Gwilym's Adventure Blog

Today has been a great day. I have either been over or under mountains. I started in Italy with the classic Stelvio Pass just after breakfast and then it was down the other side and at some point I entered Switzerland and went over another pass before my trat to myself of a "train under the mountain". To be honest, it was no treat, 20km of holding onto my bike on a flat bed carriage scared it would fall over everytime we went round a corner. It was a mesh floor about 1mm smaller than my side stand foot. After this, it was up to Malbun the highest point in Liechtenstein for more coffee and some well deserved cake. Back down the same serous of bends and back into Switzerland over another 2 passes to my campsite at the bottom of Gotthard Pass. I arrived 30mins before reception open so I decided to ride Gotthard Pass and come back later. I got back, checked in and tent up minutes before the rain. Looks like yet another storm tonight...

A 5.30am start got me through the Soca valley, over the pass at 1600m (road 206 - not for people who can't do corners) and into Italy before the heat started to crank up. After breakfast however it just became hotter and hotter. I went up and over another couple of passes and on dropping down into a town had to do some stop/start riding. With no airflow I actually began to feel sick and the bike was showing 41 degrees. I pulled over and sat in a cafe for over an hour trying to psyche myself up for the last 40 to 50 mins to the campsite. On arrival at the campsite I wasn't exactly made to feel welcome as she didn't want to sell me just one night. Well the storm was coming, the rain was starting and I had no intention of moving on so after a tense stand off she relented and I have a space. Pretty crap and over priced but at least off the bike before the storm. Tent pitched, showered and just got inside before the thunder started. Today's ...