There is something both demanding and deeply rewarding about cycling over a mountain pass in the Alps. You experience nature with all your senses, and the physical effort makes reaching the summit even more satisfying. There is hardly a better feeling than getting off your bike at the end of the day, finding a seat at an outdoor café, and simply enjoying a cold, refreshing drink while taking in the surroundings.

We still ride our old bicycles without the help of modern electric motors. Before eventually switching to e-bikes, I wanted to cross the Alps once more under my own power, without any kind of motor assistance.

Just before the tourist season began, in May 2023, we took the train to Innsbruck and set off on a five-day cycling tour over the Reschen Pass (1,520 m above sea level). From there, we descended through the breathtakingly beautiful Vinschgau Valley, passing picturesque small towns before reaching the city of Bolzano (Bozen) in Italy. It was a memorable journey through the magnificent mountain landscapes of Tyrol and South Tyrol (Alto Adige).

We planned the journey as the following daily cycling stages:

1.     Innsbruck – Imst:                               60 km and 400 elevation gain

2.     Imst – Pfunds:                                   52 km och 470 elevation gain

3.     Pfunds – Graun am Reschenpass:     32 km och 720 elevation gain

4.     Graun am Reschenpass – Naturns:   64 km downhill

5.     Naturns – Bolzano/Bozen:                 48 km downhill

To return home, we took the train over the Brenner Pass and were back in Innsbruck just a few hours later.