(expedyt @ Apr. 26 2007,11:15) being in Europe w/o a bike is like fu#king a goat instead of a bitch.
Man, I live in switzerland, and I tell you - you'll find nowhere better roads then in Alps! perfect, flat, well profiled and grippy tarmac, amazing views, real school of riding. You don't need to visit a race track to improve your skills.
Receip is simple: buy road map of alps (including switzerland, italy and austria), mark all the mountain passes, chose the optimal road through them, and just go like 300-400km per day (that counts different if you constantly twist left and right whole day). Don't plan any hotels - best is to spontanously hook up in any private inns or small quarters in villages you find in the mountains.
Fly down there with your wife, rent a bike and hit da road!
Want some example? Find on Google maps a town called >Chur< in east Switzerland - from this point to the village called >Arosa< goes 30km long road. Road of 180 curves. Shall I say more?
So, live fast - die hard! Make a good choice