Days 42-45. 123mi around France’s strange and wonderful Jura. Mist hangs in mountains and hovers over fields. Despite a holiday festival and a major sporting event, it feels otherwise empty.
Days 40 & 41. 80 miles to Morez where we’ll spend a few days riding unloaded in France’s Haut Jura. The last few days have been some of the best riding of the trip, so I’m really looking forward to fully exploring the region.
Day 39. Another blistering hot day, 43mi cleaved in two by Col du Clergeon. While a stiff climb from the east, the descent packs 15 switchbacks into five breath taking miles, ending in the vineyards below. But now I’m out of @bikesaviours stickers.
Day 38. 55mi to Annecy. Hot, dry, still. Shady trees and a snow capped Mont Blanc taunt me from afar.
Days 36 & 37. 102mi of easy rolling on the Rhône below sun scorched vineyards to Lake Geneva and into France. Funicular at sundown, ferrying sun scorched beach goers back up to town.
Days 33 & 34 didn’t have bikes. This is Day 35, all within the 57mi over Furka Pass, around the Hotel Belvédère, past the Rhône Glacier, down dirt tracks, through forests, across stone bridges.
Days 31 & 32. 102mi over Switzerland’s Albula and Oberalp mountain passes.
Day 30. 56mi across the border into Switzerland, a bit west of Zernez. Albula Pass in the morning.
Days 27-29. 129mi with a stop in Hall in Tirol. A bit of rain today, and the suggestion of more tomorrow. Currently ~15mi from the Swiss border. Our next break is Andermatt, Switzerland, 162mi and 19,000ft of climbing away.
Day 26. 60mi to Kossen after a long 20% grade out of the gate. But it got better.
