The BCT Continues - the Jura Route

Four weeks had gone by, and the bikes were untouched since the epic ride from Schaffhausen to Basel. And now here we were again, just Hilary and I this time, aboard the train to Basel to begin the last stage of our circuit of Switzerland by velo (as the Swiss call their bicycles). And to complete the symmetry, it was raining. Ah well...

The BCT Part 2 - Day 1, Basel to St-Ursanne

St-Ursanne's bridge

It was still a bit cool and damp when we arrived in Basel, so we began our journey with a coffee and schoggigipfel at the legendary Cafe Frey. An easy flat route took us on Route 7 out of Basel and through farmland to Flüh, where a very helpful man in a conveniently located bikeshop pumped up our tires for us. The came the first big hill, 384m over 6.5km, as the rather intimidating sign informed us (we were to find many more of these ominous signs on Route 7). However, the muscle memory Hilary had promised kicked in, and up we surged. And then right back down again, to the French border, a long and rather tedious stretch of road alongside the river. Finally we arrived in Lucelle, a tiny French enclave where a friendly hostellerie owner made huge sandwiches for us. Then uphill again and back across the non-existent border into Switzerland, grateful to return to rolling hills and pretty farming villages. And more hills, another 380m over 5km. It was too tough for us this time, our feet slipping on the pedals in the light rain, and we pushed the bikes up the last few metres. And then straight back down again, a fierce descent to the river and the last few kilometres into pretty St-Ursanne. We even had time for a bit of shopping before dinner of truite meuniere, a local specialty, and bed.
5 hours, 65.21 km, 2184cal.

The BCT Part 2 - Day 2,  St-Ursanne to La Chaux de Fonds

La Chaux de Fond's cathedral

This day started with another hill, and another warning, 520m over 9km - and I'm sure the first 500 came in the first 4 kilometres! But after that arduous beginning it was a beautiful ride over rolling hills around 1000-1100 metres altitude - and, at last, sunshine. A horse festival was about to take place in the area, and we passed a number of people on horseback, and market stalls closing roads in Saignelégier, where we stopped for lunch. Another 250m climb took us to Mont Soleil, and a proliferation of wind and sun farms, scattered auberges and many hikers. Then down we went again, to La Chaux de Fonds and our hotel. This otherwise not particularly significant Swiss town is famous for its lack of a cathedral - in its place was a quite gorgeous fountain. And nearby, a delightful Italian wine bar, where we ate one of the best meals of this part of the tour. The it was an early night in preparation for tomorrow's big day.
5 hours 20, 59.75km, 2100cal.

The BCT Part 2 - Day 3,  La Chaux de Fonds to L'Abbaye on Lac de Joux
The Saturday morning market in La Chaux de Fonds set us up with our picnic lunch (bread, cheese, tomatoes, cherries). A gentle cruise up out of town and along former marshlands, with a stop for a "Glace de la Ferme" in the sun outside a pretty farmhouse, past pungent farm fromageries and fragrant fresh-cut grass. A gradual descent took us to Buttes and from there it was all uphill, 600m of it up to the Col de l'Aiguillon and the amazing white cliffs of Baulmes, the woods densely populated at this time of year with wild raspberry gatherers and the cliffs with rock-climbing families. We couldn't risk losing momentum by stopping for the raspberries, but Hilary made a note to return to the rocks - out of season.

And then we descended again - the whole 600m and more! And up again, another 330m on a nasty gravel trail, and finally downhill all the way to the Lac de Joux and a thoroughly well deserved beer or three in the last of the evening sunshine at our hotel in L'Abbaye, overlooking the lake.
96.7km, 7 hours 30, 2617cal.

The BCT Part 2 - Day 4, L'Abbaye to Nyon
Waking to rain and thunder - that wasn't planned! But by the time we'd breakfasted, loaded up the bikes and cycled through drizzle to Le Pont at the end of the lake, the day was beginning to look more promising. So we stopped for a leisurely coffee and croissants at the very cool Tea Room in Le Pont, and by the time we set off again the sun was shining and the road beginning to steam. Jackets off, sunglasses on, and we set off on a lovely gentle ride around the lake. The Joux valley isn't large, but it's rich in horlogeries and fromageries, large and small, and their attendant museums.

Parc Jurassien

330m sur 5km

At the end of the lake we came across the last of those dreaded "Montée" signs (this one read "330m sur 5km" but at least 300m of that must have been in the first 2km). And at last we arrived, at the highest point of the route, and the beginning of a glorious ride through the Parc Jurassien, a Swiss wonderland of stone walls, forests, wandering cows, small cottages and a gently meandering bike trail. Even the occasional bunker, poignant reminders of Switzerland's wartime paranoia, somehow added to the sense of serenity in the place.

Finally it ended, with a wonderful freewheeling ride down to sunny Nyon, where we toasted our journey with a local rosé and a large lakeside lunch, and packed our bikes onto the train for the journey home.
56.5km, 3 hours 50, 1019cal.

A Guatemala Experience

It wasn't the best of seasons to be in Guatemala - those famous blue skies and smoking volcanoes weren't often visible through the low clouds - but it was beautiful nevertheless. We'd arrived in search of another possible production area for avocado oil, and were travelling with Olivado's Canadian agent, Kim Hannam (no relation). Kim was barely able to contain his excitement as we landed at Guatemala airport, because this was the day he was finally to see the house he's sponsoring for a foundation supporting the children of mothers in jail, and various other abandoned children.

We were collected by Maurizio, Kim's friend, business partner and the man who introduced him to the foundation, a wonderfully entertaining and compassionate man. He took us first to a great Spanish lunch in Guatemala City, and then finally to the house, where we met Vanessa, the amazing woman who founded and runs the foundation, her husband Vladi, and all 32 of their "children".  It was an extraordinary experience. The foundation has been running for about ten years, and some of the girls have been there the entire time. A beautiful 20-year-old, who arrived as an abused 10-year-old and is now one of the house organisers, told us proudly that she's studying physiotherapy. Several of the children, mostly girls, arrived as very small babies and have known no life outside of this wonderfully caring community - the two toddlers we saw were thriving on the loving care of their 30 siblings. And all of them were incredibly happy and proud of their new home, a large house in a prosperous and secure part of Guatemala City.We were taken on a tour of the house, into the large bedrooms with rows of bunk beds immaculately made, spotless bathrooms and kitchen, and several large living rooms.
It was Vanessa's birthday, so we were all served cake, and then the children put on a series of little skits and songs in honour of their "mama". Finally, several inspirational hours later, the children farewelled each of us with hugs and kisses, gave Kim a pile of thank you cards they'd made for him, and we drove to our hotel in Antigua, marvelling at the small miracle of caring and compassion that we'd just witnessed. Kim calls his place an orphanage, but we insisted it was far more than that - an extraordinarily large and loving family.

The BCT Day 9 - Schaffhausen to Basel

This 9th day wasn't scheduled! But we'd enjoyed our ride so much, the weather was perfect and our fitness vastly improved - so it seemed a shame not to complete the Rhine Route. Gary and James joined us for this final leg (they didn't volunteer to carry our panniers, we noted) and we set off early in a fruitless attempt to avoid the heat. A few more hills than we anticipated, but the first 45km (the goal we'd set before stopping for a coffee break) were lovely, rolling fields and vineyards. And even, finally, fresh cherries from a farm!
Lunch was sandwiches and cherries by the river, watching people and boats float by, drawn by the Rhine's fierce rush to the sea. We jumped in cautiously, staying close to the bank. Even there the current was unnerving, and after a few vain attempts to fight it we got back on our bikes for the final haul to Basel.
At pretty Rheinfelden we stopped for ice creams while Gary cycled across the bridge into Germany, and then we all stood watching the young people of both riverside nations jumping from the bridge into the river, where the current took them several hundred meters downstream to the shore. Fun!
And so to Basel, and the train home in a summer thunderstorm. It was a big day, but we were happy!
121km, 2195 calories, 7 hours

The BCT Day 8 - Romanshorn to Schaffhausen

Another virtually flat ride along the well-kept and well-signposted bike trails of the Rhine/Bodensee Route.  At Steckborn I found the hotel we'd stayed in on our Bodensee visit two years ago - the Feldbach See and Park Hotel was a welcome sight back then, after a long day on the bikes, and we were no less happy to see it this time, with temperatures in the high 30s and lunch beckoning. Lunch was wonderful, including a glass of the superb local Müller Thurgau, looking across the Untersee, where the Bodensee narrows towards the river mouth, to Germany. A post-lunch swim set us going again, meandering through vineyards, orchards, market gardens and lakeside villages.

Picture perfect Stein am Rhein

Gorgeous Stein am Rhein was swarming with tourists - we joined them for a well-earned gelato. Then we stayed on the north bank of the river as far as Schaffhausen, cycling through Germany, past hundreds of people playing in their swiftly flowing river - more beaches on the German side than on the Swiss, we noticed.
And finally to our hotel in Schaffhausen, welcome beers in the garden and a delicious riverside dinner.
68km, 1100 calories, 4 hrs 30

The BCT Day 7 - Altstätten to Romanshorn

An easy day, flat and hot, as we followed the Rhine towards St Margrethen and across the border into Austria. We rode right up into the Rhine delta, a lush, protected land. Coffee in Rheineck and then back into Switzerland and the beginning of the Bodensee. A lakeside picnic lunch of smoked trout and cucumber, a welcome swim and a bit of sunbathing on the shores of the Bodensee, and then we followed the meandering lakeside trail to Romanshorn and Hotel Inseli, slightly dated but beautifully positioned. Kathy and Rodger brought champagne! and much much later, following a bottle or two of the local wine and a few games of birimba, we staggered off to bed.

55.6km, 741 calories, 3 hrs 30

The BCT Day 6 - Reichenau to Altstätten

An early start for our longest day to date. It began with a sharp little incline from Reichenau (and we delightedly surged past a group of young men on mountain bikes - fitness improving!) Another unpaved trail took us along the river banks to Chur, more meandering across river flats and finally a gentle incline up into the hidden dellights of the Graubündner vineyard villages. Far above the motorists passing by on the motorway below, oblivious to the beauty above them, we cycled along farm trails lined by vineyards and through quiet, charming villages. We stopped to fill our water bottles and marvel at pretty Malans, and for coffee and refreshing Holundersirup drinks in Senins.
A glorious freeewheel ride took us down towards Bad Ragaz, and then began the long ride along the stop bank towards Buchs and lunch. It could have been a pleasant enough ride, if somewhat tedious (17km of flat asphalt riverside) but the fierce, hot headwind made it very tough. At last we arrived in Buchs, hot, hungry and thirsty. A fortuitous bank stop took us to one of the best meals of our trip, in the historic and beautifully renovated Restaurant Traube.

Thirst quenchers

Refreshed, revived, and with a bit of retail therapy to boot (a shop selling swimwear - new bikinis for Hils and me, and ceramics - a set of teacups for Silvana) we set off again. Past Werden (the smallest town in Switzerland - a row of pretty houses overlooking a tiny lake), alongside a canal with children swinging from ropes and jumping off banks, and through farmland at last to Altstätten. A pretty old town, it's afflicted with a lot of passing traffic - particularly past our hotel above one of the old town gates. An excellent Indian meal in the hotel restaurant and an early night - with earplugs!
86km, 1655 calories, 7 hours

The BCT Day Five - Andermatt (Disentis) to Reichenau

Halfway through our journey, and on to Route 2, the Rhine Route. Now we were just the three "big birthday" celebrators, Mary having returned home from Andermatt the night before. We took the train from Andermatt to Disentis, to avoid the busy road descent. From Disentis, where we spotted a family on a 5-tandem cycle (not for the faint-hearted - or the contentious), we followed the steep descent to the river, and then another bumpy mountain bike trail towards Ilanz. Steep and rocky in parts, it was a stunning trail nevertheless. The Rhine, a much prettier river than its southern counterpart, a glacial green tumbling over boulders  and through magnificent gorges. From Ilanz it was a gradual uphill grind towards Versam, and finally we were high above the Rhine, at the lookout point (910m) down over the gorge. Another thrilling descent took us back down to the river, and a picnic lunch at another picturesque Graubündner village.

The first birimba lesson

Sooner than we expected, we arrived at Reichenau, our destination the delightful Schlosshotel at the confluence of  two rivers, both sources of the Rhine, a turbulent exchange of waters.
53km, 1190 calories, 4 hours 20.

The BCT Day Four - Salgesch to Andermatt

Camels!?

Not a promising start to our biggest day so far, as we took a wrong turning along the riverside and had to scramble back up onto the main road. And then, first mishap of the tour, I flew over the handlebars in a misjudged attempt to catch a travelling photo opportunity. However, only a few colourful bruises ensued - even the camera miraculously survived! On through farm roads we travelled, past a couple of camels happily ruminating in their Swiss field, traversing verdant river flats, with a stop for coffee in on of the many charming Walliser mountain villages, church and castle ruins perched on a rock, ancient wooden storehouses on stilts. The second mishap of the day as we set off again: Hilary's tire fell off - puncture or faulty valve? We couldn't tell, but in the time it would have taken Hilary and I to work out how to remove the wheel, Mary had the new tube in, wheel back on, and tire pumped up in a handily placed mechanic's garage.

Soaking the feet after the hill climb

So on to Brig and the train up the mountain to Lax and our first real hill test. It was a slow grind up to Ernen, feeling every gram of our heavy panniers, and finally we were on the tough but beautiful Gommer route to Oberwald. It was a mountain bike trail, a little too bumpy for our unsprung road bikes, but at last we approached the source of the Rhine, and the end of part one of our journey. The final few kilometres were a struggle into a fierce headwind, almost enough to blow us off the trail into the turbulent waters alongside. But at last we arrived at Oberwald, and the train to Andermatt - showers, laundry, and a long quiet sleep...
71.5km, 2010 calories. 6 hrs 30

The BCT Day Three - Vernayaz to Salgesch

We strolled through the gorges of Vernayaz before getting back on our bikes this fine Sunday morning. Sometime, we agreed, we'd come back and hike up the old diligences route towards Chamonix.

Cycling alongside the Rhone again, we stopped for coffee in Fully, and for a swim in the very popular lake of les Iles. In Sion we feasted on pizza and beer, and farewelled Gary and Scott, off home to Küssnacht by train.

Sierre's ode to cycling

The remaining three of us now rode on to Sierre and up through little country lanes lined with vineyards to Salgesch, our destination for the night. Plenty of caves for the degustation of the famous local wines - but it was Sunday! So instead we took the train and the vertically challenging bus ride up to Leukerbad, where we wallowed in the thermal baths under threatening clouds. Heavy rain eventually cooled our heads as our skin wrinkled in the 30°water. Limited opportunities to eat on this sleepy Sunday night saw us eventually being served a meal of sorts by a linguistically confused but friendly Albanian. And then it was back to Salgesch and our quaint but noisy hotel, about a metre from the busiest railway line in the country.
56km, 1174 calories, 4hrs 30.

The BCT Day Two - Montreux to Vernayaz

Our night in Montreux happened to coincide with the first day of the Jazz Festival, so it wasn't an early night. But at 8.30 next morning we gathered for breakfast. Now numbering 5, with the addition of Richard, and minus Scott and Mary, who had been sick all night (the prawns?) set off on an already hot morning, stopping to admire the pretty Chateau de Chillon, perched over the lake. We declined an offer to swim at the chateau's private beach, a decision we soon regretted, and rode on to the Rhone delta, all shady lanes and birdsong.
And suddenly we came across the seething, brown mass of the Rhone. No swimming opportunities here. But the cooling breeze from the water followed us as we cycled along the bank of the river whose path we were to follow for the next 3 days.

A suggested detour took us across the river and up to the pretty village of Aigle, and a gorgeous little chateau set amongst the vineyards. A degustation offer at one of the many caves was too hard to resist, and we left with a chilled bottle of Aigle Trois Tours to go with the bread, cheese and fruit we'd picked up at the market stall.
Lunch was in Saint-Maurice, under the shady trees of the village park. With the temperature now up to 36°, we were grateful again for the cooling waters of the ubiquitous village fountains, and, closer to our destination, the deliciously icy spray from the Vachepiss waterfall. And on we cycled to Vernayaz and our hosts at Reves Gourmands, who brought out a succulent platter of local meats and cheeses to accompany a bottle of wonderful Paien wine, from a grape grown only in this region.
Day Two: 52km, 812 calories, 3 hrs 20