GPS: Help or Confusion?

December 7, 2008

Story on the 2008 Transjurassienne contributed by Boris Petroff (FRA)

TGV station in Geneva, Friday 5 PM. (The TGV is the French high speed train that connects e.g. Paris to Geneva in 3 hours).
Isabelle and I wait for our Australian friends Doug and Tim who are going to drive us in their big rented Audi to Prémanon for the night preceding the Transju Classic race on Saturday. We had left them in Oberammergau after the Koenig-Ludwig-Lauf; while they were to spend a week in Engadin, we had to return to Paris for work. Live the retirement, as soon as possible! It had been a stressing race to catch the TGV in Paris at 2 PM: I left my last briefing at 1.30, and had to run to the station carrying my skis and bag!
5.10 PM. Still nobody and no answer on my mobile phone. I had been clear with Doug, though: “You spend your week as you like, but it is imperative that you rendezvous with us at the Geneva station Friday at 5 PM!”
The delay becomes worrying: I must get the keys of the apartment in Prémanon at 7 PM exactly and pick up the bibs in Morez. We had no lunch; we need time for dining and preparing the skis!
5.20 PM: at last a phone call from Doug. They are at more than 200 km from Geneva!!! It was a problem of GPS. They left The Engadin at the planned time but relied on the itinerary recommended by the GPS that led them directly to a mountain pass closed in winter. Australians cannot imagine that a road is closed because of snow!
They will not reach Geneva before 8 PM. That means 10 PM in Prémanon with empty stomachs. What to do? There is no bus or train from Geneva to Prémanon or Morez. Rent a car? Expensive, and where and when could we return it? Doug was to drive us to Paris after the Sunday skate race.
First thing: inform the friend who was to give us the apartment keys about our delay. After a couple of fruitless calls we managed to do it. And by a hazard due to the lucky star of WL Masters: this friend was not only a neighbor of the apartment owners, but also a key person of the Transjurassienne organization. Thanks to him, a shuttle waits for us at the Geneva airport (5 min by train from the station) and takes us directly to Prémanon.
Finally, everything was in order. Doug, informed by phone, and Tim entered the restaurant when we were finishing the dessert.

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