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To ride or not to ride, that was the question…..Meteo Suisse forecast was not looking hopeful for Thursday. After an exchange of emails with the GIN Biker community, some of who were half in, some half out, some taking the mean position and some the median, and some definitely excusing themselves, the Bleader said that a definitive decision would be made at 08.30h on the morning of the outing.

The evening before everything looked pretty gloomy with an over 50% chance of rain but by the following morning PeterT felt compelled to wake up the Bleader at 07.20h with the news that there was a window of possibility. A couple of strong coffees later and after studying in detail the latest reports, Stephen agreed that it did indeed seem as if we had a rain free morning with a storm predicted over lunch and then a chance to get home in the dry. The message went out to the eagerly awaiting Bikers that it was indeed a cycling day. Silence from the ether in way of reply apart from e-Paul who had sensibly (in view of earlier weather reports) organised alternative activities for the day.

So a slighty greater than averagely keen threesome made an appearance at the Everness Hotel at 09.30h: PeterT, Stephen and rather unexpectedly Mark2Ts, who, although he had opted for the mean position on decision whether to cycle or not, had not responded to direct contact attempts an hour earlier. A suggestion to make it a short sharp ride with the famous 3 hill circuit was unceremoniously quashed and replaced with one hill, the Genolier climb, with the motivation of lunch at the auberge in Coinsins.

The Bleader led the poorly populated peloton on a zig-zag course through Celigny, Crans, Eysins, Signy and Grens towards the foot of the Bonmont climb. Excitement and habit got the better of him at this stage and he suggested slipping in an additional hill to the previously agreed plan. Mark2Ts was definitely reassessing his position to participate to the lower quartile whilst Peter compensated by moving to the upper quartile….the mean stayed constant. (What about the median? In fact, what is the median in this context?). A compromise was found where Stephen and Peter completed a short Bonmont (up to the first junction before heading downhill and not completing the full 727m elevation) whilst Mark rode on the relative flat to the boulangerie at Givrins, where we would meet for coffee.

Over the coffee and croissants, kindly supplied by a relaxed looking Mark, an updated weather review took place. The animated forecast showed a 50 minute window to complete the Genolier climb and get to the restaurant before the heavens would open with an almighty storm. Even buoyed by caffeine this seemed too much for Mark, whose resolve to continue slipped to the zero percentile. He left on the quick route home.

A relaxed moment before difficult decision making

Peter and Stephen conquered the Genolier summit and managed to get to Coinsins before the threatened downpour. Two beers, two steak and frites and two coffees later we were still waiting for the storm. A difficult decision was made to make homeward dash for it as the alternative was more beer (and dessert?).

Weathering out the impending storm

We needn’t have worried, we managed the full itinerary via Duillier, Asse, Petit Eysins and the Landi car park crossing, Eysins and back to Arnex in the dry. Peter also made the additional 7kms back home without needing raingear….although he subsequently reported he did need magnesium salts for severe cramp.

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune were kind to us. Those with less than mean/median weather optimism missed a good ride in the dry of just under 14kms with an elevation difference of either 600m or 1065m depending whose electronic device to believe.

Once again we were without the planning and execution skills of our Bleader, who, quite understandably chose the relative cool and tranquility of his mountain hideaway over the hassle of organising this week’s bike ride.  So it fell to the peloton to come up with a plan.

This involved assembling in the relative cool of the morning at 09:30 at Everness and taking it from there. The participants were: Bill, Mark, Mervyn, Peter D, Peter T e-Paul, e-Richard.  For his second outing with us, e-David B also joined, having travelled from Troinex to Coppet on the Leman Express with his bike for the princely sum of 2 CHF (Can that be right?)   

Luckily Peter D had hatched a plan and we set off to Grilly, this time by way of paved roads. There Bill, riding his thoroughbred road-racing bike, briefly left us to continue on tarmac to Gex while the rest of us rattled along the voie verte.

Gex, once again, didn’t fail to disappoint as we found not just one but five cafes closed in our abortive search for a morning coffee. These Gexois(es) really are a peculiar breed.

So, with just a water stop, it was on up to Vesancy, swiftly down to La Rippe and then the long hot push up to Bonmont. We all made it, with the e-bikers looking very self-satisfied.

Lunch had been reserved for midday at L’Intemporel in Founex where we all duly gathered, with Peter D arriving uncharacteristically late for his first beer of the day.  

It was very pleasant to sit on the terrace in comfortable chairs under the cool of an enormous sail/awning and reflect on our morning’s exertions. Plates of fish ‘n chips, burgers and linguine were ordered and enjoyed, washed down with copious quantities of the amber fluid. Paul regaled us with more information on the remarkable life of his hero Alfred Russel Wallace and for once everyone’s favourite anti-hero, the felon-in-chief DJT, received hardly a mention.

Wth the mercury now climbing towards the mid-30’s we all departed from Founex on our various ways home with the two Geneva residents heading first to Coppet station.

Once again a good ride, excellent conditions, enjoyable lunch and great company. I clocked 46km and 630m denivelation. 

For this outing we were left without our Bleader, who for some inexplicable reason had left an essential part of his velocipede (to wit a modified pedal crank) in the UK.

To compound the dilemma, his able deputy offered an even more feeble excuse for absence – something about dog sitting. Isn’t it about time Kobie got a bike?
That left the peloton to organise itself and yours truly stepped up.

In the event just four of us (Mark, Mervyn, Peter S, & Richard) assembled at the Everness at 09:30 for a morning ride, hoping to avoid the forecast rain.

After some banter about the current Tour de France a democratic(?) decision was reached to climb to Bonmont – our own Mt Ventoux – via a familiar route: Grilly, Gex, Veysancy and La Rippe.

As Richard, the sole e-biker, waited for the peddlers to reach Vesancy, the first drops of rain began. Was this the forecast 12:30 shower arriving  two hours early? Or just MeteoSuisse getting it hopelessly wrong again? Oh well, we were in France, just. And while on the topic of vicissitudes, Vesancy really could do with a café for coffee now that O’Chateau no longer serves the purpose.

Donning rain gear we rode on to the foot of the shaded Bonmont climb. I for one shed a layer to avoid a personal  sweaty sauna during the ascent  By 11:30 we reached the summit with Peter claiming the polka dot jersey. We did check that this time he wasn’t on his e-bike, but being a doctor perhaps he has access to performance enhancing substances? Nevertheless, chapeau Peter!

Ten minutes later we had descended to Crassier and we’re sitting in the terrace of La Semplicita enjoying overdue coffees, as per Richard’s request. Or did he really want a beer but was too bashful to ask?

That indulgence cost us a subsequent drenching as the 12:30 downpour did materialise as we were passing Divonne lake.

Home in time for lunch and to reflect on our morning exertions. There had been no rain in Commugny!

I clocked 44Km and an estimated 600m dénivellation.
Thanks team.

To Infinity and Beyond

Close to heaven

At an earlier outing we discussed the possibility of varying our routes. Paul took up the challenge and with his friend David Baddeley, suggested a tour on the Salève. There followed a whole succession of emailed information with exact routes outlined and elevation differences detailed. The first involved a hefty 600m ascent after lunch which was quickly dismissed by Mervyn, who realised that the usual digestive processes would exclude this possibility. David managed to reduce this ascent to a mere 160m on closer examination of the map contours, with a realisation that when near the top of the Salève and additional 600m would take us airborne.

Paul circulated the final instructions with David’s map:

1. Meet at gare Lancy-Bachet at 09:10. Front of the gare, by the trams. For riders from Vaud, note the L4 train leaves Coppet at 08:34.
2. We ride to the start station of the téléphérique (coffee stop en route) and take the cable car to the crête of the Salève. Bike up and down to lunch at Auberge des Montagnards at La Croisette.
3. Eat and consume beers as per individual proclivity.
4. Modest uphill of about 160 m after lunch, then more or less flat until the la Grande Descente back to gare Lancy-Bachet. Regular trains to Coppet. Can change trains at Cornavin if your destination is Nyon.

Four additional GIN Bikers volunteered for the adventure. In the event, PeterD had to withdraw due to reduced mobility following an encounter with angry insect who had a liking for his foot, resulting in subsequent painful swelling. So the line up was e-Paul, e-David, e-RichardF, Mervyn and Stephen. Was this the first time the e-bikers outnumbered the traditional?…..a sign of the future.

With such detailed pre-work, what could go wrong? Richard, Mervyn and Stephen met on time at Coppet station only to find that the desired 08.34h train had been cancelled. In looking for alternatives, Richard discovered there was a 08.41h express train which actually arrived at our desired destination ahead of the planned transport. Communication with Paul alerted him of the situation as he too would have to adjust his travel plans. We agreed to meet at Lancy-Bachet station somewhat later than originally planned. In the event, the Coppet arrivals did get there early and Paul was already there having managed to catch an earlier train. The gained time was used trying to extract ourselves from the station labyrinth….which we eventually did and found David lounging patiently on a bench in the sunshine.

After this shaky start, we were in the safe hands of our guide for the day, David. We also learnt that David and Richard were old work colleagues from 40 years ago…. they had a whole day ahead to fill in those years. David led us out of the urban jungle into the countryside at the foot of the Salève. We had to negotiate a closed section of road (nothing new to the GIN Bikers), overcoming an irate local who clearly expressed that all traffic was prohibited, gently removing and replacing barriers as we went in and out of no man’s land. On the far side of this obstacle, Veyrier, the last Swiss town before the French border seemed an appropriate place to stop for coffee. Switzerland on this side of Geneva has a very different feel to that in Vaud…. the town having more of a provincial French nature but café au lait is still a renversé, as our waitress made very clear. Baguette with butter and abricot jam added to the atmosphere of this stop. Paul generously picked up the tab with the usual Swiss pricing.

Suitably refreshed, we started the long uphill ascent to the top of the Salève, made easier by the short ride across the border and then the aid of the téléphérique. We managed to squeeze in ahead of a large group of school kids, who were made to wait whilst their elders were carefully instructed in how to efficiently load bikes in the cable car and then fill all the space. The future generation had to wait for the next departure.

Bikes carefully loaded and aligned in a single direction

Bikers carefully loaded, definitely not aligned in any direction

Even an e-biker appreciates an easy ascent

At the top of the cable car, we stopped to admire the view down across Geneva and the Jura beyond. From here, we cycled up the winding road towards the observatory and the large telecommunications facility, clearly visible from the Plaine. The e-bikers revelled in the easy ascent, chatting as they went, whilst the old-school riders sweated up the slope determined not to let thoughts get hold about changing to motorised aid. On the way up we passed the incongruously positioned Tibetan Buddhist Monastery, The Shedrub Choekhor Ling, and Paul was inevitably drawn to this monument. We stopped to add to our spiritual wellbeing but avoided any material outlay on the numerous souvenirs on offer.

Spiritual, if not physical, replenishment

On up the road, past the road to the Observatory (and associated restaurant) and to the heights of the plateau with magnificent views across to Mont Blanc and The Alps. Spiritual overload. We descended to the sleepy hamlet of La Croisette where lunch was booked but all visible establishments seemed to be closed. However, tucked at the back, but with a terrace with a view, was the one open restaurant with a table ready for us but still too early for the chef to produce a meal. So, 5 beers later, the chef was ready and we made it easy for him by all ordering the menu du jour of roast beef, gratin and ratatouille. After this the muscle-powered-only bikers felt the need for the house tarte aux myrtilles speciality to add sufficient fuel for the promised post-lunch ascent and Paul was happy to join them even without the same excuse.

“I think I may still need a tarte aux myrtilles after this”

Once again the e-bikers raced ahead up the slope to the high point of the Col des Pitons (1335m) stopping en route to chat to some German tourists with camper vans taking advantage of the thermals to unsuccessfully launch a large model glider. Stephen and Mervyn pedalled on relentlessly eventually joining the leaders.

The loneliness of the long distance non e-biker

From the col we could all enjoy the long, winding, downhill run….happily speeding past bikers struggling uphill who had foregone the much easier cable car ascent. A right junction in the road kept us circumnavigating the Salève but also included an undesirable uphill stretch where a rapid gear change caused Stephen to lose his chain. By the time this was rectified and Stephen and Mervyn had caught up, the others were stopped in front of the impressive Château des Avenieres with a view down to the Lac d’Annecy. The group decided it would be good to reconnoitre the establishment for potential future GIN activities. It passed on all counts although cycling gear felt slightly underdressed.

Château des Avenieres – a future lunch spot

On down the hill at speed, the 60km/h barrier only just intact. At one point we crossed the path signposted for long distance pilgrims on their way to St. Jacques-de-Compostelle. We eventually met the main roads where the traffic rushed past as we kept close to the side or on the cycle track, where this was available. Crossing back into Switzerland between Bossey and Troinex, we headed towards the centre of Troinex for well-earned refreshment at David’s local café. After an enjoyable stop in the quiet town centre, sponsored by Richard, we were led by David back in the direction of Lancy-Bachet station a mere 10 minutes away.

Whilst Paul and Richard negotiated a small elevator, Mervyn and Stephen carried their lighter bikes down the 3 flights of stairs to the platform. As is often the case, the traditional bikes have the downhill advantage and were there first, the e-bikes arriving just in time for the incoming train. The L4 Express train is a bit of a misnomer in that it stops frequently but did allow us all to reach our own destinations. Paul alighted at Secheron, the rest of us at the Coppet end station, from where we made our individual ways home.

A truly great day, enjoying new and stunning scenery, reuniting with old friends and meeting new GIN members. Many thanks to Paul and David for making this possible.

Round ride from Genève Lancy-Bachet ca. 43km and ca. 660m climb by bike and the same by téléphérique.