Ring little bell... ring-a-ling-a-ling...

Beautiful day, already quite hot in the morning. We're having breakfast outside, coffee and bagels, birds chirping - what more do you need? First more coffee and then maybe a nice bike tour with cool trail descents. Exactly, that's what we'll do. Since we're in bike heaven, we want to ride. But yes, it's not so easy to find something suitable. The Canadians' descriptions are just like the motivational quotes during the race. Everything is always cool to ride, easy, and super fun... After a long (thank you) search, Peter found a tour on trailforks. To a viewpoint with a start and end at the campground. Since it's quite lonely in the woods, Anja installs her new bike bell (birthday gift from Peter). The thing is mega loud and Anja moos to boot - sounds like the cows on the pasture. The laughter and mooing would probably stop if a bear suddenly showed up. No bear comes, but the trail is incredibly tough, with trees standing very close together, steep inclines, and huge roots and rocks uphill. Then again, there are mega steep descents that are hardly rideable because they're so steep. It goes over wooden bridges and pathways, suddenly narrowing in the middle like a balance beam, and all this at 27 degrees. No, not fun, zero fun and not cool at all, dear Canadians. We got through that part last week while racing. Frustrated, we give up, riding most of the way back on a forest road. Anja's bell rings away, we don’t say a word, pedaling ahead of us. We both think the same thing, what a shame about the beautiful day...ring ring ring....
In the late afternoon, we bike back into town, now it’s time for a beer. The annoying bell stays in the camper, and the bear poop on the bike path is still there. Probably the rangers put it there so tourists are aware of the danger - with or without a bell. Along with the beer, each of us gets a huge pizza. Very, very delicious and unusual with camembert, pears, and walnuts roasted in maple syrup. And since we feel better after the frustration, we treat ourselves to a delicious ice cream in the beautiful summer weather. The flavors are quite unusual, Chocolate Cheesecake: delicious to the max. The 3 kilometers back to the campground are along the river again. No bear...no bell...
We quickly clean the bikes by the camper. After today, we're done biking. Anja is not the after-ride cleaning type like Peter. He cleans and explains why it’s important... Yes, yes, he is right. Ring ring... echoes in Anja’s head. A glance to the side and oh wow, who is watching us while cleaning? A medium-sized black bear is looking right at us. Peter disappears slightly panicked into the camper. Anja watches him, well, the bear, and is happy as the cleaning comes to an abrupt end. There's a slight commotion in the campground. The caretaker comes and chases it away with a bear horn. Before that, we managed to take a photo. What an exciting day that was supposed to be just a nice bike trip with cool trails and annoying ringing.

I hear a little bell, it rings so sweetly. The day is gone, so I go to bed...(Swiss goodnight song)