At about 11am said my final goodbyes to everyone and set off back on the road.
It was absolutely pissing down and decided to go on the motorway as this would be easier and less risky in the rain. Went into Kranz to buy a vinyeta (the payment you make to allow you to use the motorways), the minimum I could buy was 7 days for €7.50.
It was raining really heavy and I was taking it very carefully after my experience coming off in heavy rain in Poland.
On to motorway and up towards Austria, the rain eased slightly and was tolerable, but by now jacket totally drenched (on the outside) and gloves soaked, then gradually the tell-tale cold seeping around my testicles told me the water was finding a way inside!
Stopped at the border and bought the vinyetta for Austria, this one only €4.50 for 10 days, and then on to Leinz to start the first of the "Great Motorcycle Journey's" from the book I have. Stopped at a supermarket and had a lovely brie cheese sandwich made for me and sat and read the article Savi had given me from the Sunday Times about the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. BP is in the "shit" in a big way, the messages coming out of the investigation about failure of systems reminded me of the pressures I had felt in the job at Clitheroe.
Weather seemed to be improving so set off over the alpine passes towards Innsbruck (Grosseglockner Pass). Almost as soon as I started to climb the weather closed in again and the rain started to fall. Tried to take a photo of a scene and found that I had cocked up on charging the camera battery and both batteries were dead. So decide to stop at a roadside cafe and charge a battery and see if the weather improved. Waited about 1.5hrs and had clear beef soup with liver dumpling (would give this a miss if had the chance again!!) Weather looked to be improving so set off again at about 5pm.
Travelled for about 10 mins and saw a notice saying the pass would be closed for entry after 18:15, then another notice saying the toll would be €18!
Arrived at the toll booth and the woman asked where I was going, told her Innsbruck, she got on the phone and spoke to someone for about 2 mins then said ok, but I needed to be careful because there is snow on the top and I must not stop but keep moving through the pass. I asked her if other motorcycles were using the pass and she said yes, it is safe, but I needed to be careful. So set off to cross the Grosseglockner Pass and another one after it called something like the Hochtor Pass. Bugger me what a journey, the weather worsened, the rain increased, the wind got up, we went into the clouds with very low visibility and it was getting very cold!!! But I had paid €18 and was not going to turn back now!! Fingers in hands started to get very cold despite having the heated grips on full power. When your gloves are wet you alsost burn the palms of your hands but the fingers still get very cold. Stopped near the top to change to winter gloves which proved a very difficult thing to do with wet hands, however eventually got the gloves on and continued on the journey. The road was what seemed like a small lane with just enough space for two vehicles to pass, with hairpin bends and sheer drops and as I seemed to tiptoe arouind the corners I started to think " have I bit off more than I can chew here?" Got to the top eventually, no views, no stopping! but at least there was no ice or snow on the road ( just by the side!) I really wondered why I had paid €18 to punish myself like this? Through a tunnel and then down the other side for just 10mins and then up again to the second pass! ( not as bad as the first), and then down the north side to the toll booth and here there were over 100 tractors all queued up waiting to go up the Grosseglockner pass tomorrow.
Down the valley into Fuschs, by now starting to get dark and so stopped at a hotel to enquire about rooms. Everywhere there were tractors parked at the side of the road, in special parking areas in fields, and I started to think that maybe I might not get a room quite as easily as I expected. The hotel proprieter (dressed in full Austrian plus fours mountaineering outfit) said he had just let the last room to the girl just leaving the reception, went to get back on bike and he came running after me and said he had recounted his rooms and he had one left (€60 inc breakfast), I took it straight away. He told me there was an international tractor club event where 700 tractors were going to the top of the Grosseglockner Pass and then down again tomorrow. They were closing the pass from 7am and so I was lucky to get through in time !! He looked at all my wet gear and said to follow him, he showed me a drying room for mountaineers clothing, and after booking in I put all my wet gear and gloves etc. in the room to dry.
The hotel was very good, and there was two chaps playing and accordian and trombone / horn in what I would call an umpah umpah style playing Austrian music. The tractor drivers were all singing along, and a merry time was being had by all.
Had a lovely meal of pork fillet in a beautiful sauce, with plenty of beer.
Talked to a chap called Hause at the bar and he explained that this is the tractor clubs annual get together / piss up.
Reflecting back on the days ride it was quite an endurance journey, though now that I'm warm it all seems worth while !!
More later
TOR
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