While the sun slowly rises at Hotel Montana in Limburg an der Lahn, the birds are chirping loudly from Ruben’s phone. It is exactly 06:00 when the alarm goes off. Why the alarm goes off in Limburg an der Lahn and why in this hotel, I will explain later. Once we have fallen asleep, we get ready for a relatively long day. End goal? The ‘real’ Montana, Crans-Montana, in Switzerland. Four days of adventure in the Swiss Alps. The program includes climbing to Crans-Montana itself, the legendary Furkapass, Lake Tseuzier and more. We can’t wait.
Back in time
In my previous articles, the love for Switzerland comes to the fore. The idea for this platform originated there, of course. But also the beautiful landscape, the challenging routes, and the unpredictability that sometimes means that your plans can go straight to the trash can. Two times already, stages have been rained off. So much so that mountain passes were closed for up to two days due to the bad weather. But still. Switzerland and especially the Valais region is truly in my heart.
Crans-Montana
The fashionable and classic ski village Crans-Montana It is well known to many for its spa resorts and golf tournament, but to few for its cycling opportunities. That is a shame, because this village (which consists of two parts) is actually ideal for a beautiful mountain holiday. It is at an altitude, with a beautiful panoramic view, and surrounded by several mountain passes. Enjoying a great G! Last year we traveled here by train. It was already relaxing, and this year we choose a sustainable way of transportation.
The bus
Back to the hotel in Limburg. The reason we hear the birds whistling here is simple: we want to be in Crans-Montana on time. Makkie, I hear you say. That's right. If you're driving a big BMW or Mercedes at 180 on the German Autobahn, you're there in no time and you're a month's salary poorer. We wanted to do things differently. Preferably by train, but then you still have a hard time getting your bike on board. So we decided on an electric car. A van, because there's a lot to carry. Thanks to Andries from TSN Green We have at our disposal a great means of transportation by electric vehicle. The big plans can begin.
Loading is fun
What we quickly realize, even before we leave, is that the bottleneck in electric driving isn’t the range, but charging. To drive about 200km, you need 50kW. Most public charging stations can charge about 50 kWh. Some a little more, and with a Tesla Supercharger everything is different. But if you need 50 kW…and the capacity is 50 kWh. Then ‘charging’ is a time-consuming process. So let’s make it fun. How did we do that?
Load ’n Ride
While we have pushed the birds aside and had a cup of coffee in Limburg, we quickly look up on Komoot and in the planner. We have 220 km before we have to recharge again, so then it’s looking for a nice spot. Baden-Baden, in Baden-Württemberg It’s a somewhat sleepy spa town, where mainly older people enjoy a good life. It’s also popular with the average older tourist. As a cycling destination, it’s underrated, because from this beautiful town you can easily get into the mountains! After we parked the bus at the Aldi Süd (free) charging station, we had an hour to explore the surroundings. Get out of the car, pack up, put on a helmet. Let’s go!
Rote Lache
The route we have devised starts in the center of Baden-Baden. From the old train station, it’s a bit of a stroll through the streets to finally drive out of the city via the casino (also such a beautiful old building) and the various bathhouses. Via the Lichtenberg Abbey and several other church buildings, we drive towards Rote Lache. The surroundings are green, the sun is high in the sky. It’s pure enjoyment on two wheels.
Steep and curvy.
When planning the route, it’s already clear: this is a technically difficult climb. Popular among motorcyclists as well, which is a good indicator. You’re well protected by the trees that mark the path. The only thing they don’t protect you from: the rise in the road surface. Despite a profile that looks friendly, the odometer occasionally shoots up to ten percent. That’s not exactly a pleasant ride. I myself carry a backpack with laptops and other valuable items up there. In the German summer sun, that’s not necessarily advisable. Ruben, who is by far the stronger rider of the two of us, only rides with his camera. Next time we’ll do things differently.
Up and back again
On the way up, we do encounter a few motorcyclists. It’s not polite to wave to them. They are focused on the road. Once we’re up there, there is some view, but it’s blocked by a large house. That’s a shame, though. We decide to turn around right away and go back down. It’s a pretty technical descent with a lot of blind turns. You notice that differently when you’re driving up. With the oncoming traffic, you have to be careful here. Once we’re back in the city, it’s simple. Just turn around and we’re back at the Aldi.
Full (or complete)
The bus is full, we are satisfied. With electric driving you just have to think differently. Because in the regular car we had left this beautiful area behind. Now we are taking a super beautiful climb, we drove sustainably and we also did some sports. On the way back this will still be an option. The other charging times we chose were shorter and all along the highway. That is just inconvenient.
Questions & tips
Do you have any questions about this route, or have you been there yourself? Share them here. We read everything and usually respond within a few days.