Author Topic: Swiss Alpine Bike Tour 2012 - Photo Gallery  (Read 22686 times)

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Offline raybagg

Re: Swiss Alpine Bike Tour 2012 - Photo Gallery
« Reply #15 on: October 02, 2012, 08:29:20 pm »
Hi Dan-

Fantastic pictures! What a trip that must have been. Having toured a few other European countries in the past, Switzerland has always been on my list. Now to see how you two have done it makes me want to do it even more.

Have you done a blog or any other type of online journal? I would love to get some more specific info as to your logistics; airports you used, ground transportation, general costs, etc.

Thanks for inspiring me to try an off-road tour.

Ray

Offline veloepic

Re: Swiss Alpine Bike Tour 2012 - Photo Gallery
« Reply #16 on: October 02, 2012, 10:33:50 pm »
@Daniel (from Switzerland): Thanks! Those are great pics you took. We climbed the Sustenpass wearing short sleeve jerseys only two weeks before you did!! We needed the wind jackets only on the way down.

@Ray: Thanks!! We did keep a blod on our mini laptop, but did not post it on Internet. We only posted on short trip report on our mountain bike club's web site (http://www.clubveloepic.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6390). Like the blog, it's all in French ;-)

As for logistics:
- Direct flight from Montreal (QC) to Zurich // Train from Zurich to Scuol the morning we landed.
- Cycled from Scuol to Evian-les-Bains (France).
- Short train from Evian to near Geneva / then completed by bike.
- For lodging, we stayed in small hotels or pensions, and stayed in Youth Hostel where available (note: Youth Hostels in Switzerland are fantastic!!).
- Food and lodging are on average a little more expensive than here in Montreal (which is equivalent to most large North American cities). There are much cheaper places to travel ;-)

This was our third similar trip in Europe...
- In 2004, we traversed the Massif Central area in France (from Clermont-Ferrant to Sete): http://www.clubveloepic.org/forum/portal.php?page=7 (sorry, it's all in French).
- In 2006, the French Jura area, then part of the French Alps, and finished in Provence:
--- Week 1/Jura: http://www.clubveloepic.org/JAP_fichiers/Jura1.htm (3 pages / in French)
--- Week 2/Alps: http://www.clubveloepic.org/JAP_fichiers/Alpes1.htm (3 pages / in French)
--- Week 3: Provence: http://www.clubveloepic.org/JAP_fichiers/Provence1.htm (3 pages / in French)

I also toured Corsica (and a small portion of Sardena) a few years earlier, and parts of Tuscany (IT) in 2008. I never got to posting blogs or picture librairies of those...

I have no clue what the next trip may be...

Dan

Offline raybagg

Re: Swiss Alpine Bike Tour 2012 - Photo Gallery
« Reply #17 on: October 03, 2012, 09:46:12 am »
I have no clue what the next trip may be...

Dan
That quote sums up how my wife and I have been feeling the last few weeks. This summer we road toured from Anacortes WA to Traverse City MI. Our plan was to finish at our home in upstate NY but our trip was cut short due to a family emergency back home. We've been sitting around thinking, "what's next"! Then I found your photo's!

I hope you don't mind if I ask a few more questions as we seriously begin to consider our first mountain bike tour, following in your tire tracks. If you prefer I could give you my e-mail and we could communicate privately.

Here is our journal from a 2005 trip to southwestern France
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1&doc_id=1254&v=8S

And our 2008 trip back to Provence and northern Italy http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1&doc_id=4376&v=An

Thanks again,
Ray

Offline veloepic

Re: Swiss Alpine Bike Tour 2012 - Photo Gallery
« Reply #18 on: October 03, 2012, 09:58:51 pm »
Quote from: raybagg
I hope you don't mind if I ask a few more questions as we seriously begin to consider our first mountain bike tour, following in your tire tracks. If you prefer I could give you my e-mail and we could communicate privately.
You're welcome to contact me directly: daniel.fortin@clubveloepic.org
Dan

Offline Tav the trucker

Re: Swiss Alpine Bike Tour 2012 - Photo Gallery
« Reply #19 on: October 24, 2012, 10:30:39 pm »
WOW,  I'm a long time mountain biker but always dreamed of doing bike touring. Thought of buying a Surly LHT next spring until I saw your trip  :P had never heard about that alpine trail(and I have family in Switzerland lolll)....I am going there in 2014 and thanks to you I'm not buying the Surly but rather putting rack and panniers on my mtn bike :P YESSS I'm planning to do the Alpine bike loaded, now just have to convince my brother and sister in law to follow me  ;D
           I'll spend next year mountain biking with my loaded bags to train for that trip lolll the face of other riders in Bromont when they see me  :o ;D


p.s. Did you make any reservations for hostels,b'n'b,etc?....I'd rather camp but I know camping is not allowed some places along the route like the national park.
« Last Edit: October 24, 2012, 10:37:19 pm by Tav the trucker »

Offline veloepic

Re: Swiss Alpine Bike Tour 2012 - Photo Gallery
« Reply #20 on: October 26, 2012, 09:33:54 pm »
Quote from: Tav the trucker
...in Bromont
Funny, happens I will be riding Bromont tomorrow morning ;-)

Quote from: Tav the trucker
..Did you make any reservations for hostels,b'n'b,etc?...
We reserved the first couple of nights before leaving Canada. Then we improvised along the way. We were travelling in low season, so hotel/hostels/pensions always had room for us.

Dan (in Montreal)