Sometimes you have to earn the beauty first. In this case, with a day that can be soberly described as what it was: a pure highway day.

You have to get to the south somehow. So we started off with over 500 kilometers of freeway on a motorcycle. And as expected, it was about as appealing as it sounds. Lots of straight ahead, lots of distance, little romance. At least the weather played along. At around 22 degrees, it was almost too warm. At the end of the day, Baden-Baden was on the agenda – and as a reward, we had a large pizza in the evening. That’s another way to end a rather tough arrival day on a happy note.

The night in Baden-Baden was then pleasantly good. Comfortable bed, a good night’s sleep, exactly what you need after such a highway ride. The coffee the next morning gets a solid 4 out of 5 cups from me, along with a butter croissant and a chocolate roll. Not a great gourmet breakfast, but absolutely suitable for getting the machine and the driver back in the mood for traveling. ☕

As we set off, the northern Black Forest first showed that it wasn’t going to shine with postcard motifs this morning. It started to rain in Baden-Baden and I had to drive through the rain for about half an hour. After that it got better, but immediately afterwards it was quite foggy.

Right at the start of the Black Forest High Road, it became quieter than usual. There is a memorial kilometer for all motorcyclists who have had an accident on this route. So music off. And with a big lump in my throat, a few thoughts about the riders and the people who miss them. A moment like this very quickly takes you out of any touring lightness.

We then continued along the Black Forest High Road, which is actually a real classic in itself. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much to see of the classic Black Forest glory because the fog reliably swallowed up everything. At the Mummelsee? Nothing. At a high point with a view? Nothing either. I’m pretty sure it would have been nice to have recognized something. As it was, it was more of a drive through a gray wall with an attached hope for improvement. 😄

Later, the weather became friendlier. The fog disappeared, it was still very cloudy and, at just 10 degrees, pretty fresh, but at least we could see some of the world again. And the riding in the Black Forest was really good: beautiful routes, pleasantly winding, exactly the kind of roads you ride your motorcycle on. The only downside to moments like this is that you can’t stop and take photos all the time. Especially on a motorcycle, you often gather an incredible number of impressions without always being able to capture them in pictures. I passed beautiful castle ruins on the way, saw a lot, but didn’t photograph everything. That’s a bit of a shame – but it’s part and parcel of motorcycling.

Just before the border, it got really nice again. I was in Endingen, on the edge of the Kaiserstuhl, and took a leisurely break there. Before the communication problems started and suddenly you could only hear French around you, I had a proper meat loaf sandwich. The old lady, on the other hand, had to wait a little longer. In the hope that fuel is cheaper in France, we postponed filling up for the time being.

And indeed: in France, the fuel really was cheaper. It’s hard to believe, but suddenly there was a 1 in front of the decimal point again. Sure, it’s still scratching at the 2-euro mark, but still – people are now happy about things that would have sounded completely absurd a few months ago. 😄

The weather finally cooperated at this point. The sun came out and at 16 degrees, the tour immediately felt a lot friendlier.

Apparently, I was also traveling in a wine region. Which is hardly surprising, as the Kaiserstuhl region is all about vines, hills and views. Anyway, I drove a little way into the vineyards and was rewarded with a really beautiful view. I could see the Black Forest clearly, and I think I might even have recognized the Vosges Mountains – but I’m not quite sure. Vineyards all around me, not a soul to be seen, wonderful peace and quiet and simply this feeling of being in exactly the right place. Such chance finds are often the best.

Crossing the border into France itself was surprisingly unspectacular. Just cross the Rhine – and there you are. After that, however, we had a long ride south along the Rhine, through the Sundgau region in southern Alsace. And I’ll be honest: It was rather tough riding. A lot of straight driving, often only 50, sometimes 70, and the French reality outside built-up areas with its 80 km/h. There are roads that you drive because they are beautiful. And there are roads that you drive because they are on the way. This one was more like category two.

The weather, on the other hand, got better and better. Blue skies, friendly, really nice overall. Only this constant alternation of sun and clouds was sometimes a bit exhausting, because it was alternately blinding and the next moment it became much darker again. In Kappelen in France, it was 17 degrees at the time – so good conditions overall, even if the light wasn’t always completely relaxed.

Fortunately, it didn’t stop at the boring section of the Rhine. The further inland France we went, the better the landscape became. The roads became much more winding, it became more mountainous again, and suddenly it was there again: that moment when riding a motorcycle is not just about getting around, but is really fun. Five kilometers before the Swiss border, it was finally clear: now the beautiful part of the tour begins.

And it was here that a moment occurred that immediately brought back memories. I was riding through an area that Regine and I had already ridden together last year. And suddenly it was all there again. I could literally make out the exact spot where the battery light came on in the Vitara back then. And I also drove past the bakery where we ate those really tasty croissants back then. It’s crazy how quickly a route like that can take you straight back to another moment.

Later, we entered the Jura region, where the landscape finally became what you want for a tour like this: more relief, more character, more motorcycle. At some point, the Doubs made an appearance – or rather, the route ran alongside this river for a while. And there it was, that typical Jura moment: road, river, wooded slopes, rocks, peace and quiet. It’s precisely sections like this that make you put up with the many tough kilometers at the beginning.

At the end of the day, I arrived in Maîche with a private host couple. And to be honest, it wasn’t easy to find accommodation here at all. All the better that it worked out in the end.

All in all, these first two days were exactly the mixture that is part and parcel of a road trip like this: firstly, fulfilling our duty on the highway, then rain, fog and gray Black Forest moments, later sun, Kaiserstuhl, France, memories of previous tours, cheaper fuel, Sundgau, Jura, the Doubs – and finally real driving fun again. So the start had a bit of everything – except one thing for sure: boredom.

Conclusion: Despite the boring highway, rain and fog, the start of the tour was just right in the end: at first it was compulsory, then slowly more and more scenery, curves and a real road trip feeling. From France onwards at the latest, it became clear that the journey had been worthwhile. And with the Jura right in front of us, it finally feels like the journey has really begun. 😊