Against the Odds by John L. Pendergrass

Author:John L. Pendergrass [Pendergrass, John L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-57826-427-8
Publisher: Hatherleigh Press
Published: 2013-03-26T04:00:00+00:00

Traveling around Switzerland is simple and easy. It’s a small country, not even as big as the state of Mississippi, but Switzerland has a lot of stuff the people of Mississippi can only dream about.

There are all kinds of mountains, plenty of fresh clean air, lots of chalets, secret bank accounts, a huge number of cows and cowbells, many types of cheese (known collectively throughout the world as “Swiss cheese”), and beer with and without alcohol. Most of these things (except for beer) are hard to find in Mississippi.

One of the things I like best about Switzerland is the generous assortment of red Swiss Army pocket knives. You see them at every shop in the country, they are almost as common as postcards. What a weapon, they come with a variety of options. Corkscrews, can opener, scissors, bottle opener, screwdriver, toothpick. They even make them with a laser pointer and an MP3 player. If warfare ever reverts to knife fighting alone, the advantage must go to the Swiss Army.

Mountains are another thing that comes to mind when you think of Switzerland. Everyone, of course, has heard of the Alps (the varsity mountain range), but the Jura (the junior varsity mountain range) provides plenty of sightseeing opportunities as well. More than two-thirds of the country’s surface is covered by mountains and the Swiss have figured out how to carry you to the top of the peaks. Swiss engineers have created a vast network of funiculars, cable cars, and cog railways to help you reach the summit. The trips aren’t cheap, but they’re well worth the price.

Polly and Patricia are full of energy and ready to see Switzerland. They already know the shops of Zurich’s Bahnhoffstrasse like the back of their hand and they have developed a passion for chocolate that exceeds my devotion to IRONMAN® racing. The great city churches, the Grossmünster and Fraumünster are like old friends; they have managed to see every stained glass window in town.

Zurich is a great city. There are enough private banks and brandname boutiques to service every rich person in the world, but we don’t qualify so it’s time to move on. Besides, this run-up to the race is not what they advertise in travel brochures. The ladies have had enough of hearing me moan and groan about the race, and they know that a real Swiss vacation doesn’t begin at 4:00 a.m. and end at 1:00 a.m. the following day. They are certain that there’s more to life than an IRONMAN Triathlon.

It’s interesting; everyone has different needs and desires, and different family dynamics. IRONMAN families tend to be either supporters or tolerators. Some athletes bring along spouses who worship at the altar of their success. It’s like their man has just whipped the world, his achievement has been their fulfillment. The IRONMAN Triathlon is the focus of the trip, they’re along in a supporting role.

Not my family. They are very happy for my achievement, but they know that open roads lie ahead, a real holiday for the entire family.

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