Hanniball Run 13-30th June 2008
Not quite the Cannonball run, as we're going
over the Alps, but on bikes, not Elephants, so not really like Hannibal either,
and he didn't go to Bosnia, so Hannibalkan? - whatever!
A two-week belt around the Alps and back via the Nurburgring has become
something of a habit, so we're stretching our legs a bit further this time and
replacing the 'ring with the MotoGP. Party is me, David, Damien and Max.
Here is a brief idea of what's planned, I still have some more planning to do
and will add more details later:
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13th June
Home to St. Omer France
Via the
Tunnel, we'll be
overnighting in the
Etap at St. Omer (Euro
48 per room, RO). This
allows us an early start,
and is way cheaper than
staying in Dover and
catching a ferry the next
day.
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14th June
St. Omer to Besancon, France. 360 miles
A few hours
blasting down the Peage to
get some miles under our
belts before stopping off at
the old GP circuit ar Reims
for a look around and
photo's.
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15th June
Besancon to Vals, Switzerland. 264 miles
Here's
where the real fun starts.
We cross over into
Switzerland in a Steve
McQueen stylee and start
gaining altitude. A morning
of pretty roads lead us to
Gruyere, where we're
planning to have a look
around the castle, the Giger
Gallery (Him wot designed
the Alien in the film), and
have the best cheese on
toast you'll ever taste.
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In the
afternoon, we get into the
Alps proper, running around
the lakes at Interlaken, and
up over the spectacular
Grimsel and Furka passes.
Grimsel
Pass
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We take the Oberalp pass and on to Vals, our stop for two nights at the Therme spa (SFr 146pppn sharing, HB) Think Roman baths, hewn from the Alps and designer lounges - it's brilliant!
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16th June
Rideout from Vals. Distance TBC
We're
right in the middle of a
great concentration of
passes, so it would be rude
not to. Oberalp, Susten,
Grimsel, Nufenen, Furka, San
Gottardo and the Tremola
pass roads. We will probably
have a walk inside the Rhone
glacier along the way. Good
soak in the Spa later.
Via
Tremola
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17th June
Vals to Trafoi, Italy. 144 miles
Remember
Top Gear's "Best Driving
Road" episode? -
That's today's route,
without Richard Hammond, but
with me doing a good
impression of Captain Slow.
The Fluela and Stelvio
passes, plus many other
great roads. We stop at the
bike freindly
Hotel Tannenheim on the
far side of the Stelvio
pass. (Euro 36 pppn, HB).
Stelvio
Pass
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18th June
Trafoi to Arabba. 209
miles
The mountains change from the pointy Alps to the monolithic Dolomites today. Not too far as the crow flies, but we'll be heading up into Austria to bag the Reschenpass, Finstermuntz pass, Pillerhohe and Timmelsjoch. Back into Italy for the Jaufen pass and then the Passo Sella and Passo Pordoi lead us to Arabba, where we stop at the Hotel Pordoi for two nights (Euro 44 pppn, HB).
Passo Pordoi
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19th June
Rideout from Arabba
I haven't
done the route yet, but the
roads around here are
brilliant. Might do the
cable car again.
20th June Arabba to Icici, Croatia. 259 miles
Through
Slovenia and into Croatia.
Our hotel is the
Hotel Icici (Euro 60 per
room, BB).
21st June Icici to Podstrana. 239 miles
An Ooh!
Aah! -type day of Croatian
coast-hugging. Staying at
the rather ghey sounding
Apartments
Johnny
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22nd
June
Podstrana to Dubrovnik. 128 miles
Another
day
along
the
Adriatic
coast
road.
Less
miles
today
giving
plenty
of
time
for
an
afternoon
on
the
beach.
We'll
be
stopping
in
the
Villa
Antea
for
3
nights
(Euro
45pppn
sharing,
RO).
This
is a
chance
to
do
the
touristy
bit
and
have
a
break
from
the
bikes.
23rd June Dubrovnik
Probably
a
walk
around
the
old
town.
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24th
June
Dubrovnik
More
sitting
around,
or
maybe
a
ride
up
to
Mostar.
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25th June
Dubrovnik to Plitvice Lakes. 293 miles
Scenic roads (hopefully) through inland Croatia to the Plitvice lakes national park. We're stopping overnight just a few miles from the park entrance in some sheds (honest) at Campsite Korana (Euro 24 per cabin, BB). Korana Cabins
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26th June
Plitvice Lakes to Villach, Austria. 208 miles
Back into Austria, via the Julian Alps. Here we board the Motorail, headed for Dusseldorf overnight. Easiest the best way to cover 500 miles in a night! (Euro 170 each, BB).
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27th June
Dusseldorf, Germany to Anloo, Netherlands. 145 miles
A straight through, motorway hop to our hotel at the moment. Will work on a more scenic alternative. Our hotel for two nights is the Koningsherberg at Anloo (Euro 43 pppn sharing, BB).
28th June Assen MotoGP 29th June Anloo to Brugge, Belgium. 244 miles
Another touristy overnighter. Somewhere with a history of brewing beer seems to be a regular feature of my recent trips. Hope to see if Brugge can beat Pilsen. Hotel Bryghia TBC.
30th June Brugge to Home
Aww shucks, it's all over. Dash for a lunchtime Chunnel, and home for a hot bath.
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