Riding the velomobile to Rapperswil

text and pictures Benedikte Löhrer

Zürich Rapperswil

If someone had told me –ve years ago that I would cycle hundreds of kilometres for a bicycle meeting, I wouldn’t have believed it. Now this weekend we cycled more than 350 kilometres.

After Werner's closing time we ‡rst cycled through the Rhine Valley and took a break in Walenstadt. en the mountainous trip followed along the Walensee. e tunnels are really great and of course the 25% descent (where it is pointed out that cyclists should descend). e reward is a fantastic view. e overnight stay is planned at Johan’s home and therefore we continued through the Linth plain and arrived punctually at sunset at Lake Zurich. At Johan's we were welcomed for a nice stay. e next morning, together with Johan, we made a short detour to Jürg Birkenstock’s and met the other drivers at the ‡sh market in Rapperswil. After a good chat, we divide into two groups and after a group picture the "fast group" started ‡rst.

Group photo in Rapperswil.

Both groups met shortly after Weesen at Lake Walen in Lago Mio. After lunch some of them made a small detour through the galleries at the lake and afterwards we separated again via Schmerikon back to Rapperswil. e slower group came back to Rapperswil earlier, because the faster group lost cyclists again and again. In the evening we met in the restaurant San Marco and had a good chat

with anecdotes. It was "heel gezellig" as the two Dutchmen would say. On Sunday a common tour led us over the Diemberg towards Schmerikon. We took lunch at the air‡eld of Schänis. Quickly the beautiful time was over and we had to say goodbye for our return trip. I was a little afraid until Walenstadt, because I don't like ascents. Surprisingly it was easier than I