or how do you get from Hunsrück to Lake Ledro?

It all started when we came back from winter sports in the afternoon and my mobile phone rang on the Riedberg Pass. Werner wanted to know if I had the phone number of Markushof in Auer. "I think so. I have it at home." So I called him back and gave him the number. "What do you need it for?" "Yeah, you know, Wolfgang called and said they couldn't find accommodation for the club's Hunsrück tour, and he asked if there was anything available at Markushof?"!? Eh? The Markushof? It's not in the Hunsrück, it's in South Tyrol! Did I not pay attention to the geography there, or what is that supposed to mean? It doesn't matter!

Since there was no vacancy at the Markushof (by the way, the hotel rooms there are quite expensive!), I thought it should be possible to find something on the internet. So I searched several sites and sent about 30 e-mails. Content like this: "We would like to stay overnight with a motorcycle group of about 20-25 persons from 30.05. - 02.06.02. Do you still have rooms available and if so, what are the costs? So I sent this inquiry to Auer, Kaltern, Tramin and other places in the southern part of South Tyrol, as well as - you never know - to Lake Garda and its surroundings, and also (test, test, test ...!) to the Hunsrück. A lot of cancellations came (problem size of the group) but also some acceptances. By the way, three of the six inquiries for the Hunsrück region were accepted! Of the other acceptances, the Hotel Cima D'Oro at Lake Ledro made the best impression. So the club decided to drop the Hunsrück destination and drive to Lake Ledro. So I had the cake in my face! Well, what the heck, I like to do it!

Who wants to go? Initially 15 people, but with three couples and nine singles there were three double rooms and three triple rooms. Then Petra came and wanted to come too. So by e-mail inquiry whether yes? Yes! Price 38 € - ooops! A few days later I could lower the price to 30 € by e-mail.

Then Alex came by SMS "Hy Rudi You can order a double room for Bea & me! Please answer! Greet Alex!" We spoke on the mobile phone "You can book the room on the spot, you're downstairs - aren't you?" "No Alex, because of the bad weather in the south I didn't go to Lake Ledro but to the Black Forest and the Vosges. Right now, I'm in the Vosges mountains near Colmar. "Will you come to Luxembourg too?" "Eh? Alex, what would I do in Luxembourg? You know where the Vosges mountains are? Do you know where Luxembourg is? So! "So please bring me French euro coins, I collect them." "Well, let's see."

The next change came right after I got back. Jockl called and said that his moped in Kaltern wanted to have a closer look at the cobblestone pavement and had been damaged in the process. So unfortunately he could not go with me. Well, Al and Brösel called: "Jockl is out of the race, do you agree to a double room (price 28 € instead of 25 € per person)? "Yes, that's fine." Okay, new e-mail, unfortunately we only come with 17 people. Then Bernd Busse (our firefighter from the Bergisches Land) came and disappointedly told us that he couldn't come either for personal reasons (he explained the reasons to me - unfortunately there's nothing we can do!) At the same time Thomas Fradl dropped out (also for understandable reasons). So another email "Unfortunately we are only 15! (or something like that).

In the meantime I asked myself the question: "Where do you want to go?" After the experiences in the Dolomites (1998) and the Black Forest (2000) it was clear, track length not more than 250 - 300 km, a mixture of heater tracks, stroll tracks with wonderful views, as little traffic as possible and above all many curves and then nothing can go wrong.

In the book "Die schönsten Routen in Südtirol und im Trentino" (Route No. 9) a quite charming round was shown which one could take into the closer selection. Via Monte Bondone to Mezzolombardo, from there via Molveno to Tione and Lake Idro and finally via Gagnano, Tignale and Limone back - okay! Small individual deviations, which make the track even more beautiful and the 1st lap was about. Since besides Monte Bondone, Monte Baldo is also a must on Lake Garda and Fugazze should not be missed, I roughly chose a second lap based on the map and my knowledge of the area.

After Whitsun I took a few days off to work out the tours on site. First I went - as always at Whitsun - to Auer near the Kalterer See, to the camping site at Markushof (see "The prehistory"). I already wanted to use the outward journey to create a roadbook for the journey to the club tour. Via the Hahntennjoch, the Timmelsjoch and the Gampenpass I wanted to go to the Ledro Lake. Call from Werner "You, the Hahntennjoch is still closed!" Okay, no road book then! When I arrived later in Weißenbach, the Hahntennjoch was marked as "open". So, but this route! I could have written the roadbook - couldn't I? Further on via Imst into the Ötztal. Timmelsjoch closed - crap! Well, then just over the Kühtai and the Brenner.The next two days we were on the road again in the wider surroundings of Auer. While the others went back home on Monday, I set off for Lake Ledro. The tours roughly in my head I started shortly after noon in Molina di Ledro to do one of the two routes. Before that I had a look at the hotel and a room and was quite satisfied. The tent was set up on the campground (normally I pitch my tent "wild" when I am alone on the road, but what do you do for the club) and so it started. Then at half past seven I was back and had the first tour "in the box". On Tuesday it was the second route. Here again, as in the lecture, stop at every place name sign, put the car in neutral, take off the gloves, note the mileage and the exact name of the place, put on the gloves, put the gear in, continue. At each further place name sign, at each turnoff, the same again. In the evening everything was "in the can" again, although I had to change a part of the route, because the original planning seemed too small even to me (that means something!). But the bypass from Rovereto via Moietta was unavoidable, or we would have had to drive with the big group through the traffic jam! But one thing was clear to me: "Wolfgang won't like the way via Moietta!

On Thursday I went back home again, because I wanted to go to Chemnitz on Friday (fixed date, twice a year!). From Lake Levico, where I stayed with Klaus and Conny on the camping site, I left early in the morning (06.15 am) in the direction of Lake Ledro. The "luck" of this day, began already when leaving the camping site. At the barrier I could still pass, but then a big iron gate blocked my way. I already thought about how I could pass it, when it already - thank God - opened automatically. Arrived at the hotel at Lake Ledro, where the roadbook of the return trip should start, I put on the rain suit! Well then, have fun! Already the first pass, the Croce Domini, was closed, but fortunately not blocked! Passage without further ado possible. The next pass, the Vivione, I didn't even try because of the great weather (I was right, because later on I saw the sign "ciuso" - closed - on the northern access road). In Edolo I had to turn right to the Gavia Pass. Closed! Okay, roadbook forgotten! Continue over the Aprica Pass to Tirano and then over the Umbrail Pass. Luckily it was open, although there was still a lot of snow up there. Shortly before the Reschenpass I could finally take off the rain suit to drive back home. The obligatory gas stop in Samnaun, the Piller-Höhe and then the Hahntennjoch. Unfortunately I did not read the sign below completely while driving by. The Hahntennjoch was unfortunately closed on this Thursday until 19 o'clock. After I had overcome the pass height and the following curve combinations behind me, a barrier blocked my continuation to Bschlabs! Shit! (in good German) So turn back and drive home over the Fernpass.
I was about to leave the flat on Friday when Alex called "Hey, unfortunately Bea got ill, can you change something?" "Nah, Alex, not at the moment, I'm just about to go to Chemnitz, we'll talk about it again on Sunday" "Another couple has registered. They have already received a confirmation. By the way, did you know that Edward had an accident at work? He probably can't come either!" "Great! Get it straight. We'll talk about it again on Sunday. I'm going to Chemnitz now!"

Sunday evening it turned out that Eduard could go with him, but Beate could not. OK, then. So again an e-mail (how many was that already?) sent to the hotel "Unfortunately there is already a change ........... On Monday there was still no answer. So let's go over it again! On Tuesday, no answer again. Call from Alex. "Is everything okay?" "No, I'm afraid not. No answer yet. Maybe something will come." So third email sent. After I gave him the phone number, Alex called them himself and found out that they had problems with their computer and couldn't read emails. But it would be ok with the change. Alright, total number then is 16, uh 18 (including the two moons that were already down with the camper).

At home on the computer, then the two roadbooks were created and copied, the outward journey was roughly noted down as a roadbook and we could start.

But stop! "On Wednesday and Thursday the two difficult Dolomite stages of the Giro D'Italia" Oh, bad trap! Where are they driving from and where are they going on Friday (our first day at Lake Ledro)? Internet search at first not very successful: On Thursday destination Folgaria (northeast of Rovereto). Friday from Rovereto to Brescia. Shit, very bad trap! Where are they driving from? Mäggi called: "You try to find out something, I haven't been very successful yet! Searched for myself again. Finally I found what I was looking for (Mäggi later on - at least partly) and had to realize with shock that they passed our hotel exactly (from Rovereto via Riva del Garda) and then turned south to the Idro Lake. Both tours that I had planned led along parts of the Giro stage! When do they start? After a long search I managed to find out that too: Start at 11.30 am. Well, first the lap over the Fugazze and Monte Baldo, because on the other lap we would arrive at the Idro Lake exactly when the cyclists are on their way!

further on to page 2