End of our Swiss bike ride adventure

8 June 2013 Today we finished our 4 days bike ride (252.3 km), turned in our bikes and caught the train to Basel. So some coments about it. Switzerland has bike trails all over the place, well marked intersections and a good amount are off road or at least off main roads. We started on route 99 - the Heart Route. The name could be from how your heart feels when you see some of the scenery. But it isn't. The name comes from the feeling of your heart beating so hard it is like getting ripped out of your chest at the top of the next hill! Some of the trails kept going up even when your vision tells you it HAS to be the highest place around, The trade off are the views. And seeing how typical Swiss live. Their homes, farms, businesses. You REALLY need to try this sometime. You see the world differently as you bike ride by instead of train, bus or plane by at a high rate of speed. We probably did more than most, but if you come to Switzerland, plan at least 1 day and rent a Flyer bike and see. The last day we took other routes ( 94, 24, 84) In the valleys instead over the hills. Busier, more on roads, less scenery; but still worthwhile. Then the the train to Basel and rush on Saturday afternoon to find a laundry service ! Here, it's called a "Wash & Dry" And everything is closed on weekends. But we finally found a place that would stay open for us. 4 days of bike riding, we REALLY need it! $44 for 2 loads of laundry and we can't complain. Our hotel has a loaner bike, so there is Stuart carefully riding a bike with clean laundry strapped on the back of the bike. Tomorrow, Sunday, it's off to church at 10 then headed for the Viking Cruise dock about 3km down river.