I had a days’ rest from domestic chores. No hesitation - I'm on the bike and shooting off into the Alps! To explain, I live in Lausanne, Switzerland on Lake Geneva (Lac Leman). Being central to europe you can shoot off in any direction and be either in the mountains, on the beach or in a beer kellar within a few hours.
I own a 1979 Honda CBX "Z" 1000, 6 cylinders, the bike of my childhood dreams. I love the bike and no matter what else might come and go, the old girl stays with me for life. The weekend started friday night, we went to the Montreux Jazz Festival and saw Randy Crawford followed by Lisa Stansfield. Randy was great, still hitting the top notes with that shimmering voice of hers but Lisa Stansfield on the back of a UK tour blew my socks off! I last saw her live back in '85 and this gig was probably even better, These girls are like a good wine, the simply get better with age. Took the wife to the gig on the back of the CBX (35 mile round trip) to avoid the parking congestion and to clear the bike's throat before the following days run. A superb evening in all respects when everything makes you happy.
Next day the weather was gorgeous, we've been enjoying 30 degree temperatures and saturday was no exception. Left the house at 0930. 45 minutes motorway ride from home in Lausanne to Martigny, the beginning of the local road up towards the pass over the Alps from Switzerland to Torino, Italy. The pass is called Grand San Bernardo, open 12 months of the year with an 8 kilometre tunnel burrowing through the highest peaks. The road "over the top" is only open 4 months of the year - its usually covered in deep snow! The road to the Col once you come off the main tunnel road is single track size and as twisty as a snake. Swooping left, right, hairpin bends, second gear, rarely out of third, 20 mph, never above 30! The big CBX didn’t miss a beat, she was a perla! There were lots of bikes on the road, mainly Jap sports bikes, you cant take a Harley or Goldwing up these roads. Nearing the top, the Italian lads started coming over into Switzerland - Ducatis and large Beemers. The road was a motorbike showroom par excellence! However on the whole there was no time to think or daydream, the corners were every 50 yards and needed full concentration - blind corners on single track with the odd car coming round but more likely one of a coupla hundred Barry Sheene wannabes. I got to the top at 2,467 metres altitude. I parked up to have a bottle of water and had a fag. I just breathed in the cool, clean air and enjoyed the moment. There is a monastry at the top, these headbangers are cut off from the rest of the world for 8 months of the year! I let the bike cool after its excertions - all six cylinders were glowing. Interestingly the CBX was running lean at this altitude, she didn’t want to tick over, stalling a couple of times. I wasn't worried as I understood why this was and I wasn’t about to start adjusting 6 carbs to suit! The run down into Italy was even better, long twisties - the classic Alp roads where the bike manufacturers come to take those dramatic shots for the Touring bike brochures. Absolutely fabulous. I was grinning from ear to ear like a lunatic. Pure pleasure and everyone riding past was waving and punching the air.
I dipped down to Aosta for lunch having missed the turnoff I was looking for however suitably fortified I return back towards the mountains - I had to, it was simply too damn hot on the plain - must have been 35 degrees minimum and the leather jacket has baking me like a loaf of bread. I found the minor road, easy to miss but YES I found it. I then shot off 20 miles into the surrounding mountains, winding up, down, twisties again - but even better than the Col road. No other bikes, very few cars. I cant adequately describe with words how beautiful this part of the world is. It is a bikers dream. Small villages, cows in the mountain pastures, blue skies, beautiful colours. The road just wound and wound, again third gear, possibly some in fourth, never above 40 mph. A couple of small landslides still uncleared. Eventually I reached the end of the road at a reservoir held back by a massive dam. Which lunatics built this bugger! It was the icing on the cake and spent some time up there cooling my toes and just amazed at the beauty and telling myself this was the best ride I had had in years.
At 1630, I turned for home. I went back up the Alps via the Col which was still covered in bikes like flies on toffee - these lads didn’t know about my private mountain road and had missed the best part of the ride. Still, I wasn’t going to stop and tell them!! I stopped again at the top and the bike was once again running lean. I wonder if fuel injected bikes suffer this same problem? I quick call home to establish that the bambini were behaving and I crossed the border back into Switzerland (not before stalling in front of the border guard who looked at the bike and probably silently wished me luck in getting home.....). I slowed down a bit on the descent both to enjoy the experience whilst it lasted and because after all the twisties, the brakes were beginning to drift a bit. No problem though as on these roads you're using the gearbox to slow the bike. Eventually we rejoined the main road off the mountain and speed picked up a bit. Bikes were still piling up the mountain going towards Italy and as I waved to one fella he desparately waved me to slow down which I did fearing an accident or something. Five minutes later possibly ten bikes passed, all waving me slower. After the next bend were the Bobbies (Rozzers, Boys in Blue etc..) on two Police bikes and a car. They'd pulled two bikes and 3 cars and were making money for the State. I waved a couple of lads coming up but let the cars steam past, it didn’t seem right to warn them........ After the 45 minute motorway cruise back to Lausanne, I arrived at 1930 after a wonderful day and 250 miles. The wife and friend were cursing the boys, so they were happy, I obviously hadn't been missed. To round off a great day, my wife made a Thai TomYam spicy soup and I dived into the kitchen and made a green curry (my speciality) which was slightly too spicy for the girls so I dogged more than my fair share. Even better. I fell into bed at 2330 exhausted. I was still shooting the twisties, ducking into corners, powering out, gobsmacked by the scenery. Gents, "this is what it is all about". You dont need a million bucks to enjoy life, just a bike to ride and a good road. Amen.
‘My favorite realisation to come out of this ride was that at the age of 40 - I enjoy riding as much as I did when i started riding 22 years ago.’
(Route taken: Lausanne-Martigny-Grand San Bernardo-Aosta-back to Gignod then onto my private mountain road Gignod through to La Lechere on the reservoir. Home by reverse route.)
