The decision had actually already been made the evening before. When I parked the old lady, she was suddenly difficult to push. A quick look at the rear tire was enough: flat. Completely flat. Of all things, the tire that had only been fitted shortly before the trip.

I used my electric air pump to bring the tire back up to two bar. Perhaps, I hoped, the air would escape slowly enough to allow me to continue my journey somehow the next morning. An hour later, I was back at the bike. The tire was completely flat again. So it was clear: this journey ends here.

In order not to lose any time, I called my insurance company that same evening. After a few phone calls, it was clear that a tow truck would arrive at 9:30 the next morning. The course was set. There wasn’t much I could do about it now anyway.

The morning therefore started differently than planned. Instead of the route, weather and mountain passes, towing and insurance issues were on the agenda. Beforehand, I got myself a cappuccino, a chocolate croissant and a bread roll filled with salami. After all, I didn’t know how long the day would be. Switzerland is beautiful, but with the prices you quickly learn to be satisfied with small things.

The tow truck arrived at around 9:30 am. The old lady was loaded and we made our way to the depot. On the way, the driver told me that motorcycle workshops in the region were open on Saturdays but closed on Mondays. Today was Sunday. So the chances of a quick solution were slim anyway.

Once we arrived at the depot, the bike was parked and the paperwork completed. Then the tow truck drove off again and I was left behind. It was a strange feeling. After many kilometers together, the old lady was suddenly standing alone in a shed waiting to be transported home. Of course, a motorcycle is just a motorcycle. But anyone who has been on the road for any length of time knows that this is not the whole truth. You experience rain, sun, mountain passes, breakdowns, beautiful days and difficult moments together. And at some point, a machine does become a traveling companion.

Then the long wait began. While the bikes rode past outside in the best motorcycle weather, presumably enjoying the surrounding Alpine passes, I sat in the restaurant with a cappuccino and a bitter lemon. The callbacks came, but late. In between, there were waiting loops, disconnections and new calls. Because everything was taking so long, I eventually ordered an asparagus soup. That was all I got. I would probably have had to take out a loan for a schnitzel first.

Gradually, a solution emerged. There was no point in waiting until Tuesday for a garage. So it was decided to transport the old lady back to Germany and provide me with a rental car.

But that wasn’t easy either. Renting a car and returning it abroad is a combination that can quickly become very expensive. In the meantime, we checked whether a vehicle could be brought from Germany. However, the costs for this were also absurdly high. After several phone calls, we finally found a solution that was just about acceptable.

So this journey ends not on two wheels, but on four. Of course, I had imagined the end differently. I would have preferred to ride a few more mountain passes, have a last cappuccino somewhere and end the tour as normal. Instead, I’m now sitting in the hotel and preparing for a long ride home of over eight hundred kilometers.

Of course, this trip also had its difficulties. The blinker that kept me busy on the very first day. The heavy rain in the mountains. The technical problems caused by the wet. The closed Susten Pass. The barrier in front of the Lago del Naret. And now, at the end, the flat rear tire. All of this is part of the story of this tour.

But when I think back to this trip in a few weeks or months, it probably won’t be these things that come to mind first. I will think of the horses at the Torri di Fraele. Of the narrow roads there and the special atmosphere in this place. I will think of the Col di Tremezzo, the solitude up there and the feeling of having discovered a place that most people simply drive past.

I will think of the Lago del Naret, which I never reached. Just as the landscape was becoming more and more spectacular, there was this barrier. Rarely has a closed path annoyed me so much. Maybe that’s why this place has stayed in my mind, even though I’ve never seen it.

And I will think of the Nufenen Pass. Of the clouds, the mountains, the snowfields and the mountain goats in the middle of the road. The view wasn’t perfect, nor was the weather. But the nature up there was still impressive. And I remember numerous encounters, conversations and moments that put a smile on my face.

In the end, it is precisely these memories that remain. Not the problems. Not the breakdowns. Not the phone calls with insurance companies. The beautiful moments prevail. And that is perhaps the best thing you can say about a trip.

Many thanks to everyone who accompanied me on this tour. For the comments, the messages and for traveling with me day after day. It was great fun to have you with me.

Conclusion: In the end, it’s not the breakdowns that remain, but the moments when I knew: this is exactly why I set off. The journey ends differently than planned. But the memories remain. 🏍️❤️🐶🐾