The last day of a tour is always a little different. No longer this open-ended “let’s see what’s around the next bend”, but rather the calm knowledge that we are slowly heading home. That’s exactly how it was today.

There wasn’t much more spectacular to report on the route, because basically it was mainly the return journey home. But before I finally headed home, I wanted to see something I’d never been to before: the Kahler Asten near Winterberg.

And it was worth it. The weather was fine, the visibility was good, and up there I had another really good view. Not the last big pass, not a huge drama, but just the kind of view to round off a last day of touring. One last brief moment to look around before the journey slowly turns into a drive home again.

Apart from that, the return journey through the Sauerland was rather unspectacular. But that’s not a bad thing. Not every travel day has to be packed with passes, workshops, detours or postcard scenery. Sometimes it’s perfectly fine for the last day to simply do what it’s supposed to do: get you home clean and without any further fuss.

And with that, the tour was really over.

All in all, it was a really nice trip for me. I had a lot of fun and I was really lucky with the weather. It only rained once, and even then only briefly. Otherwise, the weather was sometimes cooler, sometimes milder, sometimes just right – but all in all, it was surprisingly often around a comfortable temperature. Not really too hot, not really too cold. It probably also helped that the Jura mountains are not as extremely high as the Alps.

And that describes the Jura quite well for me: in many ways it is reminiscent of the Alps, at least the lower or gentler parts. Lots of greenery, beautiful curves, sometimes impressive cliffs, quiet roads, great scenery. What is missing a little, however, is that classic Alpine feeling, because the really big passes and the high alpine drama are not there. Instead, the Jura has its very own charm: less spectacular on a grand scale, but scenically beautiful and absolutely worthwhile, especially for motorcycling.

Of course, the tour didn’t go exactly as I had originally planned. I couldn’t ride the lower loop, and the story with the clutch naturally overshadowed a lot of things. That was annoying and put a bit of a question mark over the trip in some places. Nevertheless, in the end, the impression remains very clear: the Jura is a very beautiful, winding region that is definitely worthwhile for motorcycling.

And the next time? I’ll probably be heading back to the Alps on my bike – provided, of course, that the old lady joins in and is fit again by then. But that will be material for the next tour.

For now, all that remains to be said is: it was nice.

And at this point, a big thank you to everyone who has read along here, shared in the excitement and accompanied the tour. 😊 It’s simply more fun to ride not just for yourself, but to know that there are a few people virtually in your luggage.

And in case anyone thought while reading: “Gosh, I could even write something about that” – then now would of course be a sensationally good time to comment. 😄
Don’t be shy, the keyboard won’t bite. A little sign of life from the readership makes me happy in any case.

Conclusion: The last day itself was rather quiet, but that’s exactly what fits well at the end of this trip. The Jura was fun, the weather was surprisingly merciful, and despite the clutch hassle, the most memorable part of the trip was a really nice tour. Next time, the old lady is welcome back with a little less French drama and perhaps more Alpine air. 😄