Saturday 20th July 1996 Basel – Fribourg
Train did some shunting around Basel SBB. Everybody else had got off, I was sound asleep and woken by the jolting. I jumped off when it was shunted back into the platform. I had a long wait to collect the bike in the morning from the bike store when it opened at 06.00. By the time I had put panniers and fittings on the bike and sorted out the weight distribution I had a short sleep on the platform and was ready to collect the bike. I got some money from the change place on the station with a gold card and set off at 07.00. Before leaving the city I had some trouble with a protruding screw into the rear cassette but that was soon remedied. I joined six other cyclists going my way from Aesch to Delemont. I tagged along and covered the 26 miles to Delemont in one hour and forty minutes – 16mph. I was soon winded climbing the first col, the Rangiers and it’s neighbouring pass first left just over the top. Stopped for a coffee at the top of the pass. The gorges above Untergevalier and Mont Crosin were interesting and a bit steep over here in places. There is a wood factory at Gevalier. Later I was over Mont Crosin and down to St Imier followed by a climb out of the valley to Col du Pontins. Up the wooded switchbacks toward Col du Pontins until near the top where there was a café and good views. I stopped for a while here and took some photos. Mont Crosin and this pass had set me back a bit. I finished off juice that I’d brought from home in the bottles and started on the sachets of powdered Isostar, adding water at the top of the pass. It seems to help not only in quenching thirst but giving instant energy. Down the pass to the junction of the Chasseral road then retraced my ’94 route as far as the Neuchatel turn-off. I reached this point at 17.30, too late to consider biking on to Fribourg so I had a look at the lake (Lac Neuchatel) then took a train from Neuchatel to Ins on the train from Berne and changed for Fribourg. I booked in at the hostel at 20.00. There were not many people staying there despite the week-long jazz festival in the centre of the town. I had a shower and changed and wandered around the tents and found a good place to have a wurst and a beer, crepes and later a chocolate drink from good old MacDonald’s. Back to the hostel at 21.45 and to bed at 22.15. After waking up at 05.30 on a cold station platform this morning I needed an early night or I would suffer the effect tomorrow. It was very quiet in the room so I had a good night’s sleep.
Speedometer setting started at 104 miles, finished today at 188 miles.
84 miles from 07.00 until 17.15 10 hours 8.4 mph
Sunday 21st July 1996 Fribourg – Sanetsch
Very quiet at breakfast, only two other people in the hostel, only two tables laid out. The usual rolls, jam and plenty of coffee. I packed the panniers and was out at 09.15. I had a quick look around the town, down the road to the large church, River Sarine and the bridges down the slope past the church, very quaint. I went back up another way that brought me to the station area. Out along the main road, not too busy with a new autobahn running parallel to this road. Cycling south from Fribourg through Echarlens, Bulle, Morlon, Broc (by-passing Bulle) now on the lakeside lanes. At Broc there is a Nestle factory. A short uphill climb into the small walled town of Gruyeres perched at the top of the hill. I stayed longer than expected but this is a wonderful place even if it is on the tourist trail. The old buildings within the walls and the castle turret on the highest point overlooking the valley were worth a long look at. Later down to Montbovon where the valley becomes narrower, on a side road. I was now on a bike route to Les Moulins for the climb up to Col des Mosses. It was hard going at first but the road levels out before l’Etivuz but after that the real climbing starts. Up here there were army jeeps on hire and they were making a racket up and down the wooded pass. There were scores of them at the top. I didn’t buy a drink, there were too many people up there and I would have preferred to relax in a more peaceful place. I took a photo of the summit marker at the top – even though it was hidden behind the army jeeps. From there down to Les Planeches and across to Les Diablerets, no stopping here, I kept on going to the edge of the village at the commencement of the Col du Pillon. I had a short stop then plodded on up to the top. This was my second visit to the top of this pass. I bought a soup at the summit café. Then followed the long sweep down to Gsteig at 17.30. There were a lot of people drinking at a welcoming pub there on the main road and I really felt like stopping for a while but I thought I would be rewarded once I reached the top of the Sanetsch pass later. I turned off along the level, narrow lane to the foot of the Rosengarten below the Sanetsch pass. The road ends at a cable car station that was now closed at this time of the day. Nobody wanted to go up there in the early evening, even though it was a warm evening. I put myself in my granny gear to struggle up the gravel track by the side of the cable car station. I soon found out that this track was only suitable for walkers. I thought that it wouldn’t be too far to the top. At least that was the impression I got from the Michelin map that showed half the length to the top as the road I had just cycled along that took no more than 10 minutes. The other half would now take me the rest of the evening. The struggle began as the way became steeper through the Rosengarten. I asked several people coming down how long it would take to reach the top. The replies varied from anything between one and three hours. The last people I met along the way were more truthful. Thankfully they spoke English. After two hours up I was really getting cheesed off. It was 22.30 and I had climbed up through the woods and was now above the tree line on a path that seemed to disappear into the cliff face in front of me. I came to a waterfall and it was getting dark. The way became even steeper and I had to alternate between carrying the bike up every few yards then going back for the panniers. I found a level grassy patch by the side of the path. I put as much clothing on as I could to keep warm during the night and slept under the stars. I was encouraged by the lights of the pass refuge that I could see above the cliffs, which didn’t seem too far from here. Below me the lights of Gsteig were well down below, spread out along the valley.
I started the day at 188 on the speedometer and finished at 252 – 67 miles.
Monday 22nd July 1996 Sanetsch Pass to Lausanne
A cold wind got up before midnight. I was dropping off in a semi drowsy state thinking there was a town up there on top of the cliff face, with a guest house with a comfortable, warm bed. It was difficult getting to sleep during the night, as it was cold even though I put plenty of layers on. Teeth chattering. I seemed to find a comfortable position on my back with legs bent and arms folded, curled up like a hedgehog. I slept solid like that for 6 ½ hours. At 05.30 I woke up to the first morning light. Dawn was quite an experience on the loneliness of the mountain. The sky was red and there were long shadows over the grass. The cliff ahead was shining in the sun and to this I now turned my attention. I carried on alternating carrying the bike then the panniers every few yards up the cliff path until I reached the top. The path was still stony even over the top to the first lake past the refuge hut and where I could see last night’s light. I arrived up there 1 ½ hours later. I felt numb and tired at first – and still cold but I warmed up with the exercise. I was on the road now that came to an abrupt end at my path. The road traverses the lakeside and there is some uphill but nothing strenuous. I carried on along here for about an hour then reached the top. There is a glorious view of snowy peaks stretching from Mont Blanc to Monte Rosa across to the south over the Valais from this point. There is no altitude marker or pass name board at the highest point of road. There was a farmer below the summit on the north side herding his cows into an enclosure. I took two hours freewheeling down from the pass, it’s a rough road with unlit tunnels of irregular walls and this delayed my speed down the mountain. One totally dark tunnel is 800 metres long over a rough road of slate shale so much caution and good lights were needed to avoiding colliding into the walls or falling in total darkness on the road surface. I came across a café halfway down and stopped for a couple of coffees. At Chandalin the road starts to go up again! This lasted for about 3 miles as far as Granois then came the marvellous sweep down to reach Sion in Valais. I found the railway station at 09.45. I bought a local ticket for the bike for destination Monthey to the west, with seconds to spare, leaving at 10.08. On board the train it was a good opportunity to sort out the panniers, have a wash and shave, sort out maps for the next leg of the tour, have breakfast (food from the bags - cheese and oatcakes) and apply sun tan cream for the next climb. The journey time wasn’t wasted! From Monthey I started off up the very hot and sticky ride to the Col du Morgins on the French border. It is steep all the way except coming into the village of Morgins on the small plateau 1km below the pass. At the top I reached the lake by the French border. I lingered a while, took a photo then did an about turn and freewheeled back to Monthy and followed the Rhone valley to the eastern edge of Lake Geneva through Voury where I stopped to shop from a Denner store. On through Renaz and Villeveave (had a freshen up and bought a drink from MacDonald’s) Along the lake to Montreux. I decided against taking the train, as I wanted to complete my cycling along the north side of the lake by continuing to Lausanne. The road from the lake climbs up into Lausanne itself, away from the lake. From the top of the town I found my way down to the train station then retraced my way to the youth hostel from memory. I arrived there at 18.30. There was a delicious barbecue outside for tea on the veranda. Dinner was roast chicken, macaroni and salad. We could help ourselves to as much as we could eat from a buffet. Drank loads of tea to wash it down, fully satisfied.
Tonight I wrote out some postcards to Ruth, Petra, Johanna, Mum & Dad, Hans and to work accompanied by a blue Tennants I had carried around from home. That should make the load lighter for today. I found the hostel by direction instinct and remembered the road names. Ruth would have been impressed. I had a good shower, just as well after the night on the mountain last night
Speedometer starting at 252, finished at 338, 86 miles today.
Tuesday 23rd July 1996 Lausanne – Aescherli - Lucerne
Up at 07.50; breakfast at 08.10 and out on the road at 09.00. Breakfast in the hostel was the usual rolls, jam and butter but it was all good stuff. I biked along to the station and boarded the 10.08 to Lucerne, direct and arrived at 12.50. I had a wander along the lakefront in the city for a while then took the road south along the lake through Kasteneinbaum, Winkel (a quiet, pleasant place for a sunbathe by the lake), Hergiswil and Alpnachstad. Just before the village a terrific storm suddenly happened. It went just as quick a few minutes later. Water jets caused by boats plying the water suddenly became waterspouts and boats were lifted clear off the water. It was really fierce. I was very close to an avalanche shelter over the road and I immediately took shelter under there. It was fortunate that it was so close and I made a mad dash for it. Objects were flying everywhere in a half hour of weather frenzy. It really was a strong wind and would have been impossible to keep on a bike in the strong gusts. It rained for about an hour after the wind calmed but it was cool and very calm following the rain, more pleasant after the heat earlier on and the last few days. I stocked up at a Denner supermarket in Alpnachdorf then tried to find a way up the Aescherli pass. I biked down to the airfield and to the head of the lake (Lake Lucerne, south west arm) where there is a nature reserve, following the map for a back road to Kerns. I couldn’t find it so I backtracked along the main road and took another turning. I had trouble finding the pass last year and gave up then. Has this pass got a jinx on me? I wasn’t going to give up a second time. I bought some beer, nuts and kirsch from a supermarket to console myself. I eventually found the right road. At the blue sign when I entered into Sarnen I branched off for Kerns then went up a long way and reached the village through the woods then took the road for Stans. It was there when I found a road called Aescherlistrasse in Stans village. I started off up the pass from here at 15.45. The pass road was not marked on the map so found this a bit confusing. Only the street name gave it away. A kilometre after the start of the climb at the end of the village was the sign for Dallenwill, 18km so I knew this time I had the right road. Last year this had turned out to be a total disaster! It was a very hot ride on the ascent despite the cooler conditions after the storm. As far as the start of the spruce trees it was a good surfaced road but after that the surface was a powdery stone. This was from about a ¼ of the way up to about ¾ of the way. The last ¼ of the pass, approaching the top, was a smooth surface again as far as the tree line. It was tough going, matters were made worse when I discovered a wheel buckle. A spoke had snapped on the left hand side and I had no spare spokes with me. It was agony and ecstasy, agony because it was a tough ascent on the stony surface (but nowhere near as rough as the descent of the Sanetsch) – and it was hot! It was ecstasy because the scenery up here is magnificent. The air is so clean and clear (if I can describe air like that) Shortly after the tree line the scenery really opens up. Lake Sarnen is spread out below as well as Pilatus across the horizon. Lucerne lay on the edge of the lake like Toytown; the whole of the city could be seen spread out around its lake.
The Lake itself was curled around Burgenstock jutting out into water. When I reached the top I ate the kirsch to celebrate the conquest of this, the most elusive of passes so far. There was no height marker at the top of the pass. It didn’t take long to speed down to Dallenwill on the other side of the pass but there were plenty of cattle grids across the road to slow me down in places. I took photos on the way down. My impression is of a farming community, many farms connected by aerial cableways and long wooden structures in which milk churns are passed up or down to other farms and eventually down to Dallenwill. Eventually I reached Stans in the valley and took a local train on the private railway from Stans to Lucerne. I booked in at the youth hostel. I found it easily as we’ve stopped here before. I paid 28.00SF for bed and breakfast. I met an English guy from Middleton, Manchester, who showed me the ropes on how to pack a duvet cover quickly. He should know as he works for Virgin Trains sleepers as a sleeping car attendant. No guessing that he travelled to Switzerland with my same method! He was also good at fitting a valence – very impressive in less than a minute! It would have taken me at least ½ an hour and I wanted to go for a meal. I went down to the city for a meal at 21.00 and found a good place, the Lowen Restaurant on the main road down to the town, on the left. It was a warm evening so I elected to sit under the canopy at the tables at the side of the building. I ordered lasagne and salad with a beer while I waited. I had a bottle of red wine with the meal. It started to thunderstorm while I was sitting there, well sheltered. It went off before I had finished my meal and cycled back to the hostel at 22.30, intoxicated, happy and full. Saison grill unserstarke. Chom und lueg, mer freud deus. Uf ihre b’such (es lichs gruessli gody stager) The weather was dry but a lot cooler on the way back to the hostel. Slept well that night.
Speedometer setting started at 338 and finished at 383. 45 miles today
Wednesday 24th July 1996 Lucerne to Disentis
Speedometer started at 383, finished at 411 28 miles