Six ride to Garmisch

Bloomers100

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I thought I'd post a day by day ride report of our trip to Garmisch last week. The trip went well and we all got home safe.

I'm a member of a local IAM group and last year got the chance to go with them to Wales and Luxembourg, if I'm honest these were my first tastes of loaded up touring. Great bunch of guys who I wouldn't hesitate to go away with again. Decent riding and no hooliganism.

Anyway being a bit of a BMW fanboy I'd always fancied getting to Garmisch but didn't really want to go solo so I though I'd ask the fellows from last year's trip if they fancied joining me, not under the banner of IAM or our group, just a holiday for old gits on bikes really. Well five of them said they would like to come so I now had a trip to plan.

The rough sketch was one day from Eurotunnel to Baden Baden, a day down through the Black Forest, two nights in the area of Garmisch, a westward day back into France, another night in France followed by an afternoon train back to Folkestone.

That's how it stayed really, gradually I booked the hotels on booking.com, gave them all chance to chip in, but really they're happy if they're on their bikes and frankly they didn't give a stuff, which made it easy for me. Booking.com made it easy to ensure that we had separate beds, breakfast included etc.

the lads https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

Up until recently my only bike had been my K1300R, I'd recently acquired JBs R1150GSA, so I was in a pleasant dilemma of deciding which bike to take. I'd always planned to take the K, it was freshly serviced and I'd fantasised about the eargasms I'd me giving people with it beautiful exhaust note as I ripped through the Alps. So the K got the vote. One week before though it dawned on me that the Bridgeston s20 evo rear probably only had about a thousand miles left in it, so a new one had to be fitted, I've kept the old one so I can squeeze the miles out of it, I do like to get value.

Black Mistresshttps://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

Givi enduro tanklock tank bag, the biggest Aldi £9.99 dry bag held on with Rok-straps was plenty luggage wise. The Aldi bags really are good value, the only down side is that the aperture isn't full width so you have to stuff things down the end. I managed to get a weeks worth of clothes, a Klim mesh jacket and a pair of Lindstrands jeans in there too.

We've been having stinking weather here for weeks now but the European forecast was shite with storms predicted during day on and two. Over the last six months I'd bought BMW Atlantis jacket and trousers separately as wand when I could find them in a sale, so Iwas mainly going to be wearing that, it certainly got a good test day one, more of that later.

Not a GS amongst our group in addition to me was a K1300S, RTLC, RT Hexhead, Triumph Explorer 1200 and a Yamaha Tracer 900. I saw so many GS's in and around Garmisch it became the BMW Clitoris to me :augie

The plan was to meet at maidstone services one the M20 one hour before the train at 0620. in order to maximise sleep in front of what was going to be a long day four of us took two rooms at The Mercure Danes Hotel, its basically on the opposite side of the roundabout from the services. I'd previously stayed at the Days Inn at the services but it wasn't great and about the same price. Denis, who lives near me, and I arrived at The Danes to be met by a friendly cheapen the desk who wasn't sure they had any rooms vacant. I explained that when someone makes a reservation they should reasonably expect a room to be ready. Eventually after some searching on his pooter, with a worried look on his face, he gave us two key cards for what should be a twin room. After a hike through the long corridors in leathers, carrying kit, in 26 degrees we found the room. My key card didn't work. Den's did, "Oh dear den its a double bed, oh and there seems to be someone's luggage open and their stuff all over the room." What a donut that boy on reception must be. So we traipsed back pointed out his error. He sent for his boss as there didn't seem to be any rooms. She arrived and put us in room 4000 - a huge room with 4 beds and they gave us a voucher for a pint each. I could've done without it as the full weight of organisation was on my shoulders for hotels, trains and gpx routes and this was a flakey cock up, I hoped it didn't bode for the rest of the booking.com arrangements.
 
Excellent long weekend..

I'm sure I saw you in the beer/food tent.

I was dancing with a German bikerchick... I was the one wearing a rottweiler

Went up Zugspitse... Ace

b7907fba55876065baf2055162e0ff73.jpg


Sent from my London Taxi
 
Day 1

As planned and as done before we met by the pumps with other bikers ready to ride down to the tunnel. there were a lot of exotic cars about making their was to the Le Mans classic (no pics sorry). I thought as long as you get to the check in 30 mins before departure its okay; well maybe it is when it's not busy like this day. We pitched up at the booth to be told were late, we should be there 45 mins before and the check in closes at 30 mins before. I hadn't experienced this before. There then ensued a bit of a kerfuffle trying to get us all on the same train. the tickets with the letter on were all coming out different, and if we wanted to get on the same train we'd have top wait two hours. The lad in fairness got on his intercom, the advice from his boss was get them whizzed through and they can go on the latest ticket that spews out. Well, there was a clear majority letter that came out for a train 20 mins after ours, we decided we'd hide any tickets that didn't have right letter on and all pitch up for that one.

There were Rorys and Tobys everywhere in their driving loafers, with pastel pullovers draped nonchalantly over their shoulders, it was like being at the biggest Jeremy Clarkson convention - In The World. Some nice cars though. It seems the practice to line bikes up by the train and to put them on last, it gave a good view of the cars going on. One floppy haired Quentin driving an Austin Healey clearly disagreed with the decision making process of the loader, he got put straight with words to the effect of 'I'll fecking load the train mate, now get on.' (He didn't swear at the customer but you get the atmosphere). Anyway we eventually got on and we were away on our long day across France.

We'd all got the Sanef tags, I placed mine in the window of my tank bag, time would tell if that was sufficiently visible. Lots of bikes including an Italian guy on an English cruiser who we would see all day, he was heading to southern Italy.

So off the train and onto the A26, the weather was dry which was a pleasant surprise. As the man with the route, which I had shared, I was to be Red leader or Red 1 as a later become known. From my time in The Job I'd done a lot of work involving convoys (shhh) and I know what its like to be on the back trying to make up ground so I kept around 70-75, later at a fuel stop they all felt we could press on more so we did.

There had been quite a bit of talk on here about the Sanef tags so we had planned to enter one at a time, all worked well, my tag positions as fine and as long as you didn't tear up to the barrier it lifted without the need for a foot down 95% of the time. I didn't see any height restricted booths apart from once.

Gratuitous bike porn https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

The day continued dry until about 2pm when we had passed Metz, and the dark grey clouds began to grow. It was at this point I thought here comes the Atlantis test. Well it pissed down making motorcycling more akin to jet skiing. We had to make a stop for some of the lads to kit up, one of them offered me a waterproof - it wasn't needed I stayed as dry as a bone inside. Double thumbs up for the Atlantis suit I expect many more years of service from it. It kind of rained on and off the rest of the day, not as heavy as before though.

Eventually we were off the motorways and on the roads towards the border of the Rhein. The roads got really busy, it was rush hour by now. Going over the Rhein was a bit of a spectacle, masses of water going over dams. The water higher on one side than the other, it emphasised the importance of these huge rivers to the people and economy of Germany. Baden Baden soon came along, we were booked into the Holiday Inn Express. As we neared the hotel on the B500 the route on the sat nav was suggesting a one way system at the end, as we entered it I spied a little sign on the offside that the hotel was 50m around the corner. Once I cleared the corner I spotted a lay-by and the entrance to the underground parking. Pretty smart and modern in this part of Baden Baden, and the hotel was the same. They all stayed with the bikes whilst I went in to see what the score was. Inside is one escalator that only goes when someone is there and goes up and down, not sure what happens when two people want to go opposite directions - but pretty indicative of the style I liked about Germany and the continual nod towards their eco credentials.


I got a lovely welcome from the receptionist who said we could park in the carpark for free.
room in the stable at the innhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

This hotel is modern and tidy, theres a good selection of bottle beer. the receptionist suggested some nearby eateries. we opted for Mamma Lina just 100 m away. Most of the guests seemed to be bikers. Den was vexed by not being able to show km/h on one of his displays on Battlestar RT. he' pinged another RT rider in the hotel and accosted him. turned out this group of people worked for BMW UK and were on their way to Garmisch as well. The guy kindly offered to go down to garage to help Den out. Well, they were gone for ages (the length of time it took me to drink two beers) net result was it can't be changed and he rang some ubergeek BMW people to check. Nice people obviously proud to work for BMW. All stood to shake my hand too, something I always do, but is rare with the young 'guns these days, germanic influence I surmised.

After a couple of beers we headed out in the showers. Massive pizzas and decent pasta dishes here, we were well ready after a long day. Back to the hotel for another beer and off to bed.

Its easy to become culturally bereft on these trips when the thrust is bike riding, we hadn't seen anything of Baden Baden really, I fully intend to return.
 
Day 2

We had a whats app group of guys from here set up with a plan to meet up if we could, I enjoyed reading their updates as to how their journeys were focussing in on the same place as us. Most people had suffered rain.

Decent continental breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express, all sorts of people heading to all corners of the world. And some awesome gsers too cool to smile or say hello :p1zzed:

So, saddled up and ready to go about nine. A bit grey out and clouds hanging around the tops of the fir tree clad hills all around. the plan was to run]ide the B500 to Freudenstadt, then head SE avoiding the shores of Lake Constance (due to traffic) keep to Ravensburg then E avoiding motorways. The route said turn N but I ignored it and fortunately we steadily rode through town passing the nice buildings, casino and shops so at least we got to see some of it.

As we climbed the B500 the cloud actually became fog - it was bad, at times visibility was down to 30m. I was at the front, some of the guys put their hazards on, I did the same which helped them but did naff all for me, it was so foggy I think I was being things that weren't actually there.

Black Forest Bolleaux https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

I decided I needed a break, as it turned out so did the others. When we moved off again it wasn't quite so bad, but we needed to press on.

Freudenstadt had coffee stop written all over it. There are still road closures here but we found a car park opposite the Post office by the entrance to the underground car park. A friendly Policey looking police woman said we could buy on ticket for each space we filled, we took two. Free parking for 20 mins but you still need a ticket.

coffee https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

Again friendly waitress who was happy to put up with our lack of German speaking.

So onwards towards Oberammergau. Just a matter of following the GPS, we found a road closure that didn't seem to have a diversion set up, the had me going round in circles for half an hour. Some good suggestions from the guys got us going again. That route had wanted to do a northwards triangle of motorway but the spray and stopped driving forced me to decide to find an alternative and I was glad because instead we followed rural roads through huge meadow covered valleys, lovely out was. Our eastwards route missed the Alps, by design really as it was already a long day, the first we really saw was Oberammergau itself emerging from the grey drizzle. I don't think it would've been any fun in this weather.

I was surprised how many supermarkets and big shops there were at Oberammergau, once past this you get into the cutesy chocolate box buildings, many painted with passion play murals and designs.

We were staying at the Hotel Alte Poste.

Hotel https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

"Wait here lads I'll go in and ask about parking etc."
"Hello can I help you?
"Yes the two family rooms please?" (I'd emailed at breakfast with an eta, which they'd replied with thanks to)
"Sorry we only have one single room"
"Haha yes good one" (Geman banter for sure)
"No we only have one single room left" Flashbacks to The Danes at Maidstone, many miles ago. Shiiiit what's happened here, I'm too tired.
"But I made a reservation......"
"Ah yes here we are, paperwork all ready". Phew. "ride round to the carpark I'll show you where to park.
Nice rooms, three single beds and one of those bathrooms with a window so you can watch your mate have a shit. There was a venetian blind which after some wiggling provided privacy. I still shat with the light off for peace of mind though. Shower window would've been fun with the Mrs, what a waste.
Meat orientated menu offered in the restaurant downstairs, we were one of the last to dine around 7.30. Soups and dinner woofed down with local pilsner.

multi sausage dumplinghttps://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

again the waitress was lovely and patient, the food came out really quick - no messing. I admit that my main experience of Germans has been on skiing holidays, which involves queueing, which they ignore and just push in, leading me to form the opinion they were rude and that, my experience of this trip is the complete opposite. Staff were lovely and the food came out pronto, suited me just fine.

After dinner we went for a look about.

outside hotel https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

town https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

town https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

doorway https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

Shops looked good, lots of craft stuff and furniture places throughout our trip, my Mrs would've loved it.

A little further down the road we found the footy on outside an ice-cream place that sold beer. We plonked ourselves down near some friendly local fellows, talked football and watch Brazil go out of the World Cup

TV https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

330ml bottle of 5.6 strength beer Euro 2.60 - brilliant value. happy boys.
 
Day 3


3 to a room means 3 snorers, the secret to it is to not let it wind you up, that way you get back to sleep ok. Up for brekkie a good choice of brown seedy breads, fruits, cereal, yoghurts, hams, cheese, bacon, scrambled eggs and hot sausages, coffee machine, juices. Top notch.

fellow residenthttps://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

We formed a plan to go to the Motorraddays straight away and make the day up as it unfolded. So off we went passing piles of gs bikes outside every accommodation along the road, there were thousands. Once in Garmisch it was signposted to the bike park, bit of cross country to get into the field, and the issuing of a piece of wood for your side stand; very thoughtful, more German efficiency which I liked. We were there by 9.15 so on the first row or so.

parking https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

Yes the sun was coming out and forecasted to stay so for the rest of the trip, the event is set in a bowl which provides a stunning backdrop wherever you look. It was warm and a bit sweaty wandering around in some gear, we'd managed to lock some stuff up and the Battlestar RT top box and panniers came in useful. loads to look at, quite a bit of custom stuff, lots of kit from the usual suspects like Touratech etc

In the BMW tent was a triple black XR

trip black https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

Never been able to like the front belly area of the XR, but this did appeal.

https://flic.kr/p/LZiZnA https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

In the middle is a stunt show area, I watched the drifting and the MX displays. The MX is awesome but I'd seen it many times. I liked the driftng more, the white Beemer had proper grunt.

pano https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

there was a cool custom element to the show

turbofandango https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

ice bike by https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

squared off tyre https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

watch this space https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

airkopf https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

littlebitofjizzcameout https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

special K https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

https://flic.kr/p/26ncDPq https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

Bit more corporate

black and gold https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

I could be tempted and I'm not even a dentist https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

Not wanting to drink beer this early we sloped away from the show by midday. Our plan was to ride for an hour and a half, have lunch then scoot back for the footy at the ice-cream bar. Even the non footy fans had been enthralled by the Brazil game and they wanted more:nenau

I'd plotted a route that would've taken four hours round to the south, towards Innsbruck and back to base so we set off on that, with a plan to double back at halfway ish.

Off we went, you don't have to go far before the majesty of the area reveals itself and its not long before you're in Austria

pano https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

charlies angels https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

We turned left by a garage and ended up having lunch after some ski resorts, I'm not sure where we were, but the roads were awesome tight twisty ones with an occasional longer view which enabled me to unleash the sonorous eargasm to anybody nearby, it was heaven. I needn't have worried about noise levels as the locals have it oft a fine art, there were V4 panigales at full chat, a red RR ridden almost suicidally and a sign written Tesla who pissed off quite a few of our group, he cleared me okay and I was happy to let it go, I swear that thing hunkered down as it accelerated around the tightest of bends. I gave him a thumbs up at the lunch stop, Big Tony wanted to tear him a new arsehole.

lunch in Austria daaaaaahling https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

So it was back for footy via a different route which took us straight to Oberammergau but pleasingly along the banks of Plansee, what a treat, stunning.

Plansee https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

https://flic.kr/p/26ncD2J https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

So an England win in the bag we set off for food and landed at Piccola Toscana for pizza and pasta. very good food and recommended. The evening finished with more beer and football.

Maybe we wasted riding time, but we were happy with the day, I got my first feel for the area and we'll be back and building in an extra day to get further involved in the Tirol.
 
Day 4

We were leaving and heading to France for a more leisurely return journey. Again a great breakfast at the Alte Poste, I found some melon wrapped in parma ham - yum!

Saddled up we kind of followed the return route across to Ravensburg, but now with the sun out it was great. I'd used Kurviger to plot the routes and way pointed us around towns etc. I have to say I was very pleased with how it turned out, quiet roads, the occasional biker, villages.

kloster https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

After fuelling we headed towards Freiburg, rumbling tummy had been reported and we found a great spot obviously popular with bikers judging by the fifty or so outside, at the back a terrace with massive views across to Lake Constance

big view https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

this place was only found as a knife and fork on my Garmin. service lovely, food slow to come out. Never mind we're on holiday.

Our route took us through Freiburg, the roads were busy now with Sunday afternoon excursionists. Freiburg looked nice. It was very hot 28 degrees on the bike dashboard. I was still wearing the Atlantis suit, it was bearable if you kept moving, I didn't do up the inner zip which gave a tiny trickle of air in, and left both cuff zips undone which blew air in nicely.

Our destination for the night was the Moto Hotel Col de Bussang. Once you are over the Rhein, noted the motor yachts moored with parties going on on the poop decks, the Vosges Mountains appear, but they don't get any closer and we were now adhering to the 80km/h speed limit, it was really slow going in the heat. Eventually you head upwards and with each hairpin the temp dropped a degree so that when we arrived it was twenty three degrees. This hotel is isolated, you get a sign in advance of the gates. We parked in the bike sheds and were met by Mark the owner. we opted for immediate hydration rather than going to the rooms.

hydration for the nation https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

all the other guests were at tables outside having pre dinner drinks. The rooms here are basic but functional. There is a set dinner, ce soir it was spam salad, lasagne and creme caramel - all good. Beer was nice too. people chilled at the dining tables, lots of magazines to flick through.

alright just a Jamesons then https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

No one really stayed up late. Long hot day. I would go back, some of the guys weren't sure about it. The owner wants to sell and move to the Canaries, he said it would need someone with a lot of money who wants to work hard, I felt at times maybe he's had enough of bikers trying to be his mate, maybe he's just a reserved kind of Dutch guy. He knows about ukgser and appreciates the word of mouth bookings he's had.
 
day 5

A good kip had we were up and ready for the day, only draw back was breakfast is served all at once I think at 0815, cue lots of people milling around outside wanting to scoff and get on the road. I was nosing around the sheds when I saw this

Skipper's ride https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

I recognised it as Skippers big Adventure bike off facebook. basically a dude has been riding around all over Spain and blogging the trip from his jack Russell's perspective who rides in the custom pannier, not the boat type air vent in the front. Just then they appeared. Skipper's owner was very nice, his Mrs was there too and they took time to chat and show us Skipper's lodgings, it was like a facebook celebrity moment for me, I was chuffed

pest https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

They were on their way home to, he said the all up weight of his GSA was 504 kg :eek:

Vosges https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

we set off with a plan to ride the Route de ballons and some of the Route du crete, its all sign posted off the D66. Very twisty and difficult to get any lick on, lots of skinny cyclists; I used to be one of them; I know, I've let myself go. I was surprised that on some of the hairpins they were cobbled, bet they've shitted up some cyclists up.

hooooge view https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

Huge views of god knows what, or where, well worth the climb but not the best riding, on such a bike like mine, compared to Germany. I love France and I'm off down to the Auvergne on Friday (on the GS), but it felt a bit pony after Germany. Roads were bumpy, buildings need a lick of paint. Maybe some think the efficiency and clean lines of Deutschland are too sterile but I liked it. And that bloody 80 km/h speed limit, jeeeesus.

carnage https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

We left the Vosges via Gerardermer and Epinal, now these on the other hand were absolutely lovely. Sun, lakes, people at leisure - super. we headed north west towards Verdun for the night, the ride really dragged. Better than being at work I'll grant you, empty roads, 80 km/h and speed cameras under the shade of the trees. We did stick to the limit and I wished I was now on the GS.

Our hotel for the night was the Ibis Budget at Verdun. I'd booked three, triple family rooms as they were cheap. We found the hotel opposite some sort of cash convertors store on the edge of a retail estate, half hour walk out of the centre ville. The car park was empty and check in was required on a screen, no humans in attendance. After all the ambiance we'd enjoyed at other hotels it felt a bit zombie apocalypse, I could imagine one eating my bike at 1am cos Will Smith doesn't come out at night. The guys said don't worry - look theres a bowling alley there. Bless them, they could tell I felt responsible and a bit disappointed. Eventually we cracked the panic room code and got up to the rooms. The set up is a double bed with a bunk bed over head at right angles level with the head of the person below. Denis said he'd go on top being the slighter of us both. I told him to keep still up there as I didn't want to be forcibly tea bagged in the night and knocked out at the same time, spiralling into a decline probably like suffering bends after surfacing too quickly - shiiiit.

An admin check of the bikes revealed reception staff now on duty at 1600. She Kindly got us a couple of cabs and we went into town for......yes a few beers.

jugs https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

quayside https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/


We visited the battle of Verdun monument, a battle that raged for 300 days.

Monument https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

inside the monument https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

there's a nice quayside, its an attractive place. We ate at La Toscana, mostly we had veal escalopes, sat outside, nothing not to like.

dusky river https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

we walked back, took half hour, it was good to use the legs for what they're intended for.
 
Day 6

Our price at the Ibis Budget £28.50 each didn't include brekky, nor could we buy some, morning shift stroppy bird pointed at the vending machines. Non merci.

We needed fuel and had decided we would autoroute it back to the Eurotunnel. I was keen to get home to see my son off on his prom night, and I wasn't up for dripping across France at 50mph. Consequently we were away by 0810. I actually enjoyed maintaining 80mph on the motorway, I also like French motorway fare so a good day for us.


hes coming home https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

not much else to report here, a cooler day, dry. We got to Eurotunnel earlier than the booking but got on a train one hour earlier than booked for no extra charge.

queue https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/

I got home at 4.15pm so everybody happy.

Thanks guys I had a blast. I'm so glad I took the K1300R, its a very capable touring bike if your happy to strap your gear on. Didn't get arse ache once, and a ~180 mile tank means suitable stops to refresh. Oh the torque with looks that only its mother could love, I was in two minds but its a keeper for a bit, boundless garage appeal.

My other big tick is for the Atlantis suit, awesome kit, I fully expected it to let a bit of water in - not a chance.

My last big tick is for my mates - super fellows.

moody album cover https://www.flickr.com/photos/158871048@N06/
 
Good that
Been to a lot of those places
Plansee is a good ride too and stayed at Col du Bussang last year for a night
 


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