Thursday, September 17, 2009—Heiligenblut, Austria

Grossglockner Peak is the highest point in Austria. Grossglockner Pass is the highest point in the road named after that peak, the Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse (High Alpine Road). Today the goal was to traverse that road from north to south, and that goal was accomplished. But it was hard. In the process of traveling just 32 miles we climbed approximately 1.2 vertical miles and descended towards the elevation we had when we began. The Hochalpenstrasse is a toll road to all but bicycles, and many cycles use it as a challenge. The road begins formally approximately 10 kilometers south of the town of Bruck, where we spent last night, at a toll booth for cars and motorcycles. There is also an optional check in point for cyclists that, for 2 Euros, provides a date and time stamped print out indicating exactly when the descent was begun. At the top of the pass there is an identical check point where that print out can be inserted indicating exactly when the top of the pass is reached. Neither Brian nor I chose to time our ascent, it was enough to just try it.

Last night the hotel desk clerk said that today would be scattered rain. Fortunately for us there was none on the ascent—the clouds covered the high peaks but it was dry. Unfortunately when we reached the top the rain started, and it continued throughout our descent. This meant that the climb up while very difficult (12% grades regularly) was aided by the elements, but the ride down was awful. It was cold, wet, slippery and so steep that the bike brakes needed to be constantly applied, and with nearly maximum force. While there was almost no car traffic, simply fighting the elements made it so harrowing that we stopped at the first town on the way down, a small resort town named Heiligenblut, and settled in for the night.

In the end, while usually it would not be very honorable to say that a day’s cycle travel averaged around 5 miles an hour, on this day it is. The climb is a world class cycle challenge, and it has been met. While the descent did not afford the luxury of sight-seeing, the views on the way up were magnificent, including sights of cloud covered peaks, giant waterfalls, meadows far below, glaciers in the distance and snow by the side of the road. It has been a day to remember for its good and its bad, and for the grace of God in enabling us to try and to achieve.