Andermatt, Switzerland

Hello from Switzerland. Today is the second sunny day we have had in the last month and boy does this country need it. The endless rain has caused flooding everywhere and some villages are totally cut off. Fortunatly the flood waters are receding and the weather is supposed to be nice for a while. Heather and I made it over the 2044 meter high Oberalpass yesterday which felt really good. We were thinking of cycling all the way to the Matterhorn (actually Zermatt) but we are now thinking that we will head east.

Either way the important thing right now is that I have a computer with a USB port and I can upload photos. So I am just going to upload a bunch of photos and if I have time I will write more. This blog has been a bit bland lately since we have not been able to upload photos!

The Burg Eltz Castle near the Mosel River


Eating lunch on the Mosel in Cochem. Notice the new haircut I got in Cochem.


Heather in the defensive tunnels at the Rheinfels Castle ruin. They filled them with dynamite and blew them up under the attackers.


Cycling down the main street in Sprey.


Heather and Wolfgang navigating the military tunnel complex on the Maginot Line in France.


A typical German campground. They setup their trailers on Easter and leave them up until the floods start (usually in October). Most of the time these trailers are empty so campgrounds are kind of strange ghost towns sometimes. They might get used for 6 weeks of the 6 months that they sit there. It's a German thing I guess.


Sewing up my tire. It worked great and got us the 30 km to the bike shop.


Cycling through the flooded Rhein River. We had to change our route and camp at different campgrounds because of the flooding.


The Rheinfalls where the Rhein River becomes non-navigable by commercial boat traffic.


Two Austrailians we met a couple of times along the river. One really rainy morning in Schaffhausen Jade made us some hot egg and ham sandwiches and brought them to our tent. Like room service in a tent. It was fantastic.


Then just out of camp after our hot breakfast sandwiches heather ran over a lag screw that went completely through the tire, both sides of the tube and into the rim. Luckily the rim still works fine.


Check out the size of that thing! What are the odds that it would stick straight through and into the rim! I put in a new tube and it has worked fine ever since.


Looking across the river from Germany into Switzerland. There are lots of towns like this and the river this far upstream was a clear and beautiful green color. No flooding here.


At camp in Bad Ragaz. It was actually nice weather that evening.


It was raining so bad in Trun that Heather joked with the owner of the campground that we would camp under their beer garden umbrella. It kept raining and there wasn't anyone using the tables so we moved a few things and camped right there. We got a couple of good laughs from folks.


A lovely beer maiden in Ruras.


Heather cycling up the 2044 meter Oberalpass. We were a bit worried about physical limitations of our bodies but no problems. Just good fun!


At the top of Oberalpass!


Luke cycling on Oberalpass.


In Andermatt at the end of our trail which started in Rotterdam. Notice the wonderful signs for cyclists. It's ironic, the Swiss are known for their excellent maps but the signs are so good here that you don't need maps. Awesome country for cycling.


Looking back at Oberalpass and the switchbacks that we came down.


Tonight we are going to head back over Oberalpass and back towards Chur. We will then head towards the east part of Switzerland and into Austria. Other than the couple flat tires the bicycles are holding up great and we love them more and more. I'm really glad we spent a little extra on the bikes. We have heard some horror stories from others about their bikes. Our bodies are holding up well too. I am constantly sore in the legs but the Brooks saddles have become rather comfortable so no problems there. We miss a few things: summer BBQs, friends and family, and Seattle food. Thai sounds so good right now. I guess I am hungry. Will post again soon! Must go eat...