Solothurn to Erlach

May 2, 2019

River to Lakeside

We left our beautiful room in Solothurn in the sunshine this morning. Continuing to follow Swiss National Route 5 makes the navigating so easy. There is a sign at every intersection and we just roll along.

The breakfast room at the hotel. Breakfast was a six jammer, totally adequate and with amazing croissants and cappuccinos. When we asked about making a sandwich for our picnic there was no problem.

We knew that the weather was forecast to change, so we kept up a steady pace while the sun was shining. The ride was almost totally flat today and I still found I am feeling the effects of not being 100%. We are both feeling much, much healthier though, and that is a great thing.

Our jackets aren’t so high viz next to these fields.

This is blurry, it is super zoomed. This big bad boy (or girl) was impressive to watch but we are not sure what kind of a raptor we were seeing.

As I write this in our sweet little B and B it has started absolutely bucketing with rain out there and the wind is howling. The kind of storm where you almost can’t believe your eyes. We are from the wet coast, and this is a wowzer! We can’t imagine being on the bikes. It won’t last long (I hope, because we haven’t had dinner yet) but this is one impressive storm. Fifteen minutes ago we were out walking in the sunshine. I just told Keith pizza in the room is a brilliant idea, and he can go get it hehe. We feel very cosy in our sweet little B and B.

Back to today’s ride. We stopped for tea about 20 km into the ride. It was an atmospheric little town called Buren. We admired the covered bridge into the town. It has existed in some form since 1240. There was an information sign. I couldn’t read much but one picture of the bridge was from 1930 and not much has changed since then. It was just a beautiful spot.

Bike touring is amazing. You come around a corner on a car free path and feast your eyes on this.

Our view while drinking tea. We have had our bike touring thermos for a number of years now and are getting sentimentally attached to the thing. It has multiple dents from flying out of the pannier pocket and is such a great thing to have along.

Just a beautiful spot to sip tea and think about how amazing it is to be here.

A little further along the route. We thought this looked a very appealing place to live.

Shortly after we began riding the weather started to do exactly what the meteorologists said it would do...deteriorate. I am always wildly optimistic that they will be wrong, so we found ourselves under a farmer’s eaves while I pulled on my rainpants and booties. I am in love with my booties. Why have I never had a pair before? Warm dry feet make for a happy bike tourer.

The rain wasn’t a sprinkle, but it wasn’t pouring either. Still, on what was a beautiful ride, the picture taking ceased. We ruined our camera last year using it in the rain and we try to make each mistake only once. As a result, there aren’t many pictures.

We stopped in Biel/Bienne for lunch, sitting under a bridge. It was perfect.

This was actually a great spot for our picnic. It came at the perfect time and we enjoyed watching the coots and crows battle it out for our scraps.

To the right of the bridge, all power boats. To the left of the bridge all sailboats. It is at this point that there are no more bridges before the Beilersee.

Then there were very few pictures until Erlach. It rained, not heavily, but steadily. It always surprises us that riding in the rain, appropriately dressed, is just fine. I whipped out my iPhone and took a picture of the most amazing waterworks that we rode over...brand new, bike lanes included, and just so impressive.

It doesn’t look like much in the photo, but it was absolutely amazing.

We put our heads down and spun the pedals. The scenery along the lake was fantastic. It reminded me so much of the Okanagan. Picture wise though, it was fifty shades of gray. We had head winds and the white caps on the lake were beautiful. At one point a fellow in his wetsuit with his windsurfer walked in front of us. He was off to have a lot of fun. Then, before I expected it, Erlach appeared, and it stopped raining.

Erlach is small, and very, very beautiful.

We are in a teeny B and B with only three rooms. We think we are the only guests. We love the proprietor, who has as much English as I do German, but we have been able to establish that Fruhstuck will be at eight. She had a hose to give the bikes and panniers a bath and our room is just perfect. We love it.

Our room is on the top floor at the back and just so cosy. It is the sweetest little place. Just perfect.

The sun came out in a big way and we explored the town, the castle, the lake and walked a ways towards St. Peter’s Insel.

Heading up to the castle. We met a woman there from Toronto, now living in Erlach, where her Swiss husband grew up.

Looking out towards St. Peter’s Insel. At first we thought we were seeing sand, but when we walked there we realized we were seeing reeds.

Here is what the walk to the island looked like.

This area reminded me so much of Lake Okanagan in British Columbia.

The storm I mentioned blew itself into the next country and we were able to walk to the pizza place while staying dry and warm. What a spot it was. The food was outstanding, the service was the same and we felt so welcomed. We got our server’s opinion about which side of the lake we should ride tomorrow and we are going with her recommendation. This are is called the land of three lakes, and is pretty special. The lakes are Lake Biel, Lake Neuchâtel and Lake Murten. Tomorrow we will ride by Lake Neuchâtel.

We are back in our adorable B and B. I just love this spot. The weather changes every five minutes and that is forecast to continue. Tomorrow will be another adventure.

This guy will be watching over us as we sleep tonight.

https://www.relive.cc/view/2336049301

Today's ride: 52 km (32 miles)
Total: 183 km (114 miles)

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