August 21, 2024
To Gurtnellen
. . . over St Gotthard Pass in a bus
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When I check the YR weather app early this morning, I'm relieved to see that we're in for a cooler day, with temps 5 or 6 degrees (C) lower. There's no need to beat the heat but we still find ourselves outside the hotel loading up bikes shortly after 8am. We have bus tickets for the 12.10 post bus from Airolo (or we think we do) - which is further up the valley towards St Gotthard.
When we plotted our itinerary, Bruce was keen on ascending the St Gotthard Pass. I was determined on the train. Since then, we've climbed something like 10,000 metres, much of those on very hot days. So common sense has prevailed. We have nothing to prove. Tour Leader and I will both take the post bus to the top of the Pass, a more scenic and simpler option than the train. I will carry on down to Andermatt on the bus while Bruce enjoys the descent.
There's a steep 5km climb to get out of town but from then the gradients on our Wahoos return to green and the occasional yellow. There's so much to stop to look at though while climbing nearly 500 metres.
We find the busy bus depot at the Airoli railway station. These yellow post buses seem to criss-cross Switzerland; they vary from full-sized bus to mini-bus, all in their distinctive livery with post horn logo and all with bike racks on the back. Many years ago, we took one up to Lenzerheide in the Alps, stayed a week then had fun taking our mountainbikes on goat tracks down the mountain.
We have a couple of hours to fill in this morning so start with coffee at the cafeteria across the road. This is when I realise I can't find my tickets (one for me, one half-price for the bike). After a pannier repack on the footpath, we resign ourselves to paying a second exorbitant amount (it's Switzerland) and hang around for the driver. He's very nonchalant about my sorry tale and tells me not to worry. So I do as he says and we sling our bikes on the back for the trip up to the St Gotthard Pass. Phew!
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Here's me smugly sitting in the bus as we swoop down to Andermatt (he's using both hands to drive now, thankfully) thinking I've cleverly managed to protect my brakes from an unnecessarily steep descent. Because once Bruce finds me in Andermatt, we continue to lose elevation - over 700 metres in total. But what a ride! This has been such an interesting day, riding in the shadow of these majestic mountains.
I have only a few photos (difficult to wave your phone around when descending) but Bruce's video below should give a better idea of the spectacular nature of today's scenery.
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Flyby St Gotthard descent:
Video of St Gotthard ride:
Today's ride: 34 km (21 miles)
Total: 1,353 km (840 miles)
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