Eastern Swiss Lakes

† Explanation of BAC Ride Fee – This fee is not included in the Estimated Cost and is non-refundable once submitted. The Ride Fee for US and Canada is $85 and $100 for all other countries, both are per participant.

Ride Description

OVERVIEW
This tour was most recently led in June, 2014 and had excellent reviews.  This new tour will begin on June 3, 2017 in Dubendorf, Switzerland (a Zurich suburb), and ends on June 17, 2014 in Dubendorf. The trip follows rivers and lakes riding from Zurichsee to the Rhine River before exploring Bodensee. We briefly touch Lichtenstein before heading back to Switzerland along Obersee, Walensee and Zurichsee before a short climb to the shores of Zugersee. Finally we head towards Vierwaldstattersee before heading back to Zurichsee. 

The ride takes us from Zurich to Bodensee (Lake Constance, the largest lake in the German-speaking world) through Winterthur, and the medieval towns of Schaffhausen and Stein am Rhein. Riding around Bodensee we visit Swiss towns, as well as the German towns of Konstanz, Friedrichshafen and Lindau, and Bregenz, Austria. We ride through Liechtenstein on our way to tour small Swiss towns along Zurichsee, Walensee, Zugersee and Vierwaldstattersee (Lake of Lucerne). We also visit the charming but lesser known Swiss rose town of Rapperswil-Jona, the beautiful town of Zug and small holiday resort of Weggis and, of course, Lucerne. Terrain is mostly lake shore and rolling hills with very limited climbing. We stay in 5 towns for two nights, so we can cycle, hike or boat to interesting sights around each town. We ride on lightly traveled country roads and paved and unpaved cycle paths, with minimal distances on city streets and busy roads. Participants must be comfortable using maps with route sheets and following bike path signs. GPS tracks are available for all routes.

Highlights include optional ferry rides across Bodensee, Vierwaldstattersee and Zurichsee; optional cable car and rack rail train rides; hiking in the Alps; the Rheinfall, the largest volume waterfall in Europe; small medieval towns with painted Baroque house facades including Stein am Rhine, which is among the best preserved medieval towns in the German-speaking world; Rapperswil-Jona's wooden bridge, the longest in Switzerland; and Weggis, which is the ‘Riviera’ of central Switzerland. 

RIDE RATING
The ride is rated 1B with an average daily distance of 35.1 miles and average elevation gain of 947 feet. There is 1 day with altitude gain that exceeds the 1 rating with 1936 feet of climbing over 37 miles and it is indicated below with an asterisk (*). There is no riding required on day 3 in Konstanz, day 10 in Weggis and day 12 in Rapperswil as we are in those towns 2 nights. All route distances and elevations below come from actual data collected with 2 Garmin 800s on the June 2014 tour. 

Day 1 Dubendorf to Schaffhausen - 30 miles and 941 feet of climbing
Day 2 Schaffhausen to Konstanz - 41 miles and 974 feet of climbing
Day 4 Konstanz to Bregenz - 44 miles and 443 feet of elevation gain
Day 6 Bregenz to Treisen - 39 miles and 597 feet of elevation gain
Day 7 Treisen to Weesen - 32 miles and 594 feet of elevation gain
Day 8 Weesen to Zug - 40 miles and 1414 feet of elevation gain
Day 9 Zug to Weggis - 32 miles and 856 feet of elevation gain
Day 11 Weggis to Rapperswil - 37 miles and 1936 feet of elevation gain*
Day 13 Rapperswil to Dubendorf - 21 miles and 764 feet of elevation gain

WEATHER
The temperatures average from the low 40s at night to daytime temperatures reaching the low 80s inland and low 50s to low 70s along the lakes. (Zurich 40 to 82, Konstanz 51 to 71, Bregenz 51 to 71).  Average rainfall during this period is about 2 inches. Be prepared for all kinds of weather.

LODGING & MEALS
The accommodations are five 3-star hotels and four 4-star hotels. There will be four 2-night stays during the trip. We have overnights in Dubendorf (Zurich), Schaffhausen, Konstanz (Germany, 2 nights), Bregenz (Austria, 2 nights), Treisen (Liechtenstein), Weesen, Zug, Weggis and Rapperswil (2 nights). 

Group dinners: In order to provide you with some choice we ask hotels to serve two main dishes to each couple. If you receive one dish and prefer the other, you may trade with others. Very few hotels allow a group to order off the menu and some insist on serving only one main dish. Participants may not wear jeans, shorts or t-shirts to group dinners.

LOGISTICS
The trip starts at 6:00 PM on June 3 in Dubendorf, Switzerland and ends after breakfast on June 17 in Dubendorf, Switzerland. Bike boxes will be stored at our hotel in Dubendorf. Dubendorf is located on the tram line between Zurich Airport (ZRH) and downtown Zurich. Detailed instructions will be provided.

COST & ADMINISTRATION
The cost estimate of $2500 posted above is per person, double occupancy and based on 1 Euro = $1.20 US and 1 Swiss Franc = $1.10 US. The actual cost of the trip may change with currency exchange rate fluctuations. The cost will include 14 nights lodging, 14 breakfasts, 9 dinners, luggage transfer, daily route review and local sightseeing information. Tickets for boats, cable cars and sight seeing are not included in the cost. Electronic versions of maps and route sheets will be sent, and participants are expected to print their own copies of them. GPS tracks will be provided for those who want them, but it is up to the rider to know how to use his or her GPS before the trip begins. The initial deposit $1000 does not include the $100 BAC registration fee.  Additional payments of $750 each are due on August 1 and November 1, 2016. We will have a van driver whose primary role will be to transport luggage and supplies. While the van will be available to assist with any emergencies, it will not serve as as sag vehicle and participants are expected to complete each required ride day. 

SINGLES & SOLOS POLICY
Singles are welcome and encouraged to find compatible roommates and/or riding partners. The Ride Directors will introduce and assist singles to find roommates, but singles must make their own rooming decision. We do not take solos due to room limitations.

CANCELLATION POLICY
The BAC ride registration fee of $100 for this tour is not refundable unless the entire tour is cancelled.  Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped.  The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations.  If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time.  If the canceling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed.  If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the cancelling roommate may also be liable for the single supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour.  BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance.

RIDE PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITY
Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from Ride Leader. While on the ride, support your Ride Leader with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and clean-up. Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the Ride Leader informed of any special request you may have and respect the Ride Leader’s decisions.

SIGN-UP
To submit a request to join this ride use the "links" displayed above this Ride Description. When you are accepted, the Ride Leader will move you from the Waitlist to the Pending List. At this time you will receive an email notification to login to the BAC website to sign the release of liability form and pay the non-refundable BAC ride registration fee online. Once those steps have been completed, the initial deposit of $1000 will be due. To contact the Ride Leader, "click" the name at the top of this Ride Description