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

Foresty Hängebrücke

Bright sunny day today, as has been most of the week.

The day yesterday consisted of lots of driving, as Dad had some business to conduct. Drove to a few people, had chats and took pictures from a mast.

Sunday saw me actually planning a few PC game session with some friends, but as one went of biking (I didn't go with him as he lives a bit away and he was going with some colleagues) and the other had some internet connection problems I ended up with time on my hands. Dad had just gone of with Jon to do some race biking and mum was of with Gertrude, walking around a lake. I just then decided to take my bike and go of somewhere, no clue where. Set of down Wertachtal and met a bunch of other people walking, biking, sitting by the river, etc. Reached Wildberg after some uphill biking and continued on to the Hängebrücke. Met Tobi and Mellisa at her house (two water rescue colleagues of mine) and had a small talk before carrying on along between green fields and white mountains. Reached Wertach and bike a part of the Seven Lakes backwards, through Hirschbühl and Schneidbach before (by chance) meeting up with Dad, Jon, Mum and Gertrude at the ice café. Had a small ice and the went back home to a shower.

Pictures at Picasa and a track at GPSies.

Time in saddle: 1 hour 35 min.

Distance: 24.2 km

Average speed: 15.4 km/h

Saturday "Seven" Lakes

Out for my first MTB bike ride with dad this year, past eight lakes in our area. We call it the Seven Lakes tour for some reason: Most of the Lakes are puddles at the moment, as all the water has been let our for winter. We had planned to bike in the afternoon, but as the weather forecast and the local weather both pointed towards rain in the afternoon, we started just after midday. Down in to the Wertach valley before going back up to Schneidbach and then around to Rückholz, where mums workplace is located. Further on around more lakes until we got back to Nesselwang. Dad is doing some fitness training for when he bikes to Poland , so we stuck to a nice and easy ride. Beat the rain back to home and had a hot chocolate at the ice café in town.

Started raining after having a bath.

More pictures at Picasa, dads blog here and the Track is at GPSies.

Time in saddle: 1 hour 30 min.

Distance: 23.0 km

Average speed: 16.1 km/h

Biking and Skiing

Done quite a bit again this weekend, biking and skiing.

Went biking around the Grüntensee with Johanna on Friday afternoon. Same route like last week. Snow had become a bit less, but there where still some stretches on which it had stayed. And instead of (sensibly) going around some of the snow I this time thought it would be possible to bike right along the Grüntensee. It ended with me having my bike going towards the frozen lake and me staying in the same place, without a bike and on my back. Johanna tried to break with the bike breaks and her feet but didn't stop for a while. Continued along with an aching back and arrived back at home. Carried on for an ice and to clean my bike at Frenches after having a chat.

Saturday it was off to Warth, with the Skiteacher for a day of skiing. Arrived at shortly before 9 o'clock to get prepared (I had had enough of the bus, the back rows where singing the same song over and over again). First few runs where a bit hard, getting used to the skies again, but the rest of the day was spent with skiing down super pistes and of piste skiing. Skied for 6 hours without rest and then had some lunch before skiing some more. Left Warth at about 17.00 o'clock and answered the ski teacher quiz on the way home (listening to the same bl***y song from the back row). Back in Nesselwang home for a shower and then to the local restaurant with the ski teachers. Probably the last big skiing of this season.

Jon made a track of our skiing route here and more pictures at Picasa.

Weekend 8.3 and 9.3

A weekend well spent, that is what I can say for sure about this one.

Saturday started off with doing all the business that has to be done on a weekend (buy shopping, take the wertstoff, …), all in a SMART. Dads car is currently being washed, so he got a car from the company to keep him going. One of the smallest on the market.

The afternoon was spent with taking pictures. Went our with Nico and Markus to a near landing field, taking pictures of starting and landing planes. Back home, before the cold set in to play a few rounds of PC before going to bed.

Next morning 8 o'clock, skiing. Mum, Dad and me of to the Neunerköpfle. Had to wait a bit at the beginning but once we where at the top, we had super snow conditions. Carved down the mountain wonderfully and took a detour down an iced up hump slope. Stopped for a drink with the beautiful Alp scenery and after one more round headed home.

Afternoon saw me grilling with my water rescue colleagues at our lake. Super company and loads of fun.

So the weekend sums up to: new car, photographing, skiing and grilling. All in all a brilliant combination, especially as we have had nothing but blue sky and sunshine (spring weather).

Dads blog info here.

First Bike 2014: Grüntensee

First time biking this year. Did the standard tour around the Grüntensee, except in some places where I had to take a detour because of the snow. Past my place where I fell over on ice a few years ago and cut my leg. No problem this year, even if the snow was a bit slippery. Spotted some swans standing on the lake. Now I know why they are white, it camouflages them on the snow and ice in winter ;).

Biked past quite a few joggers and walker, all of them looking a bit stunned to see a MTB. Got back home after the short tour and had a shower.

More pictures at Picasa and track at GPSies.