Tuesday Up the Elleg

Tuesday tour, with Nico and Franzy today. Arrived the trademark five minutes late, but I had calculated with this, so they just arrived when I was ready.

Set of towards Gschwend round the back way, once again getting stuck on that fu**** steep and today, wet grassy slope. Franzy and me both did not manage it, Nico seemingly being the only person I know that progressively manages it to the top. Through Gschwend and downhill over the “Römerbrücke”. Had a small race with Franzy down there and overtook here about half way, more body mass. Nico being the true MTBiker didn't take the tarmac curve, but opted to take the short cut along a small trail. Reached Haslach after a while, where me and Nico took some of our long clothes of before proceeding uphill. Through Feistenoy, luckily at this time of year not yet full of cow muck. Missed my intended trail up the Elleg by a few metres, but got back on trail half way. Uphill across gravely places until we reached the top to enjoy the sunlit alpine mountains.

Wanted to continue along the rim of the Elleg, but one small problem. My back tyre had inconspicuously deflated itself without a sound. Pumped it back up again to see if it really had a hole. Had one, so we spent rather a long time at the top changing my tyre. Not bad scenery and we had the sun up still.

After that down into the forests, biking along three next to each other. Somehow avoided the puddles on the forest road and met another biker coming the other way. Put our long clothes on once we where in the open and then whizzed down the Elleg to the Grüntensee. Biked along the Grüntensee and then to the Wertachbrücke where we saw each other of. Took the lazy route home along the main road and had a shower before writing this blog. All without a sign of rain (it had hailed about an hour before the bike ride).

Track at GPSies and pictures at Picasa.

Time in saddle: 1 hour 30 minutes

Distance: 20,5 km

Average speed: 13,6 km(h

Easter Sunday Biking

Was out biking with Markus today. He had a tour planned around his area, and as both of us had nothing to do on Easter Sunday we went biking. I had to drive to his first, as he does live a bit away from me.

After getting the track on to my GPS we set of down in to the valley in Sulzberg lies. Went down some rather narrow trails near to the beginning already, but it was fun going down with nobody else in the way. After reaching the bottom of the valley we biked up the other side, past a rehabilitation centre for drug addicted people. Rather a large complex, with lots of buildings. Nearly an own town in its right. After that it was uphill through fields. A pair of caravan tourists stopped at the side of the road, so Markus consulted them on where they want to go. Turned out they where on the wrong side of Kempten, which was ways away. They had no navigation device, neither did they have a map. Just some information written on a piece of paper. After sending them on their merry way, we proceeded uphill. Reached the top at 983m and carried along a forest trail, with lots of wet roots. Got of at one point as the incline was to steep, but otherwise no problems. Carried on along the side of forests on not that marked paths, and had some fund whizzing downhill. Biked up a bit on the main road, to get over in to the Rottach valley. Then it was downhill into the valley. Had to get down some steep steps, which nobody in their right mind would bike down. For some unknown reason there was a “no horses” sign at the bottom. Don't have a clue how you want to get a horse down there. Back up to the other side of the river, after crossing an overgrown bridge. Continued along the old salt road from Austria, lovely area to bike in. Missed the turn of at one point, understandable, as it wanted to send us strait through the field. After dodging boulders left and right, avoiding holes and the likes, we ended up biking through spring fields. Arrived at a main road and followed it for a while, before taking a turn back uphill through another field. After a while we arrived at a trail, which took us right through a forest. Brilliant route, not thought for mortal bikers. There where some interesting drops to the left and some boulders we had to navigate through. When there was a warning of a power line up ahead, we abandoned our track and took a detour. After that it was down to Sulzberg and back up to Markus's home, rather exhausted, as there where a lot of trails for that distance.

Track at GPSies and pictures at Picasa.

Time in saddle: 2 hours 25min

Distance: 28.4 km

Average speed: 11.8 km/h

Thursday Late Evening

Out with the Thursday bikers again today, as it is Thursday. Looking outside from the warm confines of the house, the weather looked perfect. A few straggling clouds and lots of blue sky. So it was short stuff on and outside I went. For a few seconds. The weather was freezing, so I came back in to put long clothes on. Met Heidi and picked up Irene on the way and carried on to the Alpspitzhalle.

Met up with everyone and set of down Wertachtal. Up to Schneidbach, with Heidi and Hetti having chain problems near the bottom. On along the Oyer Moorweg, a fast paced wood trail if done right. They have built up some wood constructs to keep the feet of people dry when its damp, but it is a bit of a challenge for bikers to get round them. Upwards through Schwarzenberg, enjoying the view at the top and getting a panorama pictures. Along some tracks in the fields somewhere and down an interesting trail near the Schwarzenberger Weiher. The local fauna was not to happy with this, we had deer jumping out of our way left and right.

Carried on down into the Rottachtal and underneath the bridge, before biking back uphill to Haag. Was getting dark slowly, so we put our lights on in Mittelberg. Somehow down to Haslach via some fields and foot ways and then back to Nesselwang and the bistro. The Wertach valley being especially cold today. Had some Glühwein in the bistro to war up again.

Track at GPSies and pictures at Picasa.

Time in saddle: 2 hours

Distance: 29.5 km

Average speed: 14.8 km/h

Tuesday Mud (again)

Out just with only Nico this week, as Franzy could not come. The weather has dropped dramatical, we woke up to a thin layer of snow on the roofs of the houses today morning.

Set of a bit late but went round the back way to Gschwend, me dropping out on the first steep hill already. Front tyre was leaving the ground once again. Nico got up no problem and on we went. Through Gschwend, down to the Römerbrücke, to and around the Grüntensee and up to nearly Hinterreute. Onwards to the Büronhütte, after getting rid of some clothing. Biking uphill brings out the warmth in the body, even at 4°C. I had forgotten how steep it was up to the hut, but we managed without getting of. Long clothing back on again at the hut, as now we were heading downhill. Past the Haslacher Alm after biking past snow capped trees.

Nico filmed the “high speed” road down after the Haslacher Alm, one of the notorious areas for MTBers to get top speeds (Nico reached 72km/h, me only a measly 71km/h). Frightened some deer in the adjacent fields, I was worried that they would jump over the road for a short moment, but they ran of the other way. Turned of the road and proceeded through the forest again, a rather pictorially area. Uphill again for a bit, before it was downhill towards Bayerstetten. We adjusted Nicos GoPro so it would film right and nearly got stuck in the mud once again, similar to last year. We ploughed through with a lot of effort and ended up getting our bikes smothered in dirt, similar to last year again. Onwards back home, to clean the bikes, same procedure as last year.

Track at GPSies and pictures at Picasa. Dad and Heidi where out on their Tuesday biking which can be found here.

Time in saddle: 1 hour 30 min.

Distance: 19.8 km

Average speed: 12.9 km/h

Thursday Rückholz Trailing

Thursday again, in German it is named Donnerstag aka “Thunderday”. There was no thunder today, but we had our bout of rain at about four o'clock in the afternoon.

Once we where on our bikes and at the Alpspitzhalle it had stopped and the sun was trying to get through the cloud cover. Group 1 started a bit earlier today, leaving at 18.30 in stead of 18.45. The quarter of an hour does grant us a bit more time of biking, so it was well worth it.

Set of towards Rindegg along trails that I didn't know where there, chatting to Sepp along the way. Have not seen him since last, not the only male present in Group 1 any more. Through Attlesee and on towards Rückholz, up the Rückholzer Steig once again. Nice forest track from Inge once again, in places I would have never known them to be. Sunlight warming us up all the time now, with a fantastic back light. In Rückholz we stopped at a Grotte (a chapel built in the side of a hill in a cave). Hetti had some issue with a bit of a flat tyre, but nothing big. Continued on until we reached the Hängebrücke, after using the modern cow gates as whips. The bridge was a bit wet, but all got over in the end. Carried on with the suns glow illuminating the Alps in red. Back past Bischofsstein, up Wertachtal and to the Bistro, as the light was dwindling and we got back just in time to not put our lights on.

Track at GPSies, pictures at Picasa, Dads blog here and a report from Sepp here.

Time in saddle: 1 hour 50 min.

Distance: 27.8 km

Average speed: 15.4 km/h

Tuesday No. 1

Checked the weather forecast for the past few days rather regularly for today’s weather. it mainly said it was going to pour down. It did for a bit of the day.
Out of the house at shortly after six, Nico and Franzy already being there and ready to go.
We set of towards Zillhalde and had to get past a few steps on the way up and then proceeded on to Schneidbach across open fields with a strong side wind. Up the Rückholzer Steig after crossing the motorway. Down the other side, at which point I forgot to say the way, the result being that we turned round, biked back to the 'correct' track and carried on down through forests and across fields. Carried on along the motorway and at some point we passed where the camel farm used to be. After that we where back on the track of the seven lakes tour. Had a strong head wind biking to the Attlesee and an equally strong one coming back from the Kögelweiher. We reached Nesselwang without a hitch and as a last 'guide effort' I showed Nico and Franzy the beaver dam in one of the rivers. Then back home to write the blog, not a drop of rain and actually a lot of sun on the whole tour.
Track at GPSies and pictures at Picasa.

Time in saddle: 1 hour 25 min.

Distance: 18.3 km

Average speed: 12.9 km/h

Thursday Lake Trailing

First Thursday biking of the year 2014 today. Rather a lot of people there, considering that normally the activities are still more winter centred at this time of the year. Met up at the Alpspitzhalle, as usual, and left at 18.45 o'clock, to the ringing of the church bells.

Group 1 and Group 2 started of the same general direction, but ended up splitting up at a crossing. Group 2 continuing down along the Wertachtal and Group 1 going up to Zillhalde. After biking uphill a bit, we biked on towards the Rückholzer Steig. Went along some interesting forest trails that I had never known where there. Arrived in Rückholz in the end and proceded along the normal nine Weiher tour, with some super trail modifications from Inge. Met Group 2 near the Atlesee They apparently saw us a bit early, but we where to far ahead to catch up to. Carried on towards the Kögelweiher and after that through the standard forest trail. Passed the monster spider nest which has sprung up along that way. As it was getting rather dark we set up our lights (Paulina seeming to have a floodlight at her disposal) and carried on through Rindegg and down the Hohlweg. Met Group 2 at the bottom coming in from another way and proceeded on to the Bistro for a drink and chat.

Track at GPSies, Pictures at Picasa and Dads blog here.

Time in saddle: 1 hour 30 min.

Distance: 23.7 km

Average speed: 15.5 km/h