7 July

7 July

Made it to Bern! Woohoo…and I only say that because of how the day started and continued….climbing…climbing…and more climbing. I really despised the garmin when it took me on a route that presented a mind blowing/breaking challenge…20% Grade…thanks Garmin…There’s one for Jimmy Fallon. Jimmy, “Thank you Garmin for helping me find everything under the sun, McDonald’s in Switzerland, le Lyon in Belfort France…everything except the most direct route. Yes you route for a bicycle, though I didn’t really ask you to take me 10km out of the way so you can kick my ass in the hills!” I think I’ll send it in when I get home. Though a huge challenge, less than 10km into the ride was that 20% grade sign and staying that way (not quite 20%, but steep enough) for most of the day, it was a beautiful ride! Great with a motor, a challenge for the legs…but somehow oddly fun.

REALLY?!?!?!?!?

On the way out of Basel

What the handlebar is seeing

Mooooooooo

A typical view

 

Really didn’t have any breakfast to speak of…a banana. And then the goal was Solothurn for more food, but I only made it to Obendorf. Stopped at a Denner Satellite and I got some salami, flatbread, mars bar and a .5l coke. Not a bad little stop in a park just up the road from the store. Had a local ask me where I’m from and what I’m doing. He wished me well but thought I was a little crazy. Had to head back to the store for some water and glad I did. Solothurn was quite a distance.

lunch on the go

lunch spot in Obendorf

After finally making it to the 12, I could stay on it all the way to Bern…nice…didn’t need to use navigation, though, in some towns the roads and main thoroughfares are not well marked, therefore leaving me to consult the Garmin.

Another great climb!

Scenery like no other

 

It's Me! It's Me!

On the right track!

Church in Solothurn

I honestly don’t remember where I hit rain, but pulled off the road at a little farm house…I thought I was good under the tree and was for a while, but the rain kept coming and the thunder kept clapping. I quickly spied a completely dry spot under a heavy cover of leaves on the braches above; stepped to it and life was good…and dry.

Refuge from the rain

Refuge from the rain

I was off and riding again, hoping to dodge the next set of clouds I could see and did for the most part…just some sprinkles.

The climb to Bern was another good one on the 12. Asked the Garmin where the clock tower was…it said down the hill, left at McDonald’s and about a ½ block. Turn around or you’ll miss it!
 

WOW!  Bern has flying deer!

Traffic on the A1 (rt.) vs. my Highway 12 (lt.)

The hill down to the clocktower

The clock tower

Proof I was there

with my bicycle

Great cobblestone street of restaurants and shopping, but looking, smelling and feeling the way I did, I was moving on to the campground















Garmin said was only 1.72km away..cool. And it shows some restaurants nearby…well, there was 1 restaurant, at the campground…sweet.



A beautiful campground where tenting is wide out in the open, the super green, fast flowing river is just on the other side of a well-kept hedge. The funny thing about European campgrounds is there are no picnic tables at any camp sites. That’s why people by those little tables that will supposedly seat four…or if you’re in a camper, you bring everything from home; the patio furniture, resin chairs, the awning to attach to your camper awning, etc. Don’t forget the satellite for your TV!

The other funny/great thing about European campgrounds is the amenities. So far all three have had dish washing stations, laundry facilities, etc…but tonight is the best…little gas stoves next to the sinks. Bring your own cooking gear and you’re in business! Very nice setup.

The other funny thing is how Europeans camp. They seem to have the campground as a home away from home. I think they think I’m odd for only spending one night, but again, look at the permanence of the trailers in the park!

The other bicycling travelers also seem to have the same mentality of those in the campers…take it all with you. I’m wishing I didn’t have so much. But I just saw a lady (cyclist) unplug her coffee maker..interesting. She’s also still in her cycling clothes and she checked in at the same time I did. Eeeewwww. I can’t do that, but I sweat as much as 10 people combined.






Back to checking in…took me a minute to find the rental office. The gentleman at the desk was very nice and gave me 2 free tokens for the showers…normally 1.50FR, but he said, they give them to people who get out and do things; and made the motion of a runner and a cyclist. Cold shower is free, tokens give you three minutes. He said I could choose any site I wanted, just put the plastic number on my tent…and so I did. Looked like rain and still looks like it could, but I hope it holds off. Rained twice last night which put me leaving later than I wanted toda. Once at 0500 and once at 0715…so I didn’t leave til about 0920.

After setting up the tent, I was off to the shower…always feels so good to get the salt and grime off! Dumped the dirty clothes at the campsite and off to the restaurant at the campground. Very convenient, but also a captive audience, though food and everything in Switzerland is very expensive I think. The girl working the counter was very sweet and spoke very good English. I was VERY hungry and ordered two different types of sausages; one only had mustard, the other pomme frites. Of course had to have a bier. And so it was…a lot of food, but very much needed. Everyone also smokes in Switzerland…not great.

As an aside…my legs are putting off some MAJOR HEAT!!!

I also bought a 1L coke at dinner so I could have something to drink while I sit and type…I bought a snickers for my ‘tent snack’ too.

It’s funny how most folks are in sweatshirts and such; I think it’s only about 60 degrees (F). I think the main reason I’m not is I’m warm blooded and my legs are on fire. (If it was 60C we’d all be DEAD!!!)

At dinner I was looking at the Garmin and it said Besancon is only 114km.(found out that's the way of the crow...actual distance 180km) Really not that bad and I might make it home tomorrow…no rush really (other than I miss my beautiful wife). If I don’t make it home, I’ll definitely need to do laundry because I didn’t wash my clothes from today…another eeewww!

A lot of climbing to get out of Bern tomorrow; looks like starting about 7km into the ride I’ll climb about 2,400ft. over 14km….then it’s a lot of ups and downs until about 60km into the ride…then it looks like rolling hills as I drop some major elevation as I make my way back to Besancon.

As my thoughts are completely random, I think back to my previous comments about what people bring while camping…yes, I brought the netbook…but I probably won’t when I head to the alps. Extra weight….that’s all there is to it. Shouldn’t have brought the big camera for this trip either, but I will have to for the alps…it’s the TDF!!! Have to shoot what I can and hope something turns out as I’m no pro!

For the calories burned, I think I have replaced with coke and all the other things I’ve had to drink and eat. Not really…I think I’m at a deficit for calories for the last few days. I kind of forget I only left on Tuesday, it is now Thursday, but it feels like I’ve been gone much longer, kind of strange. Funny how things look on Google maps compared to how they really are. The unknown is okay to a degree, but I really wasn’t ready for the hills today, though it was a good test for what’s to come in the alps…long steady climbs.

Sites along the way have been VERY cool. A castle here and there, churches with cool steeples in every town, beautiful Swiss farm houses/barns…just awesome scenery…beats the corn fields. And the traffic is very aware of cyclists. There are lanes and paths EVERYWHERE!!! Wish the states could get this figured out. They have bike lanes with lights, with turn lanes, and bike lanes in the middle of multi lane roadways so you can go left in traffic if you need to. You don’t feel like you’re hung out to dry as far as safety goes…people watch out for cyclists and pedestrians here…very nice.

Well, the Garmin is at 58% and the computer is down to 63%. I should have been working while plugged in, but the outlets out here on the patio of the ‘washing station’ are not prime, as they are located between the sinks and the sinks have been quite busy. I should be good to go. Maybe I’ll conserve a little more energy by not using word…so…I’m done for the evening.

Eeeeeewwwww….the coffee pot lady is back AND STILL in here cycling clothes! NASTY!!! I couldn’t do it…with that…I’m out…bathroom and tent for my little snack, continue to charge the Garmin and off to bed. Oh yeah…hips hurt…no thermarest, but I’ll survive.

About 2200..I'm off to the tent

My Garmin stuff:  Click on the bicycle in the upper right corner: