Advertisement
Published: September 16th 2006
Edit Blog Post
Day 1 - damn we look good!
with a proposed 300km ahead of us and none behind, we have never felt - or looked - better... Bike trip
We plan to bike from Basel in the northwest corner to Geneva in the far southwest. As Tim's first bike tour, he is relying on my experience as 'idiot with a bad idea for a good adventure'...
Today it began...
Day 1 (28 Aug): We hope to make it from Basel to Biel today where we will catch up with old friends of mine... predicted at about 90 km...
With a slightly makeshift, but very attractive, setup, we took to the road with ferver. The area is mostly crops surrounding smaller villages and forested hillsides. And the feeling of being fully loaded is slightly sluggish compared with an unloaded bike.
Leaving the predominently german-speaking Basel area, we skirt along the french border for an hour or so until our first pass. We attacked the start of the climb feeling fresh, arriving at the top a little less... Coming off the top however is a beautiful rush of wind down to the velley floor where we follow a small river through some narrow gorge sections through Delemont and on to Moutier -'le coeur de canton Jura'.
The afternoon saw a change to rain and
a headwind. For me, this somehow motivated me as I started to drive the legs hard and enjoy the hard conditions.
The final pass of the day, col du Pierre Peruit, was the one that put Tim to sleep early tonight. Having cycle the final 50km or more in the pouring rain and wind, we arrived soaked, exhausted, and happy to have made our biggest day of the trip (or so we thought). Tim almost dropped his eyelids on the table at dinnertime. AND... Tim ate a chocolate bar! You who know Tim will not believe it. We could never get him to eat one. Today he asked for one!!
Now, with 104 km - and probably our hardest day - behind us, a likely rest day tomorrow, and improving weather later in the week, things look on the improve...
Day 2 (29 Aug): Well, we eased into day 2. A long sleep in, and a good breakfast was what was needed. The rest of the house was up 7 hours before us (as a baker, Aaron starts work at 2:30am)!
We had planned on a rest day but it wasn't long before we were
back on the bikes to show Tim around the vineyard areas and small villages along Lake Biel (Twann, Ligerz and Neuveville).
Then came the important part of town, with our host Aaron giving a tour of his work, the 'Castle Bakery', mmmmmm! He even managed to convince Tim to try some more chocolate (Good texture, bad taste).
In the evening Tim was introduced to Jass (Swiss card game). In the 'home v away' battle, (even with a few 'tactical' errors) the 'away' team of looney cyclists came out with a spectacular win over the experienced home team.
After dinner an innocent counting incident somehow turned into a contortionist competition with Aaron and Tabea being introduced to all the flexibility and dexterity challenges that we could remember. The result? A little pain (which never hurt anybody) and several good photos.
Finally time for an early night with a day of riding tomorrow. This time, with a day of experience in the bag, Tim will no doubt be the one showing me how to do it...
Day 3 (30 Aug)- With the wind a little less lashing and the rain somewhat less wet - by comparison to
the last few days, we decided that conditions were good for a little more bike riding. Shortly after, standing wet under a large motorway overpass,we were trying to convince each other that perserverence was the goal of the day…
Later on it did actually clear up and we were able to enjoy some of the muddy trails and little villages along the east side of Lac de Neuchatel. This included the historic town of Echerdes de Lac with its narrow cobbled roads and castle surrounded by a city wall.
Tim, like any good scientist, had many theories for how he may clear a blocked ear. Handstands, a good underwater head-shake, some bakery food… none of it seemed to work…
Despite the relatively cold weather, our scorching pace had led to us feeling the heat and keen for a swim in the beautiful waters of Lac de Neuchatel. A deserted golden sand beach awaited us at the lakeshore, and we enjoyed the solitude in paradise conditions as teh lowlight conditions cast a special light on the scenery.
Further south, Yverdon des Bains has a very attractive medi-evil style city centre. And last thing for the day, a
fondue dinner was just what I needed to get my head swimming for a good nights sleep in the nearby forest…
Day 4 (31 Aug)- With the weather clearing and sun out, we decided a detour into the mountains would make a good addition to the trip and give Tim a fairer impression of Switzerland (as we have otherwise been traversing one of the only lines of little elevation one can find in the country). Our route followed a vague south trending raised ridge feature with maize and sunflower crops, fruit trees, and studded with occasional villages and churches.
We are now solid in French-speaking territory. Although this has been a somewhat confusing stretch - such is the nature of our route that we actually cross a language border about 5 times. It is fairly difficult to keep track of the changes too, as the use of french words in the german dialects is fairly prevalent also. We arrive in Lausanne, the heart of Canton Vaud and our first glimpse of the mighty Lac Leman (lake Geneva).
And in the blazing midday sun we take every opportunity we get to have a dip as we wind east
along the terraced vineyard roads overlooking the north coast of the lake. Our destination; the impressive Chateau de Chillon near Montreux.
Train into the mountains and a half hour uphill bike in the dark in search of a campspot paid up dividends as we found an unlikely flat spot to set up tent...
Day 5 (1 Sep)- Awake, but frigid, it takes a period of jostling and taunting to try and get the other to get up first into the crisp morning air. Packed and on the way, we bike hard to keep warm in the shadow of the steep terrain above.
An hour later we arrive at the top of our days largest climb into the blazing mountain sun and start our descent to the lake front road that will take us through some beautiful wild terrain on a road where motor vehicle traffic is forbidden - a part of the journey that we have been really looking forward to!
Just before the lake we find ourselves before a barrier with military personnel in charge... nuts. Apparently the road has been closed so they can shoot stuff at the hillside, leaving our ideal road open to
only motorised vehicles with military authority. 'God Damn Military' is the new slogan for the trip.
So turned back (and up), we continue our climb up onto the 1423 m high Col du Mosses. This is a ski area in winter, and cheese making in summer. Bells are clinging on cows across the hillsides behind old dark-stained wood chalets that are so typical of the mountains in this part.
The 18km descent required no pedalling and afforded some lovely mountain scenery. And the arrival point was Aigle, in the impressive Valais, with yet another castle and vineyard scenery...
Our route then followed the Rhone as far as Lac Leman, then the south shore through France past Evian as far as Geneve, our final destination.
And? We made it! 378 km, 10 cantons, 2 nights in a tent, 3 passes, 11 blocks of chocolate and a fondue. We are in Geneve and intend to enjoy the sun and surf???
Advertisement
Tot: 0.331s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 20; qc: 128; dbt: 0.1198s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.4mb