August 24, 2024
To Laufenburg
We went to France for dinner last night.
We'd arrived in Swiss Basel mid-afternoon after a disappointingly drama-free train journey. It was about a 7km ride from the station to our hotel. Just before the Dreiländerbrücke, the pedestrian/cycle bridge across the Rhine,we stopped for a cold drink at a kiosk overlooking a floating gin palace boarding for its next luxury cruise. That took care of a chunk of our remaining Swiss francs. Ten minutes later, we were over the bridge and pulling into our B&B Hotel in Germany. For dinner, Bruce found a restaurant in French Basel back over the bridge. And very nice it was too. And then it was back to Germany for the night.
Yes, we're in that corner of Basel where all three countries are within a girlie stone's throw from each other. And we're here because of tomorrow morning's Dreiländergarten parkrun- held in the 'three countries park' just a few minutes from our hotel. Despite its name, the park is in Germany - which is convenient given that neither France nor Switzerland are evolved enough to support the parkrun movement - yet.
It's a lovely event in the Dreiländergarten, with most of the course in shady forest. Bruce isn't up to participating and they are short of a volunteer, so he is usefully engaged scanning people's barcodes while I plod around the course.
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Our thoughts are turning to home, just as our route is pointing east to Zurich, the starting point 31 days ago. We're both losing our zing a bit and this feels like the right time to finish. Tomorrow, we'll reach Zurich and, though we're spending a few days there, tomorrow will also be the final day of the tour.
Today's destination is Laufenburg, chosen because it's midway to Zurich. We leave the parkrun finish line (after chats and photos) and ride through parkland in the direction of the Rhine. Navigation from here is straightforward - though the route by no means sticks to the bank of the river. In fact, there are only a few glimpses until we cross into Switzerland at Rheinfelden.
The above photos are a promise that does not deliver. Immediately, our route takes a straight line cross-country , bypassing the Rhine's loop to the left. So we're once again immersed in industrious Swiss countryside - maize, farmyards, agricultural businesses, car showrooms . . .
We regain the river at the pleasingly named Mumpf and soon cross back into Germany at Bad Säckingen. We'd had a late supermarket breakfast on a bench seat just before 12 but now we feel like something more substantial. Bad Säckingen provides the perfect venue - an outdoor shaded seat at a restaurant in the shadow of the 18th century St Fridolin's Munster.
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We hug the German bank of the Rhine until our destination, another hour or so away. Gasthaus Hotel Kranz allows us to check in earlier than 5pm, despite busily catering for a wedding. It's a cut above our recent gasthaus stays; the extra comfort is truly appreciated tonight.
Today's ride: 53 km (33 miles)
Total: 1,496 km (929 miles)
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