Diary of a bicycle trip

Hi all!

Finally some pictures of my bike-trip, which is already finished.

Last week I came back to Málaga by plane from Lyon, as my time was finished, I didn´t reach Barcelona, but anyway I was happy, because for two weeks and few days I reached far enough: Grenoble.

I will try to summarize my trip here with a picture per day:


Day 1, Sat. 19 May,
Leiden --> Sleeuwijk (next to river Rhin),
85 km (total 85 km).

I took me longer than expected finishing the preparation of the bicycle, thus I didn´t left Leiden until 14:30. Anyway the good weather allowed me to reach the river Rhin.

Intermediate cities were Gouda and Gorinchen.





Day 2, Sun. 20 May,
Sleeuwijk --> Horn (next to Germany),
163 km (total 248 km).

I was a long day, lots of kilometers in natural parks, with forests, lakes and bicycles paths without paviment crossing them. It was very nice to get into some nature in the Netherlands.

Intermediate cities were S-Hertogenbosch, Eindoven and Weert.




Day 3, Mon. 21 May,
Horn (Netherlands) --> Köln (Germany),
100 km (total 348 km).

Very nice day today, leaving The Netherlands and riding into Germany, almost without realizing it, as I cross from one country to the other through a Natural Park.

Finally in Köln I slept close to its wonderful Cathedral!




Day 4, Tue. 22 May,
Köln --> Bonn --> Koblenz,
112 km (total 460 km).

Now, I am really following the river Rhin... great bicycle paths and views.
I slept in that castle with that view of Koblenz (rivers Rhin and Mossel)

Day 5, Wed. 23 May,
Koblenz --> Mainz,
111 km (total 571 km).
Foggy day, but beatyful landscape: castles and vineyards all around.

Typical German day, with currywurst included.






Day 6, Thu. 24 May,
Mainz --> Worm --> Heidelberg,
129 km (total 700 km).

First part of the day following the river Rhin crossing more forest... second part, crossing to the East side of the River in the city of Worn and riding direction to Heidelberg... beautiful city with almost everything: river, castles, mountains, old-town... it worths visiting it!






Day 7, Fri. 25 May,
Heidelberg --> Karlsruhe --> Strassburg (France),
160 km (total 860 km).
Another long day!

It did seem that I would never reach Strassburg... even 5 km earlier than reaching the city a had got a flat wheel!
It was getting dark and the youth hostal was closed because of constructions, but everything ended well.




Day 8, Sat. 26 May,
Strassburg (France) --> Breisach (Germany),
94 km (total 954 km).
During the morning I visited Strassburg, during the afternoon cycling following the river... still lots of vineyards.

Incredible but true, today I got two more flat wheels!!!





Day 9, Sun. 27 May,
Breisach (Germany) --> Basel (Switzerland),
69 km (total 1023 km).

First goal reached today: Switzerland, from today I won´t follow the river Rhin. I also reached 1000 km.

Interesting the bridge of the three lands and the point shared by France, Germany and Switzerland.



Day 10, Mon. 28 May,
Basel --> Bern,
123 km (total 1146 km).
First day cycling in Switzerland... the path is not anymore flat, in the picture a slope of 3,5 km with 9% average drop and really bad weather: a lot of rain and cold!!!

But anyway, the landview and the roads are beautyful.




Day 11, Tue. 29 May,
Bern, Rest day!!!
0 km (total 1146 km).

Ten days cycling and all my clothes still wet from the previous day... I need a rest. I use the day to eat, sleep, visit this nice city and eat and sleep.


Day 12, Wed. 30 May, Bern --> Friburg --> Laussane, 117 km (total 1263km).










I am really enjoying in Switzerland, it is wonderful to visit this land by bicycle. However, it isn't so easy moving in here, even when I am right now in the "flat" part of the country, the bicycle path do zig-zag and goes up & down visiting every hill and every little village in the way.
Anyway it is amazing this green landscapes with the white Alpes in the background, or the the lake of Laussane, totally surrounded by high mountains... with the sunset on one side and full moon in the opposite.


Day 13, Thu. 31 May,
Laussane --> Geneve --> Traverse (France) --> Annecy
120 km (total 1383 km).

All of them cities next to a lake surrounded by mountains... Beautiful!

Today I have left Switzerland and gone in France... it is a crazy afternoon it is rainning as cat and dogs, really it isn't rain but a shower of few hours, low visibility and a big slope between Traverse and Annecy... one of the hardest day! It seems that the man in the youth hostal thought the same, because the meal I got from him for dinner was so huge that almost even myself wasn't able to finish it.


Day 14, Fri. 1 June,
Annecy --> Chambery --> St. Pierre de Chartreusse
90 km (total 1473 km).

It is getting serius in here!

If in Switzerland I avoided the Alpes, in France I am really crossing them. It started from chambery, where I took the road which cross the so call "des trois cols de la célébre "trilogie" de la Chartreuse". Today I have passed the Col du Granier and the Col du Cucheron... I don't know if they are considered easy or difficult, but believe me, raining and with all the luggage in the bicycle it is not so easy.
It was getting late and it was raining the whole day, so I decided to leave the last col for tomorrow morning, tomorrow was going to be a rest day.


Day 15, Sat. 2 June,
St. Pierre de Chartreusse --> Grenoble
35 km (total 1508 km).









Today after passing the third mountain: Col du Porte, I got my second goal, reaching Grenoble and visiting our friend Aude, with them I spent the whole evening enjoying the tasteful dinner they prepared!!!

Today I have reached 1500 km.



Day 16, Sun. 3 June,
Grenoble -->
ALPE D'HUEZ -->
Grenoble
122 km (total 1630 km).
















Last day on the bicycle... and of course it needs a proper end. For the last day I left the "Etapa Reina", 125 km and go up Alpe d'Huez. The weather has been too good, so good that I was prepared for more rain as the previous days... it has been too hard to ride up with my winter clothes... but it has been really emotive... such corners, such slopes and such landscape.

I really got happy when I reached the end of this legendary climb.


Day 17, Mon. 4 June,
Grenoble --> Lyon
by Train.










I went to Lyon another beautiful city, where I stayed for one day, preparing my flight for the next day: day 18 Tue. 5 June, when I flought from Lyon to Madrid and from Madrid to Málaga... the whole day travelling... I think it has been the hardest day.

I am already in Spain, with my family... more relax, but last Saturday, I met Jesús Fernández in Granada and we went cycling up to almost the end of Veleta (3392 m), the highest road in Europe!!!, we could only reach 3200 m, because of the permanent snow... but believe me... it is almost imposible to breath there... if you compere Alpes with it, Alpes is a game for children.

My best regards,
Gaspar