Here's how it went for me,not sure if this is a ride report or a guide in pics,I'll make it up as I add the pics and see what happens......................
Wednesday, Day minus 1 (cos the trip proper starts in 2 days) 160 miles
I meet up with Gerry and head for Portsmouth for the over night crossing to Caen,this puts us in France at 6.30am,an ideal early start for the 500 mile-ish ride to Vevey for the start of the tour on Friday.
We meet up with Lee and Richard at the port and are to share a 4 berth cabin on the overnight crossing.
Gerry and I get a fish & chip supper near HMS Warrior;
Thursday,Day zero 500 miles
Full tanks and empty bladders and we're off,our route is an almost perfect straight diagonal line from Caen to Vevey,taking in a variety of road types from Peage and dual carriageway to single track rural country roads through villages and farmland, Peage (motorway) were a necessary evil to cover the distance in the time we had,we stop at a delightful establishment for coffee and croissants-really soaking up the culture now
Gerry finds his ancestral home......
We stop and take the odd pic or two....
We arrive at Vevey, a little tired and not a little late,there's just time to check into the Hotel,get a shower and jump in a taxi for a buffet at Magnum's house overlooking lake Geneva
It's been a baptism of fire for Lee in our group as the furthest he had ever rode a bike in 1 day prior to this trip was 160 miles
Friday. Day 1 230 miles
This is where it gets tougher,we did so many excellent passes and Alpine roads over the coming week I know I'll have trouble remembering them all so cut me a little slack and feel free to fill in the gaps.............
Cookie and Angie take break and enjoy the views...
Another view from the same spot..........
The route takes in the Grand St. Bernard pass and to coin a phrase by Cookie the "Garmin starburst effect" is much in evidence as despite many GPS users having the same route installed a starburst effect could often be seen at road junctions and roundabouts
We stopped here for a coffee in the shadow of Mont Blanc........
We pressed on and found a great place for a lunch stop,we ate al fresco on a terrace overlooking a lake,the weather gods were smiling on us,or maybe Magnum had booked the weather
The view from our lunch stop.......
First and only mechanical malady of the trip,1200 FPC failure,part of the group had already left unaware of the problem,those that remained rallied round,found a spare and we were on our way in 20 mins
Cookie and Leman (Richard) Mr Fixits,did I spell that right............
Just like the council workers where I live,2 men to do the job and half a dozen to watch how it's done,take piccies and make sarcastic remarks
Mutant canines on the petit St Bernard pass..........
The overnight stop is at Verbier,the Tour de France passed through a couple of months earlier,we find this on a wall to commemorate the Tour......it's rather eyecatching and very lifelike.
The group has split into smaller groups during the day,I find myself arriving later than most and have time for a "splash 'n dash" before joining the others for a meal,a few drinks and some banter.
Saturday. Day 2. 153 miles
We're heading for Zermatt,there are just 3 bikes in our group as wew are among the last to leave the Hotel,myself Gerry and Redpadraig (Patrick and wife Anne),the "starburst effect" is very much in evidence again-even though there are only 3 bikes each rider wants to go a different way we wonder at the views......pass through vineyards and orchards-and back again.........
Soon we're back on track and heading for the Dixcence Dam, the hairpins to the car park are impossibly steep-as is the wall of the dam when we complete the climb
We arrive at the top,it's not hard to find where the rest of the group are parked so we park up and find that they have already been up to the dam in the cable car,had a coffee and are ready to leave.............a theme is developing here,perhaps we're riding too slowly or stopping for too many pics
We stop for lunch,and very nice it was too
Gerry and I get the cable car to the top of the dam,apparently you can see mont blanc from here............
It's true-you can-it's to my right shrouded in cloud
Stunning views from the top.......
We maintain a brisk pace all afternoon,we're determined not to be last to arrive at the Hotel-again.......but we still stop for some pics,at one stop we find Lee ( leel600 ) who has picked up a passenger
It seemed to be alive-if a little subdued..........
we were heading for Tasch railway station where the bikes would spend the night,we were getting the train to Zermatt,some 10 miles away, a place where motorized vehicles are not allowed..........
Unloading at Tasche station...
We were greeted at Zermatt station by an electric taxi and transported to our Hotel in the shadow of the Matterhorn.........
Another great night of beer,bollox and great food ensued
Wednesday, Day minus 1 (cos the trip proper starts in 2 days) 160 miles
I meet up with Gerry and head for Portsmouth for the over night crossing to Caen,this puts us in France at 6.30am,an ideal early start for the 500 mile-ish ride to Vevey for the start of the tour on Friday.
We meet up with Lee and Richard at the port and are to share a 4 berth cabin on the overnight crossing.
Gerry and I get a fish & chip supper near HMS Warrior;
Thursday,Day zero 500 miles
Full tanks and empty bladders and we're off,our route is an almost perfect straight diagonal line from Caen to Vevey,taking in a variety of road types from Peage and dual carriageway to single track rural country roads through villages and farmland, Peage (motorway) were a necessary evil to cover the distance in the time we had,we stop at a delightful establishment for coffee and croissants-really soaking up the culture now
Gerry finds his ancestral home......
We stop and take the odd pic or two....
We arrive at Vevey, a little tired and not a little late,there's just time to check into the Hotel,get a shower and jump in a taxi for a buffet at Magnum's house overlooking lake Geneva
It's been a baptism of fire for Lee in our group as the furthest he had ever rode a bike in 1 day prior to this trip was 160 miles
Friday. Day 1 230 miles
This is where it gets tougher,we did so many excellent passes and Alpine roads over the coming week I know I'll have trouble remembering them all so cut me a little slack and feel free to fill in the gaps.............
Cookie and Angie take break and enjoy the views...
Another view from the same spot..........
The route takes in the Grand St. Bernard pass and to coin a phrase by Cookie the "Garmin starburst effect" is much in evidence as despite many GPS users having the same route installed a starburst effect could often be seen at road junctions and roundabouts
We stopped here for a coffee in the shadow of Mont Blanc........
We pressed on and found a great place for a lunch stop,we ate al fresco on a terrace overlooking a lake,the weather gods were smiling on us,or maybe Magnum had booked the weather
The view from our lunch stop.......
First and only mechanical malady of the trip,1200 FPC failure,part of the group had already left unaware of the problem,those that remained rallied round,found a spare and we were on our way in 20 mins
Cookie and Leman (Richard) Mr Fixits,did I spell that right............
Just like the council workers where I live,2 men to do the job and half a dozen to watch how it's done,take piccies and make sarcastic remarks
Mutant canines on the petit St Bernard pass..........
The overnight stop is at Verbier,the Tour de France passed through a couple of months earlier,we find this on a wall to commemorate the Tour......it's rather eyecatching and very lifelike.
The group has split into smaller groups during the day,I find myself arriving later than most and have time for a "splash 'n dash" before joining the others for a meal,a few drinks and some banter.
Saturday. Day 2. 153 miles
We're heading for Zermatt,there are just 3 bikes in our group as wew are among the last to leave the Hotel,myself Gerry and Redpadraig (Patrick and wife Anne),the "starburst effect" is very much in evidence again-even though there are only 3 bikes each rider wants to go a different way we wonder at the views......pass through vineyards and orchards-and back again.........
Soon we're back on track and heading for the Dixcence Dam, the hairpins to the car park are impossibly steep-as is the wall of the dam when we complete the climb
We arrive at the top,it's not hard to find where the rest of the group are parked so we park up and find that they have already been up to the dam in the cable car,had a coffee and are ready to leave.............a theme is developing here,perhaps we're riding too slowly or stopping for too many pics
We stop for lunch,and very nice it was too
Gerry and I get the cable car to the top of the dam,apparently you can see mont blanc from here............
It's true-you can-it's to my right shrouded in cloud
Stunning views from the top.......
We maintain a brisk pace all afternoon,we're determined not to be last to arrive at the Hotel-again.......but we still stop for some pics,at one stop we find Lee ( leel600 ) who has picked up a passenger
It seemed to be alive-if a little subdued..........
we were heading for Tasch railway station where the bikes would spend the night,we were getting the train to Zermatt,some 10 miles away, a place where motorized vehicles are not allowed..........
Unloading at Tasche station...
We were greeted at Zermatt station by an electric taxi and transported to our Hotel in the shadow of the Matterhorn.........
Another great night of beer,bollox and great food ensued