ReneKMueller.com: 2020: Various Hikes / Tours *

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As I was visiting new acquaintances in the Zurich region, I decided to use the recumbent as the mode of transportation and added a few days for a small tour around central and southwestern Switzerland, in particular to test out a new variant from west to central Switzerland going via Bulle - Saanenmöser Pass (1279m) - Thun, a quite low pass given the region, e.g. the Jaunpass is 1509m nearby with steeper slopes.

4 Days "Tour de Suisse": Zurich - Bern - Fribourg - Bulle - Gstaad - Thun - Lucerne - Zug

I stayed in the forest above Urdorf and left 7:00 toward Brugg, mostly on the main road with little traffic Saturday morning. After Baden quickly to Brugg, and a bit on bicycle trail, then Aarau, Olten and then Aarburg, partially main road and part bicycle trail toward Langenthal and short before Bern, near Schönbühl I went into the Allmitwald and found a nice spot to pitch the tent.

◈ Rothrist, 2020/09/12 12:58

◈ Herzogenbuchsee, 2020/09/12 15:48

◈ Moos, Herzogenbuchsee, 2020/09/12 15:53

Jura crest in the background
◈ Hellsau, 2020/09/12 16:15

Packed Flux S900 recumbent
◈ Moosseedorf (Δ 575m), 2020/09/12 18:36

Small backpack plus small solar panel to charge USB power bank
◈ Moosseedorf, 2020/09/12 18:36

◈ Moosseedorf, 2020/09/12 18:36

◈ Moosseedorf (Δ 559m), 2020/09/12 18:45

Starting first by leaving the forest westward and going on the main street southward and bicycle lane mostly into Bern and early morning almost no traffic in the city, heading toward "Fribourg", and reaching it already 10:30 - as I tried to use the "flatter" route, I was rerouted in Fribourg itself due construction work and had some detour therefore - but finally rejoin the road I planned, with little traffic all afternoon until I reach a calm village or city of Bulle, which I know from the hike a few weeks ago, and I went to the same spot in the forest to pitch my tent 17:00.

◈ Fribourg - Freiburg (Δ 621m), 2020/09/13 10:37

◈ Fribourg - Freiburg, 2020/09/13 10:50

◈ Pont-en-Ogoz, 2020/09/13 12:47

View toward Bulle and Lake of Gruyere
◈ Pont-en-Ogoz, 2020/09/13 12:49

View toward Bulle and Lake of Gruyere
◈ Pont-en-Ogoz, 2020/09/13 12:50

Bulle forest
2020/09/13 16:46

Leaving late at 7:45, and quickly shop some food near exit of Bulle, and trying out the official bicycle trail, but it ascends unnecessarly, so I try my own route based on my map on the smartphone, but eventually I'm forced to hilly road with significant ascents and descents whereas the main road is rather flat - you wonder who planned those bicycle trails, no idea of imposed ascents/descents. After Chateau d'Oex I pretty much stay on the main road and divert on the flat bicycle trail toward Gstaad, from there harder ascent and then joining main road again to Saanenmöser Pass at 1279m. For the descent I try the bicycle road, but it's steep, steep descents and a few ascents again - the disc brakes run hot - eventually I ask a fellow cyclist how the rest of the road down to Spiez is and he recommends I stay on the main road with my heavy recumbent. And so I descend nicely, only a few mild counter ascents but mostly I can let it run at 30-50km/h.

I skip Spiez but head toward nice Thun, with great bicycle trail starting there toward Burgdorf, eventually near Brenzikofen I divert into the nearby forest, a welcome shady and therefore cooler spot for tonight, after a near cloudless day and 25-30°C.

2020/09/14 09:43

Valley of Gruyere
2020/09/14 09:46

◈ Lac du Vernex, La Tine - Village Devant, Rossinière, 2020/09/14 10:28

◈ Les Granges, Château-d'Oex, 2020/09/14 11:14

◈ Le Crêt, Rougemont, 2020/09/14 11:31

◈ Les Revers, Rougemont, 2020/09/14 11:36

2020/09/14 11:38

Reaching Gstaad
◈ Wispile, Saanen, 2020/09/14 12:06

◈ Oberbort, Saanen (Δ 1207m), 2020/09/14 13:18

Reaching Saanenmöser
◈ Oberbort, Saanen, 2020/09/14 13:37

Saanenmöser Pass
◈ Oberbort, Saanen, 2020/09/14 13:38

◈ Oberbort, Saanen, 2020/09/14 13:39

◈ Oberbort, Saanen (Δ 1290m), 2020/09/14 13:39

Descending toward Zweisimmen
2020/09/14 13:54

◈ Reutigen (Δ 612m), 2020/09/14 16:03

◈ Reutigen, 2020/09/14 16:04

◈ Heimberg, 2020/09/14 17:36

Leaving around 7:30 and reaching Oberdiessbach and continue toward Konolfingen, and Bowil and Signau and staying on the main road with a nice wide bicycle lane to Langnau im Emmental. Mild ascend toward Trubschachen, Wiggen and Escholzmatt (852m) - where I make a brief stop to eat lunch - highest point of the day, and then mostly descending with brief 2x ascents in between near Hasle and Entlebuch, and then Wolhusen, nice wide shoulder or bicycle lane through Malters direct to Littau and Emmen, without entering Lucerne nearby. Very busy roads in Emmen and complex routing for bicycles (changing sides from left and right and back again with 4-6 car lanes in between), eventually I find the bicycle trail along river Reuss until Gisikon and then again main road with bicycle lane toward Cham, and nearby Steinhausen where the tour ends 15:00.

◈ Brauchbühl, Signau, 2020/09/15 10:01

◈ Escholzmatt-Marbach, 2020/09/15 11:27

Paved bicycle trail along Emme near Ebikon
2020/09/15 13:52

Conclusion: the route via Bulle - Saanenmöser - Spiez with 1279m peak elevation with 20-30km steady ascent theoretically is a viable option to reach central or west Switzerland:

west-to-east:
- ascent:
  - after Bulle there is unnecessary ascents before Montbovon, use main road
  - after Montbovon to Chateau d'Oex, use bicycle trail
  - Chateau d'Oex to Rougemont, use main road
  - Rougemont to Gstaad and then Schönried, use bicycle trail
- descent: Schönried - Saanenmöser - Zweisimmen - Spiez, use main road
east-to-west: I can't recommend any option from Spiez to Saanenmöser as I didn't ride the bicycle trail except Zweisimmen - Saanenmöser which is slightly hilly and with extremely steep ascents sections (20+%).

I personally would analyse the overall traffic on the street at a given day and time, and if it's low traffic prefer main road, except Gstaad to Chateau d'Oex use bicycle trail.

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Content:

2020: Various Hikes / Tours

4 Days Recumbent Tour de Suisse 412km

Saturday 2020/09/12: Urdorf/Zurich - Brugg - Langenthal - Bern (120km)

Sunday 09/13: Bern - Fribourg - Bulle (72km)

Monday 09/14: Bulle - Gstaad - Saanenmöser Pass - Thun - Brenzikofen (110km)

Tuesday 09/15: Brenzikofen - Langnau i. E. - Wolhusen - Lucerne - Cham (110km)