September 14, 2024
The trip takes us
Our original plan was, to take the train back to Bern from Lausanne. While we were packing our bags in the morning, seeing sunny weather outside, it didn’t feel right to just sit in the train till home. One word let to another, and we decided to take the train till Fribourg and cycle the 47 km home. In fact, we had 67 km on the tacho, haha. My battery wouldn’t do it the whole way from Lausanne to Bern (125 km), so this seemed like a perfect plan to finish our seven-day tour.
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We left the train in Fribourg, drove through the old town, where many folks did their weekend shopping. At the old church, we turned left on the bike path. We crossed high bridges with lovely sights, pedaled towards lake Schiffenen and soon were on perfect cycle path far away from traffic. We almost didn’t see any cars, which was great.
The closer you get home, the more you know the names of the villages, the less we watched where we were cycling. All of a sudden, we were standing in front of a direction sign for all bike paths crossing here. Somehow, we were on our way back to Fribourg on the other side of Lake Schiffenen. Anyway, we were laughing and found another way with a shortcut to get home. The sun disapeared, dark clouds showed us to hurry. Not to mention that it was getting fresh again. But no problem, we’re almost home.
Soon we descented down the valley of Gümmenen heading to the river Aare. We turned into the bike path where we started our tour a week ago. The last 20 km were a piece of cake. My battery kept interrupting every now and then. I got used to it. It started days ago. After an hour or so it doesn’t do what it’s supposed to. The only thing a battery must do is helping me pedaling. I guess the battery got tired, so I had to do most of the work. This means, while I was sweating and fighting, Dan – who rented quite a new ebike - could lay back driving in turbo gear, enjoying the landscape. Just kidding, in fact he helped me when we had the wind in our face by offering me shade from the wind.
Do you think a battery has a soul? We know that things don’t have this. But while cycling and knowing that it’s an old battery with more than 6000 km – I tried to save power when I shifted into gear zero and pedaled all by myself. Everytime I did this, I kept believing that the battery was somehow recuperating. But it didn’t, the poor battery was just enjoying that it wasn’t on duty. Obviously batterys don’t have a soul. Anyway, it brought me till home, which is everything I demanded.
The scenery on those last 20 km is always great, even when I know it from several day trips, the lake Wohlensee, the river Aare, the green surroundings are just beautiful. We made one last photo on the bridge crossing Lake Wohlensee, Dan turned left while I cycled up the hill towards Bern.
Coming home after a tour is always nice. On one side you’re sad because the tour is over on the other hand you come back seeing your loved ones again. Our dog Conrad (a boxer) almost made a salto when he saw me coming, he turned back and forth, wagging his tail, while my lovely wife was holding the bike. As a reception she was preparing my favorite meal. We had fish with morels and wine rice. It was delicious. After this I fell in a twelve-hour sleep.
“It’s not us taking a trip, the trip takes us.” (John Steinbeck)
In seven days: Bern – Erlach (Lake Biel) – Yvonand (Lake Neuchatel) – Lake de Joux – Geneva – Evian-les-Bains – Lausanne – train to Fribourg - Bern
Today's ride: 63 km (39 miles)
Total: 445 km (276 miles)
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