An annual cycle

Everyone deserves a second chance? So, today was Switzerland’s.

Dr Google had identified Oberalppass on the map (source of the Rhine and my starting point) and suggested, yes, there was a train option. Excellent. The only potential fly in the ointment was how well Swiss Rail would accommodate my sturdy steed? A trip to the train station to enquire seemed prudent.

I maintained a brave face to the trilingual greeting from the nice Swiss Rail lady and explained my plans. Her brow furrowed as she rattled her keyboard. More furrows. Clearly, this was Honours Swiss Rail territory. “I must consult my Supervisor” she explained, and was gone.

Back in minutes, she announced an elongated “Jaaaaah!” (something told me this was going to be complicated). 3 separate trains. No guarantee about the bike. Tight transfers. Deep breaths. “I’ll be okay, won’t I?” (with a crooked Harrison Ford smile). Swiss efficiency retained a poker face.

So off I pedalled this morning to catch the 0806 train on platform 6. A plush carriage presented (with the bike icon on the door, just as promised) and I was away. This was a serious piece of locomotion – think DART on steroids (or, perhaps, some more potent powder). The only problem was that my first transfer point wasn’t on the screen. . . .

A nice train conductor explained I would have to get off at Erstfeld and take another train (the front half, it turned out) to Groshenen. So far so good.

The transfer to the next train allowed only one minute – but it worked flawlessly. This train was a different proposition altogether. It felt like a reupholstered version of a Wild West job – and about as old. Off we went and in less than a minute we were ascending a serious gradient. The train groaned with the effort, making various clanking noises. Alarmingly, it started to slow down, the strain of the ascent clearly evident. Gradually it slowed to a complete stop. And then seemed to shudder backwards as if the brakes weren’t quite up to the job. Images from Wild West films of runaway trains began to appear in my hyperactive imagination. And Tom Cruise’s escapades in his latest movie didn’t help (the vertical carriage scene).

It was then I spotted the Dead Man’s Brake. I never did like that term.

A train appeared at the window headed in the opposite direction and I realised we were on a short section of dual track to accommodate the otherwise single track on the route. We lurched forward and completed our journey without incident.

Andermatt boasted a Radisson Hotel (ski territory) and a much fancier train (The `Glacier Express’, no less) that completed the journey to Oberalppass. Job Done.

Switzerland 1 – Bob 1

Switzerland’s reputation restored.

And off we go – the official start to this grand adventure.

At a time when AI is making such progress, many ask me (a la Bob Geldof) “Is that it?” and (pitching the real concern) “Am I redundant?”

No. And No (maybe).

Another Dublin Zurich connection sparked this reflection – but more about that in a moment.

But first, spare a thought for the humble bean counters (that’s all of us, by the way – and more recently (and perjoratively) we accountants).

So far as we can establish, no other species on the planet has figured how to conceptualise numbers. Yes, some species demonstrate an awareness of greater or lesser quantity, but none can demonstrate an appreciation of the the edifice of numbers we humans have constructed. Consider the progression in thinking:

From a collection of tally marks to a symbol indicating a specific quantity – think “6”

To including the concept of Zero (a huge jump)

To figuring ‘positional placement’ – 24 means 2 tens and 4 units etc (remember that stuff all those years ago?)

To Negative numbers

To Complex Numbers (a + ib, where i is the square root of -1 – I know, what figment was that??)

To Quaternions . . . . Qua-wha’?

Well, another figment of the imagination – conjured up along the banks of the Royal Canal in the mid 1840s (by Sir William Rowan Hamilton, who, later, spent much time in the University of Zurich – ah, so that’s the connection?)

Here’s the heavy bit: a quaternion is used to represent points in 3D space , using the form a + bi + cj + dk, where i squared plus j squared plus I squared = -1

Who cares?

Actually, you do (over 175 years later!)

Because this type of number system is used in computerised graphics, robotics, animation, aviation, molecular research (think COVID vaccine), virtual reality, gaming, medical research, navigation – the list goes on . . . thank you Sir William!

Oh – and another numbers figment (matrix mathematics) is key to machine learning ( a branch of AI)

Would an AI ever have come up with any of this? Hard to know. But in the meantime, we need to keep generating our personal figments of imagination. Who knows what each one of use can contribute in our chosen field?

In the meantime (to answer the original question) one thing is for sure – those making effective use of AI WILL take the jobs of those who ignore it.

I should have known the Universe was out to teach me a lesson? It started on the descent to Zurich. Lulling me into a false sense of security. Of order. Those majestic Alps. That densely green forest surrounding perfect pasture. Beautiful hamlets, with manicured lawns, set out with geometric perfection. It was going to be a perfect holiday?

Arriving in the baggage hall, the first tell tale sign announced itself (albeit in perfect German, English and French): “We apologise “(I could almost see the blush of embarrassment), “passengers with oversize baggage should not go to Bay 28 as it has broken down”. A pause. (Perhaps a desperate loosening of the collar?) “Instead, you should proceed to Bay 30 where your luggage will be waiting”.

My confidence restored (imagine, 2 bays further?), I ambled to Bay 30. All quiet. No worries, the oversize stuff takes a little time, I told myself.

Twenty minutes later, I found myself struggling to suppress the memories of my last trip to this part of the world (my Danube cycle in 2018). In short: my bike never left Dublin when I did and it took 4 days to get it delivered – and, with a bent frame.

A uniformed Young Man appeared and reassured me all oversize baggage would be delivered at Bay 30. Ja. (“Yeah, right – Vorsprung durch technik” my doubting mind replied.)

Another 25 minutes waiting. And I remember Sam Beckett (of Foxrock and Zurich fame). Waiting.

Young Man passes by me again and I swear he is blushing. His eyes avoid mine.

Not quite perfect?

Another announcement. Same voice, same Young Man (this time, embarrassment gone, replaced by brazen cover-up): “of course you should go to your original bay where any oversize luggage will be waiting . . .” And, right enough, the bike was there.

Universe 1, Bob 0

The River Rhine derives its name from the ancient Celtic word “Rēnos,” which was later adopted by the Romans as “Rhenus.” This name is believed to have origins in the Proto-Indo-European root “rei-“, meaning “to move, flow, or run,” aptly describing the river’s continuous flow through Central Europe (hopefully predicting my cycling journey!)

The river holds immense economic significance for Central Europe. Spanning over 1,230 kilometers and passing through six countries, it acts as a natural transportation and trading route, facilitating the movement of goods between inland territories and the North Sea. Major cities like Basel, Strasbourg, Cologne, and Rotterdam lie along its banks, benefiting from the river’s navigability. The Rhine’s port of Rotterdam is one of the world’s largest, serving as Europe’s main maritime gateway.

However, if a Dubliner added a syllable in pronouncing the name, we’d have an im-media-te change in focus to more domestic matters?

One syllable is more than enough for me.

Last year, the grand plan was to tackle another segment of EuroVelo 1, a cycling trip running N–>S from Norway to Gibraltar. I had previously completed the Wild Atlantic Way (an official part of EuroVelo 1) and had separately completed Dublin to Bordeaux. Now it was time to do Bordeaux to Gibraltar.

Except.

When I arrived in Bordeaux (one of my favourite cities), I felt a little ‘off’. After finding my airbnb, and assembling my bike, I decided I had better do a Covid test to eliminate that unwelcome possibility. Disaster! Positive.! And it was one of those “wiped out” experiences – 4 days’ worth. With long distances and non-trivial climbs (as much as 4,000′ ) in prospect, I took the decision to abandon the trip.

For this year’s trip, I thought about completing my Danube jaunt (having completed the fist half of that 2,850km journey some years earlier). But the Danube empties into the Black Sea between Romania and the Ukraine. Pass.

Back to EuroVelo – and Lo! there is a separate route for the Rhine – EuroVelo 15:

So, off we go – starting on Sunday 13th. A Group of 1. 1,500-1800 km, depending on the exact route chosen.

Adventures lie ahead.