Splitting Lanes and Rain, Rain, Rain

Today started out with our usual breakfast. The night before was extremely hot in the room since we didn't have any a/c. We had the windows open but there was very little in the form of a breeze in the middle of the city.

We got started at about 10am and quickly got started to a wrong turn that caused a quick circle the wagons. We regrouped and made our way up our first pass of Jaufenpass. It was 21C when we left Merano, Italy and 6C at the top of the pass. Just a bit chilly.

When we got to the bottom we arrived in Bressanone, Italy to a massive amount of stopped traffic. This would be horrible if we were in a car and would have added about 2 hours to our drive time. Fortunatley we were on motorcycles, which means splitting lanes. In California, this is taking your life in your hands but here in Europe, if you're on a motorcycle you own the road. It seems that laws don't apply to motorcycles which is great, since we happened to be traveling by them and people literally move out of your way so you can get by. It is great.

We followed a few bikes while splitting lanes but we spotted a Polizia and quickly ducked into the lane thinking we would be caught if we tried to continue. Until we saw 3 bikes go by the cop as if he was a Peugot 206 (a POS "minicar"). We caught their coat tails and quickly made it into town passing about 200 or 300 cars.

We made it out and headed to J. Grodinerpass which was in the Italian Dolomites. It started to rain for the first time since the first day on the trip. I had taken out my rain liner of my pants, so we had to stop and a few lucky europeans got to see my sculpted legs and underwear while I clumsily zipped them in on the side of the road. We donned the rest of rain gear and continued onward on the pass.

We then went to Paso di Campolongo and then continued on to Paso di Fabraego which led us into Cortina, Italy. It started raining heavily. A "gully washer" as Captain Kenny called it. We navigated around the roundabouts and decided to pull off because we couldn't see anything. We pulled into a gas station with an "automat" (pay at the pump - instructions in Italian) and did not accept credit cards. We put in 20 euros and Ken somehow picked diesel and put in .98 liters of diesel into the Honda. An honest mistake as it is truly tough to tell. Gas handles here are green, the opposite of in the states. He realized it, and a few arm flails later her shut it off, using 2 euros worth of diesel. A receipt printed out to claim our 18 euros of change from the attendant who was on lunch for the next two hours. Looks like we made a donation to the gas station in the town. Great.

We found another station and diluted the diesel a bit more and continued on in the rain.

We continued on to Paso de Gemirk which led us to Toblaco, Italy. Still in the rain. After the pass we dropped down into Austria. We stopped for a gas/warmup/pee/coffee/sugar free red bull break and continued on, still in the rain. We continued on to another toll tunnel which was a welcome break from the rain as we had 8km of dry roads and warmth. I had hoped at the end of the tunnel we would be transported to dry roads and blue skies but I was mistaken. More rain.

We then continued on in Austria to our destination town of Kaprun where we pulled off before we got into town, put the hotel name in the GPS and headed into town to find the hotel. We found the hotel, except it was demolished and there condos being built in its location. Another win! We stopped in a parking lot and asked at the Hotel Gasthof Mitteregger (www.mitteregger.at). They had zimmer frei (vacant rooms). We snatched one up and took the greatest shower ever.

We had dinner, beers, more beers and then a few more beers at the bar. The bartender was 17 and thought that America was the greatest country in the world and Bush is the worst ever. Clinton was the best and knew more US history than I did.

Tomorrow we'll be back in Munich, Germany to turn in the bikes on Monday and then fly out on Tuesday.

Danke!