Switzerland

Day 56: Sunday (10/5/2025). We woke to a  fresh coat of snow on the local peaks. A raw wind made staying inside an easy decision. Fortunately, we had nowhere to go today and all day to get there. This marks the first time on this trip we’ve spent three nights in the same place. Obviously, we love biking. But we’ve really come to value these breaks.

Other than a short walk during a pause in the weather, this was a true rest day. Sharon did some laundry and worked on Polarsteps. I finished the blog. We played cards.We talked about the past and planned for the future. We watched a movie, read books, and surfed. All very mundane, but appreciated all the more for its rarity.

Day 57: Monday (10/6/2025). Our friend Abby recently raved about the beauty of Lauterbrunnen. We trust her judgment, so we had high expectations climbing south out of Interlaken. Laiterbrunnen lived up to the hype.

We took time to get situated at camp and immediately went for a walk. Lauterbrunnen is nestled in the bottom of a long, narrow valley. Waterfalls leap from the top of cliffs. The end of the valley is dominated by glaciated peaks. It is clear from the faces we see that people have traveled from around the globe to enjoy these views.

Because of the deep valley, “sunset” for us happened at 2:45pm. With the shadows came a drop in temperature. It would keep dropping into the 30’s overnight. Fortunately, the campground has both an indoor kitchen area and a warm communal lounge. Perfect for cold evenings and frosty mornings.

Day 58: Tuesday (10/7/2025). We face an embarrassment of riches in Lauterbrunnen. How does one choose where to explore when faced with jaw-dropping beauty in every direction? We settled on a cable car ride to the Grutschalp station above town. From there, we climbed above timberline and spent the rest of the day in awe. We had seen the Eiger and Jungfrau from Grindlewald. From this vantage point, they were looming large directly in front of us. In addition, a whole array of jagged, ice encrusted peaks were on display.  I think I will just let the pictures speak for themselves.

Day 59: Wednesday (10/8/2025).

The early bird gets to see stars and reflected moonlight. What a brilliant way to start the day.

Before any bike trip, a basic question needs to be answered. Is the goal to see a little of a lot, or a lot of a little? In other words, in a given period of time, travel a greater distance with  more limited exposure to the culture, history, and scenery? Or, spend a greater amount of time in a more limited area, and get to know that area intimately. There is no right or wrong approach, just different goals.

On average, we tend a bit more towards “seeing a little of a lot.” This past week we flipped the script. We spent two days hiking around Grindlewald. We rode fifteen miles and spent three days in Interlaken waiting out a storm. When it wasn’t raining, we explored and hiked around town. Today is now our third day in Lauterbrunnen, a mere ten miles from Interlaken. In those three days we’ve taken three hikes. We have seen quite a lot of a relatively small corner of Switzerland. We’ve come close to hiking more miles than we’ve ridden. It has been an enjoyable change of pace.

Day 60: Thursday (10/9/2025). Four years ago we met a young, Swiss couple in Bodrum, Turkey. That chance encounter led to a friendship and six weeks of cycling together. In Cappadocia Sharon and I turned west towards eastern Europe. Chris and Patricia continued east for another two years of an epic adventure. In the years since we have stayed in touch.

From the beginning of our current trip our goal has been to visit Chris and Patricia in Switzerland. Today after a short ride from Lauterbrunnen, we finally arrived at their home in Spiez.

Chris’s great-uncle Gerhard (91) still lives in the home he moved into when he was three. He shares this large home with Chris’s uncle Simon, as well as Chris and Patricia since their return. We spent a lovely afternoon/evening chatting, drinking local beer, and sipping wine made from Roman era vineyards outside the back door. We feasted on raclette, a meal that is a celebration of Swiss cheese. It’s been fun catching up.

Day 61: Friday (10/10/2025). Our hosts both had to work today. Using their suggestions, we  took a casual bike ride through the countryside. We sampled backerei in Wimmis. We came across a picnic area in the forest and stopped for a snack. We strolled the old town area of Thun. Back in Spiez, we prepared dinner and dessert. Once again the evening was filled with talk of travels, life on the road, as well as life at our respective homes.

Day 62: Saturday (10/11/2025). Whenever we think about traveling, we dream about days like today. We slept in. Enjoyed conversation over an extended breakfast. Eventually we made our way high above Gstaad. Chris’s extended family has had a farm in the hills here for as long as anyone can remember (perhaps 1561). This entire weekend, they were celebrating the cows being moved down into the valley for winter. As guests of Chris and Patricia, we were welcomed to the large family gathering. We were treated to a variety of cheeses, goat and beef bratwurst, freshly squeezed apple juice and wine. Desserts galore. And while we had no clue about the content of most conversations, we enjoyed watching the banter and laughter. The hospitality was incredible.

As people started to drift away, the four of us headed into the surrounding hills to burn a few calories. There just is no end to the beautiful scenery. While we’ve enjoyed our entire trip, the mountains of Austria and Switzerland have been our favorite. Chris and  Patricia have been perfect hosts. We’ve certainly saved the best for last!

That’s it for this week. Until next week – STC!