Helvetica Bike Week 1997

Two years ago, the formerly three years old Leather and Motorcycle club Zürich (LMZ) - had already organized a round trip through Switzerland. Eckart had already reported about his positive experiences in the Bärentratsch. So we did not hesitate and we signed in december 1996 for the Helvetica-Bike-Week 1997. As the tour finished in Lausanne, we decided also to take part at the leather meeting on the 15th anniversary of the MSC Suisse Romande. The event took advantage of the presence of so much bikers from the bike week and had the first election of "Miss" Leather Switzerland. One week motorcycles and men in leather ...

Since a long time, the repetition of that motorcycle event in Switzerland had been scheduled for 1997. This time more than 100 motorcycle riders took part, mainly from Germany and Switzerland. The great interest does not wonder as Switzerland with its curves and passes counts as a motorcycle paradise.

The trip from Berlin down to Switzerland had to be organized then.. Due to the meeting date on saturday afternoon in Luzern after working until friday evening Eckart and I took the car train to Lörrach guaranteeing a stress-free travelling. Fortunately other leather bears, Frank and his friend had also booked the tour. For five persons a compartment in the train makes it cheaper resulting in a price of about 270 DM per person including motorcycle transport.

Friday evening we met at the train station Berlin-Wannsee. The motorcycles were fixed at the wheels and secured with ropes. The compartments offered the dubious comfort of the fifties. Sleeping was almost impossible as the train stopped every few kilometers to let other train pass by. So everyone was waiting half asleep until it got lighter and breakfast was served.

Drudging through the congestion in Luzern we found the meeting point at the Schweizer Verkehrshaus (a museum) at once - thanks to Patricks local knowledge .

While Frank and Patrick accompanied by Tony went to the public swimming pool, Eckart and I prefferred a visit of the glacier museum in Luzern with its lion memorial and the mirror cabinet (who is the most beautiful in the whole contry ?). The glacier museum shows large holes which ware washed out by water from glaciers in the glacial epoch. Nearby an exhibition of Luzern's history.

Back at the Verkehrshaus, the fourteen tour leaders had lined up with their motorcycles and welcome drinks were served. Notes on the motorcycles characterized the driving style of the tour leaders simplifying the choice. Coloured hankies were used to identify the groups. Due to the lack of hill driving practice Eckart and I selected the dark green group (sorry, no idea what that means) considered as one of the slower ones.

Afterwards we went to check in into the very modern youth hostel at the border of Luzern, where dinner was served followed by informations about the tour.

The LMZ must really be congratulated to its organizing ability. For the 400,-- SFR many things were offered. lodging in gruop accomodations (this is a doubtful pleasure, but cannot be anything else for the price) were included as well as breakfast and dinner (normally warm) also considering vegetarians - and last but not least the service by a medicinial and a technical service car.

The next day was intended for everyones own disposal, however the LMZ had set up a program selection: A trip across the Vierwaldstätter See (large lake) by ship followed by a train trip to Luzern's local hill Rigi. Or waht about a long, medium or short motorcycle trip to the Brünigpass, where another leather club from Zürich had arranged their yearly meeting ?. We decided to take the long tour to Brüning because we gou up early. Passing through the soft landscape off the alps north of Luzern we drove to Willisau, where meal was taken. The nice location made all cameras clicking on and on. Afterwards we proceeded to the first pass. As I felt the speed on the curvy roads too high, I left the group go away and took my own way.

sunset with sail boat, Vierwaldstätter See

For the evening, a surprise dinner was announced. After half an hour walking away from the youth hostel through the town we reached the pier. So we got a ship tour on the Vierwaldstätter See too. During sunset, dinner was served on bord. A nice idea of which it was said that the LMZ needed two months negatiation with the agency.

Next day was officail tour start. First we went ob the road at the border of the lake. We had a very short stop in Altdorf to get a photo of the Tell memorial, then we went on through the Reuss valley and the wild-romantic Höllenenschlucht (hells gorge) to the Teufelsbrücke (hells bridge). After visit I and the one after me got lost as one part of the group started shortly before a nearly endless car queue coming along the road. After Andermatt someone must have missed two of the seven motorcycles and we met again. The next stop was at the Rhone glacier after crossing the 2.400m high Furkapaß. Obviously the Swiss people in our group were not impressed of the nature beauties of their country and preferred coffee instead visiting the glacier from inside as we (Eckart and I) did. A tunnel allows to walk some meters into the glacier ice.

The weather had shown its best side until now. On arrival in Beatenberg above the Thuner See a thunderstorm came up. So we were happy entering our lodge, one of the numerous undereground civil shelters. But the 20 minutes of walk to the restaurant for dinner made almost everyone wet. During night, the participiants ware diveded in two categories: those who were able to sleep and those that could not sleep because of snoring.

Next day Eckart and I changed the group. It had been said to me that my driving speed were a bit slow. Maybe it was the erro of the tour leader (calm driving style ... while scratching in the curve - may be Swiss people have another relation to curves. Generally there was a lack of slower groups. The change had been advantageous.

After an unwanted change caused by a landslip the tour proceeded through the less interesting Swiss midlands via Autobahn to Solothurn. The Weißensteinpaß with its narrow and sharp curves directly afterwards is a great challenge. Skittish motorcycles I have seen only there up to now. Here, the first accident happened. A BMW was dropped. The leaking carburetor was repaired by the technician of the technical service car, which was called by handy.

After lunch in a small restaurant (interesting pre-hysteric toilet hints: "The fishing of cigarette stubs out of the piss is not one of the favorite works of the personnel !" - why not ?) we vistied the small town of St. Ursanne, before we climbed the col du chasseral on a narrow payroad. The platform offered a marvellous view on the Bieler Lake, if the weater would have been better than now.

The next nights were spent in Boudry at the lake Neuchâtel. The day between everyone was free to choose a tour through the Swiss Jura or to examine the surroundings at his own. The beach pool at the lake Neuchâtel and the old town of Neuchâtel were the favourites.as well as the - for my point of view - disillusioning houses of butterflies and of night-active animals. Dinner was served from the grill.

Next day it was raining cats and dogs. Alain, our tour leader made us visit a fort from the second world war, which was reached via a narrow Schotterweg in the hills. Coffee and tea were drunk for warm-up. Furthermore, our group grew once more. Curt from Sweden with his harley Harley felt the speed of his former group uncomfortable.

At the Lac du Joux we had lunch, thanks god not outside. But from the French border on, sun came out for us again. When we reached out today's destination Serraval, rain catched us again, however it was less disturbing now.

Maybe one of the numerous glasses of vine was not ok or waht else might be the reason for me, Ralf and Oliver first to eat away the Kartoffelgratin and the salade and afterwards jumping into the pool only with a T-Shirt. Stop, in between, Eckart distributed the cheese plat intended to be enough for all on our table.

Next morning started without hangover, baut rainy again. A king's route was planned for this day: seven passes, all relatively narrow. In spite of the circumstances, Alain managed to keep together all of us. Fortunately, the day got less wet than it had appeared in the morning. From time to time sun looked through the dark clouds to dry the rain suits for a couple of minutes and to put light on the great hill panorama.

On arrival at the barracks of Lausanne we were welcome by the MSC Suisse Romande with condoms and lubricants. The president of the LMZ, Reto, had emphasized the evening before, that the resonsability of the LMZ will end here. The distribution of the beds was not frictionless. The shuttle to the refuge, a hutch in the forest where dinner was served and was the location of the election of Mister Leather Switzerland next evening, took more time than planned as it was a small bus with only 15 seats, circulating every 45 minutes. So the majority decided to take a taxi at Swiss prices (30 SFR für etwa 8 km). The evening was calm, as most of the people were k.o.To avoid endless waiting for the bus, I trusted my legs for the 10 km way back.

Next day had an opportunity to visit a salt mine for the always motorcycle hungry. As the group returned late, the shuttle bus was almost empty in the early evening. While Eckart preferred his motorcycle regarding the transport problems in the evening before, i took the bus.Alain failed to make the bus driver drive off the road by leaking of his poppers bottle.

At the entrance het let himself persuade, to apply for the election of Mr. Leather Switzerland. Up to now, there was only one candidat. For his performance he had to think about - something with a motorcacle maybe ? After dinner the candidates were presented to the public - three more were gained for the election.

There was a short pause after the forth candidat. Alain had not been seen up to now. So the delay must have something to do with his show. Some strong guys put a motorcycle on the stage - a royal blue Yamaha XJ 600 with rainbow flags a somewhat well-known view - Eckarts machine. The following cannot be described in words. Only this: Eckarts motorcycle has never been so clean before. I did not know how erotic mirrors and Krauser luggage carrier can be.

In the discussion with other people we saw that there were only two hot candidates for the title: the two which had the first performance with the slave show and Alain with the motorcycle show. The audience elected by dropping a card into the boot in front of the candidates. And the winner is ... Alain.

So the evening had a great end and Eckart gained a clean motorcycle. However, one more week of travelling made this status transient. ||||||

The German version of this report has been published in the Bärentratsch of the MCLB .