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Before and after biking the Saleve

Preparing to bike up the Saleve in my own custom bike

Geneva, Switzerland – Four plus years I have been looking Eastward in the morning and evening, imagining the exhilaration of climbing the Saleve (in neighboring France) on my bike.

It has been both an unmet challenge, and a source of disdain when cycle friends tell me “you should really try the Jura, now that’s a ride!”

But the truth is, I hadn’t mastered any climbs in Switzerland on two wheels, until last weekend.

The Saleve is a realistic challenge for those getting back into cycling. It hurts, but not so much that you won’t go back for more.

The worst by far was the last two kilometers which seemed interminable – right about when your legs start cramping up.

I pedaled the last stretch on my left leg as I stretched out my aching right limb.

And the view!

View from the Saleve after biking up for the first time

There is nothing better than resting on your laurels after a good climb and the vista from the lookout below the tower is always a joy, the more so when you have earned it!

I have to say the descent was a bit disappointing, not the least of which because I failed to find the track dedicated to mountain bikers and ended up climbing most of the way down the steep path leading to Monetier, and then down the defunct train path, to Veyrier.

Mostly technical and straight down, I highly recommend getting a good map of the mountain and finding the bike path.

For those of you like me without a downhill bike, the descent can be a bit daunting, and you may want to consider the paved route down the backside, or making the extra 2k trek across the spine to Cruseilles where you can make a suicide run down the switchbacks to Le Coin.

Update: I climbed the front part, read here how it went

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