Bridges and tunnels

Switzerland, land of cheese, chocolate, knives (both kitchen and Army grade multipurpose) and mountains. I haven't really driven in mountains before so this should be interesting. Its been easy so far, all tunnels and bridges, but after one which felt like forever we reemerged to the sight of the alps out in front of me. It was wild, since it had all been green foothills until that point. And the sight of snow capped mountains after emerging from a tunnel was pretty mind blowing.

I'm waiting for them in a small town right now, hoping they don't get lost and miss it. They just will have finished some of the first climbing of the trip. Their Garmin designed route didn't come in a more detailed version so I'm playing games trying to identify streets based on their turn by turn directions and the gps in the car. I'm not a fan of em to be honest, but my old school approach doesn't work as well here.

(at the end of the day, he returns)

So yeah that was awesome how it worked out that I was right on their route today and met them with water and snacks. We've planned two stops for tomorrow's 100 miles to Geneva, attempting the same thing but planning them ahead instead of mucking about on the road. Today was their first dose of climbing and I think it would be accurate to describe it as shorter but steeper. But the big stuff starts day after tomorrow, so complaints from today will be surely multiply.

Bern is amazing! It is on the bend in a river, and the bedrock is so hard that the river has cut a pretty steep channel around the city. And the bikes... They are everywhere. Like ants on an anthill! The busses and trams share the road very well, but it's hell for drivers. Quite possibly one of the most nerve wracking driving experiences of my life. The city is beautiful in the "old European city" way, but for me I keep coming back to the bikes. A mix of old and new, road and mountain and city, carrying states of repair and even some fixie kids. Like in Paris, the readily accessible and functional public transport, combined with the high population density and the difficulty of driving here (before you add in the 10,000+ cyclists, trams and busses) makes the proliferation of bikes make sense; if you build it they will come, right?

With tomorrow planned and my apologies said in advance for future snoring, I'm heading to bed. Hope none of them take me to the courts in Geneva tomorrow for my snoring being a crime against humanity or the Geneva Convention...

Location:See title

Playing the waiting game, and losing

Aaaannnnndddd THEY'RE OFF!!!

Yeah it wasn't quite that monumental of a start. But, we packed the van and said I'll meet you at the hotel. I think that was around 9? Sure. Well, they tooled around Petit France and then failed at an attempt to get into Germany before calmly and casually rolling down to Colmar after lunch. They arrived at 3, almost on the dot. I got in before 10:30...

So there was reading done, and an attempt at checking into the hotel (failed due to the pay up front nature of Roi Soleil in Colmar, I mean who does that we have 3 rooms for one night), two bike rides (8 mile and 17 mile) and then a bit of chat back home before a van nap and they arrived. This shouldn't happen again, at least not in this kind of volume, since I should meet up with them at shorter intervals/they shouldn't take 4 hours to ride 50 miles (hour lunch break not included).

But that's my last riding for a few days. Partially because Alps, partially because of the nature of the upcoming rides (100 mile days, so,I gotta be able to get them food/water). But damn was it good. The 17 mile loop took me out of the industrial area we are in and out to a few small towns and then basically out into cornfields, on country roads and all I could think of was feeling like I was back riding in Manawa. It was wild, the smell of cow shit transported me from the eastern edge of France to central Wisconsin in an instant. Granted there are also mountains in the distance that I was looking at so that was out of place but whatever it was cool at the time. And that's what these guys are gonna see daily. It's enough to make a kid live healthy so he can do it back home next...



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:North of Colmar

Paris, je t'aime

Art! We did a quick run through of the Louvre and Musee d 'Orsay yesterday. Always cool. After the Louvre we ended up in a bar watching Chelsea vs. Bayern Munich in the UEFA Sup Cup. A loss by penalties sucks but it was a good game. We made a friend who partied with us the rest of the night too.

Had some interesting conversations at the bar were we ended up (politics, cycling) and overall I would classify it as a great night. The others arrived this morning and we leave for Strasbourg tomorrow afternoon! The hard part is just beginning.

Location:Paris

The gap between the legs..

Today was basically how I want a large percentage of my future vacations to unfold: fresh baked breakfast pastries, coffee, then bike around new(ish) town and find marvelous things and see the city as one only can while on a bicycle. Without the piece of glass cutting my tire up....

Paris is perfect. Everything is still as beautiful as I remember, from the river to the multitude of buildings which, though similar, all retain a slight bit of individuality, to the women to the food to the way the price tag on a bottle of Bordeaux can read €2.00 and still be better than most of what I can find at home for $15. And on a bike? You see so much. Now, we are riding in traffic so I'll admit to focusing quite a bit on the taxis and busses who share the dedicated lane, but the city feels different.

The percentage of people who bike here is astronomical by Midwest standards (Macinaw be dammed). And the range of people, from students (18-22) to young adults to "old people", everyone rides bikes. I got passed on a side street by an older woman on an old step through with a basket. I want to believe it was th mix of "I've biked 20 miles today" and worrying that "god I hope this street leads where I am pretty sure it does" (it did but not where I wanted, too far south. More of that getting partially lost thing).

Today was a mix of minor tourism (hello exterior of the Eiffel tower and arc de triomphe!) with being as Parisian as possible (hello interior of random side street bike shop which is now my favourite ever outside my own/hello wine bread and cheese on the banks of the seine) while not getting crushed by a bus/car or hit by a scooter. I did get conned by people pretending to be deaf looking for signatures and money, thankfully only the few coins I had. Jon yelled at em after, I was impressed by the scam and then kinda sad about the whole situation because really, impersonating a deaf person to take money is pretty low.

I'm pretty tired (it's 1:15!) so apologies for grammar, spelling, poor train of thought. I'll fix a bit in the morning.

To quote the poet known as Ice Cube, "Today was a good day."

Location:Paris

Leg 2B Stockholm-Paris

Sleep. Glorious uncomfortable airplane chair sleep.


We managed to drag the boxes the 3/4 mile from the train station (Port Royale, RER B) to Hôtel Mistral, though I did overshoot it by a block... We're on a tiny side street, but close enough to main roads that we can get around.

Once we got checked in, we ran to the grocery to grab a bottle of wine and some bread and cheese for us to snack on while we built the bikes. Everything except my bike's box made it through just fine (my tape job wasnt quite surficient). Bikes are back together and working great.

Last night we rode around town, up to Notre Dame and then back through the left bank. We grabbed happy hour beers at a sidewalk cafe before asking Ike, the awesome afternoon desk attendant at our hotel, where we should grab dinner. His recommendation, Le Bis, was great.

We're off to wander!

Location:Planes. Always the planes.

Leg 2A Chicago-Stockholm

Yeah, the whole "my bike box is cardboard and weighs 20 kilos and is an awkward shape and most specifically has no freaking wheels" is a massive pain. Two bruised wrists, sore shoulders, and one ripped handle later I'm on the plane!

But, we need to go back to last night first. We got off the bus and then hauled our boxes to the subway station. Then switched to the L, after picking up a six pack of beer. Then hauled the boxes about 3/4 of a mile through Lincoln Square and up the two flights of stairs.

And we've discovered our walk from the train station to the hotel tomorrow should be about the same distance. Yay!! *arms fall off*

Chicago was great. Had burgers and beer and talked footie with the Irish bartender at a Tottenham bar next to Jon's sister's apt. Then hauled our stuff to the airport via bus and metro. Again though, long freaking walk carrying the stupid box. BUT! Since it is an international flight, we are Llowed one free checked bag, and our bikes qualified! So the stupid heavy box is flying to Stockholm and Paris for free! *happy dance*

Now, to find a way to pass the next 8 hours. Sleep will commence at some point. As will my jealousy of business/first class. But whatever. Time for my work-cation to begin!!

Location:Train, sidewalk, bus, train, airplane....

Leg 1. Indy-Chicago

So a guy walks up to me and asks "you wanna go to France for 20 days? Drive the van while a bunch of friends and I bike around the county, and we'll pay for everything except your flight over."

Long story short: my buddy is watching the dog and cats and I'm on the greyhound to Chicago before my flight tomorrow. No I'm not running off with some stranger, I've built bikes for Jon and both ridden with him and played soccer with him.

The trip (and ideally, this reawakening of a long sleeping blog with matching posts) will take us from the Midwest to Paris, then Strasbourg, Colmar, Bern, Geneva, Grenoble, Alp d'Huez, a tiny little Italian town I have forgotten, Nice,, Marsailles, Montpellier, and Barcelona.

My job is to speak French, fix bikes and drive the van full of stuff from city to city. I plan on biking every day, either around the town we are in or biking out the path they will be taking in order to meet them and guide them into the destination.

Here's to taking chances.

Location:The bus.