July 7, 2006
Day 9: Solothurn - Saint-Blaise: School days
Today grey skies, headwind and even a little rain. We ride between open fields with the mountains to the north until we reach the Lake of Biel/Bienne, and are approaching the French-German language border, so take your choice as to how you want to call the lake.
A lake needs sun to make the water sparkle, the scenery all in grey is tedious. At our hotel it was recommended that we follow the bike path on the north side of the lake, Route 5 takes the other shore. Not a bad choice - we are away from the traffic and can always find shelter when it rains. We have a view to the vineyards on the mountain side, but the train tracks and a busy road make it all a bit less scenic.
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At the end of the lake we pass through the pretty town of Le Landeron.
We stop in St. Blaise for the night, at the tip of Lake Neuchatel. When I was 16, my mother, widowed very young, decided to fulfill a long-cherished dream and live in Florence for a year. Brave woman, she rented her house, packed up her belongings, found a private school for me in Switzerland and off we went. It was here in St. Blaise that I went to school, the classrooms and dormitories were in different buildings of the village. And now exactly 50 years later, I am here on my bicycle. The school no longer exists but I explore the little town and my memories of it, some of it is familiar, some not, some things I remember but can't find. A nostalgic journey into the past.
Today's ride: 61 km (38 miles)
Total: 527 km (327 miles)
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