July 16, 2025

 Wednesday. Lamboing. Left around 10:15. Blacksmith. Cooler, partly cloudy, and a fairly stiff southwesterly breeze. The road through the upper valley to Orvin. A group of wheeled cross-country skiers coming toward me. Left and up in Orvin, and another climb requiring work. It got less steep at the ski lift (where the bus turns back to Biel), but then kicked up again. My map predicted that the asphalt would end somewhere up there, but it never did. A quiet little road past meadows and farms, up all the way to a road called Les Colisses (Pont des Anabaptistes). Two French-speaking women on horseback unaware of the approaching rider, and at the top a few hikers putting on their boots. The descent was quite scenic and very deserted, aside from cowbell sounds near and far. Then a split with a choice of towns in the valley, way down below. Cortebert (and initially also Corgemont) soon visible way down below, at the start of a steep descent (coming up from Cortebert would be pretty tough). Left at the highway, into the wind toward Saint Imier. Left again for the climb back over by way of the Col du Chasseral. The 10% grades, or just below, take it out of one, and this ascent was slow and arduous. Pretty nonetheless, and very quiet after the left turn off the road to Neuchatel. All downhill, by way of Nods, from the top.