Hochtannberg Pass, one of the most photogenic Alpine passes we traversed on the Best of Europe tour.
Booking your first overseas motorcycle trip can be stressful enough, but that first day in the saddle in an unfamiliar place, on an unfamiliar bike, on unfamiliar roads marked by unfamiliar and probably unintelligible signs, can be a little overwhelming.
Fortunately every single person (with the exception of yours truly) on my recent Edelweiss Best of Europe tour was in the exact same boat, something Ursula, our lead tour guide, didn?t find at all surprising.
According to her, the Best of Europe tour is extremely popular with first-timers, and for good reason. It?s an ideal introduction to what riding in Europe is all about: smooth, not-too-technical roads that allow you to focus on enjoying the quaint villages, spectacular scenery, delicious food, sprinkling of history and castles everywhere you turn. I recognized it for what it was immediately. This was a gateway drug, what the savvy dealer gives you to get you hooked, probably for life. (Given how many hands went up at our farewell dinner when Ursula asked who would return for another tour, I?d say the hook is firmly planted.)
Every town in Bavaria has one of these: a maypole. This one, like many others in this area, is painted in the Bavarian colors of blue and white and is decorated with symbols of the local industries.
As for me, the Best of Europe tour was my pick for a variety of reasons, but a large part of the deci...