It was in 2011 when I started with cycling. Before my favorite sport was Judo. I always participated every week on up to five training sessions with competitions on the weekend. When I changed to Thailand, I couldn’t find the contact to the Judo clubs in Bangkok. But as a lifetime athlete I needed a new challenge. Cycling was since my years in primary school one of my favorite sports. It always allowed me to find interesting places in short time where common people wouldn’t show up. That was the beginning of pursuing the urge to cycle longer and longer. Most of these adventures I pursued in Southeast Asia and New Zealand.

Back to Switzerland I continued with a 400 and this year with the 600 km Audax and recently I finished a 200 km Gravel Randoneé. I was used to these distances in Thailand already. But the difference in Switzerland is the temperature and the darkness during wintertime. I managed to sustain both winter brevets. But I must admit the “BRM 600 Winterfell+” was bringing me close to my limits, while riding the 2nd night through the cold without having slept for more than half an hour at one of the checkpoints. The cold and the tiredness during this night was overwhelming. Pushing myself this way to unknown limits opens my mind and my senses.

We continued our journey against a strong head wind, the “Föhn”. Close to Sargans the gusts of wind were so strong that I could hardly keep on riding on the cycle way. I could catch back control of my bike for three times. Luckily after Sargans we had the wind in the back which gave us wings. Sadly, we were so fast that we missed CP1 @km80. I noted it down on my sticker on the top tube. But we couldn’t see the pump station with Selecta vending machine. So, we made a U-turn in Walenstadt and were looking back for four km to find CP1.

After that we continued our ride towards the highest point “Hirzel”. Up to the point where the climb started (Altendorf) we had quite a decent speed and improved the average which we had lost against the Föhn. At night we couldn’t see too much but the view down to the Lake of Zurich with all the lights around was fantastic. Somewhen we couldn’t see anymore the lake and the night got darker. For me it was not a big problem since my Supernova beam which was fed by a SON dynamo never went down. In addition, I had a super bright hunting light from Alonefire. The lights were even so strong that Thomas could safe power from his battery light. But this didn’t allow him to stay too far ahead of me. He climbed up a little bit faster than me. He is a strong climber, and I was simply heavier with all the luggage and nutrition which I carried with me. I remember only a deer enclosure which we passed in complete darkness at that climb. I could see them well thanks to my lights.

Also, on the downhill to Baar it was an advantage to have fixed lights installed. They supply plenty of brightness to ride the hills down faster. Reaching Sins, we started to the 2nd climb. It was still dark but getting brighter in some hours. The CP2 in Reinach we reached in the early morning after approximately 11 hours in the saddle. At this time, we had day light already.

you think everything is running smoothly for sure something is starting to cause some troubles. So suddenly, just 600 m before CP2, my GPS went down (black screen). Well, what to do? I just had my Garmin Edge 1030 recording the ride. The course I could in worst case still follow on my phone. Luckily, I managed after 15 minutes to restart the GPS unit.

After this little shock we got some food and drinks at the pump station of CP2.

The big climbs were behind us we continued on rolling terrain with the rising sun. The sun was warming the air and the ride became lovely. Only at Baden we had to concur a last killer climb with an incline of about 20%.

From this place it took us another 2 hours to CP3 in Buch. We passed the Rhinewaterfalls and captured some pics of it on the go and continued our ride. In the meantime, temperature was reaching nicely 10 °C.

In Buch we met my friend Reini with family again and had proper food together from the “Audax Küchenfee”. After this long rest I continued on the German side of the Lake of Constance my 600 km brevet whereas Thomas haded back to Rorschach on the Swiss side to finish the 400 km leg.

During the day it was quite convenient to ride along the lake. So, I reached CP4 in about 2 h 30 min.

From this place it took us another 2 hours to CP3 in Buch. We passed the Rhinewaterfalls and captured some pics of it on the go and continued our ride. In the meantime, temperature was reaching nicely 10 °C.

In Buch we met my friend Reini with family again and had proper food together from the “Audax Küchenfee”. After this long rest I continued on the German side of the Lake of Constance my 600 km brevet whereas Thomas haded back to Rorschach on the Swiss side to finish the 400 km leg.

During the day it was quite convenient to ride along the lake. So, I reached CP4 in about 2 h 30 min.

The ride continued convenient until sunset at the upper end of Lake of Constance. I got hungry again and was looking for food. Unfortunately, you couldn’t just walk in a shop without a mask. Also, since it was already Saturday evening, I passed many shops which were already closed. Luckily one shop at a pump station in Lochau was open and I was able to buy food and drinks. Unfortunately, I didn’t drink enough coffee which gave me a hard 2nd night.

I reached CP5, castle “Wartensee” in the darkness in the later evening. Temperatures were continuously dropping but it was still rideable without further protective closes. I only put on my reflective vest.

I continued my ride along the Swiss side of the lake. The climb up to the castle was one of the small climbs at the 2nd night. After that it continued rolling with dropping temperatures. At Mannenbach I had to add all the protective close I carried with me including heating pads on the hands and feet. The temperature was down to -4 °C. Just while going on with my ride at Steckborn the GPS showed me to cross the railway. At this part it was really dark and in the freezing darkness I couldn’t see properly the railway crossing. So, I was hitting some sharp metal plate which slit up my tire.

It took me quite a while until I was able to repair it. At -4 °C pumping up a tire with a CO2 cartridge is almost impossible. The cartridge is easily reaching -20 °C and you won’t touch it anymore with your fingers. My tire wasn’t mounted properly on the rim due to too low air pressure. Never mind I continued with a wobbling wheel. When I continued, I saw some Fata Morganas like black ghosts which were running away from me. I knew it was not real.

Luckily before Stein am Rhine there was another Pumpstation on the way with a compressor. Since I also was carrying an adapter for AV/SV valves I was able to pump up the tire correctly so that it mounted properly on the rim.

I reached Buch way after Midnight. There were some guys there sleeping. I just took a small rest in the warm entrance to the sports hall.

I continued in complete darkness. Well, my lights were still working properly. But riding the 2nd night through with nobody keeping you awake is hard. It took me ages to reach Radolfzell because I continuously was falling asleep. Also, the temperatures were down to -7 °C. Somehow the wind had changed and brought very cold polar air from the north. At one point I also couldn’t see anymore properly which direction I had to ride since my GPS didn’t show the route as usual.

After Radolfzell the day light came back. I decided to drink and eat at a bus stop and to watch the sunrise.

With rising temperature under the sunlight my ride got again a little bit faster. But the tiredness was incredible. While passing Konstanz and Kreuzlingen I was riding several times the wrong directions since the routing on the Garmin was hanging and my tiredness didn’t really help to think ahead. On the straights along the see border on Swiss side I was fighting against the sleep on the bike.
But I was able to reach Horn without further problems and with an acceptable speed. Of course, I wasn’t very fast. But unlucky me I touched with the defective tire the curb of roadside. That caused the 2nd flat and a fall. Well, from Horn to Rorschach there are 4 km to go. After 640 km in your legs, you won’t give up. I checked the tire. I couldn’t repair it anymore. But the rim was protected by the tire surrounding it. So, I decided to continue my ride on very low speed of maximum 10 km/h. I reached the endpoint within the time limit and was welcomed by Reini and his family. We had lunch together with my family at my home. I was falling asleep during lunch at the table. After getting a proper shower and putting on my Pajama I was falling asleep until next day 3 am. Also, my weight was down to 59 kg.
That was a ride, HELL YEAH!