The first kilometres – 19.10.2021

The first 300 kilometres and the first mountain pass crossing are done. The past four days have been so diverse, varied, and accompanied by incredibly beautiful nature. I started at Lake Constance in perfect weather with my mum and a wonderful pampering programme.

The second day followed the Rhine River. I cycled from the fog at Lake Constance into the warm sunshine towards the mountains. The Rhine looks completely different here — wild, fresh, and picturesque. I simply could not get enough of the mountain scenery and the river. The only annoying thing about the route is the motorway. It is incredibly loud, but with the right music in my ears, I can block out the irritating noise quite well. After two-thirds of the journey, a kind older gentleman joined me. He knew all the hidden paths to avoid the traffic while still being able to cycle in the sunshine. Absolutely brilliant. To finish the day, he invited me for some water, a Swiss wine, and an apple cake while telling me about his passion for vintage cars. A truly wonderful start to the journey. The last few kilometres to the campsite almost felt like they happened by themselves. I also did not have to spend dinner alone, as a lovely family from Osnabrück kept me company.

The third day took me deeper into the mountains and was therefore quite challenging. The landscape was incredibly varied, with everything from deep gorges and wide valleys to endless climbs and descents. Some of the villages looked as if time had stopped there 30 years ago. For the last 30 kilometres, I was accompanied by a bikepacker from France. It was really cool to meet someone who had already been travelling for a longer time, and we could suffer together while climbing all those metres of elevation.

However, I had to tackle the pass alone. Before that, I treated myself to a good burger and a proper bed because the next 20 kilometres were going to be all about climbing, climbing, climbing. But what a feeling when you finally make it and stand at the top of the pass :-) Absolutely incredible — and on top of that