New Scenic Photo Contest

Moto-Charlie

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I've got hundreds of great Alps photos from 30+ years of riding there, most sent to me by tour members. Some of them are posted here >>> Alps-Tours.Photos if anyone is interested (I think they look better in full-screen mode).

GryST posted a couple of Passo Gavia, one of my top 3 favorite passes. A couple of Gavia pics from Photos are posted below, including a slightly different vantage point of one of GryST's - it's a great pass.

Passo di Gavia.jpgPasso di Gavia Original Redone-X3.jpg
 

Moto-Charlie

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Couldn't go to the Alps this year due to COVID. Technically couldn't go much of anywhere. Tried to get my mountain fix locally and a 9-day camping trip to NC. The 4 pics below have a ST1300 theme. The first is Petite St, Bernard Pass (French/Italian border), the 2nd is the start of the Col du Pre heading over the dam, then this year on the Mt Washington Auto Road and lastly this Fall via Killboy on the Dragon

Petite St. Bernard Pass-X3.jpgCol du Pre-X3.jpgMt Washington Auto Road.jpgKillBoy Tof D.jpg
 

Moto-Charlie

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Many great pictures there. Col du Galiber is one of my favorite passes along with D'lizoard, Gavia...
Did you run group tours in Alps?
I would agree - Col du Galibier is one of my favorites too.

I do run group tours on a stripped down basis, as if you were going on your own with friends. I limit each tour to 7 bikes and we carry our own gear (no chase vehicle). I act as a guide (I ride all day every day as long as some one wants to ride, weather permitting). I book the bikes (new current year models), book the hotels and lead the rides.

2020 would have been my 22nd year. Approx 95% of the 2020 tour members rebooked to 2021 so hopefully we'll get to go. Approx 1/3 of my tour members are repeats mostly from the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand with a few from other places like Singapore, India, Isreal, etc. I've been very lucky to make a lot of great friends that I remain in touch with.

My website is Alps-Tours.com and the basics of how it all works are shown at Tour Dates and Basics

I send out a random Newsletter 4 - 5 times a year with tour updates, info etc. I'd be glad to add you to the list - just let me know.
 

Moto-Charlie

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That said, few of my friends (3 more couples) asked me to show them the Alps so I was making all the planning. Man, I don't know how you're doing for a group. Booking bikes and especially hotels for 4 couples was quite some work. Even even 5-6 months in advance...
It didn't materialize but will see next year.
Hopefully you get to go in 2021 or shortly thereafter.

As for my planning I've gotten more organized internally, especially over the last few years where I've added a few tours so as to offer some shorter tours for riders who have time constraints and can only do a 6-day tour. For many years I did 10 - 14 day tours but I got a lot of requests for shorter tours. I spent time thinking about routing and logistics and now I offer different duration tours that can be linked together for riders who want to stay longer. For instance I have a rider from New Zealand who comes every other year and does all 3 tours in September for approx 30 days of riding.

At the end of the day I still conduct my tours to maximize my riding enjoyment, which has always translated into my tour members having a great time. Some have been back with me 4 - 5 times. I always mix up the routes, throw in a new hotel here and there, explore lots of little out of the way roads and try to learn something new every tour. It's hard to explain but for me riding in the Alps is a magical experience.
 
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Couldn't go to the Alps this year due to COVID. Technically couldn't go much of anywhere. Tried to get my mountain fix locally and a 9-day camping trip to NC. The 4 pics below have a ST1300 theme. The first is Petite St, Bernard Pass (French/Italian border), the 2nd is the start of the Col du Pre heading over the dam, then this year on the Mt Washington Auto Road and lastly this Fall via Killboy on the Dragon

Petite St. Bernard Pass-X3.jpgCol du Pre-X3.jpgMt Washington Auto Road.jpgKillBoy Tof D.jpg
Thanks for posting Charlie, the Petite St.Bernard is really anything but Petit. It's a great pass and the ride down to Aosta is stunning. Thanks again. The Hotel Le Charaban in Aosta is a perfect stay over.
Upt'North.
 

Moto-Charlie

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Thanks for posting Charlie, the Petite St.Bernard is really anything but Petit. It's a great pass and the ride down to Aosta is stunning. Thanks again. The Hotel Le Charaban in Aosta is a perfect stay over.
Upt'North.
My pleasure to post. I'm with you on the "Petite" thing. At 2,188 meters (7,178 feet) it's only 281 meters lower than the Grand one. I've frequently encountered worse weather on the Petite one too. One of these days I'll have to research how it got it's name.
 
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