On Tuesday, I got a late start due to getting, and reacting to, some undesired news. The road itself started pleasantly.

Then a slog along a divided highway for a bit (sometimes unavoidable). Naturally no pictures of that, but here’s a pretty flower from a rest stop.

Then off the highway into the Jura. It was fun to ride when I got away from other vehicles, but not all that exciting scenerywise (usually curvier than this!).

Then a steep decline into the Lake Geneva area after a scenic view.

Geneva itself wasn’t fun. I had plotted a route to avoid a bit of freeway there, since buying a vignette (€36.50) for the 10 minutes I’d been on it seemed excessive. But I didn’t find the most efficient route in my planning and then the road I was supposed to go on (the lakeside highway) was closed and I had to backtrack and make a huge detour through the countryside, and then it was rush hour. So, I sat in traffic to rest a bit – slow enough to grab some water from my camelback and a few nuts, and then I joined the mad scramble of bikes, scooters and motorcycles through the traffic until I finally got free. I had actually expected orderly traffic from Switzerland, but this was similar to Paris, with two wheeled vehicles with a motor scooting down the centre line and two wheelers of all sorts treating the cars as slow moving pylons to weave around. Fun, but for those not used to it, a bit stressful! But I was hot and tired of sitting in traffic, so what choice did I have.

And, as I found later, the chocolate in my tankbag had melted, getting into the USB charger that was likely defective. So much for returning it!

And then I finally reached the Alps.

And some lovely mountain roads.

But after the late start and Geneva, I wasn’t going to get to my planned stop, it was getting dark, and I was tired. Thankfully, Booking led me to a lovely, and very cheap (€20!), lodge with very friendly staff. Apps and such have so changed travel and how easy it is to find accommodation – when I think of the hassles I’ve had on earlier trips, I do have to welcome our big data overlords.

And the view from my room could not be beat as the sun went down.

Then down the hill for the vegetarian standby.

And the lovely view from the terrace.

The route for the day.

And the elevation changes with the peak of the Jura and starting into the Alps. This is going to get pretty extreme in the next few days.