Not wanting to just sit and wait in the rain for an unknown train I cracked on up the mountain, getting colder and wetting each metre we went. The clouds were so grey but the autumn leaves were a bright and vibrant orange with reds and yellows and I couldn't help but feel better when I saw the beauty around me. Bright blue water was gushing down the mountain sides creating huge waterfalls against dark grey and black rock faces, it didn't look real and I wanted so badly to stop and take photos but my hands were so cold they hurt and I was scared if my camera came out it might break with the amount of water falling from the sky so I left the photos and captures in my head and hope I'll remember them.

I got to the top of the Simplonpass and found my way to a public WC, hoping there would be a hand dryer to warm up under, I spent 15 minutes drying my gloves and thawing my hands out so I had blood in them again and could actually ride but it seemed a little wasted effort due to them freezing again as soon as I got back on!

Wilmer and I continued, hoping it would be warmer and a nicer ride from now on only to find sign posts for Furkastrasse and Furkapass... Oops, that's not what I want to ride now! I've done the passes on my Suzuki V Strom in summer and know how twisty and high they are, I even recognised some of the scenery. Anyway, it wasn't something I fancied doing at 6pm in Autumn during storms, not to mention the temperature was a delightful 8 degrees! I frantically searched on the TomTom for another route to avoid these mountains but with no such luck, turns out my hostel in Interlaken couldn't have been any more mountainous and is impossible to reach without motorways around the Alps or going straight over them, or so it seemed. I decided I would just risk it and ride the passes, praying I didn't freeze or fall off the mountain side. Then a sign appeared amongst the foggy rain, a list of passes and times next to them.

Furkastrasse CLOSED 6PM -8AM

Furkapass CLOSED 6PM - 8AM

It was 6.24pm so OH DEAR!

I followed some cars thinking maybe they would ignore the signs and I could just follow their taillights then they all turned off, I stuck behind them to be greeted with a barrier and pay station. It was a train station! In the middle of the mountains, just like the one I had seen earlier but didn't want to wait for. This time I had no other option. It was now almost dark, the sun was set, I was soaked through and frozen. I didn't ask where the train was going or how long it would take, so long as I was dry and could warm up. I got a ticket, 20 Swiss Francs gone and boarded up. That was an ordeal in its own right and I nearly slipped and dropped the bike, luckily a train man was there to lend a hand and basically moved my bike inside the carriage for me then we set off! Going into the middle of the mountain tunnels with no idea where I was heading, no phone signal and no clue how to get to my hostel.

I sent Nye a message via my SOS satellite Garmin inReach Explorer explaining briefly that I'm going on a train to godknowswhere and had figured out I couldn't make it to Interlaken, asking him to see if there was a hostel in Luzern instead.

The train stopped a few times and the door to my carriage kept flashing and beeping so I opened it thinking we had arrived. To be clear I'm on my my own in this big noisy train, it's now pitch black and still raining and I don't know where I'm going I just know it's East and Interlaken is North West. I opened the door to see nothing but pitch black for hundreds of metres, with some little red safety lights down the car track, not a person in sight, or car for that matter. I started to freak out a little. I was in the centre of some mountains in the cold and dark, what if everyone had already got off the train?! Then another train passed us and we set off again, phew! I went back over to my bike and propped him up so he didn't fall when it got bumpy and another 5 or so minutes passed before stopping yet again, the door lights flashing but I ignored them assuming it was just another train passing. Then the train started to shake and I realised it was the cars driving off! I grabbed my helmet, opened the door and got the bike off the stand, just as I was about to start the engine the doors shut! I ran back over to the button and the fiasco of starting the bike then quickly riding before the doors shut again was ridiculous, I jammed my front wheel into the door but it still shut, I then couldn't reverse as it was a slope down to the door! I dangled off the bike to push the button but my now lodged wheel is stopping it opening! I started to panic. What if they load up the next passengers and I'm stuck here? Does anyone even know I'm here?

One last push and pull on the bike to free the front wheel and I did it! The door opened yet again and I started to ride through. Only to stall! Fuck my life, this is how I'm going to die I think to myself, but I started the engine yet again, prying the door open with one leg and then bombed it down the slippery track with tears streaming down my face but I see humans! Real humans and I thank them and get off the train of death into the middle of nowhere. I set my TomTom to Luzerne and just ride. I decided to get on the motorways and if I'm unlucky enough to meet police officers I would just cry and explain what's happened in the hope they let me off. I even practiced along the way three times with my tear and story time, although the tears felt pretty real!

Service station appears and I pull in, check the Garmin and Nye has sent me GPS coordinates for a hostel just 20 minutes away - hallelujah! He's a good egg. Also confused as to why I was on a train and where my bike had gone so I'm looking forward to explaining that one!

I rolled into the carpark of the hostel and drag myself and luggage into reception, get myself a room and hang up all my stuff on every bit of space to dry. I had a nice roommate to chat to then went to cook some vegan chicken burgers or whatever else I had brought from Milan Aldi. Ready to sleep!