Video From My First Day In Luzern, Switzerland
January 2, 2009 by Darren Alff
Yesterday was my first full day in Luzern, Switzerland. It was also the first day of 2009.
After a 12-hour plane ride and the trip from the Zurich airport to my apartment in Luzern, I was pretty tired, so I left the bike unpacked and decided to explore the city on foot. I didn’t go far, but I managed to see and experience quite a bit of the city.
To see some video from my first day in Luzern, Switzerland, just click play below:
Nice video. You must be used to cycling in the snow,Being from Utah . Me, i am from San Diego, CA, and really admine people who know how to cycle in cold weather.
I would like to see a map of sorts, following your progress in Europe.
Tony
I’ll be discussing my route through Europe in a future article/video. I’ll probably have it up in the next week or so. So be sure to check that out once it’s posted. This trip is going to be significantly different from the bike tours I’ve done in the past.
Darren… I never told you this, but you truly are my inspiration.
Wow! That really looks cool there! Please keep sending more videos so we can live vicariously through you! Have a great time!
Do you plan on studying a foreign language while you are on the trip? German?
I hope to learn German while I’m here, but I’m not taking classes or anything. I took years of language courses while in high school and college and never learned a thing. I personally learn so much more (and faster) by doing things my own way. I’ve already learned more than I learned in 5+ years of formal education just by being here and studying on my own.
Hi. Looks Great. One of the only long bike rides I did over there was around the Brienzer See in Interlaken close to where you are. It is really cool an the water is so blue. I cant Wait to so more pics. Have a great trip. If you would like any suggestions about any think just ask. Albert Einstein’s house in Bern is really neat. Is where he finalized e=mc2. Peace
Haven’t heard anything for a few days. How’s the riding in Luzern this time of year?
Rick, I’m doing okay. I got sick this past weekend however and it knocked me out for a couple days. (I hardly ever get sick, so this is really strange for me. I think the holidays, cold weather, the lack of sleep and food, and me just pushing myself during those first few days just all added up and knocked me out.)
Anyway, I’m totally better now and just starting to venture out past the city boundaries. This place really is amazing! And really cold!
I see all these other people riding bikes around and none of them look too cold. I, on the other hand, feel like my face is about to thaw over. I always come back to my apartment and my face is bright red.
It looks to me however that most of these people are just riding a mile or two and then going back home, to work, to school, etc. I, on the other hand, am spending hours outside on the bike. So it gets cold. But as you know. Once you get going you warm yourself up quite a bit. But the hands and face are always the first things to thaw over and go red. The same thing when I go skiing – now that I think about it.
I’ll have to post some pictures soon. I’m working on a couple articles/videos that I’ll be posting in the coming weeks as well.
And I’m busy with work. I’ve got about a dozen different clients I am working with all over the world, so managing work with play is certainly something I’m trying to figure out on this trip. Very interesting… but also a whole lot of fun.
Bad luck with getting sick! There’s a lot going around in the US right now. Hopefully this will be your only illness on the trip. Being sick with only a tent to sleep in is terrible!
Bummer. Getting sick and having to deal with temperatures 10-15 degrees fahrenheit below average is no fun. So here’s your chance to learn some German and find the local bike club for info. on best routes once the weather breaks.
Joshua, luckily I’m not yet in my tent. I am inside an apartment for a while, so I don’t have to deal with the cold outside all the time.
I’m pretty much over the illness now. Now I just have a bit of a runny nose. No big deal.
I went on a good ride today around one of the smaller lakes near Luzern. Really beautiful. And there were quite a few people out running, walking their dogs, biking, etc. Temperature: about 25 F.
So, which bike are you riding…panniers or trailer, etc.? How long to you expect to be in Europe. BTW, thanks for the terrific link to worldriders2.com….an amazing journal. Scored a used NWT Friday a few days ago… Good Luck Jack
Jack, I have my Bike Friday New World Tourist folding bicycle with me and I’m using a set of Ortlieb panniers. For those who want more information on these products, I will go into more detail on these items in a future post.
And Jack, I’m glad you enjoyed the WorldRiders2 website. They sure did go on one heck of a journey.
[...] to strike up a conversation with the pair using a few of the words and phrases I picked up from my time in Switzerland, Germany and Austria earlier this [...]
[...] Video From My First Day In Luzern, Switzerland [...]
Thats very nice ! New years day when everybody’s sleeping and the city ,all just for you !
I admire your alternative lifestyle, very of out of the mainstream .
I like the job you have done and you are doing for this website. I enjoy it so much !
Keep going on as you are doing !
I think that he world would be a lot better if there where more persons that think like you, …really ..