Prologue
A couple of months before we were to fly back to Vienna, I got an email from Volker about participating in this unsupported mountain bike tour, the Engadin Hutten Tour, with Norbert and Kevin from 2 years before. There would be no guide and we would have to carry everything. Whatever.
In mid December, the previous year, my mountain bike had been stolen out of our garage. I had thought about replacing it but thinking maybe early 2025 and in time for the Karri Cup in Northcliffe in April. This trip meant getting a new mountain bike sooner, and as Santa Cruz had a discount on their lightweight, cross country bike, the Blur, I bought it.
I managed to clock up 300km on trails around the back of John Forrest National Park, and one trip to the new trails at Bindoon.
We drive out with one case and one bike box to Toc's where we put them in his car and are driven to the airport. We are lucky enough that Gelinda (a retired film director neighbour) has offered to pick us up in her car and we arrive at Schafberg without incident.
On the day before, we catch a couple of trains to Celerina where we walk down to the hotel, All in One. We have time in the afternoon to walk around the old town. A stone showing distances to our first stop and last stop of the day.Photos are by myself except where I state otherwise. This was Suzanna. Volker arrives later in the evening and we meet him at the train. |
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Day 1
37km, 890 vertical metres up
The next day, Volker and I give ourselves half an hour to get to Pontresina where Norbert swops his saddle post for a dropper. You may note the handlbar panniers on my mountain bike and none on any of the others . . . or indeed any other mountain bike. I also had an arse rocket pannier attached to the seatpost that worked quite well. The front handlbars not so much . . . the mechanism holding it up was failing on the last day. Everyone else had very full, very heavy backpacks . . .
At the Allegro Hotel in Pontresina, 10:30am, now ready to go. Photo by staffer at the hotel.
Within 15 minutes we have already lost Kevin. He is waiting for us on the otherside of a steep 20m high hill - upper left. Below, an hour later, we cross the railway tracks and begin the climb up the Bernina Valley. This is in the opposite direction of our Alpine Crossing from two years earlier. Photos by Alexander.
Norbert at Lake Bianco. As before, but in reverse, we cross the dam wall on the northern end.
Volker at the southern end of Lake Bianco. To my surprise, there is another wall at the southern end. Photo by Norbert.
There are some very short and steep descents before we finally turn up at Alp Grum for lunch. It starts raining heavily just after lunch is served. The rain finishes about 2 and a half hours later, so we decide to ride down the 600 vertical metre drop and catch the last train back up.
The view of the Bernina Express Railway below the hut. Photo by Norbert.
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Despite the rain and cold at the top, I am sweating profusing when we get to the bottom . . . photo by Alexander.
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We catch the train in Poschiavo back up to Alp Grum and understand the fuss about the Bernina Express, the narrow gauge, the tight corners, the steepness, let alone the views. It is all very impressive. Apart from one couple, we are the only ones staying the night here.
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