A perfect day in the Alps

My vintage retro-mountain bike Got up at 7am, packed my mountian bike and took an early train to Göschenen. From there it's up the Schöllenen gorge on the steep old trail (I almost died). Across the Devil's bridge to Andermatt. Devil's Bridge at the entrance of the Schöllenen gorge I follow the main road and climb to the top of Gotthard pass (I almost died). They are already preparing for the arrival of the Tour de Suisse in the afternoon. I climb further up on a small road which gets me somewhere up the mountain straight above Airolo. Switchbacks on the South side of the Gotthard pass Trying to keep the avalanches out of Airolo and up on Piz Canariscio Alpine forest There is an impressive amount of avalanche prevention construction up there. They are really trying hard to keep that mountain out of the village. A bunch of hangglider kids is clearing the trail off the last remains of winter before me. Clearing the last snowfields off the road The trail traverses into a little side valley of the Leventina and then descends through green meadows with flowers down that valley and into Airolo. Guess who was first? Bergfrühling near Ronco Peaks above Airolo The air is quite hot now, so I fill up on water an start the climb back up to the Gotthard pass, this time from the South side. There are already plenty of spectators along the road, waiting for the Tour de Suisse. I have to hurry up to make it to the top (I almost died, really) before the first rider arrives. The racers are fast as usual. Konychev about to win the Tremola stage Racing up the cobblestones of the Tremola Oise Ösi Alex Zülle fait la grimace The long downhill back to Göschenen is fun, especially since I brought enough clothing to actually be warm. Back on the train I'm so tired that I sit in one of these old second world war style railway cars, not realizing that the nice new air conditioned ones are just back in the other direction. Like a beginner.