Switzerland 1993 Cycling Trip, The Matterhorn

These pictures are from a cycling vacation. At a few points we took the train (Italy to Switzerland, northern France to Nice) but the rest of 2.5 weeks of cycling thru rain, cold, snow, rain, more rain, drizzle and pouring rain.

This trip was done starting in late September till early October. That is why you'll see snow. We could not even cycle some passes due to the amount of snow.

Pictures by Brent
(c)1993 Brent Little


Pictures by Eric
(c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel

This is the train station late at night. We went thru Bern (?) and missed the connecting train to Zermatt.
(c)1993 Eric Praetzel

Zermatt

This is a nice ski town by the Matterhorn. At this point you can hike and ski. We only had 2 days (raining or fog all of the time) and never did really see the Matterhorn.
(c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel

Rain or not I decided to hike up as far as I could go. I found that if they labeled a trail as taking 2 hours - then it took me 2 hours going at a good pace.
(c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel

This is as high as I went - 2585m above sea level. The snow made hiking (in running shoes) difficult!
(c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel

These pictures are from our second day. We were determined to get a view of the Matterhorn. In the first picture you can see, stone, slate, shingles on the roof. In the rest of the pictures you'll see hints of the Matterhorn.
(c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel

I'm down the moutain now and cycling for France. I've got to be in Nice in 2 days for my flight home. I'm aiming to make it to Mt. Blanc and Charmonix to catch the trail to Nice.

At this point in Switzerland the road is mostly a flat ride down the valley.
(c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel

Now the fun beings. The only way into France is thru the tunnel (bicycles are not allowed) or over the Forclaz mountain pass (1527m?).
(c)1993 Eric Praetzel (c)1993 Eric Praetzel


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