Text: Baschi Bender
It is to be an epic father-son tour: 240 kilometres and 2600 metres of altitude in one day. From Freiburg to Bodman on Lake Constance and back. For me, it's above all an opportunity to spend some quality time with my son, do sport and face a challenge together. What could be better? It's the longest day of the year when Nathan and I pack up our racing bikes in the early hours of the morning. Unfortunately, there's little sign of midsummer: it's 15 degrees and drizzling rain. As a result, the mood is rather mixed and the motivation for our big tour clearly still has room for improvement. Not exactly a perfect start.
Nathan's beginnings with the racing bike
Since Nathan was ten years old, we have always been looking for new destinations for our cycle tours. Our first tour together took us from Freiburg to Neu-Breisach in France, about 60 kilometres. For him, it felt like we had crossed France once and he was very proud of himself. And I was probably a bit more proud of him. We then cycled from Freiburg to Basel, about 80 kilometres. We cycled through France into Switzerland, crossing the Rhine and two national borders. Then, at the age of twelve, Nathan cycled his first hundred kilometres, once around Elba.
Start in Freiburg
Now the biggest challenge to date is on the agenda: Lake Constance and back. And although Nathan hasn't ridden his bike much recently and the weather is anything but perfect, he has set his mind on seeing it through. Well then, when a 13-year-old is that motivated, you can't let it go to waste! Shortly after the start in Freiburg, our route takes us over the Thurner, a challenging climb of around 800 metres in altitude. On the ascent, the cold morning air is still pleasant and the wafts of mist in the Black Forest once again create a very special atmosphere.
It reassures me that Nathan copes well with the incline. His height of 1.78 metres and weight of less than 60 kilograms prove to be good conditions on the mountain. He stays behind me for a long time, only to overtake me shortly before the summit and clearly win the mountain classification. I don't begrudge him this success, as I hope it will motivate him for the many kilometres that lie ahead.
After the Thurner, our route leads to Waldau. At an altitude of over 1000 metres, the cold gets to us and the first descent of the day is icy. The euphoria evaporates within minutes. Nathan starts to shiver all over and his legs are probably still tired from the ascent to Thurner. Doubts arise as to whether we can complete the tour. We still have more than 200 kilometres to go, and there's not much sign of the warming sun and the forecast 23 degrees.
Long-distance tour: Through a magical forest
It helps that the next climb is coming soon. The effort warms us up a little. We reach the "magical forest" near Bräunlingen. When we were travelling by road bike a year ago, we had one of the most beautiful moments together here. We were truly enchanted by nature. The dense forest, criss-crossed by narrow, winding roads, was beautiful and we felt at one with nature. We rolled easily downhill at 40 km/h and yodelled with happiness!
It was one of those special moments that weld father and son together and stay in our memories forever. Today we are travelling the same route - but there is no trace of magic: we pedal silently behind each other with just one thought: "When will it finally get warmer?" Our jersey pockets are filled with all kinds of snacks: Energy bars, nuts, jelly babies, gels. It's time for our first short break. A regular supply of energy is important on long journeys - especially for the young guy who has nothing wrong with him. Worried that he might get the famous hunger pangs, I set a regular reminder on my mobile phone to make sure we eat and drink something every hour.
Turning point: Lake Constance at last
After the forest near Bräunlingen, our route takes us through the Hegau, a region known for its volcanic hills and picturesque villages. The route becomes flatter - and the temperatures gradually rise. The sun finally makes an appearance and warms our frozen limbs. As the temperature rises, so does our spirits, and we feel energised and motivated again as we reach Bodman on Lake Constance.
Jump into the lake once and then back again: that was the idea for our tour. So we head straight for the Bodman lido. As soon as we arrive, we realise that we are the only bathers. Due to the rainy summer, the lake is flooded, which means that half of the lido is submerged. There is also an aggressive plague of mosquitoes, the likes of which I have never seen before! So swimming is cancelled. We decide to go to a pizzeria instead and eat a proper plate of pasta, as we still have 120 kilometres to drive back.
The way back: sun and community
After our long break, we make our way back to Freiburg. The sun is now high in the sky and accompanies us on our way back, finally! The impressive landscape of the Hegau passes us by again, but this time, in the sunshine, it shows its friendly face. And so we don't even notice how diligently we pedal away kilometre after kilometre.
The atmosphere is more relaxed and we finally have time and leisure to chat. From racing bike tech talk about God and the world... - Baschi Bender
With the warm temperatures, Nathan gets into full swing. The mood is more relaxed and we finally have time and leisure to chat. From road bike tech talk to God and the world, together we delve into the topics that are currently on Nathan's mind. When else do you have 14 hours to ride alongside your son? I am impressed by the ease with which he is now reeling off kilometre after kilometre. And that's despite the fact that he's only ridden around 300 kilometres this year and not 3000 like me!
Just in time: at home for football
As we approach Freiburg, our route takes us along the wonderful Alte Spirzenstraße. For me, this is one of the most beautiful road bike routes in the Black Forest. Our timing couldn't be better as the view towards Freiburg widens: The sunset bathes the road in a warm, golden light. It's a moment of pure bliss as we roll down these last few kilometres together. Nathan drives as if unleashed, the exhaustion of the long journey is blown away and has given way to a deep sense of satisfaction. We are simply proud to have made it!
It's almost 9 pm when we arrive home in Freiburg. Just in time for the European Championship football match between Germany and Switzerland. We are exhausted and tired, but happy. This tour was more than just a sporting challenge. The joint effort, the hurdles overcome and the shared moments of worry and joy have strengthened the relationship between Nathan and me in a very special way. I feel lucky and also privileged to have been able to experience something like this with my son. I can only recommend everyone to set off with their children and discover together what they are capable of. No matter how high and how far, the main thing is to do it.
Nathan will remember this tour forever. And who can claim to have cycled 240 kilometres at the age of 13! I'm sure the experience and the memory will give him a lot of energy and self-confidence for everything that lies ahead in his life. And of course, a bike tour is expensive and the right equipment costs money. But it doesn't have to be expensive: We bought Nathan's bike, his shoes, pedals, in short almost all of his equipment second-hand, all together for less than 500 euros. You just have to look around a bit. True to the motto: "Doing is like wanting, only more blatant."
