Day 12

Another day of two halves. The morning a gruelling climb of to the top of the Gotthard in terrible cold and rainy weather. Lunch at the top to warm up and the weather clearing for a thrilling decent of over 90 minutes at around 30 mph. Unfortunately, and especially in poor weather, it is impossible to capture the scale of these mountains in pictures. I will do what I can though. Here I am fresh at the start. 

The road is the old horse road over the pass and throughout the day you can see (usually way above you) this road. The picture below show a snow tunnel that it runs through. The benefit of this is that there is almost no motor traffic on this road 

Make no bones about it this is a long climb but e road gradient is never stupid. Presumably because horses and bicycles have the same limits! In bottom gear you can grind your way up without going anaerobic at any point. It's just really long. The sound of cowbells accompanied me an eventually I met up with them.

Quite early in the climb I met is lovely lady who tried to temp me. She was the support driver for a group of eight cyclists (including children) who were climbing the pass today and offered to take all my luggage to the top.  Happily, I was not tempted as i would know I had taken an easy way out. her name was Vreni. 

 

It is a lonely road, spooky in he cloud, possibly the home of Orcs, which eventually becomes surfaced with granite cobbles. This doesn't help the wheels to roll!  Started to get quite miserable in the driving rain but stopped in the dry under a bridge that took the old road under the new and make a cuppa soup (cream of chicken). Moral restored. Thanks Heinz!

I was overtaken by several mountain bikers who kept me company for a short while before shooting into the distance. About 2km from the top I was passed by Sonny, from the Isle of Wight heading downhill. We stopped and chatted and I top his picture, at the spot and is appearing down hill. You get an idea of the road from the second. 

Eventually reached the top. Soaking and cold. 

There is a restaurant at the top, walked in to a round of applause from the lovely group of eight cyclist. Goulash and a glass of wine later I was ready to go. 

I had bought a "King of the mountains" cycling shirt to put on when I reached this highest elevation on my trip. Too cold. I'll model it later! Put on my down vest and ants and set off down. Immediately the weather cleared and I had an amazing, fast and dramatic journey down 90 minutes at fantastic speeds.

He views, especially through the Schöllenen Gorge, were fantastic especially as the rain had stopped and the cloud cleared.  I had booked a hostel in the town of Altdorf but when I got there I couldn't find it. Booking.Com said it was 1.5 Km from the centre on the road. It was but the "roadside" was the cable car station to the hostel! Anyway I'm here now and having a great evening of drinking withMaya,, Michael and Lienz. 

Here are a few pictures from the decent. As I said I just couldn't capture it.