on International flights, they
now verify that all passengers who checked luggage are on the flight.  This
means that every time you change planes you have security checks and potential
delays.  Suffice it to say, the fewer plane changes the better.

Air fares differ between high and low seasons, arrival and departure
locations, date of purchase(I am a terrible procrastinator), etc..  In 1986
I flew Denver->Frankfurt->Denver during low season for $620.  In 1988 I
flew Denver->Geneva->Denver during high season for $1050.  In 1990 I flew
San Francisco->Barcelona...Geneva-> San Francisco during high season for
$1200.  High season runs from about June 1 to September 30.

Chris Wiscavage advised against flying by charter.  He said that charters
are notorious for being overcrowded and if they run out of baggage space
on the plane, then the bikes are one of the first items to be left behind.
On one of his trips flying charter, he had to wait 5 days for his bike to
arrive.  Obviously, the conditions vary between charter companies, if
you have one that you trust and the price is right, go for it!

There are many ways and specialized containers to help facilitate packing
a bike.  I have flown frequently with my bike for the last 10 years and
have NEVER had any damage when my biked was packed correctly, here is how
I do it:

Get a mountain bike box(they are a tad bit wider) from your local friendly
bike shop.  Use 3/4" inch foam pipe insulation to protect the 3 main tubes,
tape in place.  Take the seat, pedals, and front wheel off the bike.  Use
a bit of string to attach the LEFT(non-chainwheel) crankarm to the Left
chainstay.  Remove the rear deraileur from its hanger and just let it hang.
Remove the handlebars and stem from the frame(this may necessitate
removing the cyclocomputer mount) and hang on the top tube.  Place a spacer
in the front fork, pad areas of possible contact with foam padding.  Put the
seat, pedals and front quick release skewer in a bag and place the bag in the
front of the bike box.  Slide the frame in so the forks are just ahead of the
bag.  Spread the box a tad and slide in the front wheel on the Left side(non
chainwheel) and use foam squares(I have about 20 1' X 1.5' X 2" pieces
procured from shipping crates at work) to pad the bike from any scratch both
internal or external.  Close the box and tape with strapping tape.

One nice thing about bike boxes is that you can pack a lot of your extra gear
(and presents) inside the box.  I have traveled to Europe using just the bike
box as my only piece of luggage!

One not of caution here.  I would try and obtain a bike box that closely fits
the size of you bike(i.e. if you have a 58cm frame get a box for a 58cm frame
bike).  You want to minimize movement in the box and the box should be packed
tight enough so that you can stand it on end or even possibly upside down.  I
would not recommend getting a box that is too big and trying to cut it down to
size.  I tried this one year and suffered minor damage to the bicycle because
when I cut down the top of the box, I could not get it to fold over very well
and lost some of the structural integrity of the top of the box.  A heavy item
was placed on top of my box and the top of the box could not support it and a
cable guide was bent.

Also, different bike companies use different strengths of cardboard.  As of
1992, Specialized and Bridgestone still had very sturdy boxes while Cannondale
and Trek used pretty flimsy cardboard.

In 1988, my buddy used one of those soft sided bags that Performance and
Nashbar sell, they are also used by the several pro teams.  They are total
jive, even Team 7-11 says so.  I think the foam padding gives a false sense
of security to the consumer, but more distressingly to the baggage personnel.
My buddy's rear wheel was totally trashed, I mean we are talking moebius strip,
pretzel stuff. Several of the spokes were actually bent from some sort of
impact.

So, I would not recommend a soft bag unless you get a new bike every couple of
months and you have a mechanic to take care of fried wheels.  A hard case has
to be the way to go, any type of bag, plastic, nylon or otherwise is out!

EQUIPMENT

This portion deals with the equipment that I take.

Anyway, most of the bicycle shops in Europe are not as well stocked as their
US counterparts.  Most shops only carry one or two brands, hence, their
selection is atrocious.  Chris Wiscavage said that most shops don't build
wheels very well and looking at the shops, I would believe it.  Don't get
me wrong, I am sure there are some very fine bike shops in Europe, but it is
a good idea to come prepared for just about anything.

Here is my pre-tour bike preparation:

1) New chain
2) New tires and tubes
3) 4 New cables(2 - brake, 2 - deraileur)
4) Repacked Bottom bracket
5) Repacked headset
6) Repacked hubs
7) New Toe Straps
8) Clean Derailuers
9) Check brake pads for wear
10) True Wheels
11) Oil/grease Freewheel/freehub
12) Wash bike thoroughly(check frame for any cracks!)

I would not recommend Look cleats for touring.  I do a lot of walking
which is unavoidable.  It has been my experience that even a little bit
of wear on the Look cleat can make it behave differently in the pedal.
While Look cleat covers are available to protect the cleat during walking,
during a normal day on the road you do so much on and off the bike
activity that it seemed like too much bother to take the covers on and
off and on and off, etc.(my friends who have tried this agree)

The best option seems to be one of the walkable clip-in shoe systems such
as the Shimano SPD.  Another option is to use a shoe like the Avocet Touring
that you can walk in and then you don't have to bring extra shoes!

To hold the gear on the bike, I use a Blackburn SX-1 rack.  I have a
racing frame, so I had to use the "eyelet mounts" which worked
fine.  I replaced the outer washer(black neoprene) with a wider one,
(they are used by plumbers) and used a piece of bicycle innertube
as padding between the frame and the aluminum piece, which worked
well.  I had to file off the protruding tongs on the bottom of the
rack so it would not contact my seatstays, I still left enough of the
tong so that a bungee cord could still be hooked onto it.

The bag I use is a Cannondale rear trunk rack.  This is one of the
multitude of shoe box shaped bags that sits on top of the rack.
Unfortunately, most of these bags are foam lined(for 6-packs) and they
do not have the 800 cu in. minimum capacity that was necessary for my gear.
I removed the plastic liner and sewed nylon sleeves into the two sides(not
front or back side)of the bag.  I made two rectangular pieces of 1/32"
plexiglass (5"x12") that fit into the sleeves to hold the bag up and give it
some shape.  I also sewed some lash points on top of the bag in case of
overflow.

The bag listed at 800 cu in., it had one big compartment, two side pockets,
a rear pocket(with reflector) and a top pocket.  All my medical stuff fit
inside the rear pocket, eliminating the need for a dop kit/stuff sack.  I put
my poly-pro top, hat, gloves, leg warmers and jacket in the side pockets so
they were easily accessible.  The camera, maps of the day, money, road food
go in the top pocket.  I hit upon a great way to pack the tennis shoes which
takes up minimal space.  Rather than crunch them together and lose the dead
air in between, pack them to each side and stuff clothes in between.

In 1988, my buddy used a bag made by Lone Peak of Salt Lake City.  It was a
1200cu in. top loading bag and worked fine.

I bought a plastic "rack top" that snaps onto the top of the Blackburn rack
to provide a flat surface for the pack and also, some rain protection.
I made a rain cover which fit over the entire bag, since panniers are
notorious for leaking.  A great idea!  I would recommend it!

I would recommend a good set of brakes, some of the descents are long, steep
and quite tricky with off camber and decreasing radius turns, usually
accompanied by lack of guard rail.  

For gearing(I have Dura-Ace Freehub w/7-speed), I have a 52X39 front with
either a 14-15-16-17-19-21-24, 14-15-17-19-21-23-25 or 14-16-18-20-22-24-26
rear gear ratio.

I have climbed some pretty steep stuff, 20+% asphalt and 16% dirt, but I
can always keep the 39x24 at 6 to 7 mph, which was OK by my "knee"
standards.  My findings seem to be echoed by several other Boulderites who
also used a 39x24 top end.  Anyway, with my 10-12lbs. of additional gear
it worked for me.

Here is my equipment list, assume a completely naked person (total weight
was 10-12 lbs.).  Note that in most cases, references to polypro could
be replaced by any of the new miracle fabrics such as Thermax or Capileine:

2 pr. cycling shorts(synthetic chamois drys more quickly)
2 short sleeve cycling jerseys(avoid dark colors and 100% polypro)
2 pr cycling socks(medium weight polypro)
1 pr cycling shoes(new cleats for the trip, cleats lock-tighted)
1 cotton cycling cap(washable) or helmet
1 pr leg warmers(Pearl Izumi are the best!)
1 medium weight polypro long sleeve top(converts SS jersey to long sleeve)
1 gore-tex Cycling jacket or Pearl Izumi Silmond jacket
2 pr gloves 1-cycling, 1-warm(Patagonia polypro)
1 pr sunglasses(uh, uh, Oakleys)
1 pr Tennis Shoes(get something with good support for days off)
1 pr lightweight pants(North Face-North Shore)
1 polo shirt
1 pr walking shorts(Patagonia Baggie Lites are very light weight)
1 pr undershorts(Speedo swimsuit, doubles for jacuzzis and swimming)
1 handkerchief/bandana(for cleaning Oakleys and neck protection from the sun)
1 rain cover for pack(panniers are notorious for leaking)
1 foldable clincher(can be shared with another rider)
2 spare tubes(new)
1 patch kit with 8 patches and new glue + several tire "boots"
1 tool kit(8-9-10-11mm wrenches, spoke wrench, tire irons, chain lube, screw
	driver, 3-4-5-6mm allen wrenches)
2 27 oz. water bottles(I have used the 20 oz. with OK results)
maps(see below for brand recommendations)
toilet kit(aspirin, cortisone cream(saddle sores), neosporin, toothpaste,
	toothbrush, shampoo, razor, soap, sunblock, comb, fingernail clippers)
Clothes washing soap(antibacterial)
camera + film(see below for recommendations on type to purchase)
bike cable and lock(5/16" X 5' coated Flexweave(TM) cable)
small "hotel" type sewing kit
notepad and pen(I like the Space Pens, they write anywhere)
passport + cash(Traveler's Checks) + credit cards
stuff sacks or plastic bags for gear inside rack bag
earplugs(for sleeping at night)
watch

Optional equipment:
1 pr pajamas
1 Freewheel puller + spokes(4 back, 4 front) - I have never broken a spoke
on my 14x15x14 gauge rear or my 15x16x15 gauge front 36 hole 3-cross wheels.

If you wanted to cut down on bulk, you could substitute a lightweight
coated rain jacket instead of the huge Gore-tex parka, which I may due
in the future.  I don't really believe in Goretex, if I am on the flats
and it begins to rain and the temp is above 60 F, I just ride on.
In Europe, the passes are steep enough that you really loose altitude fast
and a coated jacket is sufficient when it gets cold.

TIPS WHILE ON THE ROAD

This section deals with the basic trip details, road conditions,
weather, food, hotels, changing money.

Maps:

The yellow Michelin regional maps are the best.  There is so much
detail, it is almost impossible to get lost.  Having the elevation
of the towns helps plan out the climbs and having the different
types of roads(see below) marked out helps me stay off the more
heavily traveled arteries.  The Michelens are only available for
France and Switzeralnd, in Italy, I would recommend the Touring
Association of Italy maps, almost as good as the Michelins.
Buy the Michelins, they are worth it!  Also, note that these
maps now bear a date(on the back at the bottom) as to when they
were last updated, get the latest version.

Also recommended are the Institut Geographique National(IGN) maps, which
are marked with contour lines.  There are three flavors green is 1cm:1km,
red is 1cm:2.5km, and blue is somewhat finer than the green (blue is
usually used by hikers).

Roads:

First, there are different classes of roads, delineated by the
color of the signs.  For example, in Switzerland, the freeways
use green signs(verboten for bicycles), the blue signs are for
primary roads(bikes OK) and the secondary roads are in white
(bikes OK).  Primary roads tend to be a little more direct than
secondary roads, but they have more traffic as well.  The colors
change for each country so be aware!

Many tunnels in Europe do not have lighting, and some are very long.
For the most part the road surfaces inside are OK, but it's best to
play it safe and slow way down, don't forget to pop up the Oakleys.

The mountain roads are generally good, but deteriorate as you go higher.
The worst paved road I have encountered was on the Col de L`Iseran, going
down past Val d'Isere and ending in Bourg St. Maurice.  The width of the
roads can change dramatically from 2 lanes to 1 lane, etc., tunnels spring
up out of nowhere, and the turns are not marked.  However, unless you
are riding dirt(Gavia Pass, yeah!!!!) you can avoid just about anything by
being careful.

The roads in Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein are the best.
France, Italy and Spain are very good as well.

Written guides to paved climbs in the Alps:

There are 3 separate guides to the mountainous regions in France
that describe the paved mountain passes which may be of use to
anyone planning a trip.  The guides are written in French, but
each pass has a sort of topographic layout of the actual climb,
giving the percent grade for each kilometer, which is very useful.

The three guides are(denoted by the subtitle "ALTIGRAPH Edition"):

1) Atlas des Cols des Alpes

2) Atlas des Cols des Pyrenees

3) Atlas des Cols du Massif Central

They cost about 85ff($14 US) each and are available from:

Le Vieux Campiuer
14 Rue des Ecoles
75005 Paris France

Changing Money:

If you are in the Alps, you need to keep a good supply of the local
currency as banks are not always easy to find(except resort towns).
Hotels will change money, use this as a last resort as the exchange
rate is not always good(6 francs/1 dollar at a bank; 5.5 francs/1 dollar
at a hotel in 1988).

I have found that most banks have the same exchange rate, so shopping
around was a waste of time.  Remember, you can change your current
currency as well as your US stuff when you change countries, but coins
are usually not exchanged unless they are of high(>$0.50) value.

As a general rule, you cannot change small denomination coins.  If 
you are anticipating leaving a country be sure to use up all your
small change or be prepared to just give it away at the border.

A lot of places will take credit cards(ask first), however, it may
take several months for the charges to show up on your statement
which puts you at the mercy of fluctuating exchange rates.

General stuff:

Except in big cities, everything in the towns shut down from 12pm(noon)
to around 2-3pm.  This means markets, banks, basically everything you need.
Restaurants are open, but a big meal is a no-no.  I found it was better
to buy food at a super market in the morning and just munch a bit about
every 2 hours.  Typical road food was fruit(bananas, nectarines, peaches),
cookies, candy bars and bread.

In Spain, everything shuts down from 1pm-4pm and dinner is not usually
served until 8:30 or so.

Finding hotels:

The "Office of Tourism" is a good place to start looking for hotels.
The tourist office can provide a list of hotels graded by stars and
may also make recommendations.  I prefer the 2 and 3 star hotels(out
of a possible 5), the firmness of the bed and noisiness of the street
outside were the major factors influencing my decision.

It should also be mentioned that since most hotels do not have air
conditioning, you need to do everything possible to get a cool room.
If you need to keep the windows open, try and get a room away from the
street side of the hotel or the noise will keep you up(believe me, this
is important).  Earplugs help somewhat.

Andy Hampsten told me a couple of his favorite tricks to stiffen up 
soft beds(he usually doesn't get a choice of hotel).  You can put the
mattress on the floor or you can take a door off of a closet and put
it between the springs and the mattress.

The average price of 2-3 star hotels for 2 twin beds and a bath
with shower was $40.  This usually includes the "petit dejuner"
better known as the "continental breakfast".  If you do not drink
coffee, they will substitute hot chocolate, but orange juice is
an additional charge.

Many European hotels use down comforters instead of blankets on their
beds.  If you sleep hot, like me, you can remove the comforter cover
and use it as a blanket!

Food:

I'm not a big food gourmet.  For dinner, I stick with the basics.
Spaghetti, lasagne, pizza, veal, croutes.  If you try something exotic
and your stomach gets upset, you won't be able to ride.  If you are
looking for good food, get some recommendations before you leave or be
prepared to swig some Pepto.  As we say in America, "If you can't pronounce
it, you best not eat it".

Weather:

I have been quite lucky when it comes to weather, having to endure only
1-1/2 days of rain total on my six tours of Europe.  This is quite
unusual and you should come to Europe prepared to get wet.

It can be hot at the lower elevations in the summer, if you sleep at
higher altitudes(>1000 meters) you may be able to beat the heat.

Some regions have predictable weather conditions such as the 15-20mph
wind that seems to always blow up the Sion valley from Maritgny
towards Brig.

Being in shape:

Because I am on vacation, I am not going over to Europe to suffer on 
every climb, so being in shape is of tantamount importance.  Plan your
pre-trip riding depending on the type of trip you are going to do.
I live for switchbacks so I go to Europe to ride the passes, so I try
to get a lot of climbing in my rides in the US.

People:

I find everybody pretty friendly.  In most countries, the people attempt
to speak English once you attempted a conversion in their native tongue
(especially the French).  Try to respect the native customs.

Taking your bike on the Train:

NEVER, and I mean NEVER, check baggage on a train.  The baggage cars are
not necessarily hooked up to the passenger trains which means you can wait
for days for your luggage to arrive(I saw this happen to a Canadian guy in
1990).  On Swiss and German trains there is space at the end of most cars
where you can leave baggage, which is where I put my bike.  In France, I
suspended the bike above the seats in the two opposing luggage racks(great
trick!).   in 1990 a conductor was making all sorts of gyrations about the
bike having to be sent as baggage.  Just play dumb and as long as you are not
taking up too much space they will usually let you slide.  Unfortunately,
in 1992, I came under the wrath of every train conductor in Europe.
I never got separated from my bike, but I had to pay an extra charge for
having my bike with me on the train($30 US).  However, I would rather be
verbally abused than be separated from my bike!

On interesting thing about bikes on passenger trains, in 1992 I took the
TGV from Paris to Pau and was not hassled about my bike because it was
still in the box and in the back of the car.  You may be able to cut
down on your hassle quotient by keeping you bike in your box until you
really need it.  Just a thought.

Miscellania:

A quick way to help wring out your freshly washed riding clothes is to
spread the wet garment on a dry towel.  Roll the garment up in the towel
and use your knee to press the rolled towel.  Unroll the towel and hang
the garment to dry.

Be careful when buying film in Europe.  Some of the film prices include
processing charges.  It is best to ask what's what. 

I did not find it necessary to take a travel guide(such as the Michelin
Red Guide), but it may be helpful for pre-trip planning.

Beware of national holidays.  Once I was out of francs in France during
Bastille Day, not pleasant.

Most passes have restaurants on top.  Great for getting a soda or candy bar.

Some countries may require a separate Visa(like France used to), be sure
to check with your travel agent or the State Department.

When buying stamps for postcards, make sure you ask for Air Mail stamps
otherwise it can take up to 3 months for the cards to arrive in the US.

If you are shipping and parcels to Europe(or vice versa), allow 8 weeks
for delivery if sent surface, about 2 weeks for air mail.

If you buy bus or train tickets, you should specify up front if you
would like a one-way or round trip ticket.  Some locations assume the
default is one-way, others assume round-trip.

Staying hydrated(i.e. drinking water) is really important.  Most towns
have fountains or pipes flowing into water troughs.  The general rule is
that unless there is a sign that says the water is not fit for drinking
("eau non potable", "verboten") then you can drink it.

If someone wanted to avoid the hassles of carrying gear and just wanted
to find a nice town for some day trips, my first choice would be
Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.  Situated in the heart of the Dolomites, Cortina
has incredible, and I mean incredible, scenery and many great passes(don't
miss the ride up to the Tre Cime de Lavaredo, it's a great walk to
circumnavigate the base as well).  You can plan trips from 30 to 150+ miles
of some of the best riding in the world.

My second choice would be Andermatt, Switzerland gateway to the Susten,
Furka, Gothard and Oberalp passes and close to Wilhem Tell's birthplace(he
didn't really exist but, there's a monument anyway).  The day rides here are
longer and more strenuous but, you won't be disappointed.

Also recommended is the northern Italian town of Bormio.  The Stelvio,
Gavia, Bernina, Foscagno and Motriolo are all within a day's ride.

I would not recommend going to the Pyrenees Mountains during the month
of July(possibly even August).  Even though there are a lot of 4000'
climbs, the passes are for the most part low altitude compared to
the Alps(1500-2000 meters versus 2000-2700 meters) and because of this
it is quite hot.  A better time for the Pyrenees is May-June or
September.  Also, I found the Pyrenees to be quite beautiful but, I really
like the ruggedness of the Alps and the roads in the Pyrenees did not pass
by much of this type of scenery(though it does exist via hiking trails).
 
ITINERARY

This itinerary is not presented as a "look what I did" but, more of a guide
to the European Alps.  The route was an exceptionally beautiful one and can
be easily modified to provide shorter or longer rides.

Yverdon - Lausanne - Martigny - Chamonix = 100 mi
CLIMBS: Col de la Forclaz, Col des Montets = 6000'

Chamonix - Megeve - Flumet - Beaufort - Bourg St. Maurice - Moutiers = 90mi
CLIMBS: Pont d'Arbon, Col de Saisies, Cormet de Roseland = 8000'

Moutiers - La Chambre - Bourg d'Oisans = 75mi
CLIMBS: Col de Madeline, Col du Glandon = 11000'

(1/2 DAY)L'Alpe d'Huez and return = 25mi  Climb = 4000'

Bourg d'Oisans - St. Michael - Modane - Lanselbourg = 75mi
CLIMBS: Col Du Lauteret, Col du Galibier, Col du Telegraphe = 10000'

Lanselbourg - Val d'Isere - Bourg St. Maurice - Cormayeur = 85mi
CLIMBS: Col de la Madeline, Col de L'Iseran, Col du Pt. St. Bernard = 10000'

Cormayeur - Aosta/Aosta - Martigny - Sion - Visp = 120mi
CLIMBS: Col du Gd. St. Bernard = 7500'

Visp - Brig - Crevoladossola - Locarno - Lugano - Menaggio = 120mi
CLIMBS: Simplon Pass, St. Maria Maggiore, Passo Mt. Ceneri = 8000'

Menaggio - Chiavenna - St. Moritz - Pontressina - Poschiavo - Tirano = 100mi
CLIMBS: Passo del Maloja, Passo del Bernina = 8000'

Tirano - Aprica - Edolo - Ponte di Legno - Bormio = 65mi
CLIMBS: Passo del Aprica, Passo di Gavia = 10000'

Bormio - Merano - Bolzano/Bolzen - Blumau - Tires = 90mi
CLIMBS: P. di Stelvio = 8000'

Tires - Vigo - Canazei - Caprile - Colle San Loccia - Cortina = 65mi
CLIMBS: P. de Nigra, P.d. Costalunga, P.d. Fedaia, P.d. Giau = 10000'

Cortina - Bruneck - Vipiteno/Sterzing - Brenner - Innsbruck - Zwirl = 110mi
CLIMBS: P.d. Falzarego, P.d. Valporola, Brenner Pass = 6000'

Zwirl - Landeck - St. Anton - Bludenz - Feldkirch - Vaduz - Landquart = 120mi
CLIMBS: Arlbergpass = 6000'

Landquart - Chur - Flims - Llanz - Disentis/Muster - Andermatt - Realp = 75mi
CLIMBS: Oberalpass = 7500'

Realp - Gletch - Meiringen - Rosenlaui - Grindelwald - Interlaken - Spiez -
Boltigen = 100mi
CLIMBS: Furkapass, Grimselpass, Grosse Scheidegg = 10000'

(1/2 DAY)Boltigen - Bulle - Romont - Payerne - Estavayer du Lac - Yverdon = 65mi
CLIMBS: Jaunpass = 3000'


Written by Bruce Hildenbrand
Last revision 11/09/92