Riding over the Brenner Pass today lived up to its reputation. The bold nature of the pass is hovering over you until the very end of the tour. The weather varied from searing hot to sheeting cold rain, so we got the full program.
As for the quality of the tour, I’d say it’s a top ride for anyone touring in Austria. We chose to skip the ascent from Innsbruck to Patscherkofel Base Station, since we felt the grade was too insane for us as well as the road too unsafe (buses and trucks have no place to go in between the walled street in many places).
The climbing along the ride was hard, but not as hard as we were expecting. A few climbing sections maxed about 10%, with most between 4-8%, which for us is slowly manageable.
Brenner the village needs some love, so have a coffee or meal when passing through to spend a bit in the town. We watched an endless train of motorcycles whizzing throughout the main street without stopping.
Stirzing, our end point today, is a beautiful small city, with well-kept stores, bars, and restaurants. Shopping is plentiful, with many stores selling Tirolian made products. It is certainly a good place for a long weekend of hiking in the hills of the southern part of the pass.
We had a great experience today that will stay with us — until we come back to do it again in the upcoming years!
