This is my last day on TDGB2025 and I am still surprised at how quickly nine days have passed.
The weather is kind to me once again. From my hotel room window I see the sky glowing in soft yellow and blue, and the air already feels warm and welcoming.
Breakfast has become a ritual on this trip like everyone of them before.
I find a small boulangerie each morning and enjoy a fresh croissant.
Today’s croissant was extraordinary. It was so flaky that it started to crumble before I even touched it. A messy breakfast but a very good one.
From here the road leads me onto a plateau with wide views across to the Vosges and the Black Forest. After days of flat country it feels good to be heading into the hills again.
With only about 300 km planned today, I can take my time and enjoy this last stretch before reaching home.
The plateau is calm, quiet and still free of traffic at this early hour.
It is time to start climbing. The Vosges are not as steep as the Black Forest, so the TWIKE manages the gradients well and consumption stays low.
My drive soon became more complicated. Already during the last few days I had noticed the inverter and TWIKE computer shutting down from time to time, restarting after about twenty seconds. Today it happens almost every time I recuperate for longer than fifteen seconds.
The cause seems clear. When the brake lights come on, the voltage dips below the inverter’s minimum and it switches off. Once the lights are off again, the system recovers and the TWIKE returns to drive mode.
The DC-DC converter looks to be at the end of its life. It now delivers only 10.4 V at 31 W load, which is not enough. I hope it can be repaired by replacing capacitors and checking for other ageing components.
For now I adjust my driving style to rely more on auto-recuperation, which avoids using the brake lights. With a bit of luck I will reach home before the converter fails completely.
After crossing the Vosges I descend into the Alsace plain, with the Rhine forming the border between France and Germany.
The Alsace is famous for its wines and I have enjoyed many visits here over the years. A glass of Riesling or a slice of Flammekueche is always worth stopping for.
I pass through Neuf-Brisach, a fortified town built in the 17th century by Vauban. Its layout is geometric and striking, almost unreal when you first see it.
Soon after I reach the Rhine and say farewell to France once again. It has been good to me on this journey. Thank you very much, France!
Across the river, Germany welcomes me with the hills of the Black Forest, which I have been looking forward to all day.
Before long the 1000 m high ridges appear in front of me. I decide to take a small valley I do not yet know to reach the plateau, passing by one of my favourite viewpoints, Schauinsland.
The Katzental did not disappoint. A narrow and quiet road led me gently uphill.
The climb ate into my range, but that was not a concern today. The distance was manageable and I enjoyed every turn of the small road towards Schauinsland.
At 800 m above sea level I reached the main viewpoint and paused for a while. I could have eaten there, but I wanted to continue a little further to the Rothaus brewery with its beer garden.
The food there is simple, but a Weissbier with something hearty was exactly what I needed.
From there I crossed into another valley, passing villages with names such as Notschrei and Todtnau.
My last climb of the trip took me up to the Feldberg pass at 1233 m. The temperature was fresh, though the sun was still strong at that altitude.
Not far from the pass I arrived at Rothaus.
This is a place I often visited when working in my previous job. In winter, when Zurich and my village were stuck in fog, the sun was shining here above 500 m. I typically brought my laptop and worked from the beer garden, enjoying temperatures often ten degrees warmer than at home.
Today the air was pleasant, the sky clear, and I was glad to sit down for a meal and a beer.
It was quiet enough to enjoy the moment. A good last meal for this long journey.
The last kilometres through the Black Forest felt special. The weather was perfect and the scenery almost meditative. A quiet conclusion to this trip.
At a small border crossing I entered Switzerland again. The non-existing formality of the border was not important, but the feeling of being back in my own country was. Home and family were now close.
Just ten kilometres later I reached my house.
My wife had followed my position and was ready to film my return.
With this, TDGB2025 comes to an end. I am looking forward to the gins I brought back.
Time for the last stats of the day.
In total, TDGB2025 covered 2543 km with an average of 39 Wh/km. The TWIKE used 99.177 kWh of energy over the whole trip.
Charging costs came to 18.3 € at public stations, plus 5 € at a hotel.
That is remarkably little for so many days on the road.
And now, to the gin.
What colour is the EnGINe?
I had expected a light yellow as fresh engine oil should be, but the liquid was completely clear.
The taste was excellent.
TDGB2025 was another fine European TWIKE journey.
I am already sketching ideas for TD*2026. Stay tuned, and if you would like me to pass through your part of the world, let me know.