we were on the way to Husseren – which is the highest village in the wine trail of Alsace and we thought we could ride there!!!
And we did try. We walked 10 metres, stopped and had a drink, walked 9 metres, stopped and had a drink.
Maybe you need a different picture – this is a beautiful long slow hill climb leading up to our B & B acccommodation in Husseren. There are vineyards as far as the eye can see on both sides of the long winding road and there is no shade and the air temperature was at least 39 degrees.
And those who know me, possibly also know that I do not handle heat at all well.
So we walked 8 metres, had a drink.
we are pushing heavy city bikes, with 2 full bike bags each.
So we walked 7 metres had a drink – all the while I am sweating rivers, and beginning to get a headache
we walked 6 metres, had a drink, poured water over my head.
we walked 4 metres – had a drink, poured water over my head.
we walked a couple of feet – had a drink.
I stopped, can’t do this, sat down, then lay down and waited to go to sleep – apparently 300 metres from the village – but who gives a damn.
Best Beloved is deciding on whether or not to call an ambulance.
And then along came a wonderful frenchman and loaded me and my bike, and our bags into his car and drove to the B & B in the village with me soaking his car seat with all the remaining water in my body or so it seemed; I think; as I can’t really remember.
Somewhere on the journey the full functioning cold fan in the car seemed to do the trick and I was able to wipe the sweat from my brow with my hat and say thank you, I think I did anyway, I certainly thought it.
At the B & B he deposited me on the drive and went back to get my Best Beloved who was still climbing the hill.
Things continued to get much better after a long long cool shower and lots of water and sleep.
Why did we do this?
Well, when we chose it we must have been asleep because we did not realise that the change from the Rhine plains to Vosges would include such a long hill climb and directly into the hot hot sun. We didn’t actually start the climb till after 6pm so didn’t imagine how bad it could be.
We had 3 nights in Husseren and it is as beautiful as you could expect.
If you ever take the Alsace wine trail road and by bicycle only climb to Husseren in the morning or after the sun has set or else you too could suffer heat stroke.
Tags: Bike Rides, Colmar, Eguisheim, heat stroke, Husseren
