La Rionda via Morcles

I have had an eye on this climb since a long time and decided to try it finally before the arrival of winter. Last Friday the weather conditions were perfect for that tough ascent. I started in the early afternoon from the parking lot of the SPA at Lavey les Bains. As I had read the decsription of Will Davies about this climb, I knew more or less what to expect. The first 10 kilometers were on perfect swiss tarmac and pedaling up the 29 hairpins to Morcles through the autumn forest was a pure pleasure although pretty hard due to the slope. Many military trucks went up and down that narrow road because just after Morcles there is a military camp. At Morcles I stopped for a quick coffee and an energy bar. The nice road continued steadily uphill and after 3 more kilometers the tarmac ended and a fantastic gravel road started. The slope didn't change a lot and 300 altimeters higher I needed another break. Sitting on the grass beside the road I enjoyed the nice views towards lake Geneva, the valley and the mountains on the opposite side.

It was already getting a bit late and I wasn't sure if I would make it to the top at 2200m. 10min. later I was again on the saddle and slowly moving uphill in the smallest gear. After passing the last mountain huts I suddenly arrived at a closed barrier with a signpost saying "Road closed, bridges removed".

I couldn't believe what I read and was very surprised as I had not read anything about a possible road closure or bridge removal and so I decided to check it out myself. Passing the barrier wasn't a problem. I continued on a very nice but steep forest road until I hit the first bridge, or better the remains of it. The signpost was indeed no joke, they really had removed the bridges and I was stuck at about 1800m.

I took a few pictures up there before returning back to the barrier were I met a hiker who came up by car with the intention to walk to "Cabane de la Tourche", at 2200m. He said he often hikes in that area after work.
I shot my last photos and started a nice descent back to the car parking. Exhausted but happy I drove back home and decided to return here next summer with the plan to terminate the unfinished business of climbing La Rionda and Cabane de la Tourche.
While searching the web for information on that climb I found out that according to www.climbbybike.com this road is considered the 29th steepest in the world ! Although not having arrived at the top I still felt a bit proud of what I had accomplished...I was only 400 altimeters and 3km below the top.

The chart below speaks volumes...

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Cycling climbs 2013

Around La Dole

Our third trip on the MTBs started from home towards St. Cergue and initially we wanted to visit the cheese farm "Les Fruitieres de Nyon", but once arrived at St. Cergue we decided to continue our climb towards France and closing the loop by returning via Col de la Faucille. Instead of following the road with heavy traffic, we chose an alternatice path away from traffic leading through farm land at the foot of La Dole mountain. We had a detailed cycling map with us but still got a bit lost as the forrest path abruptly stopped and transitted into a grass path which was difficult to identify. Thanks to our well developped navigation skills we nevertheless managed to stay on track and finally found the connection to the gravel and later tarmac path connecting to the road to Lau Baudichonne, a place which I have already climbed several times from the Swiss side of the Jura but never from today's side.The weather got really nice in the early evening hours and we were riding back to Col de la Faucille via La Vattay in beautiful sunshine. After a short photo stop at the pass we put on our wind breakers and plunged down to Gex and back home...a wonderful afternoon ride which turned into the discovery of unknown territory around La Dole mountain.

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Genolier - Col du Marchairuz

Our second MTB trip started in Genolier after arriving there by car. We climbed on our bikes the paved road from Bassins up the Jura following teh Swiss national cycling route #7 and at the junction where the national MTB route #3 split off, we followed it until arriving at Col du Marchairuz. I had already climbed until that junction and further on my touring bike and on the racer, but never came here on the MTB. At exactly that place I had a flat tire three years ago with my touring bike and still remembered that unfortunate moment.

We didn't encounter any other people but arrived a bit late at the col to have lunch, so we only ordered a few drinks (= beer) and a plate of cheese and bread, although it needed a bit on insisting as the waitresses were anything else than friendly. With a full stomach we continued our tour, first descending from Col de Marchairuz before returning on the small but paved road towards "La combe des Amburnex" and L'alpage des Amburnex. After chatting a bit with the cheese makers there, we bought two pieces of Gruyere and continued our journey descending back to Bassins and Genolier, where the car was parked.
My friend Klaus was very enthousiastic after that trip as he had seen a typical part of Switzerland, an alpine cheese farm included. We arrived at home a bit tired but very happy and HUNGRY !

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Col de Crozet - Col de la Faucille

My friend Klaus arrived on 28th September by train from Dortmund and after visiting the accelerating engine of the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) on the first day of the Open Days weekend at CERN, we spontaneoulsy decided to cycle my home ride up to Col de Crozet and back via Col de la Faucille. The weather was not perfect but apart from a few drops of drizzle, we didn't get wet. Only the sweat drops dripping down our forhead made our trousers and bicycles a bit wet.
Once arrived at the top we refilled our batteries with the obligatory energy bars and water. As the panorama was miserable, we quickly continued heading for Col de la Faucille, where we had a cool beer before descending down to Gex on the main road.

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