Day Ten - Time to go home, Italy to UK in a day

I have rested well for the last two days, so the plan is to get home in one day, I am still in Northern Italy, its a long way, I could take motorway all the way, but I have some unfinished business in the Alps called "The Furka Pass"

I enjoy a luxury breakfast at my 4* hotel and get on the road at 9am and very soon I enter the Italian Alps


The temperature drops quickly to 14c as I climb, and for the first time in 9 days I have to zip up the air vents in my jacket, and actually put on the heated bar grips. Its August 2nd yet there is still a little un-melted snow around.
To reach the Furka Pass I have to go over the Simplon pass so I get two Alpine passes for the price of one. This is real motorcycle country and there are lots of big bikes on the road.


The views are stunning, I'm not certain but the could be the tip of the Eiger in the background.
At last I see the Furka Pass, a slim ribbon of tarmac clinging to the side of the mountain. The photo does not do it justice this was a really steep mountain side towering high into the sky above me.
I'm getting near the summit and am already above the clouds.
And finally I'm there at the summit, almost 8,000 feet above sea level
Its been a fantastic ride, but now I've got some serious miles to put in if I want to get home, I get down the mountain heading for Andermatt, I really don't want to go through the St Gotthard tunnel (which is just over 15 miles long) so I take to the old road before getting back on the motorway, I get through Basel and out of Switzerland into Germany and really push on to cover the miles, before cutting back into France towards Calais.
On the German Autobahn the bike indicated just over 140 mph, the Sat Nav shows 137 mph, not bad for a fully loaded tourer with a fairing the size of a barn door.

I ride throughout the day and into the night, stopping only for fuel and food, then back through the Eurotunnel and home, I get home at 1:15 am having covered 833 miles today and have been riding for 16 hours.

Its been a totally amazing 10 days, and through careful planning I don't feel like its only been riding endless motorways, I've touched new countries and cultures and have been completely blown away by the friendliness and hospitality shown to me by complete strangers.

Its been the longest and most exciting bike trip I've ever done and I am already planning my next one. In 3 months time my family are moving from UK to New York State for a 3 year work related posting, so look out USA here I come.