Day 50: Morges to In the vines above Satigny, near CERN
This has been such a long day that the morning seems ages away.Fortunately the photos help with recalling such distant events.
Dodie helped to counteract the idea that you can't get supplies, or chocolate here by going off and coming back with great croissants, chocolate, and other stuff. We enjoyed these and a rather slow start for once, though we did still set off around 8.
The first order of business, of course, was to find the path. We did find Route 1, but when it headed off (up) into the vines, we took some advice and set off along the lakeshore. As with yesterday, this soon came to grief, with slow going on narrow gravel. We climbed out, and eventually found the right compromise - car route 1, to Geneva. For most of the way this had a bike lane that worked out well.
Our stint up in the vines did bring us to see not only the vines themselves, but also villages and wine estates up there. The views back to the lake and the Alps beyond were good too.
The car route 1, though, had more advantages. It took us through town centres, most notably Nyon. In Nyon were old buildings, a chateau, bakeries, many hotels, many cafes, and a lovely lakeshore walk area. Although a great spot, the Nyon prices were astounding, like 48 chf for a fish lunch! We ate our bread, cheese, and salami on a lakeside bench, thank you.
As we sat there, a Chinese tourist couple came by. Perhaps seeing Dodie's beat up legs, they proferred a container of Tiger Balm type stuff, explaining about it by sign language. They seemed to know no European languages. What a sweet, and brave, pair!
Eventually car route 1 took us into Geneva, but not before bike route 1 joined in too. We knew bike 1 would not foolishly hold out in the vines forever!
Geneva proved a big city with the look of Copenhagen. That is, lots of large but still relatively low rise buildings, lots of traffic, and wide streets with trolley service down the centre.
We were pleased to find bike route signs with both our old Route 1 and new Via Rhona sharing the same pole. We followed these, right into a dead end in the middle of the river. Grrr. Still, we got to see people enjoying the Rhone, which is greenish and clean looking, by swimming and sun bathing.
People in Geneva seemed to be having a good time, as far as possible in a busy city, and there were lots of neighbourhoods, restaurants, and stores to look at. Also, a noticeable portion of the population is black, no doubt from the Francophonie, or else the diplomatic community. They added an extra level of interest to the place.
Since the signs were useless, we struck off for out of town, using our preprinted Google maps, and the very sketchy Via Rhona book, and the GPS.
We headed toward CERN, the supercollider site that we really wanted to have a look at, plus it supposedly is on the Via Rhona route. On the way we saw not one route sign, though.
Just before CERN we needed to decide about deviating to find camping. Since it was after 6, it really was a priority. So without seeing CERN we headed off, toward Satigny. This was quite far off, particularly after all the distance to Geneva and then the noise and danger of the city. In Satigny, the GPS was still telling of a convoluted route to find the camping. Here a road angel popped up - Jens - and confirmed that the camping did exist, though it was still some kms away. Though we started in French, it was soon apparent that Jens spoke perfect english. He works at CERN! Jens told us of a tour there tomorrow, and where to enter the complex. Great!
Now, ee had only to go to the camping. The GPS lead us this way and that, but Dodiecwas now moving soo slowly, that the camping was not getting much closer. The GPS also directed us sreeply up into the vines, and I pushed first my bike and then Dodies. Even so, and even with the GPS promising the camping really close, now, Dodie sat down in the vines, completely out of strength. A cookie only got her a little ways further, so we pitched our tent just beside the vines and quit. Actually, I whipped up the tent and got Dodie inside, where she crashed. Thevtent is home, and it felt good to have her safely in familiar surroundings.
It's raining now, as I write this in the tent. Again, it's great to feel dry and secure in the middle of nowhere. And tomorrow... will be another day.
Dodie demonstrates that one can find bread in Switzerland
For some reason every bakery here also calls itself a tea room. In France, bakeries are strictly for baked goods, while in Germany they are usually more rounded cafes.
