Through the winter Alps on a bike. Part 1

Our daily quality consists of cases that we have to do. Must, should, should … do not always want, but should. Over time, it turns into a sticky tangle, from which it is very difficult to get out. We forget about your dreams, get used to routine and illusory stability. But life is too diverse to go through generally accepted scenarios.

I have long dreamed of alone (Unlike Bill Bryson) cross the winter alps by bike. Strange, Say, Dream? I will not argue. But she is mine, and I put all the strength for her implementation. Having received (like Bill Bryson) The blessing of his wife, I took a vacation at the end of January, when the temperature outside the window fell below zero, put on a bike winter rubber and packed in bags of things and a warm sleeping bag. So, bags are folded, the mood is optimistic. Well? It’s time to start! I have to slip over five hundred kilometers and visit 5 countries.

Obrogling Italy

So I went.
In order to arrange an autonomous journey and not be attached to civilization, you need to have a tent with a spacing and a burner with a gas cylinder. Such is the minimum gentlemen. Everything would be fine, but gas cylinders are not allowed, so you have to look for them in place. And in Italy (from where I started) the tourist season begins not soon, and the cylinders are here, like bathrobes with pearl buttons, – explicit deficit. Therefore, I frankly desperately, when in 3 tourist stores, where I looked along the way, I was told on Pure Italian: "Pardon, cylinders are not Meem".

Mda … with hot food while the question. But in Italy now the season of Mandarins, and they are just a penny. Therefore, I caught my bags with mandarins, apples, protein bars, took local pellets that will not crumble in the bag, and the can. All this can eat cold.

Today I drove all day along Lake Como. Beauty here is unreal! The temperature in the sun is +10, and you experience the attacks of happiness, and in the shade – near zero, as a reminder that you do not relax. So I so and the thing is sweating, and then frozen. Could not enter the right rhythm. But it often happens at the very beginning of the road.

Bolon I still bought. In a construction store. So in the evening I swear with warm tea.

In the evening I drove up to Keep in the city of Chawnna. Doors, of course, closed. Wishing to spend the night on the freezing land. And although I phoned in advance with the owners, and they left an open toilet with a shower for me, I looked like a criminal who walks at night with a lantern on the territory and jerks for the handle closed doors. Everything was waiting for me carabineers for me. But so far silence ..

Surprise on the way to Switzerland

If you fell asleep from the bell tower, you don’t need alarm clock. Exactly at 7 in the morning you jump together with a sleeping bag and knock your head about the loose awning tent. Bammmm … with good in the morning!

Italians – wonderful people, I tell you. Despite the fact that the camping in the winter did not work, the owners with whom I had already phoned, left the open door to the shower. So hot shower & Warm breakfast – and I again on horse! They did not take money for my stay. The season of "Life" will begin only in April, but for now: "sleep on the snow for free, a strange cyclist," the good owners told me a handset.

Today I have real "climbing" or "raising" on the alpine slopes. With all those who presented that I storm the Alps in the forehead, and not going on the roads, I want to meet personally. People with unbridled fantasy should hold together. Of course, I’m going on the road. It is cut in rocks. Italian drivers are famous for it. Navigator is not needed here. It’s just impossible to get lost – the road is one. And no matter how I loved the European bikes, on which there are no cars, it does not have to choose here. Drive and do not shift!

According to the law of the genre, the higher you click on the mountains, the colder becomes around. The temperature difference below and upstairs – degrees 15, but when you drive, it is well warmed up when moving, so I had a minimum of clothing, and I regulated the body temperature, while opening / closing ventilation locks on an unproapted jacket.

So kilometer for a kilometer I moved ahead … time flew unnoticed. Loggy winter sun began to decline.

I have already closely climbed up, and the road has become more common. What is the pleasure to relax after a long lift! Lai La … You roll on a snowpad plateau, peaceful and pleased that the difficulties of today is already behind. Mattered … And then the ass began.

Some kind of black wall seemed from the darkness, according to which the lights were again. Of course, it was possible to include fantasy and imagine that this parade planets, satellite dance, global starfall or any more nice nonsense. But the pragmatic brain signalized that this is another serpentine pass, which I did not know about. I was not ready for him, neither morally nor physically. Night. Pipetskiy. Complete exhaustion. And rock height of 500 meters to which I need to climb. I climbed, gritting my teeth, and thought: "Now you will fall. No, I will drive another 10 meters and dropping ". At some point I wanted to throw everything and put a tent right at the side of the road, so that, loyering in a sleeping bag, sleep until morning. But, as stated in the movie "Dickari": "Baron never stood at the fence and there will be no stand". Only this thought mixed and saved.

I overcame the last lifting section as if in forgetting. Cyl enough only to keep the bike in the hands. I spent the second breath for a long time and now kept only for the balance of will and a clear desire to get to the Swiss camping in Punt Muragl.

And when I left for a relatively smooth section of the top plateau, for me it was a big surprise that it turns out to be a bike – this is not a piece of hot aluminum, and he can roll himself and even accelerate with small efforts.

Winter overnight in St. Moritz

Reaching the campsite, I am overtaking snow and somehow went to bed. This is my first experience in winter overnight stay, and I ran into questions that have never decided before. For example, how to put a tent, which is not worth a tire, knocking the pegs to the freezing earth, it is impossible, and the "earth" can be called with stretch. I’m in the Alps. At the very foot of the mountains. On top of the stones – only liquid layer of grass. And to climb a tent very much. Well, subname … Eeehh!

Today I pretty broke my head over how I managed it. Apparently, yesterday my tired radioactive glance was able to melt the ice, and the loud mention of the Japanese mother added strength and crushed innocent stakes in the simply soil. In a word, the tent somehow stood.

Fear "to be one in the forest in a small tent, hear outside the roaring bear and think about what he wants", I have not experienced.

In a pooh sleeping bag, I felt happy. Well, almost happy … There was one question that I could not solve: where to give nose? Leaving hanging out on the street was heartless – this guy quickly began to freeze. Wrap it in a sleeping bag – also a so-so option, because after half an hour you start breathing through the worked air. And entertained all night, opening and closing the "gateway" for breathing.

Each of my exhale dropped on the walls of the tent and the surface of the sleeping bedroom in the form of condensate. The smallest droplets of moisture instantly frozen, and in the morning I woke up in the sparkling beauty of a reference house.

The body is left after shock load. I think, for yesterday, I speculate with all the reserves of New Year’s salads, who evenly distributed for me during the holidays. By the way about food! It would be nice to have breakfast.

A bottle of water I put next to the sleeping bag completely frozen. So for the preparation of morning tea and chemical soup from bags, it was necessary to heat the snow. I really wanted to eat a warm thread. This feeling was stronger than laziness, which advised to bother frozen mandarin and calm down. While the water in the pan boosts, I built plans today. Today I firmly decided to be lazy and stay in Kepe another night. So I slowly dared chemical soup, got tea, which I did not filtered through toilet paper like kat coffee, closed the tent and went to ride ..

Phrases "I rested in St. Moritz" enough for tax interested in your income, and friends raised you to rank millionaires. This place is a symbol of luxury and posterity. Located there ski resort – one of the most expensive in the world.

You will laugh, but I did not like the town. Just if for a second to forget that this place is the most expensive / prestigious / pathetic / luxurious (needed to emphasize), then my eye has nothing to get caught. I liked other Swiss villages and towns much more, because they had their flavor and style, and were not so poser and advertised.

On that day, Skeleton competition was held in St. Moritz, and, standing on the bend of the track, I was able to see my own eyes what I had seen only on TV: Sports Sani, rushing by. Now I know for sure what is "Vzhik". After all, if there is a bobslee or skeleton on TV screen in all angles and details, thanks to a slower shoot, it is simply impossible in the life of 120 km / h. "Vzhik" and everything … I don’t know, brothers, that is terrible: to move alone the winter Alps on a bike or rush along the bobslene track to the teeth ahead!

I rolled out in the surrounding area, rested and impressed with the alpine species. I decided to go back to Kemp, tomorrow – a new pass.