OK, we’ve already blogged today but just two quick things:
First, I might never get used to hurling round corners up the mountain only to be met by a rather disgruntled bovine.
Secondly, did you know they’re building a new restaurant at La Chaux. Well, they are – and although it looks like a big concrete bunker right now but we think it’s a great idea…
And it was nice and sunny at times. Enjoy.
If Felix ever asks you if you want to bike from Ruinettes to Attelas, feel free to say no. It’s really rather steep up there. Anyway, after a lot of sweating and occasionally pushing the bikes up steeper bits we made it – a great (if exhausting) way to spend an afternoon. And it does provide an even better excuse than normal to have a beer in Chez Dany…
As you all know, the big challenge is next Sunday. Neil is to row the length of Lake Geneva (Leman) and Gareth is the cycle round it. They launched the challenge yesterday. The idea is to raise awareness of their challenge this sunday.
This mini challenge saw the lycra clad boys row and cycle continuously for an hour on a rowing machine and a training bike respectively in the blistering sun. The atmosphere was electric as no one knew what to expect. We weren’t disappointed. Both Gareth and Neil sprang into life from the outset. Unbelievably they kept up their initial pace..!
After the halfway mark both were struggling, Neil emitting some interesting grunts and squeals and Gareth making grimaces.
30 seconds to go and Gareth was out of his seat and Neil had picked up the pace. after the hour both boys collapsed in a heap next to their equipment with exhaustion. The result:
Gareth – 23km
Neil – 16.9km
Once the dust had settled we checked the equipment to see that the resistance on the back wheel of the bike was set to hill climb. So repsect to Gareth for such a handicap. You crazy kids..!
Neil will be rowing for St Mungo’s – http://www.justgiving.com/Neil-Aherne
Gareth will be cycling for Multiple Myeloma UK – http://www.justgiving.com/Gareth-Chandler
I might have mentioned before the Swiss propensity to celebrate things with cheese and alcohol, and on 26 September 1993 they voted to have another one. Swiss National Day. So every year on 1st August. That’s how it works here – you just ask everyone if they want another bank holiday and, amazingly, everyone said yes…
Now, despite the fact that the weather went from stunning blue skies to cloudy to rumbles of thunder to complete monsoon, the Swiss didn’t let that stop them from having a proper party. And a parade. And – as is the custom here – a full marching brass band.
So we went and helped them out – fortuitously taking cover underneath the canopy of The Pub Mont Fort’s bar. And despite the weather it all went rather well and looked a bit like this…
Kat and Don doing model poses: The rain arrives: The band carries on regardless:
|
|
They even seem to enjoy it: Finally a load of local kids with lanterns swim past:
…that you see something like this when you are walking the dog…
It turns out it was a Toyota from the Verbier Festival in the stream of the Moulin..! Couple of beers mi’ thinks..! T
