Stage 136: From Splügen to Como

A new plan had to be made. I didn't want to stay another night in Splügen just on a whim, who knows if the small bike shop would even have had a suitable rear wheel? And if Switzerland is celebrating its national holiday, I'll have to find a way to get to Italy somehow. So the bike crossing of the Alps had to be postponed.

First, I took the overpriced post bus for 48 francs over the San Bernadino Pass to Bellinzona. From there, I could take a pretty crowded train to Como. By noon, I was already at Lake Como. Plenty of time for sightseeing, after all, Italian bike shops also take a siesta. After reading a few reviews, I decided on a shop just outside the city. They didn't speak English at all, but it was obvious that something was wrong with my bike. At first, they apologised that they didn't have a suitable rear wheel in stock. But they quickly realized that my journey could be over. So the master pulled out a used racing bike rim that he had salvaged from a crash bike. The brakes were also adjusted, and after a good half hour and a few funny conversations via Google Translate, I was back on the bike. But for today, I just wanted to head for a campground near Como and have a relaxed dinner.

There were rabbits and turkeys running around freely on the campground, and I also met a Belgian cyclist who wants to be on the road for a total of three years. Unfortunately, he was already complaining about knee pain and had to take a week off at the campground. He was interested in my trip through Asia and had very similar plans.