Follow your train with Google Maps.

I really like this thing.

www.swisstrains.ch

Just enter a Swiss station in the search field, then watch the trains come and go.

For an extra special treat; click on a moving train, then click the button "Follow" in the unfolding menu. This will show you the moving train via satellite images.

Note: This program does not show trains in real time. The program matches the Swiss rail schedule to the clock on your computer.

Just for fun, type in Jungfraujoch then switch to satellite view. Welcome to the top of the world! A person could spend hours following their tour itinerary with this program.

Jump into the driver’s seat.

These opportunities don’t come along very often.

Grab your friends, get your gear, and register for your very own private guided hiking tour. We have an available slot from July 1-8, 2008.

Private guided tours offer an opportunity to jump into the driver’s seat and design one of the greatest experiences of a lifetime for you and your group. You control the itinerary from the planning stages all the way to the celebratory dinner on the final night of the tour. Our trained guides handle the dirty work and tailor each day’s itinerary based on the flexible needs and desires of your group. You can literally climb a peak, summer ski, taste wine, sightsee, or even take a rest day if the weather looks bad. If you just want to keep hiking then we can do that too.

At a glance: A few highlights of a private hiking tour.

* Your own private guide(s)

* World class hikes, scenery, accommodations, and food.

* The opportunity to design a custom itinerary that reflects the special interests of the group.

* A flexible itinerary that changes continually throughout a day or week depending on the desires of the group members. Just tell us what you’d like to see and do at any time, then sit back and marvel when the guides work their Ryder-Walker magic.

* The ability to choose your own pace.

*The perfect way to commemorate milestones in life, including anniversaries, birthdays, reunions, and corporate retreats.

*Great looking guides.

Our private slots fill quickly so please contact Ryder Walker if you’d like to organize the hiking tour of a lifetime. Toll free in the U.S: 888-586-8365 or 970-728-6481.

Photo: Glacier Express, copywright swissimage/ch/Robert Boesch

Two thumbs-up for the Merrell Radius low-cut.

I mentioned in recent posts that spring is the perfect time to reorganize your gear for summer. It’s also a great time to break in new footwear. I’ve used many different styles throughout the years from trail runners to heavy hiking boots, and right now I’m using a mid-weight hiking shoe by Merrell called the Radius. Merrell makes two versions of the Radius, a mid height shoe and a low cut version. I have the low cut version and I love it. You might love it too. The Radius is a simple shoe but it has some nice features.

Comfort: Supple but supportive and water resistant nubuck leather uppers conform to the foot. Leather bellows tongues provide a superior fit and allow ventilation. Narrow webbing lacing eyelets offer firm instep security

Durability:
Leather construction with a protective rubber toe bumper on the front of the shoe. Aggressive Vibram® Multi-Grip™ outsoles with sticky rubber and deep 5mm lugs for stability, traction and long wear.

Full waterproof construction: Waterproof laminates and polyester linings offer waterproof protection and disperse moisture quickly; taped seams and stitching add protection

Support:
Molded nylon arch shanks supply torsional stability on uneven terrain.

A fair price:
Suggested Retail: $90.00

My impressions.

I’ve been very pleased with the Merrell Radius so far. I’ve used this shoe to hike from Courmayeur to Saas Fee and from Bolzano to Cortina. I’ve hiked the desert and I’ve hiked the San Juans. I’ve negotiated trails in snow, sleet, rain and sun. The Radius carried me across abrasive sandstone and through lofty alpine meadows and they still look relatively new. I’ve even worn them to the neighborhood pub. After a year of heavy use, my reaction is two thumbs-up, which says a lot considering that I continually ask this shoe to do everything.

If I were to list the pros and cons then they would look like this.

Pros:
1. Great all around shoe.
2. Excellent comfort.
3. Waterproof. (I tested this one during many days of rain and my feet stayed toasty and dry).
4. Lighter than a hiking boot.
5. Narrow heel. (This is great for me).
6. Durable. My shoe still looks and feels great after many miles on the trail.

Cons:
1. People with weak ankles or heavier loads should consider the mid-height model.
2. Heavier than a trail runner. The average weight is 2 pounds per pair, (based on a Men's 9).
3. A bit hot in warm environments.
4. Wimpy insole. While the stock insole is much better than most, I always recommend using something more supportive like a custom insole. Superfeet offers a nice moderately priced alternative.
5. I lost a lug! What's up Vibram?

Short Summary:

I recommend the Radius low-cut for someone who likes to put in long hiking days with little more than a day pack. While the Radius doesn't really excel at any one thing, it performs admirably at everything. A heavier hiker though, or a backpacker with heavy loads, would probably prefer the mid-height option or a more beefy hiking boot. Still, if you're looking for a comfortable, durable, waterproof and lightweight hiking shoe that will last a long time, then consider giving the Radius a try. Hikers with narrow heels will be especially pleased.

Red Rock Closed! Just a few spots left on the Dolomites.

Registration for the Red Rock Tour is now closed. Please contact us immediately if you still plan to join this trip.

We are still looking for a few good hikers to join our Italian Dolomites Trek. This fantastic hike explores the most stunning regions of northern Italy and departs on June 16 from the small mountain hamlet of Vols am Schlern. The tour finishes in the lovely resort town of Cortina on June 23rd. All of the accommodations are first class and the level of challenge is a nice mix of perfect. Please visit our website for more details.

Spring cleaning.

Did you know that Switzerland boasts more than 60,000 kilometers of hiking trails? That’s the equivalent of more than 37,000 miles of cross-country goodness. A person would have to through-hike the Appalachian Trail 17 times to rack up that kind of mileage.

Here’s another perspective. A person could walk around the entire circumference of the Earth at the equator and they would still only cover around 25,000 miles. This means that they would have to walk half way around the world again in order to bring their total up to Switzerland’s 37,000 miles. I think the stats are pretty impressive for a country that could settle down inside the borders of a state like Pennsylvania and still have plenty of room to spare. (Switzerland’s surface area is about 41,000 square kilometers compared to Pennsylvania’s 119,000). Switzerland is a small country that’s BIG on hiking.

Thinking about all of that hiking gets me excited so this morning I made a checklist of a few things that I like to do to every spring in order to get my hiking gear ready for the summer season.

1. Test the rain gear. Most rainwear features some kind of water repellant finish on the exterior commonly referred to as a DWR, (Durable Water Repellant). The DWR allows water droplets to bead up and roll off the garment. This action keeps the underlying fabric dry and allows the technical laminates like GoreTex to do their job more efficiently. The DWR can lose performance or even just wear off over time, especially following multiple machine washes or a history of downpours. Test the rain gear for leaks and reapply the DWR if the water just saturates the fabric instead of beading up and rolling away. Your local outdoor shop should carry a variety of easy-to-apply water repellant finishes.

2. Take your old footwear for a walk or buy new shoes and break them in. Are your shoes or boots still comfortable? Consider replacing the insoles. New insoles, especially custom insoles, make an old pair of hiking boots feel like brand new. Consider re-treating the water repellancy on your footwear as well. Spring is the time to break in your system to prevent blisters during your hiking vacation.

3. Inventory your socks. Do they have holes? How is that area around the heel and ball of your foot holding up? Do you have enough pairs?

4. Examine your gear for signs of wear. Look for worn or ripped seams and abraded fabric. Examine the zippers. This goes for backpacks too. Look at the area where the shoulder strap connects to the bag. Make sure that all the seams look tight and repair any problems. Try things on. Do they still fit? Do they still feel comfortable? Are they clean?

5. Make a gear wish list and then go researching. Summer gear inventories are large during this time of year so it’s a great opportunity to shop around and to see what’s new. Look through previous journal entries to remember things that worked and things that didn’t. Do you remember how your knees felt during last year’s long descents? Did you wish that you had trekking poles? You can look at our equipment list and get more ideas by clicking here.

Vacations don’t come along every day so you might as well make a production out of the whole affair. I find that it helps to prolong the excitement. So put on your gear, stash a few pieces of Swiss chocolate in your pocket, and tell the kids that you’re going for a walk. Take a walk in the rain. Go out in the sun. Beg for wind. Look for mud. Work out the kinks in your system before you go on vacation. Spring is a great time to do it.

No Surprises.

A gentleman once pulled me aside and asked, “Will you give me money back on my tour if the dollar gains value against other currencies?”

I responded, “Only if I can charge you more when it loses.”

It’s no secret that the U.S. Dollar and its relationship to other currencies continue to weigh heavily on those of us that work in the travel industry. The short story is that it’s getting more expensive for U.S. citizens to travel abroad. There is some good news though.

First, we won’t surprise you with an adjusted invoice a few months after you register for you tour. If you sign up for a tour at $1200 then that’s what you’ll get unless we make some special arrangement. In the rare case that there is some special agreement that includes a currency supplement, you’ll know about it in advance during the planning process. We sometimes do this with groups that demand a lot of flexibility and cannot always commit to an established package until closer to tour departure.

Quite simply, we will never surprise you down the road. What you sign up for is what you get. We’ll stick by it because we value loyalty. In fact, here’s an inside tip. Given the current exchange situation, the guided Engadine Trek is a real steal.

Second, our tours are becoming increasingly attractive to our guests from outside of the United States. See my post from April 18th 2007 titled, “UK Travelers get a hiking tour for half price!” Canadians, Brits, Australians, Europeans and even the Swiss benefit as their currencies become increasingly stronger against the U.S. Dollar.

Finally, (here comes the fluff): We are experts at putting together customized tours. Our planning department is in full swing and we love developing itineraries that meet your particular needs and concerns. Do you want to hike the Alps but can’t afford the luxury four-star accommodations? How about a visit to a simpler, yet uber comfortable berghaus? Many of them have private rooms, hot showers, well-stocked bars and great food. Check out my post from October 8 for a brief glimpse of one of our simpler “huts.” What’ if you’re looking to visit the U.S? Now is a great time to do it. Our Telluride Trek is sold out but we still have space on the Red Rock Tour.

Side Note: I just checked the weather for the canyon country and next week’s forecast promises sunny skies and 70 degrees.

Just give us a call. We’ll put something together that works around your budget.

One pass to rule them all.

If J.R.R. Tolkien’s One Ring represented all that is evil and dark in the world, then the Swiss Pass symbolizes light, and all that can be great with civilization.

It is difficult for a person living in a country that lacks good public transportation to understand the Swiss Travel System. Some people just don’t believe it until they touch down in Switzerland and experience it for themselves. Public transportation in Switzerland is timely, safe, clean, convenient, comfortable and extremely easy to use. Trains are a major component of the Swiss Travel System but boats, busses, funiculars, trams and cable cars also transport millions of people every day within Switzerland.

As if Switzerland’s travel network weren’t efficient enough, visitors to Switzerland have the opportunity to use one single pass that works for the entire Swiss Travel System, including lake steamers, trains, busses and some cable cars.

The Swiss Pass entitles visitors to unlimited travel on consecutive days throughout the STS network and is available in 4, 8, 15, 22-day or one month configurations.

The Swiss pass also covers scenic routes and local trams and buses in 37 towns and cities and offers a 50% reduction on most mountaintop trains and cable cars. The Swiss Pass also includes the Swiss Museum Pass, allowing free entrance to over 400 museums and exhibitions within Switzerland.

The Swiss Saver Pass is the same as the Swiss Pass but offers discounts for multiple people traveling together. The Swiss Flexi-Pass is also the same as the Swiss Pass but allows the traveler to choose their own dates. The travel days don’t have to be consecutive.

Advantages at a glance:

* Unlimited travel throughout the rail, bus and boat Swiss Travel network.

* Covers local trams and buses in 37 cities. This means that you can just hop onto the streetcars or busses in downtown Zurich Geneva or Bern.

* 50% reduction on most mountaintop trains and cable cars. Some private railways like the Jungfraujoch and Glacier Express will differ in price reductions.

* Free entrance to over 400 museums.

* Children from 6 to 15 years inclusive travel free with a Family Card if accompanied by at least one parent.

Some of our tours include a Swiss Card. The Swiss Card works on the entire STS network and gives our participants one round-trip within a one-month period within Switzerland. The card is perfect for participants that just want to get to and from their tour with minimal transportation in between. For additional transport, the Swiss Card offers unlimited purchase of train, bus, boat and some cable car tickets at 50% off the regular price within the Swiss Card’s 30 day period of validity.

If you plan to stay in Switzerland and do some traveling then please give us a call. We are happy to find the perfect pass for your vacation. We can upgrade your Swiss Card or help you purchase an entirely different pass altogether. If you’re looking to save money during your travels in Switzerland then these passes are the ticket, literally!

What could be more perfect that an all-in-one ticket?

Please contact us for more details.

STS products are not available to residents of Switzerland or the Principality of Liechtenstein.