A Weekend of Hiking and Cycling in the Jura

This weekend I cycled and I hiked. The bike ride was up to the Combe Blanche, and the hike was from Vallorbe to Croy-Romainmôtier.

The Col de la Combe Climb

For the bike ride we rode from Nyon heading towards Crans before heading up to La Rippe, and from La Rippe we went along for a bit before heading up the Col De La Combe Blanche. it's a 13 kilometre climb with around 1300m of climbing. The climb isn't as steep as La Baudichonne and La Barillette. It is a sustained effort.

Once at the top we headed towards Mijoux before turning right and heading towards the Golf de la Valserine before continuing from La Cure to St Cergue, and from St Cergue to Arzier, and from there back down to Nyon. In total we had 1600m of climbing.

I was tired by the end of the climb to Combe Blanche but continued with the group. When another person slowed, I slowed down to, not to leave a person in solitude.

I could have slowed down during the climb for these people but two weeks ago when I slowed, I was then the slowest and eventually I was left behind. It makes sense to slow down once the main climb is over.

The Constant Noise of Motorbikes

During this climb I was alone for quite a large part of the climb. During this time I could listen to the sounds of nature, of leaves falling, of my breathing, of people every so often. What I could hear for almost the entire journey was motorbikes. These motorbikes weren't on the same road. They were either going up a nearby road or they were down in the valley.

I look forward to the day when petrol motorbikes are no longer sold. A decade or two ago, motorbike joyrides made sense. Back then we had a different attitude to noise pollution, to environmental pollutions and to joy riding. Today, to ride a motorbike up and down mountain roads is quaint and old fashioned. It's reflective of another era when we worried less about our carbon footprint.

I much prefer cycling culture. We go up and down the same cols but we invest in our physical fitness and stamina. The more effort we put in, the more pleasure we get from climbing, and descending.

It's unusual that I couldn't hear the sound of cars, or other sounds of civilisation.

From Vallorbe to Croy-Romainmôtier

When people organise walks from Vallorbe, Le Pont, and other places they often look for the cols and the peaks as destinations. Yesterday the route was different. It was from Vallorbe to Romainmôtier via the col that seperates the two.

The walk takes you from the train station to the Orbe river before heading up into the trees. From there you head towards the top of a climb, but not a col or a peak, before turning left and heading along a road with a good view. After this you walk along a road, back into the trees. You walk along another river.

This summer we have barely had rain. It has rained, and there is no water scarcity and water restrictions but if you look at rivers they are almost dry, if not completely dry. Some of the photos I took are of dry river beds. I took photos standing in the riverbed, without worrying about getting wet.

Speaking of drought, I also noticed that the Orbe river was green in tint, but so clear I could count fish while waiting for some people. I counted two or three. If small streams are dry, then no sediment gets to larger rivers, and that reduced flow results in clear rivers.

Romainmôtier has an old abbey with connections to Cluny. There was an interesting ARTE documentary about Cluny, with a focus about Romainmôtier around 20 minutes in. It has a nice organ and interesting paintings on the walls within.

There is a second, smaller organ in a room above the entrance where people can practice playing an organ in a smaller space.

And Finally

Before this weekend I was worried about cancelling the Moléson Via Ferrata Illuminée event but yesterday evening, at the end of the weekend I thought that I had made the right decision. It would have been a shame to miss a nice bike ride on Saturday, and a nice hike on Sunday. I could have been loyal to strangers but I think I might not have enjoyed my weekend so much.