July 19, 2025

Saturday. Lamboing. Left around 10:15. Blacksmith. Warm and sunny, but gradually clouding up ahead of some thunderstorms. Back toward Orvin through the upper valley. Then right, toward Evilard. There, right again, and the climb toward sports and wellness center Magglingen. From zooming in on Google Maps, it appeared that perhaps paved roads would lead back all the way from there to Lamboing. That turned out to be right. First, a kind of bike path at the top of the ridge, with the Bielersee way down, directly below. Then more paved bike path back around the ridge into the upper valley and a fast descent on narrow country roads toward Lamboing. Not very long, but for a loop where you would not expect one truly spectacular. New reports of massive air assaults on Ukrainian cities, while Russian troops also make headway on the ground. The EU has issued some new sanctions on Moscow, but more is needed, and quick. Unfortunately, it is still more than 40 days before Washington may do something more too--if it does. A good thing is that in the meantime Europe can keep buying U.S. weapons to give to Kiev. It's about defense, but it's also about affecting calculations in Moscow. Much more is required in that department from many more countries, first and foremost the U.S. Perverse, meanwhile, is that while the NATO allies have found a way to cooperate, for now, on defense, they may be at each other's throats soon over trade, all thanks to the leadership in Washington. It is hard to see, if a trade war happens, how defense cooperation can continue on the current basis.