Day 26 - Somewhere in Switzerland Bloody Cold & Wet again - 45 kms !

We checked out of our exorbitantly priced hotel informing the manager that as colour TV has been in place since the 1970s he should consider upgrading the 12 inch black and white TV in our room !

Obviously an all points bulletin had been circulated throughout Switzerland with Kev and Ross,s mug shots on it as breakfast was a strictly controlled portion sized event preventing the food Thief's from doing their routine !

So incensed was H that he slammed his croissant on to to the table saying `is this all we`re bloody getting`! - at least the hot chocolate was nice !

We cycled around the corner to the super market to load up with supplies with Ross cornering the tin foil market by grabbing a few dozen meters to wrap round his feet while H ingeniously stole dozens of plastic bread sleeves to be used over our gloves - ` best bloody Australian invention ever said Ross !

Thus equipped we launched again into another day of weather misery leaving in rain that did not stop till we `swam off our bikes later in the day !

Climbing back over the hill we`d detoured on to get into St.Croix we headed back some 4kms to pick up our Jura cycle route and the 5 km uphill ride that we sucessfully avoided the day before.

Ross put out his supermarket picnic table as the Aussie boys toiled onwards climbing a steady 5 km on a forest road (6% gradient) to reach a Mtn top in mist and rain (and amazingly a pill box) before descending 10 kms down treacherously wet roads with full brakes on to reach Baumes.

Ross shot through in to town to put plastic bags around his frozen feet and remove the tinfoil which was acting as a conductor of cold rather than an insulator of heat !

The Aussie boys misinterpreting Ross kept cycling in the rain quietly passing a platoon of fast walking Swiss soldiers on maneouvres complete with machine guns, bazookas and heavy packs.

H passed them inquiring whether he could join figuring the Swiss Foreign Legion had to be better than this constant cold and wet !

We waited for Ross under cover of a small rail station amusing ourselves by trying to open a snickers bar with both gloves and plastic bags on - it was a Bear Grylls episode until we finally picked up a rock and smashed the bars open !

Re-united with Ross we ventured further into the Jura wilds striking a fierce headwind which coupled with the rain made conditions according to H `just wonderful !

Some off road riding followed in muddy conditions passing the same soldiers out on maneuvers who greeted us with friendly bonjours !

The first four hours had brought us only 35 kms and the next climb was a real beauty, 5 kms on a rocky, muddy forest track with a 6% gradient - akin to cycling in treacle !

Ross feeling the cold motored ahead while the two Aussies labored with the steeper sections 10-15% requiring some walking !
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H enhanced the day with a slow motion fall into the foliage caused by loss of control at such a slow speed - we laughed it off !

Finally breaking clear at the top and doing a short descent we came across an amazing site a lake with a village obviously at altitude.

By now wet & soaked thru we started looking for accommodation the lakeside hotels fully booked because of an agricultural festival we ventured further afield callng it a night in an Auberge complete with a hostel type accommodation and bunk beds - another bloody tough day !

I expect the Anzus alliance to be tested tonight with Ross an early to bed sleeper up against H a late to bed sleeper - watch this space !

We move on to lake Geneva tomorrow hopefully in better weather, aiming for better accommodation as we plan our journey to Grenoble.