Day 4: Berge

July 17, 2024

Andermatt, CH to Rapperswil-Jona, CH

It seems that I hadn’t really had enough mountains so today after descending from this pass- I would be climbing another sizeable hill soon.

The morning started quite lazily. It did in fact rain despite the forecast saying probably not.

Look at all this fog.

Camping with a view with limited visibility

The descent was kind of wet and honestly sorta annoying since I was just cold. Turns out bringing the fleece was a good call and I was wrong yesterday.

The views that were available despite the mist were still quite breathtaking.

I also found today that the Swiss love their bike tunnels - the comically oversized orange safety vest was staying on today. I don’t wear it every day but when I’m going especially slow (climbing) or in lower light situations like rains and tunnels both of which were the case today.

Also about 10km down the mountain on a break (to warm up) I realized that there’s a non-parallel bike path down the mountain and I was on the car road. Oops. I didn’t see the entrance I must have missed it and my nav (Wahoo) didn’t really show it either. So I found the signs again for EuroVelo 5 and another 1km down the road i rejoined the bike-only fun.

I stopped for lunch in Brunnen which was a hearty affair. A pepperoncini soup of some kind.

Then began the next climb. This one is shorter I was determined to do it in just a few goes - only two major breaks and then however many minor breaks I needed to navigate or adjust something. This went well. It was still tough but after the previous day I knew I could crush this.

Here’s some pictures to show more countryside beauty.

The descent was also lovely. One issue - at the very bottom on my way into Pfäffikon I was met with an unfortunate circumstance. The road was closed and only moving traffic in the opposite direction! Did I miss a sign? I don’t think I was warned anywhere earlier down the hill so this was a huge bummer and to my dismay I’d have to climb all the way back up.

Also some motorbiker got real mad at the construction lady - to me this confirms it wasn’t me missing a sign because I’m illiterate in Switzerland but that he was also confused. But also come on motorbiker guy it’s not her fault! And also what are you so upset about you have nothing to pedal.

They say if you go off looking for adventure you cannot really be surprised when you find it if something goes wrong.

I found a workaround - a 15% grade farm road that would take me back up 500 feet instead of a whole mountain. I could do it. I obviously walked.

You can’t really tell in the photo but the hill might as well have been a vertical cliff face for all it mattered pushing a fully loaded bike up it

The ill circumstance resulted in some beautiful descending views that I can’t share because I couldn’t take a picture safely while riding 50kph downhill with cars lined up behind me. Suffice it to say - I’m not mad about this situation anymore. I’ll have to keep those mental pictures just for me, but picture a castle off in the distance (is it a European town if no castle?) across the lake and an isthmus/land bridge connecting Pfäffikon to my destination of Rapperswil-Jona and the sky and water are both blue as day.

Here’s a shot later while crossing the isthmus but it doesn’t do it justice of course.

The detour meant I made it to camp pretty late at 1900. I set up and got washed up fairly quickly. After a quick camp meal I just went to bed and slept quite restfully.

Today's ride: 98 km (61 miles)
Total: 260 km (161 miles)

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