Leaving Andermatt and heading for.... Furka!visitors can't see pics , please
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loginThe weather was perfect. The temperatures had risen enough so that I wasn't missing my heated jacket and my mid-weight gloves were just right. The sun was a little too bright, making for some harsh shadows, but I was not about to complain about it!
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loginThe road was all mine!visitors can't see pics , please
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loginWell, except for this bus...visitors can't see pics , please
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loginAnd this car... But in general, the roads were fairly emptyvisitors can't see pics , please
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loginLooking back at the long approach to Furkapassvisitors can't see pics , please
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loginLooking down at the western drop down Furka, and the steep climb up Grimselvisitors can't see pics , please
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loginStopped for a beauty shotvisitors can't see pics , please
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loginComing down Furkavisitors can't see pics , please
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loginNearing the bottom of Furkavisitors can't see pics , please
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loginAt the bottom of the valley is the settlement of Gletsch. I'm not really sure what happens there, but it usually appears quiet and practically abandoned. Today I stopped to look around a little bit. Upon closer inspection, it still appears quiet and practically abandoned. Gletsch is only inhabited during the summer months, closing down when the passes themselves close for the winter. I suppose that this temporary status adds a lot to its neglected appearance.
Of course, the "modern" history of the area goes back to the mid-1800s, when the small inn that was here was replaced by the
Glacier du Rhone hotel. In the days before people were zipping through the passes in their cars, Gletsch was an important carriage stop to those who were traveling from Brig to Göschenen, to reach the main rail line there. The fact that it was built in such close proximity to the Rhone glacier added to its appeal.
In reading the history of the hotel on their website, I learned that the coming of the rail line threatened the health of the hotel, as the owners had relied upon the needs both as a coach stop and also as a layover point on a twelve-hour journey. In order to combat this loss, he gave land to the rail road company in exchange that "the trains (at Gletsch) be kept in the sun for one hour at lunchtime in order to persuade the passengers to take a meal. The evening trains must end in Gletsch to increase the number of overnight stays." And as most things, the more I read about it after a ride, the more I want to go back and explore more thoroughly with my newfound knowledge.
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loginAnglican Church of Gletsch (1907)visitors can't see pics , please
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loginLeaving Gletsch behind, I rode up to the top of Grimselpass and pulled over to see what was going on.
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loginNot so many bikes todayvisitors can't see pics , please
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loginThe Totensee at the top of the pass (with sculpture, not a person, near the island)visitors can't see pics , please
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loginI watched this guy trying to get his parasail in the air for about five minutes. It looks coldvisitors can't see pics , please
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loginThe north side of Grimselpassvisitors can't see pics , please
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loginThe Grimsel Hospiz sits above the Grimselseevisitors can't see pics , please
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loginStuck behind some slow cars on the descentvisitors can't see pics , please
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loginBack below the tree line!visitors can't see pics , please
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loginInnertkirchenvisitors can't see pics , please
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loginAs I took the motorway along the shore of one of Switzerland's beautiful lakes and impulsively decided that I should try the road that is actually at the edge of the lake. I took the next exit to the town of Iseltwald and found a nice spot on the shore to enjoy a little break.
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loginIt felt nice to take a random break on my ride. This is something that I generally don't do, as I'm more keen on riding then stopping. But today I wasn't in a hurry to get home, so I took a little detour.
Lakeside road and homesvisitors can't see pics , please
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loginApparently I was wrong about my location, as I assumed that this road would spit me out in Spiez. Instead I found myself in Bönigen, just east of Interlaken. I had been following Brienzersee, when I thought I was next to Thunersee. Ah, silly me. I popped back onto the motorway and made my way home.
<a href="
http://ungfraupark.ch" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Jungfrau Theme Park[/url]
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loginThunerseevisitors can't see pics , please
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loginAnd heading north towards homevisitors can't see pics , please
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loginGetting closer - that's the Jura mountain range in front of mevisitors can't see pics , please
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loginI live on the other side of those hillsvisitors can't see pics , please
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loginThe view of the Alps that I couldn't see this morningvisitors can't see pics , please
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loginNot the last tunnel, but one of the longest ones!visitors can't see pics , please
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loginI have come to the conclusion that I'd rather ride these roads slow than fast. I am more interested in seeing what is around me than seeing how far over I can lean. That's not to say that I'll be getting a Goldwing any time soon! Just that I'm ok with waving the faster riders by, while I have one hand on the camera and one eye on the mountains.
