Day 11 - really!
Well what a day we have had today- here are the stats before I tell you all about our rollercoaster of a day!
Sigigen to Feusisberg 43 miles
Phil’s fastest speed with no fear 34.2mph
Janine’s fastest speed with a great deal of fear and more accurate Speedo! 30mph
4 hours 16 mins in the saddle
5th use of latex gloves for slipped chain(Phil’s bike) also happened yesterday and forgot to tell you!
One barking dog, many many buzzards and 0 herons
3 lakes cycled round or seen!
1 major city negotiated without incident.
Here are the Swiss bike lanes - look at the left lane - all for us - amazing!
What a day we have had. Weather kind once more although cloud building this evening so rain might be coming! Please not as we cross the Alps which are now infront of us as we cycle, as the Jura are behind us. Any thoughts of Sunday and Monday make me feel somewhat wobbly so will discuss another time!
After a great night’s sleep, followed by a cooked breakfast Swiss style - Rosti Speck and Eggs - so delicious! (I feel I talk about food a lot - sorry - I think about food a lot too as I cycle! But also through food you see the differences in each country and I love that - in fact I love food and the ability to eat whatever I want at any time of the day or night and it doesn’t matter! There are some benefits to cycling 50 miles a day - apologies I will try to discuss more cycling and less foodie stuff!) we set off feeling somewhat refreshed and blessed. After a bit of a climb towards Lucerne, we suddenly found ourselves there, darting through the traffic and then on to the most fantastic cycle lane which brought us alongside the river which runs out of the lake. Stopping in this beautiful city for some photographic opportunities and a coffee, we soaked up the buzzzy atmosphere and it was hard to get going again.
We left Lucerne cycling along with the lake to the west and had a fantastic cycle out of the city, on brilliant cycle lanes and stopped at another lakeside venue, Arth, after 25 miles. There we had an indulgent ice- cream in a lakeside restaurant and felt very much the tourists. We also met a delightful lady called Yvonne and her biographer- Anna-Lise. Thank you for a wonderful interlude and conversation and we wish you both every success with the book.
Out of Arth, was a breeze for 2 miles and then a 5 mile slow climb up and up and up. Not too taxing, we then joined a busy road - one of my fears - and I had a huge sense of humour failure as I tackled 2 of my demons at once - heavy speeding traffic and steep drops. Much shouting - keep your nerve, look straight ahead and help me Maddy - got me through but oh dear - the fear! Descending towards our hotel I had a blissful time when an adrenaline rush grabbed me and we flew the last 5 miles - with no drop, even the traffic could not unnerve me - as relief coursed through my body that I had survived and not plummeted over the edge or veered into speeding traffic whilst trying to avoid said edge - and wow do the Swiss drive fast.
HOO seems to coast through all these obstacles and calmly looks at the map and keeps us on track and is generally marvellous - thank you HOO!
We are now happily cosy in a business hotel with all the washing complete and a delicious Italian meal (here I go again!) within!
HOO has been examining our routes very closely for Sunday and Monday - 2 really big days for us as we attempt the Alps and we are trying to be gentle with our bodies and get early nights as we build towards those days, so sleep is calling. But a memorable day, albeit a bit of a rollercoaster ride!
Our love to you all P and J XX
A little amusing postscript- HOO is doing amazingly with his German but each time he starts to speak, his voice seems to go down a level or two and all I can picture is tankard clanging and ladenhosen and I start to giggle - I must not do this! Guten Nacht XX
