Elephant 2011: Mission Accomplished 
Here we are still talking about Elefantentreffen.
four months to organize this wonderful journey, a few days to live.
This year there have been many innovations. To begin with we traveled 4 and as we know more people increases the higher the times and needs, but with a little organization we were able to manage everything; In addition to this we had the opportunity to work with some companies interested in this kind of travel where the temperatures drop well below 0 and where products can be tested to the limit. A recount of
Elefantentreffen with us, plus there was also motoblog.it Radio 19, Genoa broadcaster who has followed with four directly before, during and after the event. So many emotions in so
1800 km of intense cold with new friends and new bikes.
28 Thursday, meeting in a workshop in the early afternoon, all the bikes have a little baggage, the minimum required ... tent, bag, some change of underwear and little else.
A few minutes later we are in the saddle. Not very cold, indeed, there are 7 degrees and there is a cloud.
Serravalle, Piacenza, Brescia, Verona to Bolzano ... we decide to stop for the night, nearly seven and it is unnecessary to address the Brenner Pass in the dark.
The evening passes quietly in a traditional restaurant, with a plate of dumplings soup with bacon and a nice beer.
Friday 29, again. The day is beautiful, not very cold and the landscape is unusually free of the usual snowpack.
Climb to the Brenner Pass and the thermometer begins to show the first negative numbers at the border ... we are at -9.
We are in Austria, the landscape and climate change suddenly winter is really here. We continue to Innsbruck and I can not help but remember my previous trips to relief when I passed through the Maloja in Switzerland and a -21 ° C or when confronted last year with Stephen the Three Balls and Livigno. There is no doubt, do all highway trip takes a little 'magic of the adventure, but it is always a wonderful experience.
's almost 11 and we must pause for the phone with Radio 19! It is strange to know that your voice will come on the radio usually plays and most importantly it is strange to many people to tell their passion and the story of a legendary rally for motorcyclists.
continue our road, the sky disappears into the fog, the cold begins to be more insistent and constant despite movements km from the temperatures have remained at -2 ° C.
As you get closer to Monaco as highway are increasingly full of motion, and it is increasingly being overtaken by riders who salute with a nod of the foot ... it's nice to feel part of this diverse and crazy family.
The fog gives way to sun and begin to see the first "steps" of the elephant, in fact in Deggendorf motorway that leads to many places have been set up as dining areas, cafes, you (obviously correct), donuts, all free (but you can always make an offer ed.) and self!
exchange few words with some English riders who departed from Lleida plus tell us that he stayed in Genoa ... doing a quick calculation will exactly double of our miles!
sharing, not be long now, the landscape changes further, the white German plain is transformed into forest and here is the output of Iggensbach. Finally we leave the highway and we can get lulled by the soft up and down the forest of Loh.
Picturesque houses dot the margins of that stretch of road, we get over here and the Zenting salitone leading to Solla.
The street is clean including the final stretch leading to the "Hole" so we can get right into the bike and fit the curtains.
is made, this year we got snow is only fair ... but of course everything is frozen and it is not easy to ride "cows", 250 pounds on that fund, but as usual, dozens of people who devote themselves to push you in pathways that lead to the camps.
somehow find a place for bikes and tents. We fit our mini camp at the least steep ... can sleep in there as usual will be very complicated!
six in the morning is total darkness, crackle fires all around us, exploding firecrackers and fireworks, sirens and roaring engine sounds, I know that this mess will go on all night but as they say the Stones ... "is only rock n 'roll But I like it."
We spent the evening watching the curious hole in the bike park and chatting with their owners onlookers dressed in fur or covered only by a denim jacket and a sleeveless felpetta (a - 8 ° about immediately lose the use of arms). Often we stop to eat and drink something hot and tired but soon come around one go to sleep.
Here maybe this is one of the the hardest of the trip ... the curtain is going downhill and the bag tends to slide towards the bottom and it was then that I would regret not like the gears of your bike and not being able to enter an initial order to remain anchored to your "stand "uphill.
the night progresses, the thermometer still loses some degree, you fall asleep and you wake up, is not much rest, but better than nothing.
of 6:30 am Saturday, Jan. 29, a few times in my life I was so happy to get up at that hour except when I was little and waited for Santa Claus! A minute later we are all there, torn from sleep, but ready, so to speak, to continue our journey. We
sloths in the hole, the time dilate, breakfast, dismantling the field ... all around us, dozens of zombies walking slowly, trying to climb off the heat and huge craters in the mud created by the sidecar night, even if someone already has the power to blow up the first firecrackers.
load our luggage, we still have some photos and we are ready to go.
The temperature is just below freezing, the sun is already high, we should point to final destination with Passau Salzburg. There
wind, snow drifts among the trees chase the German forest, creating fantastic play of light. The weather this year is definitely on our side, but meteorologists were clear: the sun, but temperatures dive.
We go back to Austria, we did a few miles, but I already feel tired and apparently my fellow travelers are, in fact, the first service area, we stop for supplies but also to regain their strength and the heat lost in night.
After about half an hour we are back in the saddle, but with the batteries charged and the desire to travel.
The asphalt runs beneath the wheels, I watch your mirrors frequently to maintain eye contact with boys, passwords and computers are far apart, my mind is free and I could be anywhere. Only a road sign reminds me that we are passing the junction for Wels, and that there are only a hundred kilometers to the last leg of our journey.
In 2010 this part was really hard to cross, with a heavy snowfall in place and 20 cm of deposit on the road.
But today is different, the highway is clear, but it is much colder and when we arrive in Salzburg, there are -10 ° C and we're exhausted.
is made, I already hear the beautiful sound of a steaming hot shower, but maybe I need a sander to remove any salt residue and smoke from my body.
In the days before the trip we had planned a small tour around the city but the fatigue and cold weather make us abandon the idea. After an hour of rest is just a nice dinner with a giant goulash, a spectacular beer to "fall" in the room and saw that ... you see only three Rai, let us put to bed by Licia Colo and a family of lions!
Sunday 30 to 8:30 we are ready to go and do the last 700 km everything is frozen and the thermometer of the GS brand -12 ° C.
We leave the city and soon we are going to Innsbruck. And reduced visibility from fog, and in some places and hard drive. The balaclava begins to freeze and so does the lens of the mask ... we are at -15 ° C. and moving at 120 km / h, will be the 200 km coldest I've ever done!
Finally, we can go up to the Brenner Pass and finally the temperature starts to rise so much that when we reach the -6 ° C I can almost feel a sensation of heat.
We are in Italy but as we supply other "elephants" we are warned that after Verona's snowing.
fact in Cremona arrives on time the snow takes us to Genoa.
18:30 am we are back home and we drove about 1800 km. Last
greetings, watch friends leave. I am still a few minutes to contemplate the bike illuminated by the headlights of the Fiera del Mare, and I think that ... there is no doubt, the next year I make the number 56!
