Austria to Germany, Fin.

We woke to a crisp, sunny morning in Warth. Stepping out into our balcony at the Jaëgeralp hotel, we could see a ski lift that was hidden in the darkness when we arrived the night before. There was some snow on the slope, but definitely not enough for skiing yet. 

After breakfast, we set out on our final day of riding for the tour. It felt a little bittersweet knowing it was coming to a close, but everyone was eager to see what Österreich had in store for us. We began by retracing some of the route we took the night prior since we had to take the long detour. It was interesting to see the road in the daylight and all the scenery we missed in the dark. As we descended back down into the valley, we got stuck behind a couple who were herding about a dozen of their dairy cows from one field to another. Kitty was really tickled, as she has occasionally suggested we get a ‘pet cow’. Once they all had been herded out of the way, we resumed our spirited ride down the hill. We were treated to some interesting classic cars going the opposite direction on this stretch too. If memory serves me, there was an Alpine A110, a Lancia Delta Integrale, some classic Porsche Carreras from the 70s, and a Shelby GT350 Mustang. 

Once into the valley, we started heading east toward Imst, we cruised along the valley floor through small towns as the air started to warm. Upon reaching Imst, we turned onto a road that would begin an amazing series of roads into the Alps. The Hahntennjoch was incredible. Technically challenging, to the delight of all the riders and gorgeous scenery as well. The turns were so plentiful and tight, it almost felt like we were on the pendulum of a metronome flicking left and right. I later asked our guides if that was a sample of what the Alps tours are like and they said those tours are even better. 

After a short stop to make sure the group was all caught up, I fell in line behind our guide, Dominik. He glanced back once we were underway, nodded, and accelerated briskly ahead, encouraging me to follow. Time to see what this Ducati could do! I snicked the gearbox into 2nd and twisted the throttle to the stop. The big v-twin let out a throaty bellow from the air box under the gas tank and we hurtled ahead. I'm pretty sure I heard a squeal from Kitty over the intercom as the chase was on. This road had turned into a rollercoaster, and judging by the number of other motorcycles going the opposite direction, it's a well known and loved spot for the locals. 

After about 20 minutes of cat & mouse descending out of the mountains, Dominik pulled over, hopped off his bike and gave me a hearty fist bump. Everyone was beaming as each member of the group caught up and recounted some of the highlights of the Hahntennjoch. The road from here remained beautiful, but wasn't as exhilarating as that pass. I can't wait to look over the videos I've taken when we get home to revisit that magical road. 

Riding north, we eventually found ourselves along the shore of lake Plansee and pulled over for a break and some photos. There were many other motorcycles parked here as well, further indicating what a wonderful region we were in for riding. After our short break, we made our way to the Linderhof Palace, the smallest & most intimate of King Ludwig II’s estates. This beautiful home was apparently where the king spent most of his time, and has an air of solitude about it nestled in these foothills. Some of the fountains are a bit garish, but apparently reflected his style. 

We rode a bit more after the palace and stopped at a small park where our group enjoyed a picnic and shared our opinions on the day's route. After lunch, we turned onto the autobahn for several KM and hit some of the fastest speeds of the day. Before reaching Munich, we turned off on side roads to skirt around the city, eventually arriving back in Erding where we had all met a week ago. 

Despite missing the first two days of the tour, it was still incredible. I know that Kitty and I will be talking about it for years to come, and we are already thinking about doing another tour with Edelweiss. Hopefully, we'll keep in touch with some of the friends we met here and join them for a ride back in the States someday. Lastly, a huge thank you to our tour guides: Dominik, Rolf & Tötti who were so friendly, supportive & gracious, you three were a huge part of what made this adventure so enjoyable.