Someone Pinch Me – Switzerland is Motorcycle Riding Heaven

When we climbed down from the top of the San Bernardino pass, we had the rain on our heels. If we were going to make the most of our plans for the day we were going to have to get on the gas and hightail it out of there. We were heading towards an area in Switzerland just above the northeastern border of Italy.

In this part of Switzerland, there is a group of mountain passes that is just outstanding. They provide many hours and many miles of riding on beautiful asphalt, beautiful views and delicious curves. These passes are: Nufenen pass, Grimsel pass, Furka pass, Susten pass, Gotthard pass.

Novena Neufenen Pass Switzerland

When you head north along the Novena/Neufenen Pass it brings you to the intersection of the Furka and the Grimsel passes. Having to make a choice, we opted to stay left and take the Grimsel and would try to hit the Furka the following day. So up we went along the terraced switchbacks into the mountains.

The Grimsel pass from the south

The view as you were climbing higher was spectacular. I pulled off to take some photos and I could hear the echoing sounds of 2 people on sportbikes coming down the neighboring Furka pass. I watched the 2 little dots making their way along the mountain road as their song echoed through the valley.

Grimsel Pass with partial View of Furka Pass

Neufenen Novena Pass Switzerland Cross at the top of the Grimsel Pass a view of the Furka Pass from Grimsel pass
F 650 GS on Grimsel Pass Switzerland Motorcycle sculpture at the top of Grimsel pass Pimmie conquers the Neufenen Pass in Switzerland

All through our trip I never got over the feeling of just how small we are as people here on the earth. The magnitude and scale of the mountains was incredible. This photo of me riding on the Grimsel pass personifies that to me. I was nothing more than a speck traveling along on the road of life.

Fuzzygalore on the Grimsel Pass

We made our last gas stop of the day in Innertkirchen. With the late hour, the waning daylight and the ever present threat of rain we decided it was time to pack it in. We would ride the length of the Susten pass and grab a room in the town of Wassen.

The Susten pass didn’t seem to climb in the same way the other passes had throughout the day. It seemed to run more like a canyon road along the length of the valley instead of just up and over. The last 15 or 20 miles of the pass, Kenny and I spent some time riding together which was nice since I’d been kind of floating solo as I poked along looking at things and stopping for pictures.

Pimmie's Aprilia Tuono on Grimsel Pass in Switzerland Kenny heading in to Wassen Switzerland Wassen Switzerland Sustenpass Sign

Even with our late start we managed to get in some fabulous riding. On our third day of traveling we’d been through the Splugen pass, the San Bernardino pass and now the Novena pass, Grimsel pass and the Susten pass. Not too shabby, really.
Gasthof Alte Post our hotel in Wassen Switzerland

We took rooms at the Gasthof Alte Post in Wassen and had dinner outside in what was left of the fading light of the day. Our rooms had no TVs, no Wifi and no clocks. The three of us spent the night looking at the highlighted routes on our map, watching videos from the day’s riding and making plans for what we were going to do the next day. Those plans included contingencies for pouring rain which as the night wore on, came calling.

Fuzzygalore

Rachael is the whimsical writer behind the 20+ year old Girlie Motorcycle Blog. As a freelance blogger, she is on a mission to inspire laughter, self-examination, curiosity, and human connection. Girlie Motorcycle Blog can be found on several Best Motorcycle Blog lists.

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9 Responses

  1. ToadMama says:

    I’m loving this long, drawn-out trip report of yours. It gives me something fabulous to read and great pics to view almost every day. Thanks for letting me be one of your virtual riding partners!

    • Fuzzygalore says:

      Oh no – drawn out sounds bad 😆

      Thanks TM. I keep trying to sit down and write posts but I get sidetracked and distracted looking at photos. The next thing i know its time for bed. You know how that goes.

      Hopefully my better half will get off of his bum and edit some of the videos. Those should be fun to watch 🙂

      Thanks for sticking with me and being such a great cheerleader!

  2. pimmie says:

    Damn, what an awesome taste in hotels I have… :))

  3. Mom says:

    The photos are just superb. You have captured the enormity of the surroundings and the breath-taking roadways. Your literary acumen brings everything to life. Hope you still have more to share!!!

  4. pimmie says:

    ehm, no, sorry bout that… :-/

  5. Torch says:

    Mom is right, those photos are fantastic, not just the subjet matter either. Very professional. Keep ’em coming!

  6. SonjaM says:

    So nice, to visit Switzerland again, even if only virtual.

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