Day 14 - Sainte Croix to Lausanne (Sunday 9th September)

(73 kms)
Distance from Canterbury: 935 Distance to Rome 1139
Garmin Record: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/233174016

So the day started with an examination (as always)  of the day's route. "The route to Lausanne is mostly along the Swiss cycle network unless it deviates from the original route, so it is mostly farmland and cycle track. Cyclists are reluctantly advised to take the main road to the first village Vuitebouef as the mountain gradient is too steep"

WOW 10.2 kilometres very steep  downhill on a winding tar road. That sets the heart racing. I am so pleased that I tackled it early on a Sunday morning as there was very little traffic. The going is so fast you need all the room on the road and that's without the speed wobble  from the panniers weight. Nice start to the day.

Thereafter exactly as the guide book said, I am impressed at the way-marking and quality of the Swiss walking trails and cycling network. I rode on both today, interspersed with Ms V's desire to get me riding through farmland. Sometimes it was just beautiful riding on narrow tracks alongside a bubbling burbling river in the cool of a dense forest. In those times my spirit really lifts. It is truly magnificent. At other times sweating and pushing the bike up forest tracks that are so steep and slippery that it's difficult to maintain ones footing  is just grrr but soon after there's a magnificent cool downhill through the trees and Ms V is forgiven. However, around 14:00 I was leaving a small village just having been through one of those grrr times and I was battling to find the start of the next track, when I saw a sign pointing down a nice tar road that said Lausanne 15 kms. I checked in the guide book' it said, Lausanne 14kms through farmland. Yes you guessed, I hit the tar so fast and headed straight for Lausanne.

So here I am camped on the banks of Lake Geneva. Had a walk on the promenade, supper overlooking the lake and watched the sunset. Lovely day ....  especially the start!
Rest day tomorrow. Laundry, bike clean, swim in the lake.