Author: Jurgen Becker
The Grossglockner
High Alpine Road (in German Großglockner-Hochalpenstraße) is a
panoramic road in Austria in the state of Salzburg. It connects
the state of Salzburg with the state of Carinthia.
The
Grossglockner (12,461 ft) is the highest mountain of Austria and the eastern Alps. The pass
road reaches 8451 ft. with a branch-off to
the "Franz-Josefs-Höhe" viewpoint ( images ).
This
viewpoint was my day target on a rainy Tuesday in July
2013, in the morning it was so rainy that I thought that I might have to cancel my mountain ride.
After checking weather forecast, I was relieved. Dry and maybe sunny in
the afternoon.
My
ride started a few miles before the toll station and after passing this station
I saw the sign with 12% for 33 km. Never in my life I did ride 12% average
about 33 km. In this moment I realized it would be an "afternoon of struggle".
I'm
not sure was it really a 12% average for the entire alpine road, but one is for
sure - never again will I ride a crank with 53/39 in the Alps! I rode the whole
afternoon my maximum gear of 39/28 with a cadence of 40 to 50. Many times by
standing and standing again. Sometimes you reach a point where it's just not fun.
I was happy to reach the viewpoint after approximately 3 hours of climbing with few
breaks.
I
think my photos say more than a thousand words…..
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