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Italy: Dolomites with Motorbikes, Day 2

After the breakfast we proceeded with our plans. Primož and Danica decided to explore the nearby area, while Ana, Mrki, Borut and me went on a motorbike tour with a lot of mountain passes.

 

Our camp site in the morning with the toilet 

Borut and Mrki, KTM and Yamaha

The Castelbello Castle - The picturesque Castelbello Castle, first mentioned in 1238, was built by the Lords of Montalban. Majestically, it is situated on a cliff on the left bank of the Adige River. Because of its exposed position, the castle had to be protected by strong fortifications, which needed to be re-modernized over the years. In 1813 and 1824, the castle was largely destroyed by fire. The Counts of Hendl rebuilt only a small part for residential purposes. At the end of a protracted court process held over decades between Count Siegmund von Hendl and the Republic of Italy for the possession of the castle, eventually a settlement was reached. This allowed the State to acquire the castle.

Half way up to the famous Stelvio Pass (Italian: Passo dello Stelvio; German: Stilfser Joch).

I'm glad we were on motorbikes

Some of the 48 hairpin turns near the top of the eastern ramp of the Stelvio Pass

Ana, Mrki, Kralj and Stelvio

The highest paved mountain pass in the Eastern Alps, 2758 m a.m.s.l.

Short walk to the Rifugio Garibaldi, 2845 m

Stelvio Pass

The Mountain Hut, built in the sixties, was constructed next to the ruins of the old Swiss hotel bombed during the World War I (1915 - 1918) from a military base at the site "Forte Venini" Oga, situated at a straight line distance of  11 km. Click for more.

Mrki, Tuši, Kralj and Ana

Beer at our highest point of the trip

  

We continued in Switzerland for a while and we went over the Fuorn Pass, where a brown bear (Ursus arctos) was seen and photographed in July 2005 - the first sighting of a wild bear in Switzerland since 1923.

 

Waiting at the border to leave the Switzerland. Not because of the police or customs, the reason was a single lane road tunnel Munt la Schera, that connects the Engadin valley with Lago di Livigno. At the end of the tunnel we also had to pay a toll, 10€ per motorbike. Expensive!

Lago di Livigno

We rode through Livigno

Lago Bianco at Gavia Pass, 2621 m

Lago Nero, 2386 m, just underneath the Gavia Pass

Descent from Gavia Pass to Ponte di Legno, Brescia

Quick stop for pictures at Rifugio Bonetta

 

Action time all the way back to our camp site in Leifers

We had a delicious dinner after whole day of riding. Danica thanks!

Stelvio Pass, with detour to Switzerland and over more passes back to Laives, 360 km