How we start our holiday relaxed
Finally, here we go!
We had already packed the evening before. Now we just have to quickly put everything away and get everything ready for Bernd and Simone, because they want to spend a few days on holiday with us during our absence. But Axel will probably take care of everything.
Everything is packed, get on the bike. Start the engine. The beloved sound of our mega-cool bike howls, Gerd puts it in first gear and the engine dies off. We do this several times. Whenever Gerd shifts into first gear, the engine cuts out. Eventually it does. After 1 km, the engine cuts out while we're driving. That's great. So off to the workshop in Aspi, about 3 km from our home. He found out that the screw of the side stand was broken and that it seems to be responsible for telling the engine whether the stand is still down. And if it is down, the engine stops, because you're not supposed to ride with the side stand down. Logical, isn't it? So he unceremoniously removed the side stand, packed it away and we went on to Ostermundigen to the next BMW workshop. Here, shortly before lunch, they were really able to help us. They didn't have the screw in stock, but they quickly turned one themselves. And 30 minutes and a few francs for the coffee fund later, we were on our way! Whoopee.
Off on the motorway towards Kandersteg on the car transport. That's always fascinating for me. Off on the train, once across the mountain and out again at the back of the Valais. Towards the sun.
In Valais we enjoy the Simplon Pass. Beautiful country where we are allowed to stay. After Domodossola we drive along a stretch of motorway, which is more like a rough track and puts our shock absorbers to the first test. The fact that a transition can be made between different road surfaces seems to be completely unknown here. I check the luggage after each hoppler, everything is still attached, so my luggage system works. I take some photos of the pillion's comfortable place.
Gerd drives wonderfully and very safely. Very calm and composed, just my thing.
Arriving in Baveno, we find a campsite directly on Lake Maggiore and get a pitch for our tent. A short time later, the tent is up. There's still room for improvement and we're sure to become a little faster as time goes on.
For dinner we bought salad, which we prepared in our bowls and enjoyed with a view of the lake and the bathing kids.
We notice that our bowls are very, very big. They don't look that big. But they are.
As soon as we are full, we go into the tent after showering and would be happy if everyone else on the campsite could be quiet now too. Haha, funny idea. Now life is just beginning. We are dog-tired and quickly fall asleep.
The regular flop-flop-clap of people walking by and constant zip-open-and-close seem to be our lullaby these days.
