Day 2 - Chebrex to Gstaad Saanan - 9/11/2016

Another beautiful weather day in Switzerland, with temps hitting the high 70's, low 80's. A perfect day for riding.

I once read that if Walt Disney could have built a country, he would have created Switzerland. Now after spending today in the countryside I totally understand what they meant. Today we truly did have a storybook ride that was both breathtaking and challenging. Magnificent mountains were our backdrop accompanied by a symphony of tinkling cowbells as we passed through the countryside on paved and even a few gravel roads. 

The green, green valleys and mountainsides were such a treat for this desert dweller!

We pedaled through rolling valleys of farmland but also into shaded mountain paths, and roads that wound through medieval villages with cobblestone streets and churches whose bells tolled on the hour marking the passage of time. 

The touring bikes we are riding are very comfortable perfect for this type of terrain and handle the rods beautifully. They are  made for comfort and take on the challenges of the day perfectly. 

Today we broke into smaller groups which made the ride a bit more manageable and I think, safer. 

I rode with several folks and once again enjoyed the "agri-tour" portion of the ride narrated by Steve Scott, my joyful friend and farmer. 

Passing through the farmlands we learned about the benefits of not tilling soil. Who knew that leaving the soil alone provides a much more fertile ground for future crops?  And did you know that alfalfa has to be "tossed" by machine to dry it out after it is cut and before it is bundled to prevent spontaneous combustion? 

Yep, we are going the right way!

We stopped for a quick coffee in the small town of Bulle and then continued on Gruyere and the cheese museum where Ken and I climbed up to the mountain top town of the same name. 

We were delighted and surprised to find an outdoor restaurant filled with patrons that apparently had arranged to meet and surprise the crowds as they  broke out into song at one time. Impressive!

We took time to walk through the town, enjoy a bit of modern art on display and have some ice cream.

Here are a few photos of the art - interesting. Joan and Wendy fit right in with this sculpture!

There was always plenty of water along the way with flowing springs available to fill our water bottles. 

We arrived in Gstaad Saanan at our hotel and had time to do our laundry and take a swim in the  pool. We had a group dinner and caught up on each other's adventures. 

We have continued the tradition that was started in Spain by awarding the "wing nut" to the rider with the most memorable moment of the day. This could be a joyous or embarrassing recognition. Today it was given to Murray who rode away without paying the bill for the beer he so generously offered to buy for the group the night before. The tab was paid that morning by David Johnson as he was the last to check out. The front desk pretty much wouldn't let him leave without clearing the tab. Murray accepted the award in good humor, paid David back, and is on the lookout today for someone to pass it onto tomorrow night. 

Another great day with wonderful memories. Tomorrow we ride to Wengen and the Lauderbrunnen Valley. 

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