Wednesday 21 July 2010

Annecy and Geneva

After our late wakeup (I'm still changing times and we both need a big rest/de-stress catch up), we went for a 2 hour lunch then got ready to ride.

Europe does lake side cities well, not to mention lake side style and summer dresses... uhh but back on track.  We rode around lake Annecy then back on the mountains side, a nice 70k loop with good climbs, fountains and stops for boissons fraiches. 

After swimming in the lake it was a short drive to Geneva, for me a noticeable difference on the road right away since we got into German car turf (almost all BMWs and Mercedes are de-badged though, because Swiss are "understated" - they don't want you to know if that thing in the driveway is the 80,000€ version with the normal engine or the 120,000€ one with the big engine) and lost the little Renault Twingo's that are the size of roller skates and barely do the speed limit.  It's funny how just driving into town in the evening a place can feel like it has its shit together, but so far I see a pretty tidy, organized and luxe Geneva.  There must be something going on as lots of hotels are full, the ladies at the office helped while Tori and I replaced calories at a Mexican joint, and as it turns out, the place they found us was three blocks away.  Perfect.

After a hot hot night of partial sleep its a drive to Vinelz to ride with Gian.

Ready for a road trip euro styles - a little Renault with all kinds of crap jammed in, leaving from Tori's chateau (this is one corner of the lesser side of the chateau, this thing has like 7 wings and probably covers 20 acres before the farm fields... it's massive).



Climbing up from near Faverges on the loop from Annecy.

Further up the climb.  This guy likes riding up Alps any day of the week.

4 hour rides with one bottle in 32+C heat is easy when every town and corner has a fountain.

On the descent to Lake Annecy there's a chateau near Alex.

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