Visp, Switzerland - Monday, July 5
Location: ON THE ROAD

John:  We're now preparing for what is expected to be the toughest climb of the entire trip, over the now infamous Grimsel Pass.  From all indications, it promises to be a grueling ordeal.  Dick, you tend to show high concentration.  But, even to you, a power cyclist... I would think you'll be challenged by the sheer magnitude of this particular mountain.  What sort of special preparations do you make for something like this?

Dick:  Well, you stop at the nearest post office and mail home three-fourths of your equipment.  Other than that, you eat plenty of chocolate. High energy food.  It really gets you going... And you've got to psyche yourself up.  Get that rhythm going in your head.

John:  What's your method of psyching?  Is it visualization?  Do you see yourself going over the top?

Dick:  Yes.  But the main thing is to get the rhythm going.  Churn up the hill and put those miles behind you.  There is another thing too... but the rest of it is a secret.  I don't want to reveal it at this point.

John:  Wait a minute... Dick, you're not going to let me know before we start?  I've got to climb this thing too.  If you've got a secret it's only fair to share it.

Dick:  Well no, then that would spoil it.  If I let it out everyone will know.  But I can say that it's connected to the rhythm.

John:  You're not going to tell me???!!!

Dick:  No.

John:  Well, good luck to you anyway, Dick.

FIRST VIEW OF GRIMSEL PASS

John:  You know we've already been riding uphill for at least four hours and... wooh. ... I just came through this cobblestone tunnel with fierce winds pushing and... I thought we were pretty much at the top.  Then, after exiting the tunnel, I just got my first real look at this mountain pass.  I almost fell off my bike.

The pass itself is a sheer wall of mountain with one road on its face, I can see the road from here.  It winds right and left and right and left up the whole goddamn mountain.  I just can't believe it. I'm in absolute awe. 

I thought we done, or close to being done but we haven't even started. ...And here come some German bikers zipping down from the pass.  They all have smiles on their faces.  Screw you, bastards!!!...

Dick is riding maybe a half mile ahead of me.  I can see little trucks moving, way up at the top.  Way way up there.  And the wind is against us.  I'll be lucky if the wind doesn't push me off the mountain.  I'm depressed but... not Dick, he's way up there.  He's got that rhythm going.  He's done two switchbacks while I've been standing with my mouth open bitching.  Him and his damn secret.  Do you get the impression, I'm stalling?  Standing here... looking up.  All right.  Ugh.  Let's go. This is going to suck...

REST STOP

Well, wouldn't you know it. Conveniently located at the base of the real climb... is a rest stop perfectly situated for a caffeine dose before assaulting the final summit of this... this Grimsel Pass.  The snack stand is at the intersection of two passes, Furka and then Grimsel, the one we're going over.  Wouldn't you know, Grimsel is the bigger of the two..

Dick:  We're resting here, taking a coffee break before charging on up.

John:  It was nice of you to wait for me rather than charging on up to the top.  The secret rhythm thing must be quite something.

Dick:  Even with the secret, I'm tired.

John:  Well, anyway Dick, you've made it to the first stage of the pass. You're in the town of Glitch.

Dick:  Right. You're here too. Congratulations.

John:  How do you see the rest of the ordeal now.  It looks like a helluva road.

Dick:  Cutting back and forth it's a quote, unquote "stiff" climb.

John:  To say the least.  I've never seen a road like this.  We've got this goddamn wind in our faces here.  We've got an entire mountain to climb above this point.  And I'm like... beat. My legs have very little left.

So, what's your strategy here for climbing up the rest of the way.  Are you just going to give it your last gut force?

Dick:  You've got to get your mind psyched.  And you've got to take all your aggressions out against society.

John:  Oh, I see, blame society.

Dick:  And all of those hangups.  You've got to let that energy flow.  You've got to channel it positively.  You've just got to keep your eyes on the road and concentrate.  Keep your knees kind of pointed in and just do it.

John:  Well... anyway, it's an interesting view... over there, up the one mountain is a glacier.  That's the source of the Rhone River.  A white aquamarine blue mass of ice.

Dick:  Yes, that's the famous Blue Rhone Glacier.  Quite a hoax, if you ask me. It's obviously food coloring or blue dye.  Just so the tourists will stop in Glitch and buy post cards and drink coffee out of plastic cups.

VIRTUALLY AT THE TOP OF GRIMSEL PASS

John:  I'm going around the very last switchback very near the top of Grimsel Pass. At a crawl now.  But, I think I can crank out a last... ugh, maybe not.  Dick's already up there, the bastard.

But, yes... I'm going to make it.  I tried to get into a rhythm but what a stupid theory that is.  After about eight switchbacks, I had already relieved all of my aggressions against society.  Unfortunately there were seven switchbacks more.  Splashing through puddles and... But that's it!!!  This is the top.  The last slope up and I made it.  Dick!  There you are!  We're here, Dick.  We're at the top of Grimsel Pass at last.

Dick:  Yahoo!!!

John:  All right!!! So, how was it for you?

Dick:  The grade wasn't too bad, actually.  It was well-engineered even though the road did become a stream bed from the melting snow.  There was about a quarter of an inch of water to plow through.

John:  The road was nothing but dirt and loose rock.  It was so windy, I almost got blown off the edge there a couple of times.

Up here at the top of the pass, it's a winter wonderland.  There's snow all over and it's not even cold.  There's a lake with big ice chunks and a restaurant, of course.  I feel we've really accomplished something getting up here.

Hey look at that guy there.  He just pulled up to the summit here, a Swedish guy.  He just took a picture of his car.  I suppose because his car made it...  Something we can talk about, ay Dick?

Dick:  It was certainly a stiff climb, a memorable climb.  I won't forget this one.

John:  At any rate, a good accomplishment, Dick. Good luck to you in the future.

Dick:  Thank you, John. You're a helluva man yourself.  Helluva athlete.

Read an account of the trip down Grimsel Pass