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Uf Em Chass
Today’s view from the Chasseral.
Weekend Ride Report
Taking advantage of the fantastic fall weather currently coddling Switzerland, the past weekend turned out to be a busy cycling weekend where I managed to spend over 180 kilometers in the saddle.
Friday afternoon, I took all my gear to work to take off on a night ride right from the office. I climbed the paved road up to the Montagne de Romont for the first time as it was getting dark, then crossed over to the Stierenberg in complete darkness. I found my way without getting lost, then rode down the north side to reach Péry. Bad idea. Coming out of the forest the road in front of me was covered with a sparkling layer of frost and temperatures were several degrees lower than than on the south side I climbed. With no cellular network, this cold, deserted valley all of a sudden didn’t seem like a good place to find yourself at such a time. Once in Péry, I cut my ride short and hopped onto the highway back to Biel.
Saturday morning, the sun was already poking through the hazy sky early, so I left for a cyclocross ride to the Chasseral.
Sunday morning I met with two friends for a mountain bike loop to the Chasseral. It was the first time back on the Niner. We met around 9AM and took off under a sunny sky. It was a chilly morning but only until we jumped into the first climb. From Biel we headed west in the forest above the lake and zig-zagged our way up to Magglingen, then crossed over to the Twannberg. As we dropped into Lamboing, we had a clear view of the Chasseral towering far above us. The tall striped antenna was our goal. We went around the westside of the Mont Sujet and peacefully approached the Métairie de Prêles. At times we enjoyed a few sun rays while crossing open pastures but often we rode over already frozen ground in the dark shadow of the Mont Sujet. From the Métairie we took the easier and paved climb to the Place Centrale and continued to the Métairie du Bois Raiguel. We were looking for a place to have a small bite. This usually busy restaurant seemed abandoned for the winter. Instead of making a U-turn, we crossed an open gate to the left that leads to a sweet single trail parallel to the boring, wide gravel road. Playtime, the narrow trail offered mud holes, roots and sharply-cut, wheel-killing branches. Fun and too short. It dropped us out onto the gravel road at its end, which we immediately left to navigate straight to the Métairie du Milieu de Bienne. These guys welcomed guests with a sign apologizing that they’ll only be open Saturdays and Sundays through the winter. We got a table outside, had a beverage and plum pie to re-energize our bodies for the last few hundred meters of elevation we had to climb. With did those no problem. The way back home took us along the crest back to the Place Centrale and further to the Cabane du Jura. There, we descended to Les Près d’Orvin where we shot across the street to land at the old launch pad into the Spaghetti Trail. Jorat and Evilard were the last two control points on our way back into Biel. We had an awesome day out on the trails. Trails that I, as the local guy, can call the fastest trails of all year. Never throughout the whole year have the trails up in the Jura been as grippy and as fast. If we don’t get any rain or snow, November might well end as the month with the sweetest trails.
Don’t Crash Tuesday
| Start: | Place Centrale (1288m) |
| Finish: | Orvin (669m) |
| Time: | 9 minutes |
| Bike: | Neilpryde Alize |
| Camera: | Replay XD1080 |
| Cast: | Collideous, Fiona (cow #1), Tamara (cow #2) |
Les Gorges Du Pichoux
Today’s ride took me onto uncharted territory. In the morning I browsed maps online while drinking a cup of coffee. No, in fact it probably took me two cups until I figured out where I was going to ride. When I decide where to go, I have no idea how many kilometers such a ride is going to be nor how much climbing is going to be involved. If someone would ask me before the ride, the best answer I could give is “probably a lot”. Today was no different. My plan was to ride the Gorges du Pichoux starting in Glovelier and somehow I needed to get there. I could have gone up the Jeanbrenin pass to reach Tramelan. Instead, I chose a climb I’ve never done before. It looked rideable on the map. So, I left for Courtelary where the climb began.
Out of the village it was a typical, paved single-lane farm road. Perfect until it took a sharp left hander and reached the forest. As soon as I was under the trees, I was rolling across gravel. The gravel was hard-packed and smooth so I continued. Once in a while the gravel was interrupted with a short stretch of old pavement and I easily made my way up. Once the road intersected with a small road coming up from Cormoret, I was happily back on pavement. The climb from there to the Chalet Neuf belongs to one of the nicest roads I’ve done in a while. It’s not awfully steep and travels through a deserted region. I was alone with critters and birds. At the Chalet Neuf I turned left to reach the Col du Mont Crosin. I was now on busier roads until Les Reussilles. At the roundabout I followed the street sign to Glovelier. Wow, the leg through Lajoux and Saulcy is a treat. Rolling hills to Saulcy that stay between 900-1000 meters above sea level followed by a fast 14% descent into Glovelier.
Just before entering the Pichoux gorge, I stopped in Berlincourt to fill my water bottle at a fountain and call my wife to let her know that I was still alive. The gorge is a amazing - visually. For nose and lungs the gorge is a place to avoid. While it wasn’t busy, there were cars and motorcycles going both ways regularly. And somehow their exhaust gases lingered on. On an open road the wind would carry them away quickly, but in this deep gorge all those bad fumes stayed where they were and I had the pleasure to fill my lungs with them. Exiting the gorge, I then deviated from my route. My initial plan was to take a shortcut to Sornetan and cross over to Le Fuet. But as I popped out of the gorge I touched ground on a freshly paved road to Souboz with signs saying that I would end up in Moutier.
Okay, Moutier it is. While this decision added a couple of kilometers, I ended up on another wonderful piece of road cycling heaven. Barely any cars but three cyclists coming the opposite way. Before dropping into Moutier, I was looking for a good place to stop and eat a couple of strips of Banana Passa (a deliciously smokey tasting organic Brazilian dried banana). I found an old wooden bench under a large pine tree overlooking Perrefitte and Moutier. Slightly refueled, I dropped down the road and took a right turn to ride up to Court, where I began the last long climb of the day.
Once in town, I was looking for a sign to the Grenchenberg, but was out of luck. There was a sign indicating Montoz and a few cars with Solothurn license plates were going that way. So, I just went that way too not quite sure I would end up where I wanted. But the couple of cars and motorcycles gave me enough confidence that I wouldn’t end up out in nowhere. This last climb was a tough one. About half way, I dropped into my smallest gear (36x25), which I rarely do and was glad I had it. At this point of the ride, the climb seemed endless. By the time I reached the top, I must have been delirious because I missed my turn. I think there’s a paved road continuing to the Obergrenchenberg and Untergrenchenberg. Instead, I went straight into a wide trail where a road bike definitely is at the wrong place and ended up on the Obere Büreberg where I found welcome pavement again. I dropped down to the Undere Büreberg and was back in familiar territory.
Only now I had to climb to the Stierenberg on gravel, where I sliced my tire the other week. Tired, I took it easy and rode extra careful. Once there, my legs got a short break while descending to Grenchen. Two cars in front of me slowed the downhill. I was able to pass one but passing the second was too dicey. The flat home stretch to Biel was done at a mellow pace. Surprisingly, back on the flats the legs turned pretty well. Though once at home, when I had to walk up four floors, my semitendinosus muscles were burning. I jumped under the shower, then drank and ate a bunch before heading out to dinner at 6PM. A great ride, a great meal with my wife - one great Sunday in September.
| Distance: | 119km (74 miles) |
| Elevation: | 3’619m (11’873 feet) |
| Time: | 04:47:24 |
| Speed (avg/max): | 24.7/81.1 kph (15.3/50.4 mph) |
| GPS Track: | GPSies.com |
The Friday Fifty
Leaving the office an hour early on Fridays, leaves an hour more to ride. Now that the days are quickly getting shorter, it’s a valuable hour during which a few more miles can be ridden at daylight. Having recently received a package from Newbury Park, California containing a small Replay XD1080 action camera, I wanted to test that little gizmo out on the road. With it’s cylindrical shape the camera fits perfectly into a vent of my Giro Atmos helmet, no mount required. I cut 23mm wide strips out of an old mountain bike tube and fit them around the XD1080 front and back. The tube sections fit without much tension, add friction between camera and helmet and protect the camera housing. A velcro strap holds everything in place. Still do get done are mounts to attach the camera at various points on a bike frame. I ordered a couple of mounts from Replay, but to have a system that lets me quickly switch the camera from one place to the other trailside, I need to come up with my own mounting system. To get done: a universal handlebar mount with rubber O-rings, a rear dropout mount and maybe a top tube mount.
42nd Birthday Loop
It’s an office tradition to have the afternoon off on one’s birthday. My wife had to be out of town for work, but had placed an order for a birthday gift she knew I’d love - a sunny afternoon. Still a bit sore from the long run on Sunday, I grabbed the Alize for a ride through the Jura. I wanted to climb the Jeanbrenin pass, which I have not done recently, then cross the Mont Soleil to climb the Chasseral pass on the way home. Before leaving I glanced at a map and then took off without any navigational aids. The Jeanbrenin climb went really well. The great thing about cycling and running is that they don’t quite use the same muscle groups. The sore area of my thighs didn’t have to work too badly on the bike, neither when I was spinning nor when I was climbing out of the saddle. I dropped down the steep descent into Tramelan and turned into the road heading to La Chaux-de-Fonds. I rode through Les Breuleux and continued towards La Chaux d’Abel enjoying a nice tailwind. As soon as I spotted a sign pointing to the Mont Soleil, I turned left to climb up to that sunny mountain.
The Mont Soleil is known for renewable energies, being home of a huge solar power plant and a bunch of humongous windmills. I stopped to take a few photos then continued to the Montagne du Droit to reach the “trotinette” descent into Sonvilier. Without a map, I missed the correct turn but easily found the way back onto my route. Once in Sonvilier, I climbed the narrow road I’m familiar with the reach the Montagne de l’Envers. Unfortunately, they were paving a stretch of this one lane road so I decided to try my luck a bit further west. Well, riding mapless I went the wrong way, climbed to a dead-end and couldn’t find anyone with any knowledge of those small mountain roads. There are actually two other tiny roads to get up there and I should check them out to have a few more options in the future. Today, I took a little shortcut and headed straight to Les Pontins from where it’s just a stone-throw to reach the Chasseral climb. The brisk wind made climbing easy as a tailwind and made things a lot harder as a headwind. Once at the top of the Chasseral, I put arm warmers on for the long descent into Nods. On the Diesse plateau, the wind seemed even stiffer. On that usually fast stretch, one had to actually work to keep moving. Two more short climbs were still ahead, a little bump right after Lamboing and the last uphill to get out of Frinvillier. Back in Biel I wanted nothing other than a hot shower and a good dinner.
| Distance: | 103km (64 miles) |
| Elevation: | 2’701m (8’861 feet) |
| Time: | 04:19:46 |
| Speed (avg/max): | 23.8/83.8 kph (14.8/52.1 mph) |
| GPS Track: | GPSies.com |
Monday Evening Out And Back
Back out on the same ride as last Friday. It was a lot chillier with a headwind during the whole climb. I beat my previous KOM by 5 minutes despite the wind thanks to the cooler temperatures. We’re heading into the season where knee and arm warmers will need to be stuffed into a jersey pocket, especially when riding after sunset. Love it! My engine runs much smoother at lower outside temps. Rain forecast for much of the week so the bikes will get a short break.
| Distance: | 33.0km (20.5 miles) |
| Elevation: | 1’241m (4’072 feet) |
| Time: | 01:24:20 |
| Speed (avg/max): | 23.5/79.8 kph (14.6/49.6 mph) |
Friday Evening Out And Back
Finished a long week at work and started a weekend on two wheels with an evening road climb up to Les Près d’Orvin and La Place Centrale where all pavement ends. A quick stop to instagram the above pic and return back to town the very same way. The Alize felt fast the way up and the way down - thanks to two madly spinning legs.
| Distance: | 33.0km (20.5 miles) |
| Elevation: | 1’672m (5’485 feet) |
| Time: | 01:26:14 |
| Speed (avg/max): | 22.9/78.6 kph (14.2/48.8 mph) |
