Cycle touring from the UK to Italy through the Alps: Part 2/2

In this video I cycle through the Alps through the Gotthard and finish in Milan.

not a bad find for the day old Roman amphi Theater funny little side note that sprinkler just there almost mullered me when I was uh going past it I didn’t realize it was going like the opposite direction I had to like bail onto the grass quickly slowly plooding along going to take it easy today still a bit s off yesterday uh 37 Mi quite a big climb today so it should be interesting see how that goes as you can see it’s not very flat around here groceries purchased uh not very cheap but as you expect it is Switzerland uh about 22 Swiss Franks for probably I don’t know about seven items [Music] oh [Music] you wanted to know why I didn’t talk much yesterday was partly through the fear of knowing what’s to come today and tomorrow and and the day after and following that through [Music] Switzerland oh this is Bonkers absolute Bonkers I got to walk this bit I can’t get on the bike cool I was hoping sounds silly get a view of the outs up here Maybe not maybe just maybe I can see them I think I can see them there that cloud I think that’s holy crap I’m going through that having a laugh I could just over here I can see the tips of the Alps I don’t know if you can see it or not starting to question my whole existence and why I’ve chosen this trip wow just stopped for a little bit bit of shade really nice lady W past gave me some water no it’s never nice filming yourself at these points but I thought it’s worthwhile cuz it just shows you a little bit of the ups and downs of when you do cycle is just feeling a bit ill or sick at the second not like I’ve eaten anything wrong or anything just more just too hot it’s 35 today and I’ve been in hotter but the climbing with the heat is a really horrible combination I’m only like a mile away from the campsite B I just need to [Music] stop right on the road again feeling all right today didn’t decide to stay just because uh going to be racing against the weather otherwise so just going to keep cracking on so the town we going to up at the name below can’t pronounce half the names of the places here uh what a surprise eh me and my pronunciation has always been terrible anyway but uh I should be at the foothills of the Alps or at least 5 mil away from them by the end of today thankfully uh originally I was looking at a route that was 2,500 ft of climbing on these poor tied legs there really wasn’t up for it then I changed realized I was on road bike on the uh navigational app changed it to bike touring and with the help of a ferry it’s gone down to 1,200 ft and I’ve just got hit by a sprinkler loads of sprinklers in this country so I’m quite happy about that looks like a really pretty ferry ride Longs it’s still running it should be okay I’m not swimming across this Lake [Music] n [Music] what have I got myself into Jesus Christ oh [Music] bra [Music] yeah so pretty up here it’s just phenomenal [Music] [Applause] [Music] Lord [Music] [Applause] [Music] not the quietest place is to try and sleep never been to such a ridiculous place to try and sleep I’ll talk about it more in a minute but just mad trains Bells everything going off all [Music] night here we go I can see it I can see the route the final town uh well wish me luck oh God well it’s going to be interesting as funny as say I was talking to a German couple at the campsite they’re cycling part of this and then get in the train and they said ah the gotart sounds terrible I was like okay what’s the gotart I’m I don’t know what the gotart is they said are you going for the gotart I said don’t know I said I’m going directly south to to Milan said oh yeah you’re going for the gotart I was like brilliant and then some other women said oh one day I’d like to take on the gotart but not today not today I was like what what’s the gotart I was like what are you talking about so I have no idea what the gotart is apparently One Lunatic in the German gu words said who done it um said it was quite tough there wasn’t much there but I did find a campsite called a gotart this is without internet remember so I think I know where it is I don’t really know what it is and why it’s bad did this all jokes aside earlier I am absolutely terrified of what’s to come just so unknown and got the nervous stomach and everything be all right we’ll get there just to show that you know I’m not going into this completely naive maybe partly still don’t know what the gotard is but he’ll be okay oh want know I’m not going to do this oh you have a tent with you h a tent a tent yeah everything it’s going to be a hard couple of days thank you you too see you both later getting there 5 6 miles left of the climb it’s not too bad to be fair legs are hurting but remarkable views just having a little break need one of them every little every few minutes but I mean the scenery keeps you going just about to go again I literally only went up the road and uh hit a wall I was like I need to stop so I found this lovely bit of shade set on this tree log almost forgot my bottles it’s a good thing I was actually recording so I probably de cycled off without it um it’s made me feel better it’s about three different three different pairs of people have gone past swearing and going oh my God and I felt the same and I got to this [Laughter] [Music] point Breeze is beautiful this last this last bit mental so over 10% the whole way Christ almighty final climbs coming up though oh mate this is insane go come on leg see you later the end yeah not much to Tiana very slow way but I’ll get there have a safe [Music] ride flat it’s flat it’s like massaging the legs oh so nice hi hi hi oh first time I’ve been in second gear in about 10 miles oh it’s downhill a hey F done I think I got it just in time put the tent off it started raining pretty hard all my paniers in now I guess I’ll just have to unpack while I’m in the tent I’m so happy I made it though such a relief right so just going past where I camped I just went back into the little town there just to go and get some food uh feeling very sore and very tired today so should be an interesting one uh so it’s 2,200 ft of climbing over the next seven miles uh pretty steep at points 15 16% some really nice people at the campsite yesterday uh a few Italian guys are Road on road bikes doing a few of the Peaks I think over the next few days there an Australian guy lived in Germany it’s nice chat to him he just started a few days ago in the mountain so I took my hat off to him uh started in the mountain must be tough when you’re trying to get your Fitness up and stuff so and uh can’t even think I’m so tired I really struggled to wake up this morning it was cold as well I was like oh just just don’t want to move [Music] [Music] almost my S absolutely another mental climb cobbles have taken it all out of me oh my say I have made it oh I can’t believe I I’ve made it to the top I have made it to the [Laughter] up oh yes it’s done it is [Music] done beautiful up here got a lovely couple to take a picture of me it’s evidence that I made it but absolutely amazing so happy I’ve actually made it to the top what an achievement it feels like just uh you just feel like you’re never going to make it and when I’m thinking of how scared I was at the bottom it’s nice to make it to the top it’s like a sense of [Music] relief [Music] [Music] he [Music] sorry for not speaking much for the L 20 to 30 Mi just absolutely shattered uh just pling along I’m 51 Mi now a couple of miles away from the campsite thankfully looking forward to just resting probably not going to do anything tomorrow right guys uh just stayed over the day today at this campsite I was absolutely knackered this morning understandably uh quite a funny story really I bumped into two French guys who I saw I didn’t I never spoke to when I was up there but I saw them at the same campsite up in the Alps and I just asked them I chat to them and it’s just funny how your stories are quite similar and uh this morning because they’re students they didn’t want to stay in Switzerland any longer it is very expensive this camp in particular is very expensive and uh so they they just wanted to get to Italy which is within a day cycle now from valona and uh I went all right well best of luck guys I hope you’re feeling okay you know they pretty much cycled as much as I did they had all these plans last night to go to Lake KO they woke up this morning they were looking at the closest town in Italy and I said goodbye to them at my tent and then about half an hour later they were still sitting by a rock like w it just has that impact it was an intense 2 days right so the day after the rest day just leaving I pretty much have to leave today otherwise I’m cutting it a bit fine to get to Milan uh not looking too great The AUD be worse for the moment just because I haven’t got the mic cover on or anything as it’s going to rain quite a bit today I think so I’m going to be pretty wet by the time I get to wherever I’m going but at the same time it’s only say like 25 miles so just take it slowly hide if I need to hello Italy not how I imagined the weather would be when I was entering ing it today but I’m in good morning next day now uh sorry if I didn’t talk much yesterday I didn’t realize I had had much sleep in the last couple of days because all the thunderstorms and rain that’s been coming through uh last night wasn’t much better the worst thing tonight was last night was a campsite was just there’s no it’s not really grass it’s like a mud and it really chucked it down it’s just made my tent absolutely filthy and all the stuff that I’ve left outside absolutely rotten uh so I decided just to book into a bed and breakfast for tonight and um which I just can’t wait because it’s meant to rain all day again today and uh generally be quite miserable so everything’s starting to gradually get wet it’s been multiple days being in tent of rain so I think it’s well worth it and it’s only like 40 odd quid so can’t really complain typical bloody zip [Music] brakes struggling a little bit here got a 2 and 1/2 Mile climb which is just horrendous of a combination of rain oh what a day it’s hiding in the shelter at a bus stop for a minute the sky is getting a little bit brighter so maybe that’s a good thing who knows I just can’t believe it’s basically been non-stop rain for the last 3 days uh just staying at there b b at a minute really been lovely last night I slept like a rock very tired after the last few days I’m happy at least I got one dry Day in Italy been a bit of an anticlimax if I didn’t enjoy any of the days of riding feel so different like it’s such a different feeling when it’s nice and dry you’ve dried out all your stuff it’s uh so much more positive positive and enjoyable another location W be riding at night eh might lose your head wow let Smo this surface ah hm I think it be good to ride down here right always took off [Laughter] Christ oh everything’s still intact yep bit bushwacking there H everyone pretty much probably the final update for this cycle today got about 4 miles left which is just so bizarre when you really think of it like I’m just listening to some music plodding along but looking forward to having three nights at hotel get this bike packed up I feel better once that’s done never done it before so need to go and Source a box tomorrow and things like that and just get it all packed up hopefully I’ve booked the right amount of packaging and stuff but worst case scenario you can always just buy more at the airport even though usually charges you a bit more that way but hey ho you know it be fine so flying out on Friday Tuesday today so a couple of days to enjoy my land right everyone so checked into the hotel Milan next day now I had quite a busy day when I first got to thean yesterday mostly acquiring this lovely thing to pack my bike in uh went to about seven different bike shops most of them didn’t have them but luckily found one that did had to walk about 45 minutes back with it cuz uh couldn’t get it back any other way all I did is to get like a subscription to those lime scooters cuz I knew I would only be doing like a oneway journey and while I’m in Milan my bike will probably be boxed up by the end of the today so it’s just an easy way to get around right everyone so just about to go uh just packed up all the bike and stuff all seems to be okay got the sanas over there which I’m doing as checked in luggage and this is what I’m all carrying on all the electronics and stuff and a bit of lunch as well I was going to film just boxing this up but you would have been watching a very long confusing cond deluded piece of film took me quite a while to pack it up and figure out how to fit it in the Box I’ve never done it before uh but all seems to be okay I’m just going to carry this now down four flights the stairs which should be fun and then I’m planning to get an Uber so hopefully that will go smoothly little bit nervous just first I’m going to an airport with a bike but I’m also very happy I’m not getting on a coach and traveling for the next day and a half like I did last year so there’s always that uh so should be all right hopefully it goes smoothly hopefully things go well going to start carrying things down in a minute I’m just going to double triple and quadruple check I haven’t left anything behind uh but besides that just a few bits and Bobs to throw away but most of it I’m bringing back which is pretty good so haven’t had to get rid of things because of a lack of space and stuff I have put a couple of items in there it does say an EasyJet not to but we’ll see how that goes it’s just a tent and some clothes um otherwise I’ll be paying more for checks in baggage I don’t really see them having a problem everything I’ve read up online people say they don’t really enforce it so we’ll see how that goes when I get there