The road that led us here was already a treat, winding high, overlooking dense forests, impressive waterfalls and cute villages drowned in flowers, where some people still wear the traditional lederhosen… It would have already been worth the road in, but as it turns out, that was just a warm-up for the ‘big’ one.
A few gentle curves get the engine and tyres to the right temperature as we reach the gates to heaven. Saint Peter is a busty blond lady who rents the key to paradise for just over 20 Euros per motorcycle per day. Ouch. But after all, every theme-park charges to enter, and this one will offer a hell of a joy-ride, complete with fireworks, even though we provide those ourselves with the foot-pegs… 
…This was meant to be a toll road ever since its epic construction in the late 1920’s, if only to cover the high maintenance costs: removing the snow in April used to require 370 men for a whole month. Now a specially-designed snow-plough digs a trench through the 10-meters that can accumulate even during mild winters. Snow will not be an issue today though, there is not a cloud in the sky and only the altitude makes the leather jacket tolerable; down in the plains the heat-wave is exceptional.