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...



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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