This is the thirteenth stage of a tour through Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The routes have been plotted and driven in 2015 by Marc Telkamp. As usual, this route has been shortened again, so that you have more time to enjoy your surroundings and take wonderful breaks here and there.

If I had to give today's route a title, I would call it the turn-around route. You will regularly have to turn around, because you have reached the end of a dead end ... And no, the waypoints are not wrong.

The route from Logarska Dolina to Sachsenburg passes through Kärnten. This is one of the 9 Bundesländer (provinces) in Austria and is considered one of the most beautiful provinces in the country due to the varied landscape. For motorcyclists this means that riding through rolling valleys and gorges is alternated with spectacular climbs over dead ends, among other things. A more appropriate title for such a dead end road is Panorama Street: from the valley you climb higher and higher. Along the way you regularly have the opportunity to enjoy the many views. The icing on the cake is a delicious break at a mountain restaurant with spectacular views (often 360 degrees).

Today we leave Slovenia behind. Weather permitting, you will have breakfast with a view this morning. On some days the clouds hang high in the Logar valley, giving you a good impression of the beautiful surroundings. One last time you drive through the valley towards the exit and you are waved goodbye by the golden brown colored Longhorns.

There is no time to wake up peacefully. Immediately after leaving the valley you will be put to work. The Paulitschsattel immediately demands all your attention. Tight turns are followed by even tighter hairpin turns and finally the border crossing on top of the mountain. Customs are present, so keep in mind that your passport will be checked. You can usually continue with a gentle swing and start the descent to Bad Eisenkappel. Here you can, if necessary, refuel (rp 4) and also take a photo of Hagenegg Castle (rp 3). Little is known about the origin and dating of this castle. There are suspicions that a Roman fort has already stood on this spot to protect an old Roman road. The oldest part of the current castle is said to stand on remains of a structure from 1316. Currently, the castle is owned by a noble family, so it is not open for visitors. From the parking lot you have a view of the part that was built in the 15th and 16th centuries.

You have arrived in Kärnten, Austria, after crossing the border. In Dutch we also call this area Carinthia. This name is not entirely correct, because it refers to a larger area that runs in Slovenia, in addition to Austria, between the Karawanken and the Alpenhauptkamm. When driving up the various panoramic streets you will regularly enjoy the view of both mountain areas.

But first we dive into a Klamm or Schlucht. These are gorges, often caused by erosion by water for centuries. The Trögerner Klamm (your first dead end road today) was created because the Trögernbach found its way through the soft limestone of the area. The result is a wonderful ride through the Trögerner gorge. If you take a good look around you, you will also see different layers of a sea in the rock around you. Because the area in and around the Klamm is a protected nature reserve, you will see a large sign at the entrance of the gorge (rp 5). The local mayor asks you to visit the gorge on foot. It is not a prohibition sign. Feel free to visit the canyon by motorcycle, but do it respectfully. In general, the gorge is quite calm. There are few tourists. Keep in mind that forestry is practiced in this area. It could just be that a large PKW fully loaded with tree trunks comes towards you in a blind corner. You can take a break at the end of the gorge. In the summer months you will find, next to the picnic spot, a cabin (rp 6) where you can buy tasty simple dishes and drinks. Ultimately, there is no other option but to turn around and drive back the same way. Fortunately this is not a punishment!

Via the simple and quiet Schaidasattel (rp 7) you continue the route further to the West. With a maximum height of 1069m, it is not an exciting climb. On the way you may come across signs to enter the Hochobir-Panoramastrasse. I left this panorama street (with toll) out of the route. The way up is quite narrow and unclear, the climax at the top is disappointing. Today you will come across more beautiful panoramic streets ...

But first you discover another characteristic of Kärnten. Many people call this province a wet province. Fortunately, this does not refer to rain showers, but to the large presence of lakes and rivers. You will encounter the first immediately after you have entered a more densely populated area. You cross the Drau river with the Feistritzer on the left and the Ferlacher reservoir on the right (rp 8). Both reservoirs provide a large part of the local population with electricity. If you have trouble navigating today: the Drau river (rp 10) is a good guide. As long as you continue to follow the route westward, you will automatically arrive at the end point in Sachsenburg. You can also follow the river eastwards. You then have a beautiful ride through Slovenia, Croatia and Hungary. Eventually you will arrive at the border with Serbia, where the Drau (or Drava) ends in the Danube. If you have an extra week off, this is a nice extra to hopefully already a successful holiday.

After rp 11 you deviate from the Drau to visit Burgruine Finkenstein (rp 13). This medieval fortress is located on top of a gorge, at the foot of the Karawank Mountains. You can stop here to take pictures and enjoy the view of Lake Faak. You can also take a longer break here at the local restaurant. The route does not include a longer stop here, as the climb on the Villacher Alpenstrasse is slowly becoming visible.

It takes about 20 minutes to arrive at the toll booth (rp 14) for Villacher Alpenstrasse. With the purchased vignette you have access to today's second dead end. The panorama street will lead you to an altitude of approximately 2000m in the Dobratsch nature park. The broad, tightly paved street meanders upwards. Along the way you have several viewpoints, where you have a good view of the Karawank mountains in Slovenia and the mountains in the North. All this hard work should eventually be rewarded: on top of the summit, you can take a break at the Rosstrattenstüberl. This large mountain restaurant naturally has a lovely terrace!

After the break, the big turnaround starts again. If you stopped here and there at the viewpoints on the way up, you can now sail down over the big curves.

The road continues to the Weißensee (rp 19). This is a well-known name for the Dutch. The Elfstedentocht is an important annual event in the Netherlands and is a skating competition of approximately 200 km over natural ice in Friesland. It causes the necessary "Eleven Cities" fever for many skating fans. Do the temperatures drop below freezing for long enough for the rivers to freeze over? 1997 was the last time the race was actually held in Friesland. As an alternative, the alternative Elfstedentocht is held annually on this Weißensee.

You can continue the route by turning around ???? and drive back the same way. In the end you really visit the last dead end of the route: the Goldeck-Panoramastraße. At the toll booth (rp 21) you buy another vignette to be able to drive on the road. A few hairpin bends later you drive via a sloping road to the top at an altitude of approximately 1890m. Here too you can take a break (Gasthof Wieser Hütte) to turn around again and descend the same road.

Once you have left the panorama street you can see the Millstätter See and Spittal an der Drau in the distance, where you can also refuel (rp 26). The river will accompany you towards your end point. At Gasthof Zum Goldenen Rössl, the owner Ferdinand greets you friendly. He shows you where you can safely park your motorcycle (via a narrow passage), and then settle down on the terrace with a delicious cold beer or glass of wine. Enjoy it!

The route gets 5 points from me. It is a wonderful ride through the beautiful nature reserve of Kärnten. The panorama streets are a joy to drive, with the climax always a magnificent view of the surrounding mountains, valleys and lakes. In good Austrian custom, you can take a pleasant break at the mountain restaurants on any mountain peak. With a length of 275 km, the route is easy to drive. If you are at risk of arriving late at your final destination due to the many pauses and enjoying the views, you can easily shorten the route by skipping one of the dead ends.