A little bit of bad and a little bit of good...

      Today started off well enough. We woke up to clouds but they were high, we had views of some mountain peaks and the roads were dry. We decided to take it easy and have a leisurely breakfast and I walked into town to go to the Geldautomat (ATM) and take some photos. BIG MISTAKE!!!

      By the time we got ready to go and suited up, the clouds had dropped, the views were gone and the roads were wet. As disappointing as this was we were not going to let it stop us. There was a classic car Rally going on and there were tons of 50's and 60's Fiats, Triumphs, Benzs and other classics going in our direction. After fueling up we headed west out of Andermatt towards the Furka pass. As we had never been here before we did not know where the top of the pass was so the low clouds meant nothing to us.

      Quickly ascending up tight switchbacks Dad and I were soon in the thick of the fog. The temp dropped dramatically and soon it was snowing. I am truthfully not exaggerating when I say there were places where I could not see 50 feet in front of me. I stopped to get video of Dad and he got up ahead of me. I tucked in behind a small car and just followed their lights. Occasionally Dad would radio to say there was a bus coming down and within a minute a full size charter bus was bearing down upon me. There was barely room on the road for the both of us and at times we would have to stop to let the bus by or make a corner. At one point, way up in the heavy rain/snow and fog, I found myself on a tight, steep hairpin turn at a complete stop waiting for a bus to make the hairpin up ahead. The cars ahead of me starting backing down the hill and I had no choice but to back down myself. It was one of the scariest moments I have ever had, on a motorcycle or not. I was freezing cold, my face was numb and here I am walking my bike backwards down this incline and around the corner in the snow with cars coming up behind me which can't see my little bike lights till they are feet away. A motorcycle ahead of me (not Dad) finally gave up and gunned it past the traffic and I followed threading the bus and traffic with inches to spare.

      I finally caught Dad at the top of the Furka and we decided this was all just stupid and turned around. Thankfully our descent did not have the traffic issues and we were able to take it very slow without pressure from behind. Safely back in the hotel we took a nice long break.

      A few hours later it looked like it was clear on the other side of Andermatt up the Oberalp pass and we decided to make a go of it. GOOD DECISION!!! The roads were dry and the sun actually peaked out in places. This was what I had been waiting for. Fast sweeping turns thru the mountains. I can only imagine what it might be like in good weather. We crested the pass, went down a few miles and turned around and headed back to Andermatt as the weather was once again taking a turn for the worse.

      Another fantastic dinner in the hotel and I've made a couple of videos to give readers an idea of what our day was like. Click on the links below...

Furka weather

Oberalp Helmet Cam w/ Cows

      The weather does not look to improve but maybe we will take a hike or ride the train thru the mountains. No sense in sitting around town. We are in the Alps after all.