Page 15 - RidingOn156 SPRING 2022

11th International Gathering of European

Ulysses Clubs Leysin/ Switzerland June 2022

On 24 June 2022, after 2 years of planning, cancelling and more good-byes to old and new colleagues promising to meet again,
planning thanks to Covid, a group of international Ulysseans at the latest in Norway where the next International Gathering
finally met in Leysin, Switzerland for the 11th Gathering will be held from 23 – 26 June 2023.
European Ulysses Clubs. Nearly 80 participants on 60 bikes,
from Germany, France, United Kingdom, Sweden and some Following the Gathering and as an optional extra, 14 of the
of them from as far away as South Africa and Australia, were international participants took the opportunity to extend their
welcomed by the members of the Ulysses Club of Switzerland stay in Switzerland and to join our Ulysses mates David Mellows
for the three-day event. After registration and some welcome and Francoise Baumer for an additional 3-day trip through the
drinks, musically accompanied by two alphorn players in their country. On day one the guides took the mob via the Simplon
Sunday’s finest, the group retired to the adjacent restaurant for mountain pass to Domodossola in Italy and on along the
dinner. After dinner Michael Haertel, the new president of the picturesque valley called Centovalli back into Switzerland to
Ulysses Club Switzerland warmly welcomed everybody, provided Lugano for their overnight stay.
general information and outlined the programme for the next
few days. Following a marvellous meal, many a brave member Unfortunately, on day two, weather was threatening to
generously helped to prop up the hotel bar until late. deteriorate and the group decided to scratch the planned route
over the Splugen Pass. Instead, the participants agreed to take
Come next morning, lunch packs safely tucked away, all riders a leisurely cruise along the shores of Lake Como and to head
and pillions headed for the meeting point where they joined for the final destination Zernez via the Maloja Pass. Along the
their respective groups for the guided rides into some of way, the small and romantic town of Chiavenna turned out to
Switzerland’s beautiful and mountainous motorcycling regions. be well worth the visit. Then it started to rain like there was no
tomorrow. Finally, after a very wet ride up the Maloja pass and
The first day-ride took us over the tight curvy roads of the down the Engadin valley past St. Moritz the party arrived at
Col de la Croix to the far side of the Rhone valley. From there Zernez. The excellent drying facilities and the lockup garage of
the Col de la Forcla led us all the way up to the dammed lake the hotel improved the mood rapidly.
of Emosson at an altitude of close to 2’000 meters. A grand
time was had by all. The Sunday tour had to be well timed by Day three of the extra tour saw the group motoring across
the guides as it led through a tiny one-way tunnel that was the Fluela Pass, and down the Praetigau Valley to one of the
open only for ½ hours in our direction. Zig-zagging down truly traditional cantons of Switzerland. Appenzell, the canton’s
the mountain and through the UNESCO protected, terraced capital city with its typical, colourful ginger bread like houses
vineyards of Lavaux above the north-eastern shore of Lake of with fretwork all around is a sight to behold. Understandably
Geneva was very special. After what some may have considered it’s way up on the Swiss tourist guide and a perfect place to
a tricky downhill ride a brief lunch-stop at the famous Chateau Indulge in some souvenir shopping.
de Chillon was on the list. Some took the opportunity for a bit
of a dip in the refreshing waters of the Lake of Geneva. The visit of Europe’s largest waterfall, the Rheinfall near
Schaffhausen concluded this extra tour and it was time for the
From there the outing took us north over the Col des Mosses participants to point their steeds towards the garage of their
to the medieval town of Gruyere and finally back to our base in respective home countries.
Leysin.
29 July 2022/Ivan R. Hauri
After dinner and one or three beers later it was time to say

RIDING ON 15