RIDING DOWN THE PASS

John:  Jeez, the wind is blowing like hell up here at the top of Grimsel.  But, you know, a lot of people ask me what it's like to ride down a mountain pass.  You know, with the excitement of speed... it's a rush.  At least that's what most people would imagine.  But now... here's you chance.  For the first time anywhere... that I've heard of anyway... you will get an idea of the glamour and prestige of riding down a world famous mountain pass on a bicycle.  So, come along and follow me.  Slide in next to me for a ride down the intense Grimsel Pass!

As we push off and move forward, we progress on level ground.  We cross the top of the pass which seems to have a very even base.  My first observation is the frigid wind.  It cuts right through you.  I'm leaning forward as far as I can to lower my resistance to the wind.  This also helps me gather speed for the quick start.

There's loose water dripping down the edges of the cliff.  There's snow up here all year round... it's July, you know.  But it keeps melting and dripping down to collect into streams.  It looks a lot like what I would think Alaska would look like.

Coming up ahead on my left is "Hotel Grimsel Pass".  Not very big.  A little hut really.  I'm sure not too many people stay there... What's that, Dick?

Dick:  Bikers probably stay there.

John:  That's right. So, Dick are you going all out down this one.  Maximum speed?

Dick:  Slow and steady.  Slow is safe . I enjoy the rush of it but we mustn't get carried away.

John:  I like to go for it myself.

Dick:  Well, I spilled out in Kentucky that one time.

John:  That's right, coming down Clinch Mountain in Appalachia, Dick skidded off the edge of his wheel and scraped up his shoulder.  I haven't had any casualties thus far but these Alps are mean...

And here is a candy store that is "offen"/open.  The snow is melting all around us.  Still heading south on level ground.  We're at 5600 feet.

Going now past the souvenir stand at the top.  The downhill is going to start right about... now.  Sloping, ever so gradually, to the right...

It is now about seven o'clock at night. And here's the first turn...

It's downhill until the town of Meringen, 36 kilometers away that's about 23 miles.  And now we come for our first look over the apex of the pass at the other side of the pass.  An incredible view!!!  There's an icy blue lake with rowboats below.  A green rich valley.  We're skirting down towards a huge lake and then the road follows the edge for I guess two or three miles...

There are rocks strewn across the road.  And... it's a little slippery.  I should use two hands on the handlebars.  Picking up speed.  More rocks.  Snow all over the place.  Kind of bumpy.  Through the water.  My legs are wet now. Puddle... Now, the rest of me is wet.

They have signs that say whether the pass is open or not.  This road is in very bad condition.  They close the passes during the winter...

Water all over the place from the melting snow.  Very muddy.  Behind me is... I don't even see Dick.  I don't know what happened to him.

Geographically, we are crossing over into the Berner Oberland mountains range of the Swiss Alps.  They are supposed to be the most Alpine-looking mountains of all...

Another turn to the left.  Now I'm really picking up speed.  There are cable car cables ahead.  May be a ski area.  We're heading southwest towards the Interlakken area.

To the right the cliff goes straight down.  Here comes another car up.  The cars don't seem to care much about the bikers.  They take up the road and we take up the road...

There isn't even a road here.  Certainly distressing.  I can't go that fast.  I wanted these fast downhills.

Here's a guy, on bicycle, walking up... "How ya' doin'"?  Not much time for a response, as I zipped past him presumably smiling.  He didn't look too happy...

Here's another one. "Hi".  They looked German. Everyone here looks German.

Looking back I don't see Dick anywhere, but I'm just going to keep on going.  There is a rather spectacular waterfall splashing down right in the middle of my lane.

And here's a tunnel right through the rocks.  And there's an echo... Hear it? Woohooo. Wooo. Eck! Echo!!

You think of your classic Alpine type of road and this is it.  All my dreams of riding in the Alps... This road is just totally... totally mind boggling.

Okay. The road is getting a little better now.  Okay.  Now we can let loose a little bit.  There are waterfalls all over the place.  I'd say the snow is about three feet deep at this point.

And now we're out of the water.  Here we go.  Going around a corner.  I've developed a technique where I can stick my leg out like these motocrossers.  It gives me enough balance to make a fast turn without slowing down.  We've descended about a half mile now.  And my socks are all wet, slimy and dirty.

Now it's clear and we'll get some speed down here.  There we go.  I'm getting up to 36, 37 miles per hour... straight away.  This is great.  This is what it's all about.  This is... oh, through more water.  Yuk.

Oh oh.  I've got to slow down.  The road is bumpy again.  This stinks. You climb all that way and then you've got to come down slow.  This is the worst road we've been on the whole trip.

...Still going down the pass.  There's a dam over there.  Now here's a... okay, I can get up some speed here. The road is good. Curving around to the right.  Sort of a figure eight more or less.  We'll see what I can get the speed up to.  Going down... to get up speed you keep your head down.  Now, I'm up to 40.  I'll slow a bit here.  It's a complete U turn.  A bend in the road.  I'll stick my foot out.  Oooh, getting soaked.  Now back the other way.  Down to the left.  Back and forth.  Forth and back.  Up to 43.  Ugh, really wet.  Chilly too.  Down towards the lake. Down towards the ground. Down... Down!