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Th  A 3 – Day Tour in the Swissalps with a tricycle

15. 08. 03  - As I left , Bremgarten (The village I live since 1973) looking towards the south, the sky looked very threatening. It looked as if a storm was brewing over the mountains, the very direction I was heading for . My plan was to try my recumbent tricycle. I have already tried attitude differences from 400 – 600 meters over 6 – 7 km. but not over longer continuous gradients - For which the Alps are ideal. After about 10 km. the roads became wet, but I was lucky because it had rained earlier but I never felt a drop the whole day. Past Lucerne I pedalled towards Brunnig. It was very quiet on the roads because the 15. August is a holiday in the catholic regions of Switserland and everything is closed. Driving past Lungerensee it looked such a lovely blue – green colour, just like a picture postcard. Shortly before noon I arrived at the camping place in Lungeren, where I originally wanted to stay overnight – but after a two hour siesta after lunch  - I felt fit again and decided to continue onto Meiringen. The Brunnig pass is a small pass (1007) between central Switzerland and the Bernice Alps. This pass I managed quite easily and the decent was fantastic On the front of my trike I have two small saddle bags attached to the Low – Rider and a handlebar bag with a click – adaptor (approx. 11 kilo) It was a advantage to have so much weight at the front and even in excess of 60 km. ph. The trike stayed easily in its tracks and held well in the bends. I pitched my tent in Meiringen, then I met two bike – freaks in the restaurant. We had a very pleasant evening with a lot of stimulating conversation.  

16.08.03   - Early morning we went our separate ways – mine was direction south to the Grimselpass (2165) Meiringen is situated at 695 m. above sea level. It was glorious sun cream and sunglasses weather. As I arrived in Innertkirchen, I met so many bikers and spectators that I realized they mast be taking part in a race. I was informed that the bikers were absolving their test for the “Alps award” (Schweizer Alpenbrevet)

There are 3 categories, with the start in Andermatt.

1. Andermatt - Wassen - Susten - Innertkirchen - Grimsel - Furka - Andermatt.  

2. Andermatt - Wassen - Susten - Innertkirchen - Grimsel - Ullrichen - Nufenen -  Gotthard - Andermatt.

3. Andermatt - Wassen - Susten - Innertkirchen - Grimsel - Ullrichen - Nufenen - Airolo - Biasca - Lukmanier - Oberalp - Andermatt. (Only for tough phisically fit bikefreaks.)     

As I reached the Furka pass I met an elderly man with a racing bike. We rode together for a while and talked. He wanted to know how it was to drive with a recumbent – trike and how old I was. When I told him I will soon be 64 he answered “you have got a few more years to go yet, I’m already 80 ! “ What an accomplishment for an 80 year old person to ride over 3 challenging passes in one day. Just after the Furka summit I ate dinner in Tiefenbach. It was now getting colder and darker. Before Hospental I felt the first raindrops, then just as I was parking my trike in the cellar of the Youth Hostal , it began to pour dawn. 17. 08. 03. Because the weather forecast was net good for today, I decided to return home. From Hospental I rode direction Altdorf, a wonderful descent and I was extremely pleased with my tricycle. I rode along the Urner part of Lake Lucerne to Küssnacht, where I ate lunch and took a nap. Afterwards I had the whole afternoon for about 40 km. distance , to my home in Bremgarten.

        Distance in km.                                    Altitude diff in meters

1. Day                                                 103 km.                                                588 meters

2.Day                                                    68 km.                                                2144 meters

3.Day                                                  112 km.                                                1030 meters

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