After a long and rough day on the trail the previous day we both woke up feeling pretty good. I was actually extremely pleased at how good I felt. I guess hiking all those uphill training miles was already starting to pay off. One of the nicest things about our accommodations was that they provided dinner and breakfast. When you are exhausted it is so nice to have that decision made for you. This morning at breakfast we ate with two ladies from Denmark. They both spoke amazing English and it was so fun to learn what life is like for them. One of my favorite things about this trip was the opportunity to meet and talk to people from all over the world. I should not have been surprised by this but I hadn't anticipated it. After breakfast we picked up some fruit for lunch and started hiking.
Day 2 was a gorgeous hike through lots of farmland in Switzerland. We saw lots of people but even more cows. The first two days of our trek we shared the trails with people hiking the tour de Mt. Blanc and so the trails were much more crowded. It was fun to see so many others out enjoying this beautiful world. There were also quite a few crazy mountain bikers.
Starting the day off with smiles!!!
The views were gorgeous. These mountains were not as high as in elevation but the hills were so beautiful.
My lovely pack on it's first ever trip. It was a great purchase. The guide book that was a life saver. It was my trail bible. In my hands the entire time I hiked. Never hike the Haute Route without this book.
The flowers!
The hills!
It was fun to see the little cities we would never get to visit from way up above.
Beautiful meadows!
Switzerland is a gorgeous place. The ladies from Denmark were hiking the tour de Mt. Blanc. On that hike you go around the huge mountain while visiting France, Italy and Switzerland. They mentioned at breakfast that they wished they had more time in Switzerland because they enjoyed the views there the most. I couldn't agree more.
The cows in Switzerland all have huge bells around their necks. It is crazy. They make so much noise. It's almost as if they are singing to you as you hike in their valley.
I know this is a picture overload but it was such a beautiful day and I want all these in my blog book.
We stopped at the Alp Bovine and got a little snack. They have all their food helicoptered in all summer and feed the hikers. It was a nice place to rest and refuel. I thought I had a picture but I couldn't find it.
Finally we entered the little ski town of Chapex. We were greeted with beautiful mountain views and a lake.
Everytime we got to our destination we just really hoped our hotel was not too far away. There was a cute little bike on display....it must be a cool town!
The view from our hotel was great. Grass tennis courts were abundant all throughout Switzerland.
The dinners were always so nice. Usually 3-4 courses. The food presentation was always so impressive. We learned that in this part of Switzerland dinner is an all night affair. Most people spend a lot of time sipping wine and enjoying lots of food. Very different from what I am used to.
One of my favorite activities was to go walk through the towns each night after dinner. I was not made to sit in a hotel room for very long. I usually got to the hotel and showered, took a short nap, had dinner, and then went out to explore until dark. Every night ended with me reading and re-reading the trail book for the following day.
Chapmex was a charming little place. I can only imagine how amazing it is in the winter.
Skiing is a big deal in Switzerland. Most of the places we stayed are much busier in the winter.
Really enjoyed this little lake.
This was a great hiking day for us. There were two routes available and we took the less steep route. After talking to other hikers I was so glad we did. It made sense for us and we didn't lose any miles. Alp Bovine was a fun little stop. This was an 8.5 mile day. We also didn't go over any Col's, the equivalent of a mountain saddle, so it wasn't crazy steep. Still lots of up and down but a shorter day and we got to town early. After a long day one this day gave us hope that we were maybe going to be ok.
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