Thursday Reuterwanne Backway

First Thursday tour after three weeks, me being stuck in college for two and a load of water rescue stuff the next. Anyway, setting off with complete opposite conditions to the week before. Last week 35°C. This week under 5°C at the top of the mountains. Weird!
After we had all met at the gym, Group 1 and Group 2 split up in different directions. Whilst Group 2 was heading up past Maria Trost, Group 1 went towards the Haslacher Alm. After a long climb, with Heidi and Moni getting of some layers of clothes at the bottom, we were on our way towards the Buronhütte. On the way I mentioned to Moni we would be coming down here again, so she volunteered to wait for us and look after the cow herd. Reaching the Buronhütte we put on long clothes. Lucky we did, as Moni had a crash and skidded along gravel on her elbow. She was a bit shaken but otherwise fine, the clothes were a bit ripped thought.
Past Wertach and along the Wertach to Jungholz where we started a long climb up to the Obere Reuterwanne. We even had some glimpses of sun hear and there. Reaching the top it was back downhill, past the Haslacher Alm, with Sepp reaching a top speed of 88km/h. We startled some dog owner and in return the dogs startled us.

Back along the main road to the Bistro for a warm up drink and meeting two old friends from last years Breitnberg tour.

Track at GPSies and pictures at Picasa.

Time in saddle: 2 hours 40 min.

Distance: 29.57 km

Average speed: 11.1 km/h

Altitude: 973m

Alpspitze Grat

Out biking today again. The Tuesday group decided against race biking today, instead preferring mountain biking as the weather was not that well. Rainy clouds hanging about and a cold wind blowing. Complete opposite to last week with >30°C and stifling air, this week had just under 10°C.

Nico and me joined the Tuesday group and our first task was to wait. Heidi was running late from work and whilst we were waiting for her Wera showed up and joined. Once Heidi had arrived, up the Alpspitze past Maria Trost. Stopped for a few pictures, as I have borrowed mums camera.

Nico and me parted with the rest at the crossing to the Kappler Alm. They went downhill while we carried up to nearly the top. Reaching our highest point it was time for some posing with the bike and camera. Got some pictures and carried on to the Rapunzelhütte. Once there, long things on and downhill. The first part involved quiet some carrying and short bits of biking. Nico fell over behind me at one point. When I turned round at his shout his bike was lying on the left side of some trees and bushes with him no where to be seen. A short moment later he appeared on the right side, somehow having gone through the bushes. Nothing serious, so we carried on. Lots of bouncing on big stones and roots. Reached the end of the big stone bit and shot down to our next disaster.

Arriving in a cow field I tried to go through some mud, but my pedals scraped the side of the trench. Nico, evading, ended up in a mud pit, his bike literally getting stuck in mud up till the disk brakes. After a lot of laughing and pictures we carried on towards Bayerstetten, throwing mud everywhere. Nico had rather a lot in his face, no mud guards on his bike are to blame. Then back to my home for a spray down of the bikes. Went to Nico's after that and got the videos he has been doing on his GoPro. Back home through dark Wertachtal with a shower waiting at home.

Track at GPSies and pictures at Picasa. Dad's blog here.Nico has made a collection of his videos at YouTube.

Time in saddle: 2 hours 30 min.

Distance: 20.26 km

Average: 8.1 km/h

Breitenberg Thunderstorm

Aiming big today. I had asked Nico last month if he would consider biking up the Breitenberg in June and he was ready for it. We agreed in the day that today would be that day. Over 30°C and high humidity were our weather conditions.

Towards the evening we then had the typical thunderclouds rolling in as is usual on days as this, but that did not deter us. Set of towards the Breitenberg at 18.30, our first brush with the thunderstorm in Pfronten Röfleuten where we received a few drops of rain. We were considering to boot out of the tour this early already, but as Nico already had posted a message in FaceBook about us biking up the Breitenberg we pressed on. Arrived at the bottom of the Breitenberg one hour after starting and set of on the long way up. 6km and about 600 altitude meters uphill. I requested a stop twice, to recuperate and take some pictures. The only living things we saw and felt were two other MTBikers on their way down, a grass snake (nearly mistook it for a worm once again) and lots of flies and mosquito. Reaching the top we had a brilliant view of Allgäu with thunderclouds in the evening. After a stop to get some long clothes on and something to eat, we started biking down. Stopped a few minutes later again, as we had just seen a big, bright red sun in the west. Spectacular view from that point. Got a few panorama pictures with the sky red, a setting red sun and rain loads coming down in certain areas. Also saw a lot of lightning bolts, but didn't catch any on photo. Nico managed to get one just coming out of the clouds, but that was it. A long way down, past a building site with explosive warnings around it. Reaching the bottom, lights on and fastest way home. Heading home we had bright flashes of lightning everywhere, except on our position. Watching the light display we arrived in Nesselwang were I bid goodbye to Nico. Visited Johanna and said happy birthday as she turned 20 that day, and then of to home for a shower and a nice bed. I was dead after that tour.

Track at GPSies and some pictures at Picasa.

Time in saddle: 3 hours 20 min.

Distance: 41.4 km

Average speed: 12.3 km/h

Sunday Rehbach

After two weeks of school back on the bike, at last. A warm sunny Sunday with the weather offering it's best after the weeks of rain and flooding Germany has had.

After doing some courier jobs for Dad today morning I was of biking with him, Gabi and Irene. Towards Pfronten at a leisurely pace, as I had two weeks of no biking and the other three had been partying the night before. In Pfronten a right turn up Vilstal, criss-crossing the river her and there and me going through it at one point. Going up a trail near the river I heard a yell from behind me and apparently Gabi had fallen of at some point, but nothing serious. Lots of other bikers and walkers in the Vilstal today, seems like we weren't the only ones with this idea. Past through some beautiful forest near the river before heading up to a hotel and restaurant. Had a drink and shared an ice with Dad before resuming our tour. A bit further uphill but nothing to difficult and the downhill towards Unterjoch. Dads disc brakes were making some funny sound nearly all the way so it is something for Jon to look at later. Along the Wertachtal, past the Sorgalm with some biker repeatedly overtaking us and then waiting for his wife/girlfriend. On towards Wertach and then along the Grüntensee with a short stop to see if we could swim. Not the case, due to mentioned floods, so on towards home with a drink and something to eat at Gabis.

Track at GPSies and some pictures from Dad at Picasa.

Time in saddle: 2 hours 50 min.

Distance: 38.6 km

Average speed: 13.5 km/h