PHS
Themenstarter
- Dabei seit
- 17.07.2014
- Beiträge
- 73
After my "blitz-trip" last year I was hooked on gravel.
Already during that trip the plan to go there next year was in the making.
But not on the GSA. Too heavy. Too big. Too expensive when dropped. I needed to find something around that.
Via an old Yamaha TTR600 I got myself a 2013 KTM Enduro R with a lot of modifications.
I also decided not to go on my own again as accidents during gravel trips are easier to have.
Roel, a buddy of mine, who was preparing his '87 R80 G/S immediately signed up to join.
The planning could start!
The tools:
Sunday morning we pulled the trigger.
Roel provided the trailer.
I took care of the towbar.
After 12 hours we arrive near Susa, Piedmonte.
Car and trailer would remain there for four days
Day 1
Early up.
G/S and 690 are ready to go.
Roel was already a little tense because the G/S had had some problems starting.
And indeed, after 5 mintes of starting....nada.
In the end, the silent hectic sparkplug cover had not clicked despite some serious force excercised.
And then BRAAAAP, take off...and off we went.
Easy start with Finestre and Assietta.
On the Finestre I drive a bit further onto the track so I can make a photo of Roel in action.....but where is he?
Mmmm, that's unlike Roel. On the 690 and back, to learn that the starter engine has not survived the prior 5 minutes starting...
OK. Nothing we can do about that other than clever downhill parking and bobsled starting...Off we go.
Roel is the better and faster driver.
No fun in being stuck behind a slower driver.
So we agreed to drive our own speeds and catch up regularly.
Here's Roel a bit further up the track.
Brotherly side by side. No brand envy.
Roel gets on his bike while I shoot a small movie.
Then I also get on the bike and at my own pace follow him.
Shoot another nice pic.
Get on the bike again...
Drive through a corner.....What is this? WTF? No way!
Luckily Roel is standing on the track instead of under the bike or down the hill.
(that's me looking at his bike there)
He overlooked a big stone and the handlebars were janked out of his hands.
The slope is like 45 degrees with lots of rocks and still frozen over from the night.
After some pulling and pushing we know that we will not be able to pull it back topside.
And we can't drive it up at an angle because we can't start it...damn.
So...is our trip already over?
Roel has a wild idea: drive down the slope....get the G/S started in 2nd...drive to a lower track...return to the main track.
OK.....
So I'm at the back of the G/S. Roel on it. We slip, slide and bump down the slope.
And then I have to let go. Roel stands on the pegs and...falls nearly off...releases the clutchs abd.....BRAAAP-stutter-BRAAAP
Wow. Well done Roel.
I have to climb back up some 50 meters.
He's back where he went off before I am there...Me sweating and panting like an old horse (which maybe because I am)
We look at each other. We laugh. Get silent. Laugh again. This could've gone totally sideways...
A few scratches on the cylindercovers. That's all.
On we go to Val Argentiera.
A very nice valley. Relaxed gravel.
Only the last part to a farm called Gran Miol is mean and steep.
My Heidenau Scout scrabble for traction.
As the track dead-ends we return. Next is Col D'Izoard....yes, tarmac.
Great tarmac!
Me on all roads, Roel on full nobbies. We enjoy ourselves great by chasing a few Germans on streetbikes up the pass.
When we stop on the pass we get the thumbs-up.
Me on the 690.
Of course we shoot some pictures.
Roel's already gone.
When I drive away I go flat on my face with plenty people watching.
Forgot to kick up my side stand....oops.
The other side of the Izoard pass:
Tough guy, our Roel.
On we go to Col D'Agnel Col.
Planned destination is Venasca where we want to start the Varaita Maira Kammstrasse (gravel).
But during a fuelstop we decide to do that track today as well.
In the meanwhile the youth is somewhat tired...
Done as planned, we take on the Varaita Maira.
Hafway Roel decides that some kind of dry riverbed at an angle of 45 degrees is the right track.
Fool that I am, I let myself being sent in first.
It is crazy. No way can this be right.
I lose traction and keel over.
Roel concurs.
We turn the bikes around (easier said than done!).
Roel manages to get G/S going again....and we follow the track. The right one this time.
After Col de Birrone it becomes "ruppig" like the Germans say (correct, yes?).
At Col de Sampyre meet the tarmac again.
Nearly in dusk we drive through the fabulous Valone di Elva. A canyon like small twisty road.
Near our place for the night, while turning on the road, I drop my bike again. Getting good at it...
Arriving there it looks like some forgotten hippie resort, but on the inside all neat and clean.
After a nice pasta dish cooked by a nice old hippie with ponytail it's off to bed to take on the Maira Stura gravel track.
According to Roel, the Romanian lady host had an eye on me....mmmm.
And we've already had our first day...
to be continued...
Already during that trip the plan to go there next year was in the making.
But not on the GSA. Too heavy. Too big. Too expensive when dropped. I needed to find something around that.
Via an old Yamaha TTR600 I got myself a 2013 KTM Enduro R with a lot of modifications.
I also decided not to go on my own again as accidents during gravel trips are easier to have.
Roel, a buddy of mine, who was preparing his '87 R80 G/S immediately signed up to join.
The planning could start!
The tools:
Sunday morning we pulled the trigger.
Roel provided the trailer.
I took care of the towbar.
After 12 hours we arrive near Susa, Piedmonte.
Car and trailer would remain there for four days
Day 1
Early up.
G/S and 690 are ready to go.
Roel was already a little tense because the G/S had had some problems starting.
And indeed, after 5 mintes of starting....nada.
In the end, the silent hectic sparkplug cover had not clicked despite some serious force excercised.
And then BRAAAAP, take off...and off we went.
Easy start with Finestre and Assietta.
On the Finestre I drive a bit further onto the track so I can make a photo of Roel in action.....but where is he?
Mmmm, that's unlike Roel. On the 690 and back, to learn that the starter engine has not survived the prior 5 minutes starting...
OK. Nothing we can do about that other than clever downhill parking and bobsled starting...Off we go.
Roel is the better and faster driver.
No fun in being stuck behind a slower driver.
So we agreed to drive our own speeds and catch up regularly.
Here's Roel a bit further up the track.
Brotherly side by side. No brand envy.
Roel gets on his bike while I shoot a small movie.
Then I also get on the bike and at my own pace follow him.
Shoot another nice pic.
Get on the bike again...
Drive through a corner.....What is this? WTF? No way!
Luckily Roel is standing on the track instead of under the bike or down the hill.
(that's me looking at his bike there)
He overlooked a big stone and the handlebars were janked out of his hands.
The slope is like 45 degrees with lots of rocks and still frozen over from the night.
After some pulling and pushing we know that we will not be able to pull it back topside.
And we can't drive it up at an angle because we can't start it...damn.
So...is our trip already over?
Roel has a wild idea: drive down the slope....get the G/S started in 2nd...drive to a lower track...return to the main track.
OK.....
So I'm at the back of the G/S. Roel on it. We slip, slide and bump down the slope.
And then I have to let go. Roel stands on the pegs and...falls nearly off...releases the clutchs abd.....BRAAAP-stutter-BRAAAP
Wow. Well done Roel.
I have to climb back up some 50 meters.
He's back where he went off before I am there...Me sweating and panting like an old horse (which maybe because I am)
We look at each other. We laugh. Get silent. Laugh again. This could've gone totally sideways...
A few scratches on the cylindercovers. That's all.
On we go to Val Argentiera.
A very nice valley. Relaxed gravel.
Only the last part to a farm called Gran Miol is mean and steep.
My Heidenau Scout scrabble for traction.
As the track dead-ends we return. Next is Col D'Izoard....yes, tarmac.
Great tarmac!
Me on all roads, Roel on full nobbies. We enjoy ourselves great by chasing a few Germans on streetbikes up the pass.
When we stop on the pass we get the thumbs-up.
Me on the 690.
Of course we shoot some pictures.
Roel's already gone.
When I drive away I go flat on my face with plenty people watching.
Forgot to kick up my side stand....oops.
The other side of the Izoard pass:
Tough guy, our Roel.
On we go to Col D'Agnel Col.
Planned destination is Venasca where we want to start the Varaita Maira Kammstrasse (gravel).
But during a fuelstop we decide to do that track today as well.
In the meanwhile the youth is somewhat tired...
Done as planned, we take on the Varaita Maira.
Hafway Roel decides that some kind of dry riverbed at an angle of 45 degrees is the right track.
Fool that I am, I let myself being sent in first.
It is crazy. No way can this be right.
I lose traction and keel over.
Roel concurs.
We turn the bikes around (easier said than done!).
Roel manages to get G/S going again....and we follow the track. The right one this time.
After Col de Birrone it becomes "ruppig" like the Germans say (correct, yes?).
At Col de Sampyre meet the tarmac again.
Nearly in dusk we drive through the fabulous Valone di Elva. A canyon like small twisty road.
Near our place for the night, while turning on the road, I drop my bike again. Getting good at it...
Arriving there it looks like some forgotten hippie resort, but on the inside all neat and clean.
After a nice pasta dish cooked by a nice old hippie with ponytail it's off to bed to take on the Maira Stura gravel track.
According to Roel, the Romanian lady host had an eye on me....mmmm.
And we've already had our first day...
to be continued...
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