Saturday, June 6, 2009

SFO to Heathrow – We’re Off

Loaded bicycle cases into the car last night, tossed our duffle bags with packed panniers into the car this morning, and took off for Tony and Jean’s place in San Jose.  They were packed and ready to go, tossed their gear into the car and then off to Bill’s (Helen’s brother).  Bill drove us to SFO and dropped us off at the British Airway departure gate around noon.  Ed plunked over $45 per bicycle case, as was anticipated, since we knew we were over the 51 pound limit set by BA and our cases were oversized.  Tony and Jean are taking Bike Fridays so no worries about oversized or overweight luggage for them.  Getting through security was a breeze and by 1:00 p.m. we were chowing down on pizza and relaxing over Bloody Mary’s (our before flight drink of choice).

When we arrived at the gate we saw that Paul, John M., and John N. had arrived.  Jim followed shortly after …..all accounted for except for Jerry, who was scheduled to catch a later flight.  While we were waiting, in walks Jerry.  He had checked with BA to see if he could change his flight to the one we were all taking…….and yes, for $2300.00 in addition to the fee he had already paid.  So, he was sticking with his original flight and would meet up with us at Heathrow for the flight to Geneva. Take off for Heathrow at 4:55 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday, June 7, 2009 – Where’s Jim’s Bicycle?

Heathrow to Geneva

Jumped ahead 9 hours on the flight to London so arrived on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. after 10 hours of travel.  We had a 3 hour layover but getting through the long queues in Terminal 5 was chaotic so there wasn’t much sitting around time.  Our gate number didn’t show up on the screen until about 15 minutes before boarding so we were in scrambling mode……Where’s Jerry? 

Jumped ahead another hour upon arrival in Geneva so it’s 4:40 p.m.  Collected baggage and bicycle cases…..but wait, where is Jim’s bicycle?  Jim and Tony head to Lost Luggage and BA assures Jim that they will deliver his bicycle to the hotel in France by morning.  Some in the group picked up some Swiss francs from the machine near the taxi stand and then we arranged for two taxi vans for the eight of us and our gear to take us to the Ibis Hotel in Ambilly, France.  Apparently, it is can be an issue for some taxi drivers to cross the border but our hotel was just on the other side of the border and our drivers delivered us to the doorstep of the Ibis.  Our driver had no problem accepting payment in Euros, which was good, as we hadn’t bothered to pick up Swiss francs.  It was probably fortuitous that Jim’s bicycle wasn’t with us as taxi space was limited so it was one less big item to shove into the back of the van.

Ed put one of the bicycles together before we made our way down the street to dinner with the others.  Most of us ordered pizza or lasagna at a great little Italian restaurant, one of the few open on a Sunday.  Dinner discussion included curiosity about where Jerry was and how he was vagabonding his way from the Geneva Airport to Ambilly.  As dinner was winding down, in walks Jerry.  He had made his way from the airport to the border via tram and then walked the distance from the border to the hotel.  He will probably tell his own story on his site at http://vagabond.21-speed.com but apparently a woman who spoke English gave him directions and joined him on the walk to his hotel.  The hotel staff told him where we were having dinner so that is how he hooked up with us.  He mentioned several times how handy it was to have Marcia Wire’s cart with wheels for the long walk from the border to the hotel.

After returning to the hotel Ed put the second bicycle together and we organized and reorganized gear and panniers.

 

 

Monday, June 8, 2009  – How much to ship four bicycle cases?????

Ambilly, France back to Geneva, Switzerland

Enjoyed breakfast at the Ibis Hotel that included cheeses, yogurts, croissants, bread, jams, fruit, muesli, pains au chocolat, coffee, juices, and jambon (thinly sliced ham).  This would be a typical breakfast throughout our travel in France. 

Jim’s bicycle arrived, not as early as promised, but at least it arrived.  So the task for the day was to get all the bicycle cases shipped to our last hotel destination in Cagnes sur-Mer near Nice.  The seven bicycles cases were reduced to four by placing cases within cases.  Ed, Helen and Jim had the bigger cases (borrowed from ACTC) so theirs were the outer cases as was John M.’s.
 
Since Ambilly did not have a FedEx we headed back to Geneva.  We caught a bus to the border, then caught the tram to downtown.  With the help of a GPS we wound our way through the crowded streets of Geneva, pushing and pulling the bicycles cases for blocks, until we eventually located the FedEx. 

What does that sign say on the door?  Something about documents only.  As it turned out this office did not accept anything for mailing other than documents.  The staff located another Fed Ex office about 20 miles away on the northern outskirts of Geneva that would ship and called a taxi for us.  We could only get three bicycle cases in the taxi along with three passengers, so Ed, Jerry, and John M. took the taxi along with their cases. After waiting forever for a second taxi, and attempting to flag down a taxi, the FedEx guy called again for a second taxi that Jim and Tony took to join the others.

Meanwhile, Helen, Jean, John N. and Paul were left to navigate their way back to the hotel.  Finding the Tram tracks and where to catch it was our little challenge.  Let’s just say, it took awhile.  Paul navigated us correctly to the Tram but no one had Swiss franc coins for the ticket machine.  We walked into a pharmacy to see if they could make change for John N.’s $10 or $20 franc…..turns out the machine at the airport had given him an outdated bill and the only way to get it exchanged for new currency was at a bank.  So, John, stepped into a Tobacco shop, purchased a coke and got the necessary change (only to discover later that he had been shortchanged).  We jumped on the Tram that dropped us at the border and from there we walked to the hotel.  Ed and the others took a bus from FedEx on the outskirts of the northern border of Geneva to downtown, then a Tram to the border, and walked to the hotel. 

Fed Ex Story:  When Ed, Jerry and John M. arrived at Fed Ex and inquired about shipping four bicycle cases to Nice the response from the two FedEx employees was "no problem", big grins on their faces they could barely refrain from laughing. The cost:  well over 2,300 Swiss francs to ship the boxes about 150 miles!!!  Yikes!!!  After telling FedEx there was no way, an employee, whose English was better, and who was a manager for commercial shipping came out from the back of the store and said he could arrange to have the cases shipped at a commercial rate for far less…..VIOLA, DONE DEAL!  He also offered to drive them back to town as he was getting off work anyway.  Tony and Jim arrived and Jerry and John informed Tony the cost would be over 2000 Swiss francs and they say the expression on Tony’s face was priceless. Since Tony and Jim also needed to get back to the hotel and there was only room for three riders in the FedEx employee's car they decided to all take public transportation and stay together. 

That evening we enjoyed blind wine tasting in Tony and Jean’s room and snacking on cheeses and bread.  Tomorrow we start riding!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009 – Getting the Glitches Gleaned and John’s “Delightful Delectables”

Ambilly to Annecy

We all met for breakfast at 8:00 a.m. again at the Ibis.  Got our bicycles downstairs, loaded, and rode around in a parking lot to check for glitches.  Jim headed to an optician store in downtown Ambilly as his eyeglasses had broken and while he was doing this the rest of us fiddled with our bicycles.  In no time Jim returned and had been told his glasses would be fitted in new frames within an hour.
   
We were on the bicycles by 10:45 a.m. with Jerry navigating us through city streets and roundabouts to country roads with very little traffic. The ride was beautiful today……gorgeous landscape, beautiful cows (yes, beautiful cows) with their bells…..all picture perfect.  At our lunch stop we enjoyed salads but especially enjoyed John M. as he tried to discern the meat that was on his salad.  Seems he had ordered a salad with gizzards (his French, not so good).  This was not to be the only time on the trip that John would order a “delightful delectable”.

Ed had a flat on his rear tire on a downhill and farther downhill Jerry had to replace his derauiller cable.  Jerry just happened to be carrying extra cable in his tool kit.

We could see the crystal waters of Lac d’Annecy as we approached Annecy.  A magnificently beautiful sight to behold.   We rode the bicycle trail in Annecy to our hotel, the Residel.  Ed and others enjoyed dinner at a restaurant on the lake that had been recommended by the hotel manager/owner.  I stayed in the room to get some much needed rest.

Helen’s cyclometer:  40.52 miles; 3099 ft. climbing

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, June 10, 2009 –  A Destination Location!

Annecy – Rest Day
 
This was a rest day and Ed decided to stay at the hotel and do just that, while the rest of us took the city bus into downtown.  We enjoyed meandering throughout the old town, eating sandwiches by the canal and enjoying our first French glacier (ice-cream).  Tony introduced us to cassis glacier which is somewhat like raspberry colored tasting sherbet (sorry Tony about the poor description).  It was very good.  We enjoyed a potluck dinner in the boys’ room from provisions purchased at the nearby store.

Jerry is posting pictures on his Facebook site

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=88485&id=562301622&l=98e2f282d2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday, June 11, 2009 – Rain, rain, go away!!

Annecy to Albertville

Breakfast was at the Residel. Our host mentioned that we should enjoy a leisurely quiet breakfast, the French way. What had he heard about the group from his friend at the restaurant where some of the riders had enjoyed dinner Tuesday evening?

There were some bicycle mechanicals……Jean’s front brake needed adjustments and John M. replaced a tube.  And then, rain!  So we huddled under eaves waiting for the rain to dissipate, which it did.  Shed our rain gear and headed out in perfect riding weather to Albertville.

On the outskirts of town Tony noticed an Optician shop and now it was his turn to get his eyeglass screw tightened. Today’s ride was almost all on scenic bicycle trail.  Jerry, John M. and Paul rode on ahead while the rest of us cruised along.  At about mile 15 we diverted from the bicycle trail into a village bakery for fuel.  Enjoyed café au lait and brioche, oh, can’t forget the chocolat éclair.  Now, this is our kind of ride!  As we neared Albertville Ed used his GPS to navigate to the hotel.  He pulled up on the sidewalk to look at his GPS when we heard, “Hi Guys” from above our heads.  It was Jerry from his second story bedroom window.  We’re here!!!

Tony located a bicycle shop and found a spring for Jean’s front brake as she was having some problems with it on the trail today. Tomorrow's ride begins climbing so her brakes need to be in good working order.

Dinner was at the hotel Savoie.  Jean ordered frog legs, John N. prawns, Helen a delicious tartiflette, but we most enjoyed John M. with his “Delightful Delectable” racellette.  Although, John N. got a little overheated sitting next to the searing racellette, there were no serious burns.  Tony discussed riding options for tomorrow.  Jerry, Jean, Helen, Ed, Jim opted to take the pass around the Col d’ Madeleine for less climbing.

Helen’s cyclometer:  28.87 miles; 505 ft. climbing (nice and easy)  Did I overhear John M. mutter, “Where are the Alpes?” on the bicycle trail today.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Albertville to Chambre

After breakfast at the hotel we split into two groups……Tony, John M., John N., Paul deciding to climb the Col d’Madeleine, of course.  Paul repaired a flat before taking off with the others for the climb. 

The first 10 miles of our ride around the pass was flat on two lane road.  There wasn’t a lot of traffic, but cars drove fast, although giving wide berth to bicyclists.  After 10 miles we began to climb and had fantastic views of the valley below us.  By this time we were hunting for a potty stop.  Tony had earlier clued us in that church’s most often have WC’s (water closets/bathrooms) that are unlocked and free), and just in view, a church. Jean looked for the WC but couldn’t find it so took off for the bushes.  As we were waiting for Jean, Jerry noticed an innocuous door, opened it, and wah-la, a squat toilet.  So we lined up for our turn.  As we were hanging around Jim or Jerry had noticed that Ed’s rear fender was off center, some bolts had come off, so Jerry dug out some handy duct tape and did an on the spot repair.  Today’s ride was beautiful and one we would repeat.

We were the first group to arrive in Chambre so after checking into the hotel we perched on the patio to watch for our riders to descend the col d’Madeleine.  While we watched we couldn’t help but notice the many sports cars va-rooming down the road from the Madeleine and tons of motorcyclists.  It seems that the sports car enthusiasts/owners were taking part in time trials on the Col d’Madeleine. 

When our straggling riders arrived they were tired…..all agreed that it had been a very hard ride and not made any easier with the competing speedy sports car drivers and loud motorcyclists on the narrow switchback roads. 

Dinner was at the hotel, our first lamb in France.  Cheese, soft or hard, was offered after dinner and before dessert.

Helen’s cyclometer:  32.42 miles; 2384 ft. of climbing (we liked our ride)