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Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
Clouds on Tres Cerros and
Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



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  #1  
Old 10 Jan 2008
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Cheers mate, will do. Just been looking at the details for the HU Meeting near Heidelberg. Was already planning to head into Germany near enough that time. Just need to arrange a couple of extra days off work and hopefully see some of you there.

Another question about Italy: Does anyone know or have a link to a website with reliable, up to date information on exact dates of winter closures for mountain passes in the Dolomites? Are the figures quoted on road maps, e.g. 10-6, inclusive of the month they open, i.e. 31st June, or would they be re-open on the 1st of the month indicated. I hope that makes sense.

I've been looking at one website which says the Stelvio opens late June unless the Giro d' Italia is passing through in late May in which case the road opens early. This is the case for the Giro 2008 so the question is, would the pass be open straight after the event?
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Old 10 Jan 2008
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If your...
coming to Italy via France, I would go to Lago di Como and/or Lago Maggiore (possibly via Val d´Aosta, near Mont Blanc)... theyre a bit similar to Lago di Garda, but I think theyre even more beautiful, and there´s plenty to do and see around both lakes (and also Lago di Lugano between them). Doesnt hurt that the whole area is filled with wonderful roads, either! Make sure you have a very good & detailed map or GPS in order to find the best of them, and you also need plenty of time. Its a paradise for motorbiking.

Another place I fell in love with: Costa Amalfitana, just south of Naples. But my experience from there is now 11 years old, might´ve changed a lot. South is very different from the north.

Italy is expensive these days, though. But still worth going, though I cannot afford to do that as much as I used to.
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Old 10 Jan 2008
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Cool
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Originally Posted by craig76 View Post
Cheers mate, will do. Just been looking at the details for the HU Meeting near Heidelberg. Was already planning to head into Germany near enough that time. Just need to arrange a couple of extra days off work and hopefully see some of you there.

Cool, I'm planning to go as well. To find me, look for a black R80GS with alu panniers, yellow fork, HPN tank and "M-RJ 36" rego for Munich.
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Old 11 Jan 2008
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I went to Northern Italy in 2006 and toured by hire car from Bergamo airport. It wasn't as expensive as I expected it to be, but then I try to stay away from the regular tourist crowd. I ended up going on my own so had no-one to read the map while I drove and clocked up a lot of miles just getting lost. Italian road planners seem to like their one-way systems. Also seems to be a lot of advertising mixed up with official road signs which can be confusing till you get used to it. I wouldn't even consider doing it again without GPS.

Another question I have is on vignettes for Austria, Switzerland, etc in order to get into Italy. I'm guessing they're available from border crossings in Switzerland but what about Austria if there's no custom posts now. What roads can I use before I need to buy one?

Vaufi, I've got a green/black Kawasaki ZX6-R on UK plates. So I'll be the one getting stuck in the mud on the campsite.
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Old 12 Jan 2008
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Originally Posted by craig76 View Post
Another question I have is on vignettes for Austria, Switzerland, etc in order to get into Italy. I'm guessing they're available from border crossings in Switzerland but what about Austria if there's no custom posts now.
Be it Switzerland or Austria, you can get the vignettes at gas stations and money exchange kiosks at and near the borders.

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What roads can I use before I need to buy one?
You can use all roads expcept autobahns or what you might call a motorway.

And even though you may have an autobahn vignette, you will still need to pay "extra" on certain roads even though they're an autobahn. For example, the A13 between Innsbruck and the Brenner Pass. I believe I paid €8 extra on that stretch of road for my motorcycle last summer.

In France and Italy, you pay to use the autoroutes/autostradas by paying at toll booths.
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Old 13 Jan 2008
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Be it Switzerland or Austria, you can get the vignettes at gas stations and money exchange kiosks at and near the borders.
Thanks for that. I'm guessing Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia are the same.
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Old 22 Jan 2008
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I can recommend travelling from Bologna to Pesaro through the small roads, it takes you through fantastic mountain scenery and is a heaven for two wheels! watch out for Rossi Racers, as he is from Pesaro and they all think they are as good as him, including nutter car drivers!

But all along this stretch and closer the Adriatic sea is awesome, and not crowded like the South.
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