TRIBUTE TO THE MONUMENT OF FREEDOM

I'm talking about the steel sculpture representing a biking couple on a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy, in Finkenstein am Faaker See, Southern Austria. I start my trip from San Daniele del Friuli, my hometown in North Eastern Italy, and go towards the Carnic Alps along the national road 13 and then taking the 52bis.

A solo ride of 180 MILES through the Alps and along the relaxing 

road 111

    A 180 MILES  SOLO ROADTRIP 

East Northern Italy and Southern Austria

[Counties of Udine (Italy) + Carinthia (Austria)]

15.08.2019

It’s the middle of August and I’m in a celebrative mood, so that I start my ride with a joyous intention: I’m willing to go pay tribute to a monument which is very dear to the heart of each and every biker. 

ALONG THE SS52

            

UP TO THE MOUNTAIN, STILL IN ITALIAN TERRITORY

My crossing of the border between the Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia and the Austrian region of Carinthia will be the Plöcken Pass (in German language: Plöckenpaß, in Italian: Passo di Monte Croce Carnico), a high mountain pass of 4.452 feet (=1.357 meters) of elevation with a panoramic road linking the district of Timau (Italy) and the market town of Kötschach-Mauthen (Austria). It seems that a primordial path existed here already in the Bronze Age. Then the Romans built a road which was in use throughout the Middle Ages as part of the trade route between Aquileia and Salzburg. A lot of history here! The serpentine up to the pass is challenging and funny at the same time, I enjoy these hairpin turns so much! And while focusing on one bend after the other, I cannot help thinking about the fact that during WWII numerous bunkers and tunnels were constructed in this area, which is fascinating to me.

Once arrived at the borderline, I take a break for a quaint self shot with the singular signboard where the word “Austria” is completely surrounded by the colourful stickers let from the travellers like a collage of international souvenirs in this coveted meeting point.

The rolling down along the Austrian road 110 is sweet and peaceful: the landscape is made of refreshing forests, unexpected creeks and mighty mountain peaks inviting the sight to wander around in awe. 

In the town of Kötschach-Mauthen, I stop at the Bierhotel Loncium, a biker friendly “beer motel”, whose name comes from the beer manufactory Loncium, where they brew their excellent craft beer. The atmosphere here is relaxing and warmly welcoming. I would like to stay and spend a night here so that I could drink a variety of different beers, but I drop this idea leaving it for another time and I keep on going!

I take the national road 111 which develops itself along the valley of the Gail river and it’s historically important since in the past it was a strategic way of connection for the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Nevertheless, as you take it in a day like this (which is btw public holiday both in Italy and Austria) it seems a brand new route and completely out of time. It’s large and quiet and gives you the sensation of openness, like you can breath in more deeply and fully…but perhaps this is simply my own perception while I’m floating in my festive dimension.

For how the road is structured, and/or for my frame of mind today, I would like to go on and on without pause, passing by small colourful traditional towns… but I stop at a second friendly biker place, a cozy tavern called Gasthof Golob in Kirchbach, which is also a hotel that provides to its guests many suggestions for roadtrips on two wheels on the area.

The ride is very pleasant among all this beauty and I meet several biker groups riding in my same direction, I almost have the temptation to join one of them …then I decide to maintain my original plan and I complete the 111 all the way to the town of Arnoldstein, where I eventually change direction and take the roads 83 and then 85.

And here I am finally: I’ve reached my goal and arrived to the route leading to the Faaker See, which is famous for welcoming hundreds of thousands of motorcyclists from all over Europe during the Harley Davidson festival “European Bike Week” organised in the area called Harley Village, which extends all around the spectacular lake of Faak during the first week of September. 

The monument I wanted to pay tribute to is majestic! This life-size statue was created in 2014 by the German artist Giganten Aus Stahl / Giants of Steel, it is made of scrap metal, contains original motorcycle parts and has unique details, like the license plate, that reads “FLSTF”. This masterpiece, placed in a roundabout along the road to the lake, is impressively realistic, with the biker focused on his riding position behind the handlebars and his girl sitting behind him as a passenger and waving, while her hair ponytailed in a ‘jasmine’ swirls in the wind! 

                                 

I keep on going and ride all around the lake, repeating the track that every year becomes the official circuit of the parade for the participants to the festival. In the middle of the lake there is an isle, many camping areas are set near the beach and this location has been renamed as Harleywood, which in me personally evokes hippie memories of endless summers and exotic sunsets.

I allow myself to eat something substantial at Landhaus Hazienda, a grill restaurant in the town of Drobollach am Fakeer See which offers a rich menu with multiple choices of both nurturing and delicious food released in creative presentations.

After taking my way home and tanking, I choose to  make my last stop in Austria by drinking my coffee at another biker friendly place: the Cafe am Eck, in the nearby town of Furnitz, along the same road 85, which in this section is called Rosentalstraße. Before the sun goes down, I cross again the borderline with Italy, this time in Tarvisio the frontier town located in the Julian Alps, and I ride back home through the spectacular Canal Valley. 

It has been such a perfect glorious day!

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