The seed for this adventure was planted when I purchased my bicycle in the Netherlands. Eager for a challenge worthy of our experience, I meticulously mapped out the route, ensuring every detail was considered. Once the plan was in place, I called Sandeep— friend & ex-collogue —and pitched the idea: “How about cycling through the Swiss Alps all the way to Milan?” He immediately saw the appeal.
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| On EV15 near Vaduz, Lichtenstein |
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| 500Km - 7 Days ride |
I loaded my bike into the car and drove to Ostelsheim near Stuttgart, where our journey would begin. We could have played it safe, sticking to EuroVelo 15, the bicycle highway along the Rhine, but that route was too flat for my taste. Instead, I charted a course through Tübingen and the iconic Lichtenstein Castle, aiming for Lake Konstanz—a tougher route perfect for conditioning ourselves.
Our first day's destination was planned near the castle, but Google Maps led us astray guiding us up a steep, technical downhill trail in the wrong direction. After some trial and error, we rolled back to a picnic spot at Gönninger Seen, late in the evening. Camping wasn’t allowed, but hunger outweighed rules. A Syrian group spotted our predicament and treated us to hot grilled chicken and bread. As darkness fell, we quietly pitched our tent behind a mound, hoping to avoid any unwanted attention.
That night, Sandeep couldn’t sleep. He heard voices and saw lights flickering on the far side of the lake. It was the police—midnight patrol, searching for rule-breakers. We knew the fine for camping there could reach 500 euros. At dawn, we packed up swiftly and rode out. Sandeep, still exhausted, caught up on sleep in a town park, sprawled out on the grass, while I arranged for the food.
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| Unauthorized camping at Gönninger Lake |
We pedaled through the sweltering sun for three days, finally reaching Lake Konstanz, where thunderstorms greeted us in the evening. The campsites by the lake were huge, and the water crystal-clear—a welcome relief after three days on the road.
After Bregenz, we joined the EuroVelo 15, passing through Austria with Liechtenstein quietly to our left. Rain and clouds followed us to Buchs, Switzerland, where we camped and swapped stories with two couples—one from the US, the other from the Netherlands.
On the fifth day, we found ourselves in a Turkish restaurant, chatting with two American teenagers. One was bursting with opinions about world affairs—maybe a bit early for his age! His friend, meanwhile, was battling the slopes; just like Sandeep, he was learning the ropes. We tackled a steady climb: 500 meters of elevation over 60 kilometers to Thusis.
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| Fields near Thusis, Switzerland |
Day six was quieter, as distances between campsites and the daunting Splügen Pass slowed us down. We ended the day in Splügen, nestled at the base of the pass.
The final day was epic—a steep climb from Splügen village to Splügen Pass, 800 meters up in just under two hours. Then came the reward: a wild descent, 64 kilometers down to Colico on the shores of Lake Como.
We hopped on a train to Milan, explored its old city, and caught a Flexi bus back to Stuttgart. We almost missed out—only two bike spaces on the bus, and we hadn’t pre-booked. But luck was on our side—for the bikes, at least. Early morning police checks on the German border found us without passports, so we paid a 25-euro fine. Another story for the diary.
This journey, carefully planned and full of surprises, ended where it began—with a thirst for adventure and a few lessons learned.
