July 13, 2025

 Sunday. Lamboing, Jura, above the Bielersee, Switzerland. Blacksmith. Left around 10:15. Partly sunny, fairly warm, little wind. Small villages on the way to Nods, with good views of the meadows just below, to the left, and eventually also, way down, Lake Neuchatel. To the right, way up, the tower of the Chasseral. Start of the climb in Nods. Fairly steep at first, then a section where it was easier, but from the split to Lignieres a couple of hard kilometers. No rush, but still hard work. Passed by the Sunday special sports car club, some cars, some motorcyles; a good number of riders already coming down the hill. At the Col du Chasseral (1500+ m) a quick turn around and a fast, bumpy descent. On the way up, the original plan to do a loop counterclockwise by way of St Imier first got changed to an out-and-back to said town, but soon just getting to the top was enough for the first day back in the mountains. A good thing too, for on the way back from Nods some dark gray clouds gathered rapidly behind over the ridge, and as soon as I got off the bike the first raindrops fell. It would have been just a half-hour, warm water shower, but it's better to keep the pearl white clean. In the news the see, of the constant see-saw: we're sending Ukraine weapons after all, only someone else has to pay for them. Also--and really, "we'll see what happens" here--in 50 days Moscow had better behave, or else. If it wasn't so serious, it really would be a joke.