Andermatt sun 15 june

Today the swiss railways stole 6ks of beautiful mountains off my ride. Tunnel works. Anyway the train ride was free so thats a benefice. Tommorrow sunnier conditions are prognosed.

So the morning starts with lovely family love and encouragement while demounting the tent beside a glorious lake surrounded by steep mountains.

Such a dramatic path winding in between huge cliffs complete with waterfalls and fast rivers...a railway line and a super highway share the valley floor with our old road now used by many many motorbikes and thankfully less campingcars.

Glorious scenery, tremendous transport architecture, only two fleschett hills ie -/= 10%, profound forest and dizzying cascades of oxygenated water.
Just the amount of green is overwhelming.

In passing a mountain biker mentions 2 things having to catch a train at Goschenen and the Gotthard is closed for Fabian Canchellara. Of course the Tour de Suisse started yesterday in Bellinzona but I knew not that they this way came. Would the accommodation in Andermatt be chocas? Would the weather permit camping au sauvage? Concepts can be finely explored at 8ks an hour.
Anyway always listen to the little stuff cause sure enough get to the station and have to scurry up stairs onto the train just in time to have 6 beautiful ks removed from my trip but not in time to pay. Haha.
Suddenly 10 degrees cooler too in alpine Andermatt where a swedish passerby tells me information is closed, here is the best hotel (very nice for just under $100 italian brekkie inclusif) how to avoid the 6 star hotel and where to see the TdS at 2.30pm.

I plonk my stuff and take my now baggage lean superfast bike 3ks up tomorrow's road to await the passage of two wheeled gods. The poor beasts have not only the Gotthard but the Furka and Grimsel and finish 180ks in Samen after the Bruningpass as well. 4 in one day. And starting in Bellinzona at 11am (3 days yet away for me) to finish around 4.30pm. They fly.

So dutifully lining up at a roundabout chatting with a swiss couple and their kids who translate for me as the skoda roars past farting loud swiss. Then the militia with paddlepops to slow everyone down as they will zip through the corner rather than circuit the whole round-about. Then comes a heap of motor bikes then at last far off up the hill the bike helmets flash into view. Much whistling and oop oop oops and three cyclists are round and gone. The lead is I think Simon Clarke orica greenedge...I've a photo but no other info as it is not widely televised and even then will be subhumed by fussball as the swisse play I think croatia tonight. Anyway then 2 minutes later along comes the pack noisily welcomed and I get to nearly touch Cadell and Fabian as they hurtle past. Brilliant absolutely brilliant.

Return home anti-climacticly to my hotel (no camping in Andermatt) to the promise of a nice pasta made by the Italian chef.