A nice day in the Valais

[d_douglas]

I had the good fortune to be invited to George K's home in the Valais, near the Italian border in Switzerland. On top of being a generous host and a great guide, he and I share the exact same size of bike, so I was lucky enough to leave my bike in Geneva, jump on a train and end up riding a Serotta that I have always wanted to try - the Hors Categorie.

The Furka Pass is the second highest pass in Switzerland - it is more or less inaccessible for half of the year, but in the warmer months, it is crawling with motorcyclist, cyclists, tourists - anyone who appreciates a gorgeous view of the Alps!

George (being significantly more fit than I) crept up behind me to make sure that I didn't give out on the climb (hey, I am from Canadian prairies originally - cut me some slack!) and we had an incredible day of blinding sunshine, warm sun and sunburns to prove it, snow dusted peaks, relatively uncluttered roads and good chats.

For you architects out there, the 'Furkablick Hotel' is a little known gem designed by none other than Rem Koolhaas. George decided on the route and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that our destination was the hotel - very subtle and atypical design for an iconoclast. It was quite interesting to see, though the pictures are not so descriptive.

What else? Oh yeah - I think has turned me on to 'le dark side' - I tried tubulars for the first time and they were divine. Damn - I can't afford new wheels at the moment!

Photos are of slow climbs, but no descents - we were busy gripping our bars as strong winds blew us around on the road during the rollercoaster ride downwards.

Thanks again, George - you have proven to me why Switzerland is a cyclist's paradise!

[3chordwonder]

Beautiful scenery, you're lucky guys to be riding there!

You're right, that doesn't immediately scream 'Koolhaas' does it, apart maybe from the entrance hinting at some more funky stuff to come behind the hotel's facade.

Did he design the facade as well or was it a renovation/redevelopment that just ended up using the original facade of an old building?

[Gothard]

This deserves more pics.
Darren is not any less fit than my porky self, but we both agreed that the point was getting on top, and rode slowly enough to be able to chat all the way up.

[d_douglas]

apparently went 'literal' and designed the entrance to be like the aperture of a camera, framing the incredible view. I would assume that this was a favour to a friend, as George said the hotel was shut down for some time, then reopened by a new owner.

I say that he had connections and knew Koolhaas (at least second-hand anyways), 'cause Mr. Kool doesn't come cheap. I am young in my career, but working towards commanding millions to draw some sketches and maybe detail a few corners... ... ... OK, no I'm not.

Anyhoo, I did not see the interior, but it was mostly an interior reno, as you can see. The deck was beautifully designed and very simple, tending more towards your compatriot, Glen Murcutt.

It made the ride that much more worthwhile!!


PS man it's nice to ride other people's bikes! Serotta - swapping is so civilized...

[saab2000]

Super duper!!

Jealous!

[frenk]

This thread reminded me that I'm really an idiot: I live 45 mins away from those places and this year I only rode there once :crap:

[Dekonick]

It wasn't the tubulars that made you think twice... it was the Hors Categorie!

Gotta admit - wasn't that a special ride?

I had the good fortune to be invited to George K's home in the Valais, near the Italian border in Switzerland. On top of being a generous host and a great guide, he and I share the exact same size of bike, so I was lucky enough to leave my bike in Geneva, jump on a train and end up riding a Serotta that I have always wanted to try - the Hors Categorie.

The Furka Pass is the second highest pass in Switzerland - it is more or less inaccessible for half of the year, but in the warmer months, it is crawling with motorcyclist, cyclists, tourists - anyone who appreciates a gorgeous view of the Alps!

George (being significantly more fit than I) crept up behind me to make sure that I didn't give out on the climb (hey, I am from Canadian prairies originally - cut me some slack!) and we had an incredible day of blinding sunshine, warm sun and sunburns to prove it, snow dusted peaks, relatively uncluttered roads and good chats.

For you architects out there, the 'Furkablick Hotel' is a little known gem designed by none other than Rem Koolhaas. George decided on the route and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that our destination was the hotel - very subtle and atypical design for an iconoclast. It was quite interesting to see, though the pictures are not so descriptive.

What else? Oh yeah - I think has turned me on to 'le dark side' - I tried tubulars for the first time and they were divine. Damn - I can't afford new wheels at the moment!

Photos are of slow climbs, but no descents - we were busy gripping our bars as strong winds blew us around on the road during the rollercoaster ride downwards.

Thanks again, George - you have proven to me why Switzerland is a cyclist's paradise!

[Karin Kirk]

Wow! Thanks guys, for starting my Monday morning off on an inspirational note.
Doing those alpine rides has become a real dream for me, so thanks for sharing the photos and your stories.

I am taking a major step to make this happen. I am in the process of building up my 'EuroBike' which I will bring with me to Germany next month and leave there for future frolics. The frame is my old commuter and the parts are mostly dredged up from various boxes in the basement - old 8-speed Ultegra. Nothing fancy, but it will be good enough to have fun on, and cheap enough to leave over there without worrying too much about it.

On this trip, I don't think I'll have time to ride in the Alps, but I will be cruising around the Bodensee and I can't wait!

I have to order cranks and a cassette today - any gearing suggestions? I'm getting a compact double.

[TimB]

scenery like that to ride in you'd never get me off my bike

[Gothard]

Karin,
Usually I use a 39/29. The triple on the Hors is this year's novelty, and not absolutely necessary in the passes, where the roads are less steep.
With a compact I would go for a 34-50 in front and a 12-26 in rear. More than enough.
I have to order cranks and a cassette today - any gearing suggestions? I'm getting a compact double.

[d_douglas]

with the gearing - I have exactly what he recommended on my Concours, BUT it sure felt great to bail out and spin on Georges triple!! Call me outta shape, but I did hit the small ring a few times on that ride!

Re: the Hors Categorie:

it is a beautiful and interesting experiment in engineering - it was teh first one that I have seen in real life and as an architect, I love seeing the process of innovation. It was Dave K's idea and I can see that he took it to heart when designing the Terraplane. Very cool.

I didn't notice anything special, but George made the point that maybe that is what's special - I felt no discomfort and it was a nice smooth ride!

Cheers, Mr. Kirk...

[Karin Kirk]

Karin,
Usually I use a 39/29. The triple on the Hors is this year's novelty, and not absolutely necessary in the passes, where the roads are less steep.
With a compact I would go for a 34-50 in front and a 12-26 in rear. More than enough.

Perfect timing on the advice, thanks! I am just now pouring over all the details of the various bits I need to complete the bike. I picked out exactly what you advised. Very exciting! I'm hoping to get this all built up in time to ride it once or twice, then ship it over there ahead of time to save me the hassle and expense of traveling with the bike box. Dave, of course is a huge help in making all this happen. I am lucky! :)

[Gothard]

Karin,
Yeah, I caught myself thinking, "Here I am, a bozo from the mountains, telling that nice lady what to use, most likely while her husband, whose job is precisely that, reads above her shoulder and shrugs with a knowing smile..." :p

[Karin Kirk]

Not at all! Your advice was just what we needed. Sure, Dave knows all about this kind of stuff. But what we don't know is what the roads are like. We were leaning toward a similar setup, and your suggestion sealed the deal.

So thanks for the help and I'll post pics when it's built up. It probably won't be too inspirational (the frame is rattle can purple, literally!) but it's a cool project.

[CPP]

And you guys didn't call me....... :butt:

[CPP]

For the record, just kidding. But..... the next time,call me when you are ready to pop a cork.