Let me tell you a story of our Stella Alpina Tour!
It all started back in October 2005, I bought a BMW F650 as a winter bike. A conversation at the café in Llandovery went something like – “Hey, I could do the Stella with this one – anyone fancy it?” I subsequently bought a superb Honda Africa Twin for this trip.Actually it started before this after chatting to a wonderful motorcycle traveller called Carl Barnard – his enthusiasm for bike travel and tales of the Stella inspired me to organise this trip. I have over 12 years experience of biking in Europe so thought this would be a piece of cake! Previously I have always
gone on my own and so the schedule and pace are set by me – I tend not to book things up and so where I stay and when I stay are my choices.
This was going to be different – I was going with mates, some of whom had not biked abroad before, but were well travelled.
A challenge and a learning curve for all of us
Well the motley crew were all ready and fired up – we left work at 4pm on Wednesday 6th July from Swansea Services Station for the ride down to Portsmouth – we had chosen LD Lines for the crossing, although I was the only one who had booked early enough to get a cabin and be assured of a good nights sleep! Oh yes I did not let them know my cabin number as well – a tip worth bearing in mind!
So far so good. The crossing went ok – I got a good nights sleep, rang the lads and offered them the comfort of my cabin to shower and refresh in but Hywel told me that they had got a cabin for free – mmmm big mistake because I 
believed them, left mine and locked it – when I met up with them later I realised they were kidding me and could have used the space – but by then it as too late (there is a moral here somewhere)
En Route – Auxerre 1st time!
Auxerre is well worth a visit – a very pretty town with some interesting architecture – oh yes I took these while the guys were sinking a beer!
First overnight stop Beaunne
IBIS Hotel at Beaunne – A good stop off point but having got split up and lost on way through Paris we were a bit late arriving – good meal though, except for Huw’s – mind there is an art to complaining in French and unfortunately Huw did not have it!
Huw showing the French how to make an Irish Whiskey – just bring me a big glass half full of whiskey, now ask the chef to fill it up with fresh cream – there you see you have Irish whiskey!!!
Lost on Route - Peage or Col du Galibier (Daddy or Chips!)
Well it had to happen – I had a map, knew which way to head with the knowledge that with the sun on my left shoulder in the morning I was travelling south – there was a discussion and for my mates the TomTom won and they followed its path right to the Peage!!!
I of course trusted instinct and the map – beautiful D Roads, pretty villages and then through gorges until I reached the bottom of the Col du Galibier - a terrific climb with hairpins to dream of and views – well there would have been better views if it was not misty! It is quite interesting to note the height of Col du Galibier at 2645 mts this is no small hill and is good for preparing you for the altitude at the Stella of 3000 mts - the big differences of course being the Stella run is off road and this Col is 
tarmaced - oh yes and my mates are nowhere to be seen here, no doubt climbing the dizzy heights of the peage service station carpark somewhere!!! OK guys I will stop having a go for a while - well a sentence or so at least.
On route to Bardonnechia, at last!
Well not quite as I just had to have a quick stop at the lovely town of Biancon on the border. I believe this is the highest town in Europe (but stand to be 
corrected) Mmmmm I wonder what the view was like from inside the tunnel, probably by this time they were getting to the end of it - still not as good a place as this though - guys you were on the wrong road, believe me!
Bardonnechia and Hotel Somellier
Well, after a lot of texts back and forth, along the lines of “so where are you guys, I am at the hotel” and “OK so Steve has booked a different one, I am not changing now!” we finally ended up in a very nice restaurant, called ironically “The Stella Alpina” opposite Hotel Somellier. Steve had booked the Best Western Hotel which was a couple of kilometres out of town, more luxurious no doubt but hey who wants to walk back to a hotel after a good meal.
In the end Huw changed his booking and stayed at the Best Western while Hywel and myself shared a room at the Somellier – this is an inexpensive and simple hotel, packed with bikers and is quite OK for this type of event.
The Stella Alpina Rally
We are now into our 3rd day – Saturday – it was supposed to be a kind of chill out day but we thought we would meet up and have a look at the kind of terrain we were going to be going over.
Like all things a quick look turned out to be a full scale climb to the top – my fault, sorry guys! I kind of got the bit between my teeth, found it very easy and so just kept going. Too many jaunts on my own I think, not used to having others follow!
Anyhow we all got to the top and were surprised how straight forward it was – a bit hard on the bikes but I think we have discovered why – Tyres were inflated at sea level back in Wales, we did not let them down and so in the thinner air of 3000 metres no doubt they were greatly over inflated and so contributed to the bone jarring ride we had. 
I have to mention Huw at this point and take my hat off to him. I was on an Africa Twin, Steve and Hywel both on GS1150 – Huw was on a Yamaha XJR1300 !!! Brave guy to say the least.
Oh yes – I forgot to set the altimetre correctly so it is reading 200 metres out – it should read 3000 metres
posted by Angelo @ 11:06 am
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