18 July 2025 (cold start, sunny and warm) 53km

Woken at 7am by Regina on her way out of camp. This is the last time we will see her, unless she comes to N Z. It has been a really nice couple of days spent with a lovely person. We hope to catch up with her again. 

We were so cold this morning that our fingers didn't want to cooperate at all. Packed a sodden tent and flysheet, which we'll have to get some sun on before the end of the day. 

Left camp at 8.20am and pedalled 11kms, mostly downhill to Zernez, where we shopped for breakfast and then ate it outside the supermarket, trying to get wifi and also warm up in the sun.

While we were sitting there, a couple of guys from the Carrera camp a couple of nights ago cycled up and said hello after recognizing us. They have been doing some off road stuff, and are travelling very light.

Finished breakfast and preparing for another big day of climbing. This is our fifth big day. So far the bodies feel great. 

So, post breakfast, it was straight up. We'd only just been saying how strong we felt and it was if the mountains were saying

"Well, try this for size smart arses." 

We made some conclusions today on our ride. They were as follows:

French racing cyclists are much nicer than their Swiss counterparts. The French more often than not will greet you and offer encouragement. The Swiss cyclists are far too cool/serious to acknowledge other riders.

French drivers are better than Swiss drivers. The French were courteous and on main roads more often than not would not overtake if there was a chance of someone coming the other way, endangering the cyclist.

The Swiss will not only pass at any opportunity, but will literally force you into the barriers.

The amount of times we have been cycling into oncoming traffic, they have seen us and still overtaken, are too numerous to record.

We have been overtaken, with the oncoming cars being forced off the road so their tyres are in the grass or they have to slow down completely to let the passer back in, as do we.

So, sorry Switzerland. For manners, courtesy, safety and plain old common driving sense, you dip out badly. 

Margrit and Ernst, Lisbeth and Roland, you guys were fantastic hosts and we enjoyed your company so much.

Regina, we hope you come to NZ, so we can show you our bad drivers, of which there are plenty. It is our belief that all motorists should be forced to ride a bike every day for a month before being bestowed with the honour of a driving license. 

Luckily for us the stunning views kept coming to distract us from the stupidity.

We eventually reached the first peak of our climb and not a minute too soon. All these hills are certainly taking it out of us. We had an English racing cyclist go past us and offer encouragement, which always helps. 

We had a very fit, young professional cycling team with UBS printed on their tight lycra tops pass us. Only while we'd stopped and taken a photo of course, otherwise they'd have no chance of catching us.

As the terrain somewhat leveled out, we came upon a restaurant (which was closed) with a grassy area behind.

Perfect spot for lunch and to take our sodden tent and groundsheet out and dry them.

As they dried, we ate lunch.

Unfortunately for Julia yesterday, she tried some pumpernickel bread, which had a bad effect on her system, so she was literally eating carrot, nectarines and cashews, not willing to chance anything that might have gluten in it.

Tent dry, we made our final push over the Ofenpass. Nice that we both now have a pass named after us….as we were passed that often, the naming was obvious.

In two hours and twenty five minutes, we had completed 33kms and reached a height of 2149 metres.

Another one chalked off. 

A lot of mountain bikers get bussed up here so they can ride the trails down.

Took a couple of photos and then it was the descent. Although not cold like yesterday, it was blowing.

Had a nice downhill section, but I literally got blown off my bike with a wind gust on the way down.

Scary stuff, but fortunately, no traffic behind me at the time.

We passed through the quaint village of Santa Maria Val Mustair where the famous Stelvio climb begins, which we thought about quickly knocking off before dinner time but didn't want to show up the poor young chaps trying so hard on their racing bikes.

Eventually we entered the village of Mustair and our camp for the night. Julia had gone in to pay and I wondered why she was taking so long. When she came out, she told me the price.

No wonder she took so long, she must have been so nervous telling me the price was NZ $100.

Upon checking the bill though, Ju noticed we'd been charged for two motorrads (motorcycles). Really? C’mon man, what self respecting biker wears fluoro T-shirts? So she went back in with her bike helmet and a bit of miming and got the bill down to $80, which is still too much, but better than $100.

Got the tent pitched then shower, shave and washing done.

We'd already decided that we were going for a pizza tonight, at a little restaurant in town.

At 7pm we wandered up into the village where they did gluten free pizza. What a welcome change from five nights of Chilli con carne.

A cute house on our way back from pizza.

We shared a massive pizza with chips and a drink each, before back to the camp to work on the blog in the bar, whilst watching Switzerland play in the women's Euros.

Gave Brody a quick call and went to bed at 10pm.