Sunday - To Biel in Switzerland via the Vosges

Today we left Verdun around 8.30 for our ride south to Biel in Switzerland. The first part of the route took us via some nice twisties in glorious cool sunshine, followed by a bit of Motorway to avoid the French city of Nancy, then down toward Colmar and on to the Route des Crete in the Vosges (Alsace) region. This is where the good stuff starts as we climbed the snaky road up to the Col du Bonhomme and on to Col du la Sclucht pass, followed by the Grand Ballon. Not has high as the Alps by any means but high enough to get us changing clothes and zip up our jacket vents. I had such great fun on here myself and Steve are using Intercoms,(Sena compatible) great to keep in touch as I took off to try the Dynamic ESA setting. This stiffened the suspension on the bike and changed the throttle response for more of a sporty feel. Absolutely cracking ride flicking my new GS through bend after bend up and down using the quick shifter at 6 K revs as Ian suggested. Only stopping to set up the Go Pro for a bit of footage.

We had lunch at a cafe on Sclucht summit watching the ski lifts in use for a mountain bike competition to transport the competitors between stages it seemed. Later we headed off toward the Swiss border via a bit more of the straight stuff before riding in to the Jura

In the Mountains now at last !

Short video of our ride in the Vosges on the Route des Crete.

While looking for a Fuel station in Altkirch I took a call on the headset from our mate Ian with Cris asking where we were. We worked out he was nearby .. maybe in the same town and later by complete surprise they showed up just as we had filled up with fuel, quite amazing since they left the hotel a good while after us. We rode together .. what a blast before losing each other again at the foot of the Jura mountain range on the Swiss border. It was then I came across these amazing sculptures, one of which of Predator.

Steve arrived as I was taking these photos, and we puzzled how he was behind me despite me leaving Altkirch after him. Never did figure out how I leap frogged him without passing each other!

Unfortunately, the next pass was closed with a barrier so we ended up taking a diversion down via the Motorway and it's numerous tunnels to our hotel in Biel. Ian',s GS and Akropovich roaring through those tunnels past us again.

Lot of fun today, good laugh and superb riding. A bit cooler and overcast in the end, but no rain all day makes for a great day with a nice meal in an Italian Restaurant afterwards (Get the Rennie ready as my kids say 😉).


Me with Ian and Steve.