Too hot and tired to write up today yet. But so no one gets worried I’m safely ensconced at an Austrian camp site next to a lake. Got three nights booked 
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Today I took it easy, heading off mid morning for a 100 mile loop on some small roads through forrests and across passes. And as it turned out some main roads chocker with traffic. Go hot around lunchtime and clouded over in the afternoon which made it pleasant temperature wise.
Unfortunately, when one mile from camp site the heavens opened and my riding jeans and jacket got soaked so have got to sit in them hoping I can get them dry before putting into my tiny tent. 20 minutes later I would have been changed into my ‘civvies’. Fortunately camp shop has cold beer and I got half a pizza and a filled cob at my petrol stop.
Here’s a few of the best photos from today.
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I’m pondering if I should head over into Italy tomorrow. It’s meant to be nice all day, and if I do the following day its cloudy then rain I think I’ll get the most out of the Timmelsjoch and Stelvio passes if the weather is nice.
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Good work BM. I may not be alone inwanting to know if your tent is a Vango, the choice of champions. And for those of you not from the east Midlands, a cob is a bread roll if you’re a southern poofter, a bread cake for hardass Yorkshiremen, you get the picture 
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From my three years spent in the West Midlands, a cob is a bread roll there too. Many’s the cheese cob I consumed with a pint back then.
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Absoltutely! You don’t want to ride those passes in the rain.
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Just looked at weather forecast and tomorrow Timmelsjoch pass is 15C and sunny intervals. Next Friday it says 0C and snow! Good job I didn’t leave trip another week. i should probably stop drinking beer now if I’m doing the passes tomorrow.
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That’s a good one - nicer than Stelvio IMO, but then Stelvio is a bucket list item I suppose… Coming down from Stelvio (assuming you attack it from the East) branching in to Switserland on the Umbrail pass is epic.
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Doing Stelvio only because that’s in the way so to speak. Was going to stay in Bormio because rhat the right distance for me.
Definitely decided to head there tomorrow as just gone back to tent to get chair so can sit at lake sure and there’s people pitching a tent least than two metres from me. There’s already someone who did that the other side. Don’t know why as there is a large unused patch.
Me, I’m sitting by myself next to lake. Lights mostly gone now but a short while ago was watching bats fly over the water in the last of the light.
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Keep the updates coming. I’m inspired by the fact that you are completing your trip solo.
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Got to be time for Mr Blondeau again. Love this vid, great bit of Muse for backing. Check out the bike pillion doing a double take near the end
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Solo is great. Love it.
Christ. Imagine seeing that coming towards you… 
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Guy has to be nuts, impressive though
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Yep quite happy going solo. Crossed France and Spain more than once on my Jack Jones, no sweat. Happily do it again, too. 
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Today turned into a bit of a slog, not helped by hanging around for sun to come round mountain to burn offist and dry tent before packing. As it turned I realised I was loosing ro much time so ended up packing tent still wet and doing all this in blazing sun and bike jeans, so got all hot and bothered even before setting of.
Then the roads south were solid with traffic, and massive mile long crawling jams as cars waited waiting for space to overtake take random cyclists. So it was passed mid day before I got to the road leading up to Timmelsjoch. I was getting hot in the sun going allong through all the towns, but when the road started rising properly the altitude cooled things down.
It was around two when I got to the motorcycle museum cafer for a burger. Then as soon as that was scoffed back on the bike and through the toll gates. Onwards and upwards!
The clouds were touching the top of the pass which is why I made sure to get a look on the way up. The to 50 metres or so of the pass was in cloud, I think because there was lots of the on them on Italian side being pushed up and spilling over. Talking of the Italian side…
I was distinctly chilled by the clouds and altitude but after a decent which seemed to take forever following slow cars I was back into the heat crossing across Italy through endles villages. Due to roadworks at a very large town/city satnav sent me badly astray though the centre. Must say that all my days riding have been made twice as stressful due to the endless speed cameras and inability of knowing what the actual speed limit is. I wouldn’t be surprised if the were one or more letters from the authorities arriving iny post one home 
Anyway, eventually I got to the Stelvio pass. I didn’t know what to expect from the scenery and what I did find made me think the days hardship had been worth it.
I knew I was in for lots of twists, and I got them in spades.
It was after six when I got ro the top. Most of the road up was in shade, which helped cool me down and I think the lowering sun gave the scenery a ‘pop’ that it wouldn’t have earlier so I forgave myself the late start.
I went down the other side without stopping for photos as I couldn’t afford the delay. As it was it was after 7 when I got to Bormio and got on phone to find a cheapish place to stay. As it turned out, it also has underground carpark so I feel bike is safer than if parked above ground in view f the main road.
Pleas forgive typos and grammar issues with this post as I’m using phone and don’t have time to proof read as I don’t have the time. Got to plan tomorrow’s treck and make sure I get off to an early start.
At least I planned ahead and found space to pack a beer and brought some grapes and crisps at shop along way. It would be so much easier if people were as easy to fuel up as bikes. :-)
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Loving the reportage
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I very much doubt you will have any tickets from Italy. We are here now and have noticed that the locals pretty much ignore the cameras but they do keep and eye out for police cars.
Last year I know that I went through a couple at a speed in excess of the limit and never heard a thing.
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I got done in ltaly. Have you not got speed limits on your satnav or phone?