Jakob Breitwieser and Konstantin Kappe spent six days bike packing in the Swiss Alps with their sons. In our interview, they talk about their experiences.
Where did you first meet?
Jakob: I met Konstantin when I took Emil on his first walk. We had biked together before, but hadn't spent much time together. Then, we realized that we lived close to each other and shared the same hobbies: biking, climbing, skiing, and mountaineering.
On your tour, you traveled with trailers, but you also had a child seat so the boys could ride with you from time to time. How did you get them used to sitting there?
Jakob: Emil could sit on the seat when he was around 18 months old. At first, I only put him on it for a few minutes, and he always enjoyed it. That way, we were able to increase the time relatively quickly. Of course, the children have to learn where to hold on and that they shouldn't fool around too much.
Konstantin: It was good that we had both options. That way, the boys could take a break in the back and chat or tease each other in the front. There was also a lot of singing.
Did you practice sleeping in the tent with the kids?
Jakob: I wanted to, but it didn't work out. That's why I brought two sleeping pads that were too wide to fit inside. Maybe that wasn't the smartest move. But it wasn't a problem at all with the kids.
Konstantin: Yes, they loved it. Karl was totally thrilled. When we got back to the car, I was looking forward to sleeping on a mattress again, but he wanted to go back to the tent. Luckily, I convinced him to sleep in the car.
What was the biggest challenge for you on this tour?
Jakob: Our stages were physically demanding. It's hard to sleep on a sleeping pad at night. You can't use your child's nap time to rest either because you have to drive up the mountain to cover distance. Being solely responsible for the children was also exhausting. This experience made me realize how valuable it is to have a partner to share the responsibility with.
When bike packing, it's important to carefully consider what you really need on the road. We often had to use the lowest gear going uphill. Despite having only the bare essentials in our luggage, we still had to push our bikes up some climbs.
What advice would you give to other parents who want to take a similar trip to the Alps?
Jakob: Just do it! With children, everything is more exhausting. You worry more and might decide not to go. But we're in the middle of Europe. If you forget something, you can usually organize it within half an hour.
Konstantin: Don't stress too much. Try to relax and focus on what motivates you. There's no point in pushing yourself to keep going when the kids want to spend more time throwing stones into the river.
The dads brought their kids' balance bikes so they could have their first downhill experience in Switzerland. Photo: Holger Wimmer
It's not easy to balance hobbies and family commitments. What do you see as the biggest benefit of trying to do so anyway?
Jakob: We just try to maintain a degree of freedom. That makes you happier—and probably a better father or mother too.
Filmmaker Holger Wimmer has known Jakob Breitwieser for over ten years. Together with cameraman Marcus Witte, he accompanied the two fathers throughout their entire bike packing tour.
How did you film the bike packing tour?
Holger: We rode along on e-bikes—with a tent and all the camera equipment. We had planned everything down to the last detail beforehand, but then we set off and realized: OK, this isn't going to work. Because kids just don't care about what plans adults have.
How did you manage to get enough material for the film anyway?
Holger: Marcus and I formed two teams because Jakob and Konne often traveled at different speeds. We often rode ahead, set up the camera, and then waited for them. Sometimes that took ten or 20 minutes because Jakob or Konne suddenly had to take a break—to eat, drink, sleep, or because they wanted to change seats. And then you stand there and think: Did anything happen?!
How did the kids react to your cameras?
Holger: They mostly ignored the big cameras pretty well—but not the GoPros on the handlebars. After a day, they already knew exactly what they were and how to turn them on and off. That's why we ended up with lots of very short clips, including some with a hand on the lens.
What was special about this project for you?
Holger: Normally, when I'm editing a film, after a few weeks I think, “Okay, this is boring now, I've seen everything.” But this time it was different. The images with the children and all the great situations – I still find them funny. The whole thing was definitely a challenge, but it was also the most enjoyable edit I've done so far.