Brovello - Brig 115 km
After 2 days break in Anna's wonderful place in Brovello https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/5334379 and despite the rain I had to leave Laggo Maggiore. Anna's place in the mountain was very nice and I wish Irene had more time, Anna kindly offered me to stay one more night because of the rain, I accepted and left Monday morning under a light rain ready to climb the Simplon Pass, 2008 meters from Italy to Switzerland.
A long and challenging ride from 7am to 5pm under a few rain showers and occasionnaly sun. From Stresa to Domodossolo I was slightly going up, I felt good. After Domodossolo I took the S33 to Simplon then the way started to be tougher, not a huge pourcentage but a killing regular ascent. When I reached Isele I was exhausted and I still had 40 km of ascent to the Simplon Pass. The other problem was the traffic, way too many big trucks and lots of semi-open tunnels. At one point in a tunnel a truck tried to pass me behind a temporary separation line for workers and he hit a few boards passing me, he decided to ignore the red traffic light 600 meters ahead to go away from the mess he created. I would recommand to take the train from Isele to Brig if you don't want to deal with trucks.
Anyway the Simplon pass itself is beautiful, on the way I visited the Napoleon Caserne with a nice exhibition about the Simplon pass. Apparently this was the first transalpine road ever built for carriages.
The long descent of 20 km to Brig was fun, top speed 79 km.
Camping Geshina is very nice and clean 14 euros.
An old bridge for mules
Simplon Pass 2008 meters next to the Hospice
Brig - Bern 130 km
Brig to Gampel, flat and easy. Then 500 meters ascent to Goppenstein. In Goppenstein I continued the ascent and did an extra 600m ascent to 1750 meters following the valley of Lötschental to Farfleralp. It was a dead end, I screwed up, lost 2 hours, but it was beautiful. I turned back to Goppenstein and took the train to go on the other side to Kandersteg, there is no other way. From Kandersteg I went down to Spiez under a heavy rain and folllowed the cycle route 64 to Bern.
Camping in Eichholz 21 euros.
Village of Kippel in the Löschental
Lötschental valley
Bern - Oltingue 145 km
Had a coffee with croissant in Bern expecting a quite flat ride today after the crossing of the Alps. It happended to be a crazy ride today, pushed to the limits, I still had to cross the Jura mountains. The first part to Aarberg via Goloten following cycling route 8 was easy, a few small hills through weat fields and forests. I followed that road to Biel (Bienne) next to a lake facing a 800 meters long narrow mountain, I followed it to the right to Grenchen and started a very steep ascent to the top of Grenchenberg for 2 hours. The good thing though is the one hour descent to Moutier and Soyhiere.
After Moutier I met Sehoon a cyclist from South Korea.
Last effort a steep ascent to Moulin Neuf and Kiffis then a 10 km descent to Oltingue.
My friend Silvio picked me up after a well deserved pizza in his restaurant and I stayed with him in Huningue.
Sehoon from Korea
The bear of Bern
Alpage of Grenchenberg
Hunningue - Sélestat 98 km
Easy flat ride following the Canal de Hunningue to Kembs, then following the bike path to Neuf Brisach that I visited, the last fort Vauban built. On the other side of the Rhin the old city of Breisach is worth a short visit. I resumed my trip following a canal to Mackhenheim, I enjoyed this ride. Leaving the canal I rode for 13 km on the road to Selestat.
Nice camping municipal Les Cigognes 7 euros
From the 3 countries bridge over the Rhein in Huningue: Germany Switzerland and France from left to right !
Entrance of the Vauban city Neuf Brisach
Sélestat - Saverne 84 km
I met 2 cyclists from Spain at the camping and they invited me over for a coffee and croissant in town, nice breakfast next to the church.
I followed the "veloroute des vins" to Dambach La Ville a typical médieval Alsacian village, then Rosheim, Marmoutier and Saverne. Lots of small hills, it is the beginning of The Vosges. Most of the villages were pleasant to see, my progression was slow. Lots of nice view point.
Camping 6,50 euros
The wine route the Vosges in the background
Sélestat
Saverne - Siltzheim 87 km
This is the last ride of the trip through the Alsace Bossue and The Vosges. Irene us picking me up with the car at our friend's place in Siltzheim a town at the northern tip of Alsace, about 350 km from Antwerp. Unfortunately it rained all morning.
From Saverne I cycled along the canal Rhin-Rhone to Lutzerbourg then I left the canal took the D97 and D46 to Lixheim. In Bickenholtz I followed the road to Eschwiller, Wolfskirchen and Harskirchen where I followed the Canal des Houillères that I already followed on my way down 3 weeks ago. Except for the rides along the canals, the 40 kilometers on the road where successive ascents of approximatively 60 meters and descents.
Canal Rhin - Rhône interesting graffiti
Bunker along the canal des Houillières in Herbitzheim
From the 21st of May to the 21st of June.
31 days, 26 days of cycling, 2 days rest in the Ardennes, 1 in Basel, 2 in Laggo Maggiore.
Total around 2700 km. Average around 104 km per day.
Cycled in Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Lichtenstein and Italy
See you soon !
1 comment:
Hi Thierry
what a very interesting blog. I have done some long distance cycling myself and I can very much appreciate your exeriences, with the ups and downs - literally and figuratively speaking! You seem to have met some nice people along the way and have many friends whom you hooked up with. It is a fantastic thing to do: good for you. I am sure you will never forget your achievements. Tim Exall
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