Furkapass at almost 8000ft was part of a recent Tour of Switzerland. As I pedaled from switchback to switchback to switchback, climbing 1140ft in 4km, I could see names like Jan Ulrich painted on the road. I could also see back D O W N the valley passed the golf course at the near end to the town of Andermatt 8km away at the other end. Above Andermatt staircased another set of switchbacks that had propelled me 2000 feet down from Oberalppass. Above the valley stood some of the snow capped jagged peaks of the central alpine region of Switzerland.
After the switchbacks, the road goes around a bend, past some cows with large clanging bells on their necks, then off in the distance tops out its 12km 2800ft climb. The view up is like Cayuse Pass in its open view of a long steady climb for the next 5km. I drank four water bottles in the course of climbing shadeless Furkapass.
The descent was even steeper than the ascent. In places it was too steep to dig switchbacks into the cliff so the road hung in the air. Off to the side, I could see the birth of the Rhone River as it plunged down a granite face below a glacier. It starts as a very silt-laden mountain gouger. For the rest of the day and half of the next the route followed the Rhone on its downward course. In the French section of Switzerland, the sunny north slope of the valley was covered with vineyards. The often terraced slopes contrasted with snow covered crags in the distance.
Then the route turned away from the Rhone to do another 3000ft climb through the trees so the climbing did not reward my efforts with terrific views, but at least the shade provided some relief. After the top, the rest of that day and half of the next, the route coasted downhill to Lake Geneva.
The city of Geneva is easy to spot in the distance because of the 470ft water fountain, the Jet d'Eau, in the harbor. At any time, it has seven tons of water in the air. As I approached the city, the waterfront park filled with roses and ended in the city at the Horloge Fleurie floral clock.
Once I checked into our U.N. bomb shelter accommodations (there's a bank vault like door at the bottom of the ramp leading to the bunk rooms), I pedaled off to explore the city. Geneva combines modern commercial areas with older pedestrian areas. The free Musee d'Art et d'Histoire has some nice Renoirs and Monets along with local artists. And it was practically empty. I also found a quiet park with a rose garden, plus a jazz concert in the woods. Seeing cities like Geneva and accomplishing scenic climbs like Furkapass are some of the reasons I'm doing Odyssey2000�.
Happy Trails,
Bruce