Training Log Archive: Torino

Biked first to Sandra's house to get instructions for lawn-watering while they're away. Then back over to Bôle to meet Urs. We did a tour together to check out the details of the course I'd like to do next Saturday with Urs's fitness group. (forgot to re-start my Garmin at one point)

Quick evening run up to Sandra's place as we all went out for pizza afterwards before they all were going to go on vacation for 2 weeks.

A beautiful day started in the morning, hot and humid with possible thunderstorms in the afternoon, so Urs and I decided to hike the whole of the gorge of the Areuse close to our house as Urs had never done it and I have only traversed in on the bike on a little road but actually never done the whole thing on foot.
The beginning which was familiar to me is always pretty breathtaking and beautiful. The trail meanders along the creek, sometimes on one side, then on the other. The trail is always pretty well secured as there used to be quite many deadly accidents in that gorge until about 10 years ago. It was so exciting that we soon reached the "les champs de moulin" where we had a quick coffee. The dark grey clouds all of a sudden looming up-valley (Val de-Travers) caused us to quickly set-out again on the right side of the Areuse on alittle paved road. After about 1 km, the first drops fell and we barely managed to reach one of the little power plant houses along the way to stand under a small roof. We eventually were stuck over half an hour, ate our sandwiches and changed the side of the house as the wind of the thunderstorm had shifted. It was a pretty impressive downpour for a while.
(and my Garmin changed from "pause" to "end and save" on its own, grrr. Also, it didn't start when I had pushed it about 1 km further down close to the bridge where we actually started.

We decided to continue up-river despite the fact that the clouds still were pretty dark-grey and were threatening to rain. We soon came to the absolute highlight of the gorges of the Areuse, the Falls under Brot, which were really worth it. We took lots of pictures before continuing in a light drizzle up to the top of the falls through a very narrow gorge to the next and final level.
From there it was a pretty even hike into Noiraigue where we just had missed the train out by 5 min or less. So we had another tea and sweets before the next train to Bôle.

From the train station of Bôle, Urs took my bag and walked back down home while I jogged over and down to Boudry and the Areuse to get our car under a light drizzle.

I met up with Sandra for a mtb-ride up near her place: she talked while I breathed hard to barely keep up with her (I had to ride uphill all the way to where she lives and together it still was mostly uphill). Then she had to go home, and I set out into another woods to do some bike-orienteering on a few small trails connecting some orienteering controls from a meet I did over 4 years ago. It was fun. Then I headed back to Sandra's place for dinner with them. :-)

Riding all the way down home from Sandra's place through the vineyards.

Running home after dropping of Matti and Lena after a day of baby-sitting; as always, I was very tired and lethargic and made it home under an hour but not with great energy.

Took the train into the Val de-Travers for a visit and coffee, then went to look at a beautiful waterfall in Môtiers before I headed back home all along the Areuse and eventually through the famous gorges on a small road.
I was still having problems with my front tire, the handle-bar and the brakes since putting the bike back together after the races and travels back from Hungary. I stopped several times, adjusted the squeaky brakes and the tire until all of a sudden it seemed to fall into its proper position again. Whew.
Long, but beautiful ride.