TRAVEL
The next morning, the sun was already
shining in the cloudless sky – not always
guaranteed in Germany - and after an
extensive breakfast I turned the Triumph
Explorer towards Oberammergau. The
township of Oberammergau is known
not only for its Passion Play but also
for its ubiquitous Lüftl painting. This is
the local name for the art of decorating
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it was past the baroque monastery Ettal
in the town of the same name, in the
direction of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. I
passed it by, but if you have the time
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highest mountain, the Zugspitze. The
best way is with the funicular railway
of the Zugspitzbahn. At the top,
at the golden summit cross and an
altitude of almost 3000 metres, the air
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the panorama grandiose. You have
left all small thoughts behind down in
the valley and you stand at the highest
point of Germany.
I’ve done that before, so this time
the journey took me up along the
Walchensee over Lenggries and
Bad Tölz to the lively Tegernsee.
Unfortunately, the direct road to
the Schliersee was blocked because
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was very warm, well over 28 degrees
[this is Germany], very unpleasant in
heavy motorcycle clothing. Normally it
would be compulsory to leap into the
beautiful Schliersee on arrival, but I had
a great hotel with a pool and a view
of the Watzmann mountain booked,
and no desire to peel myself out of
the thick motorcycle clothes only to
have to put them on again. I went on
to the pearl of the Inn River Valley, to
Oberaudorf. Along this road there is
plenty of opportunity to admire the
often magically beautiful variety of the
Alpine region with its gentle hills, rugged
rocks and lovely valleys. Oberaudorf is
in the Bavarian part of the Inn Valley.
The road continues through the eight
kilometre long Tatzwurmstraße, named
after a mythical dragon which is said to
have lived in the ravine near the inn of
the same name.
After Inzell, the end of the German
Alpine Road comes up all too soon.
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landscape of the Berchtesgaden Alps
lies before me. Now the route leads over
the 868 metre high Schwarzbachwacht.
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the notable peaks of the Reiteralpe,
the Hochkalter and the Watzmann.
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voted the most beautiful mountain
of Germany, sits in the middle of the
Berchtesgaden alpine national park and
is the landmark of the Berchtesgaden-
Koenigssee region.The ride on my comfortable
Triumph Explorer XRT leads me
past the thundering Wimbachklamm
cutting to Berchtesgaden. The Royal
Palace and the historical centre are
well worth a visit.
My tour ends at Koenigssee and if it
had not been so hot and I had not had
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taken a ride by the electric boat to the
pilgrimage church of St. Bartholomä,
but it was not to be. Instead, my route
took me back a few kilometres to the
Ramsau Berghotel Rehlegg. The large
pool with a view of the Watzmann
compensated for the strenuous stage at
unusually high summer temperatures.
All in all, wonderful and exciting days
on the German Alpine Road.
My special thanks go to Triumph.
The new Explorer XRT with the
comprehensive standard equipment
including electrically adjustable
touring windshield, hand protectors,
heated handlebars and seats as
well as the electric speed control
system was just the right vehicle for
this trip. Man and machine quickly
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and a ride away from sealed roads
is a great pleasure. The complete
luggage system with sturdy aluminium
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removed very quickly and easily,
complete the perfect package. DHohenschwangau castle
is there somewhere in the
chocolate box view.