Day 9 { june 3rd 2002 }
“The asphalt jungle”
In Basel, I feel like a fish outside it’s bowl... Some drawbacks finding a place to sleep, and a beautyfull factory. Yep, they do exist!
I decide to enjoy my comfy bed at the hotel in Bartenheim as long as possible, so I turn over and close my eyes once more that morning.
After a refreshing shower, I saddle up my Condor and leave the village. After about six miles, to my horror, I notice that my spare outer-tire
is not where it’s supposed to be!! In a flash-back, I see it standing against one of the chairs outside at the hotel. Damn damn damn...
I curse myself repeatedly. What to do? What is wisdom... I decide to tempt fait and carry on. “I can buy a spare in Bazel.
Should be not to difficult” I think to myself.
In the distance, the skyline of the big city appears. The city get’s closer and closer, and all of a sudden, after a long trip on a path alongside a canal, I pass a customs check-point and there it is; ‘the asphalt jungle’. I must say that this is quite a change in surroundings from the past week. Cars whizz by, and I do not feel at ease on my Condor. Like a fish outside it’s bowl...
“...a police officer who wildly gestured...”
The city looks ‘hip’ to me, with a ‘touch of cosyness’ because of it’s many trees alongside the roads.
The flats look crowded but are colourfull. An East-German deja-vue; just concrete.
I already start to long for a silent path leading through the woods...
After about one hour the ordeal is over. Many people have given me directions including a police-officer who wildly gestured at one point to attract
my attention while I looked upwards, packed inbetween cars, waiting for the traffic lights to turn green.
Later, a boy recognizes my Apple sticker on the back of my seat and praises me for my choice of hardware.
Once down-town, it’s the first time the Swiss bicycle-route signs turn up. Easy to follow, and very good quality roadsurface. I remember day 2, sitting in my tent saying to myself; “try to get to Basel first, then we’ll see”. Well, the first booklet ‘Maastricht-Basel’ can be tucked away in my bag! Feels great. Next one!
I have to push my way through numerous build-up area’s before the urban feeling subsides. No fun cycling here, because from time to time, the area is cluttered with factories. Well, necessary evil I guess.
“A beautyfull factory”
It starts raining for about 15 minutes when I arrive at the beautiful factories of Feldschlossenbier. Beautiful factories? Yep. Even I have to admit that this get’s very close to being a sight for sore eyes.
At one point, north-east of Mohlin, I get the feeling I’m lost in the middle of a forest. The clouds can hardly bee seen through the thick foliage, but they are mainly grey. Not a single patch of blue sky. Wow, there goes my happy-mood...You sure can feel lonely at that moment. It appears, after having negotiated some rough paths, that I’m on the right track! A car-driver (in the middle of nowhere...) confirms the fact that further on is the village of Wallbach. The grey curtain in my head is lifted and after having complimented myself, I head further east.
“...when it appears to be non-existing any more”
My watch indicates that it’s close to 5 in the afternoon, so I move to the camping in Mumpf. It takes some climbing to get there... I already think of a nice hot shower before I tuck in. The disappointment can be understood when it appears to be non-existing any more. Damn. I don’t want to go on any more. But I have to. So I position myself on my Condor, and head down-hill. To add even more to my ‘ I want to quit for today’ mood, a camping alongside the road leading to Munchwillen is a private one. Double bummer!
“I can feel a smile on my face...”
The Rhein has to be crossed to go to the other side of the Swiss border to find a hotel in Bad Sackingen. The first hotel does not appear to be interested in housing a cyclist, and the second one is closed. The third one has accommodation for 1 person. They charge a good price including breakfast. After having hauled my Condor to the basement and unpacking my bags in my room, it starts to rain. Big drops. A lot of them. I can feel a smile upon my face when I look outside and fall asleep. Tomorrow morning, I will wake up being 29 years of age.
