GIN Bikers – December 1st 2022

The first day of December and the GIN Bikers were still keen to prove themselves. Even at 5C one die-hard arrived in shorts having e-biked it all the way from Geneva.

Eight hardy members signed up for this last official outing of the season. In the event, Mervyn had to call off due to teething problems….a 9/10 excuse. So it was Stephen. PeterD, a reluctant PeterT, Mark2Ts, e-Paul, Ivan (on his new, old bike) and newcomer e-Mike (immaculately turned out in brand new gear) who met at the Everness Hotel at 10h. PeterT’s lack of enthusiasm was due to a definitely non-Alfred previous evening. E-Paul was also not at his performance peak…..maybe due to recovery from the GIN Wine Group or maybe having to nurse a cold battery already diminished from the warm-up ride from Grand Saconnex.

We raced(?)off in the direction of Céligny, our leader making an ill-judged call to use a farm track which was water- (and mud-) logged in places. However, having now initiated any new and/or clean gear there was no need for subsequent caution. We followed the familiar road and track from Céligny to Crans, through Eysins, up to Signy and from there to Gingins. The peloton seemed a little sluggish and there was frequent need of “herding”. Regrouped at Gingins we embarked on the infamous Bonmont ascent. Our leader forged ahead trying to prove manhood and the ability to take on the e-bikes. 50% success with the latter, the former to be judged by others.

After the customary photo shoot, we enjoyed the downhill ride to La Rippe.…although the wind chill factor was noticeable. As we prepared for the ascent to Vesancy, where a coffee had been promised at our favourite Ô Château restaurant, there was leadership concern about timings. Lunch had been booked in Divonne and we had been told to arrive before 13h. Backmarker, Mark, magnanimously offered the rest of the group to speed ahead and secure coffees. This seemed a solution and was gratefully accepted by the front runners. However, the Vesancy hill proved almost too much for the depleted battery of e-Paul and he manfully preserved the fading glimmers of charge by raw muscle power. The hill did prove too much for Ivan’s new, old bike. What was once the pride of the PeterT’s stable suffered from a detached pedal and a non-fitting alum key only provided temporary fixture. Hence, by the time the rear group arrived at Ô Château, coffees had been long drunk by the advance group and it was evident that the 13h deadline in Divonne was unattainable. Happily, the GIN Lunch the week before had generated much goodwill (and income) for the friendly waitress, who recognised the organiser of that event. His enquiry as to whether she could fit in an addition 7 for lunch was met with enthusiasm. It was just a question of cancelling Chez Mademoiselle’s, whilst maintaining the potential for a future visit there. Task accomplished. We happily settled down in the Vesancy restaurant, without time pressures and without any other diners to disturb our banter.

The menu du jour lunch was truly excellent, washed down not only with the usual beers (and some non-alcoholic drinks) but also with a PeterT sponsored Vacqueyras red wine, and a locally formulated “44” pousse-café.

Difficult to recall all the intellectual conversation around the table but it included subjects such as why e-bikes don’t have the ability to recharge the battery on downhill runs, the amortisation time of solar panels and whether this should include potential additional house value if you have no direct inheritors, karma and re-incarnation, the advantages of completing a PhD on Bhutan temples and erect phallus iconography, wildlife and vegetation under snow coverings, etc. As the meal progressed the conversation flowed, the subject matter diversified further and the ability to recall any of it diminished.

Eventually, it was time to leave the warm, convivial bubble of hospitality and venture back out into the grey, cold afternoon. E-Paul was advised on shortest routes back to Grand Saconnex, with the hope of nursing the failing battery home. We unanimously agreed to avoid the Mourex hill and take the long, but downhill, road towards Gex. Paul parted ways as we reached the main road into Gex and for him onto Ferney. We assumed he found a successful route home (and have since learnt he did with 1% charge left). The rest of the group headed in the opposite direction, along the old train track towards Grilly. The Peters peeled off here to take the back route home. The remaining four cycled together as far as the Divonne Casino (supermarket, not betting tables) and they headed home across the border to Bogis-Bossey. This left Mike to escort Stephen back to Arnex before he made his solo way into Nyon.

A memorable ride although this blogger’s Garmin memory failed to record the all the data. It seems that we were too long at lunch and watch batteries, like e-bike batteries, sometimes go into shutdown.