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Day 11
Grindelwald to Leuk, Switzerland
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Distance: 80.1 (530.5)
Elevation Climbed: 1,073 m (8,461 m)
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Day 11 - Grindelwald to Leuk, SwitzerlandSome of our most spectacular views thus far have come with a price: huge climbs to the tops of mountain passes, or equally massive descents to the valleys. Today, we had relatively easy riding, and the result was a corresponding curtailing of phenomenal scenery. Nevertheless, minus awe-inspiring mountains, we still had a good, and at 85k, a long day of riding with lots of variety. There were the gently undulating hills en route to lovely Interlaken, a large town we took in with nary a stop. We had some rolling gravel off-road paths and then truly humbling ones with grades reaching 20 percent and higher, the most difficult riding thus far. Kudos to Nathan and Beau who actually climbed every foot of that section.An unusual feature of the day was the train we caught in Kandersteg. It was an old engine fitted with special cars for transporting vehicles (and unicycles) from one town, through a long tunnel, to the town of Goppenstein. The train was necessary for our basic route unless we wanted to go way out of our way, so we hopped on board, endured the smell of fumes and the tunnel, and got off along with the long row of cars. From there, it was a fairly long descent to the valley, a trip that took us through more tunnels, and fortunately, a hairpin road for cyclists that avoided one extremely long tunnel. By this point, the skies had turned drizzly and while one group headed immediately for our destination, another hung out in the town, eating supermarket goodies on the sidewalk before the final climb to Leuk. Leuk is a tiny village, the kind of place one would not likely visit for more than an hour, and then by accident, if planning a trip with family from overseas. But it is also the sort of overlooked gem that unicycle tours are perfect for uncovering. Its impressive Medieval castle dominates the scene, but Leuk also features a lovely church with stone tower and golden clock, and the kind of curving streets with slightly dilapidated structures with Old World charm and beauty. Our hotel itself was formerly a convent and a Cambridge College of Philosophy, and is a large step up from the familiar hostel experience. Dinner in a local Italian restaurant was also a special treat featuring delicious food, a relaxed atmosphere, and the friendliest proprietor in Europe. How many restaurants can you think of where after your meal, the owner comes by and asks if you want more food (at no additional cost), in case anyone was still hungry? The desserts were also a memorable affair with tiramisu, homemade pear sorbet, and a confection employing apricots, the seasonal trademark of the area. After dinner, it was great to see the locals open up a giant box filled with toys in the town square. Little children and their parents played badminton, rope games, and Frisbee, and attempted to ride a Pedalo, a balancing toy with two small wheels and wooden pedals. If only we'd brought out our Cokers, the carnival feel would have been complete. Rider of the day: Irene Genelin Age: 20 Hometown: New Brighton, Minnesota Perfect day: "Day 3. It was a really dreary day; we started with a 7 km climb into the clouds and descended into warmth. We met Ken who had gotten lost trying to avoid going through a tunnel, and most of the day we were riding slightly downhill. We didn't meet up with support for lunch but Laura and I went into a closed pizzeria and were lucky enough to score two pizzas while the waiters spoke to us in their best English asking us all sorts of questions about what we were doing." Hardest moment/day so far? "Doing the Oberalppass, because it was soooo cold and the wind was pounding pieces of hail into the bare skin on my thighs. I didn't want to stop because I was afraid of becoming hypothermic, but I wasn't sure I could keep pedaling up the pass. The cozy and warm cafe at the top was fantastic and gave me enough energy to make it down the pass with no problems." Memorable training moment? "Climbing Hurricane Ridge with John Childs and Jeff Sloan. It was my first mile high climb (we climbed 1620 meters, 5,280 feet) in one day. Also, riding with Andy, Kim, and Joe in Minnesota; the ride that sticks out in my mind was the day we climbed 1000 meters." Memorable Alpine sighting? "I saw an adult cow sucking another adult cow's nipple to get milk from it. I thought only newborn cows suck on cow teats." Weirdest item in your Camelbak? "A piece of paper with 'Coker Power' on it which Joe put into my camera case in the Kuntsmuseum in Liechtenstein." Favorite Alpine Food? "The breads. I enjoy the Swiss breakfasts." Favorite bathroom? "Definitely the bathroom in Lech. There was also a sauna and relaxation room in the basement which was amazing." Have you lost anything so far? "A plastic bumper for the back rack of my Coker, which Joe was nice enough to get for me in Minnesota." What do you do to get through the toughest part of the day? "I listen to music and eat foods that will give me instant power. I prefer the Black Eyed Peas (thanks to Kim), Michael Jackson (thanks to my friend Rachel), and sometimes a random shuffle of the songs on my 40 gig Ipod. I also give myself short goals, like making it to the next light post and then I make a new goal when I reach it." What size cranks are you going to use for most of the tour? "I used 140s for the first 5 days and then I switched to 152s (thanks Florian Schlumpf!) which are wonderful for climbing mountain passes." Funniest moment so far? "Whenever I think about the last time I had gut-wrenching laughter, I think of John and something he said to me or the group. Thank goodness he is on the tour." Quotes of the Day: "I couldn't have done it without Beau." -Nathan, after powering up the 20 percent grade gravel path "I thought this was an antique." -Bronson, looking at our car-carrying train. |
Move your mouse over the images for a pop-up caption. Click on the image for a larger picture. Created: August 14, 2005 09:00
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