It was planned by some time: a ex-collegue of mine is now working in Switzerland, from about 4 months. But now the winther is coming, maybe this one will be the last week-end without heavy snow on the Alps ... So I woke up last saturday at 8a.m., and the Swiss radio said: -2 degrees in both S.Gottardo and S.bernardino passes, at 7am. But good forecasts for the whole week-end. I don't like to ride on ice, so I waited a little bit, packed some stuffs on "la Grigiona", and I went on the road.

Wath a nice weather: not so cold (yet ...), blue sky, the last fog of the night going away .... the best autumn colors on the trees !

I planned to go through the S.Bernardino pass: the path through the S.Gottardo could be shorter, but I simply hate that 17 kms of tunnel by byke, and the pass could be already closed. But when the highway splits, on the right way S.Bernardino and on the left S.Gottardo, there is an indication, exactly 200m before: is a green swiss sign with written: S.Gottardo: OPEN. Few seconds to think ... (I'm riding "only" 10 kmh above the swiss limit, 120kmh), so I turned to the left.

Good decision. What to say: great view over the Airolo village, the valley (Bedretto) to the west, where there is the Nufenen pass, with some snow already; superb colors ! And naturally a lot of fun on that curves and switcbacks, any traffic at all !

After the pass, back on the highway again, towards Altdorf. Some prezzes %^) now already have understood ... Altdorf means Klausenpass ! Third time this year (the first one was for EP2), but finally a very nice wheather. Unforgettable, like allways: is becoming one of my preferred road/passes. Only one surprise: they are changing all the guard-rails .... and they are exactly on the middle of the job ... that means that only the vertical part of the road protection was replaced, no presence yet of the horizontal one ! Strange sensation riding with 300m of hole at my right ... and strange way of working for the swiss: instead they should replace 30 m each day, but in a complete way ! Dangerous ...

Satisfayed, I toke the highway again, toward Zurich and Baden, stopping for a good "insalata" and enjoyng a nice view over the Zurich-see. I was in Niriken (a little village near Baden/Brugg) at 5pm, to meet that famous ex-collegue of mine.

Nice evening, the planned restaurant was closed, but we managed to find another good one, and also a nice bar where to end the evening with the appropriate number of beers. Going back home, a nice surprise: "La Grigiona" is completely freezed: is the first time that happen this year in Niriken ! Is the price to pay for that nice wheather.

The next morning the DST (changed during the night) let us sleep one hour more (allways a god thing !), and some fog quickly desappears, showing again a nice blue sky. The black forest is only few kms from there, so I rode toward Basel through a very nice farming landscape, again no traffic at all and nice colors, with the sun fighting with the last fog of the night (and it won!). Around 12, I noticed for two times the temperature in two differents towns: both times +7, not so bad ...

Nice road the 317, direction Titisee (someone remeber something about that place ?), where I stop for a little walk between the tourists (not so much people compared to the last time in June), and to buy half-a-krauser of food (Bretzels, 3 different kinds of wurstel, bread, speck, etc .... you know ... %^).

Nice road the 315 towards the Bodensee, but not so nice the 31 on the lake's border: not so much view over the lake, and many caged-germans around: is a nice-sunday end ....

I stop for the launch/dinner (is around 5pm) in Lindau, town that I simply love. Found a nice restaurant, useful also to warm up a little bit .... God save that _hot_ soupe ! ... and that Mix-grill also ... %^)

Is dark when I went out, and I turn on the engine at about 6:45 pm. >From now on is only dark and higway, but through the S.Bernardino pass the view of the stars was superbe ! I was at 10pm at the bar where some friends usually meet, for the last beer ...

Nice week-end, more than 1000 kms in 2 days, and allmost allways fun, not so bad during this season.

I had with me the Dieter's phone, but watching carefully the map, I estimate that Munchen was too far away, and it was too cold for that; it will be for the next time, Dieter !

Now I can say that it was for me the last full week-end of riding for this year .... but you believe me ? %^)