SkiBike Tour 2013-14 - And Relax
Posted: Saturday, 1 February 2014 by Mark Kinnon in Labels: 2013-14 Tour, D.I.Y., France, SkiBike
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When I was at Infant School we used to have these bizarre "Music and Motion" lessons, a hybrid of physical education and modern dance. I vaguely recall having to pretend to be a tree; beginning as a tiny sapling, growing into a mighty oak and shedding my leaves in Autumn, all done to a taped scratchy low-fi piano accompaniment. It's no wonder that Team GB took years to achieve Olympic Gold medals if this is what we were doing to hone our young physiques. Anyway I digress, having exhausted ourselves being trees swaying in the wind, our teacher would finally allows us to fall out of character with the much yearned for phrase "And relax".
This morning I awoke before the alarm clock, this is always a good sign that my body has had enough of all this resting and regenerating thing and is all set up for another day of exploration and adventure. As these weren't quite on the schedule today, I had to content myself with a delightful continental breakfast at Aux Plumes de Grigy before heading Geneva bound in the direction of the Vosges and Jura mountains.
After drifting across something unbelievably slick on a roundabout within the first 5 minutes of setting off, the rest of journey was pleasingly uneventful. I made great time and the miles rolled by quickly. Four hours later I stopped for a snack break at Jougne on the French / Swiss border where I took the time to admire the impressive "renversee" black run at the Metabief ski station, I am definitely coming back to give it a go. The guy in the hire shop seemed to think that veloskis (skibikes) were permitted too, although I have to be honest and admit this is one run that I would trust to planks on my feet over those on a bicycle any day with a "y" in it. From the road it appears to be vertical, but I know this has to be a trick of the eye, doesn't it? More later on this one.
I arrived in Geneva just before 16:00 or 4pm in old money, this journey splitting is just too civilised. I had time to unload whilst it was still light, chat with the neighbours, have a 30 minute nap and get my shopping in for the next few days.
The question is, do I take tomorrow off or hit the slopes on a Sunday. Whatever happens I will have to take it easy (certainly no near vertical black runs) as I have been doing a great deal of administrative and organisation work. As a result my body has the soft and flabby appearance of a sedentary matron and not the chiselled appearance of a wannabe tree. What's was that Mrs Minch? Oh yes.. And relax.
This morning I awoke before the alarm clock, this is always a good sign that my body has had enough of all this resting and regenerating thing and is all set up for another day of exploration and adventure. As these weren't quite on the schedule today, I had to content myself with a delightful continental breakfast at Aux Plumes de Grigy before heading Geneva bound in the direction of the Vosges and Jura mountains.
After drifting across something unbelievably slick on a roundabout within the first 5 minutes of setting off, the rest of journey was pleasingly uneventful. I made great time and the miles rolled by quickly. Four hours later I stopped for a snack break at Jougne on the French / Swiss border where I took the time to admire the impressive "renversee" black run at the Metabief ski station, I am definitely coming back to give it a go. The guy in the hire shop seemed to think that veloskis (skibikes) were permitted too, although I have to be honest and admit this is one run that I would trust to planks on my feet over those on a bicycle any day with a "y" in it. From the road it appears to be vertical, but I know this has to be a trick of the eye, doesn't it? More later on this one.
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| Cookies and milk break in Metabief |
I arrived in Geneva just before 16:00 or 4pm in old money, this journey splitting is just too civilised. I had time to unload whilst it was still light, chat with the neighbours, have a 30 minute nap and get my shopping in for the next few days.
The question is, do I take tomorrow off or hit the slopes on a Sunday. Whatever happens I will have to take it easy (certainly no near vertical black runs) as I have been doing a great deal of administrative and organisation work. As a result my body has the soft and flabby appearance of a sedentary matron and not the chiselled appearance of a wannabe tree. What's was that Mrs Minch? Oh yes.. And relax.