Cold (non)Sorgalm Tour

First freezing tour of the season. Getting near to 10 degrees i'd say. May even have been colder.

So, started of at Johns and went towards Pfronten. Track at GPSies by the way. Then carried on through Vilstal where the Vils was transporting a LOT of water. Wouldn't want to go swimming in that. Took some pictures a bit further along. All picis at Picasa. Not from me but from Dad and Jon.

Then carried on uphill and then later through a stream which got me soaking by the feat. Uphill through some mist. Downhill past the dam or sewage. Through Jungholz (looking like Christmas with the lights) and then along the main road home through Wertach.

Sounds short but it was 40 km in about 10 degrees and some brilliant scenery.

Wednesday Bodensee Tour

So, VERY long Wednesday. Had a bike tour on Wednesday to the Bodensee. Bout a hundred kilometres long.

Started of at Jons with about sixteen people. Then cycled of towards Gschwend and to the Grüntensee. Along the Grüntensee to Wertach and then of to Rettenberg. I don't know al the way, only to about the end of Wertach but the track is at GPSies. So, before Rettenberg we had a very long trip down. Really set up our average speed. Then of towards Immenstadt where we got caught in a short rainstorm. But looking over to Oberstdorf it was nothing. Big rainfall and we were thinking “Good that we don't have to cycle in that”. After Immenstadt it went on towards the Bodensee but as said I don't know the rest. Just know it went through some valleys and then off to the flatlands were we had a brilliant snack.

Shortly after our break we had the first accident of the day. After letting a few cows pass there was a long downhill run. As nearly al of us had mountain bikes we went whizzing down, but Johanna had a trekking bike which didn't really take the first curve that well. Apparently she went flying of the front into grass and then braked of with her head. Lucky she had her helmet on and it was grass. Not a scratch just three lumps on her head which you couldn't see.

After that everything carried on normal but then dads tyre started letting out air. So we waited at the top of a hill until he had repaired it. In the meantime Karin started saying that it was getting late and we should take the train from Hergatz, in which we were at the moment. Shortly later dad came and said his repair tyre had a puncture too, great. So he had to cycle on with his old one letting air out all the time. In Hergatz we got our tickets and shortly after that found out that the train wouldn't take us aboard as it was full of bikes already.

So after that we cycled on to Lindau while five people staid in Hergatz hoping to get the next train. On our way to Lindau I once again said a wrong direction reading from the GPS so we all had to turn round. It then somehow happened that I and Heidi hooked our bike horns together which resulted in me falling on her while her foot was still in the clicky so she broke her foot and a loot of other things. Not a nice sight.

Just great. Next accident which I was in. After calling the ambulance and assuring that everything was legal now we carried on to Lindau were we arrived at about twenty past eight. Dad went on to the hospital to ensure Heidi had arrived safely while the rest of us went to the station to catch the train. But of course it wouldn't take us as it was a “no bike” train. Meant we were going to miss the train in Kempten to Nesselwang. So Julius rang up his Dad and asked if he could pick us all up in the horse truck. All bikes would fit in but not all people so Johanna rang up Jon while we were having a drink on the promenade to ask if he could take the rest.

It turned out that the other five we had left in Hergatz hadn't taken the train either because they weren't let in. As a result they had rung Jon and Egon (Greis Reisen, a bus company) to pick them up. As our train arrived in Hergatz three of us got out and drove with Egon while the rest carried on and was picked up in Kempten by Juliuses dad. Late at night dad was then picked up in Kempten by Sepp or Moni which had offered to pick him up from there.

So very long day with the most misfortune stuff I have had biking till now. But nice views of the valleys and flatlands.

Pictures at Picasa from me and dad.

Bericht at the TV Nesselwang site.

Gappenfeldalpe Sunday Biketour

One day back from England and my Dad takes me up a huge mountain. Highest up I have ever been on a bike.

Started of from home (where else), and cycled to Pfronten. Then went through a load of Valleys (Engetal,...) and cycled up the Strindenscharte to the Gappenfeldalpe. Track at GPSies.

On the way I had a accident at he bottom which has bruised my hand quiet baddly so it wasn't easy going uphill.

Great views of the Tannheimer- and Lechtal + mountains. Also loads of waterfalls and cows + horses. Pictures at Picasa from me and dad.

So we arrived at the Gappenfeldalpe and seconds later it started poring down. Luckily the alp was open and we had a delicious cheese bread with apple juice and an apple cake. It hadn't stooped raining so we put our waterproofs on and cycled back downhill. When we arrived in Tannheimertal the rain stooped so we put our jackets of and cycled on downhill. Seemed like all the rain stayed in Lechtal. But it caught us up whilst we were cycling along the Tannheimertal. So jacket out and on again. Then arrived in Wertachtal were we took them of again. After that a tarmac rout home until to Wertach where we had an ice. Cycled back round the Grüntensee until we noticed it had flooded so we stuck to the road.

Got home with wet feet to a warm bath. Brilliant track.

Maria Trost Wet

Wet biking today. So wet it seem like my GPS didn't record the Track. Sorry, but there is no track at GPSies today.

As said, really wet tour. Arrived by the Alpspitzhalle dryish but it started raining then. So some of the group went strait to the “Hoigart” instead of biking, but quiet a few did bike. Then it started really raining cats and dogs. Drenched in minutes. Biked uphill to Maria Trost but staid in the forest. Back down and up again to get the altitude up. End bike to the chapel, then turn round and cycle home. Breaks weren't working properly. Great. Arrived home drenched with everything technical also wet.

Well, that's live. Camera staid dryish. Picture at Picasa.

Rottachsee

Sorry I'm one day late, again. Always get back to late.

As we where al finished from the Sunday tour, except Heidi, we decided to do a relatively flat route. Rottachseetour is quiet flat so we decided to do that. Biked through the Wertachtal, past the Sticherweiher and on to the Rottachsee. By the Rottachsee we stopped by the dam holding all the lake water back. Took a group photo at the lake, which is at Picasa with some more.

After the lake we carried on back home and I always had to speed up a bit because I always wanted to make photos, as it was a brilliant evening for biking.

Arrived home eventually and nearly got my hand bitten of by Ruby, Monis dog, as we drank some drinks by her.

Nice flat tour with great scenery. Track at GPSies.

More info at Neills site.

Sunday Bike Tour

Today we had our first Sunday tour this year. Is a bit late actually so it was about time we did one. Started of at Jon's and then went to the Elleg through Gschwend.

Had to Newbies which Karin had meet biking across the Alps in to Italy. Very sporty guys. So after the Elleg we went in direction of the Grünten, the “Wächter des Allgäus”. I don't know the area there that well so I cant do any accurate way-explanations. All I know is that we went up some very step steps, through a swamp and biked through some rivers. Track is at GPSies for more accurate viewing.

By the last river we had to wait a bit for Neill and Julius, so the rest decided to go on and order the drinks and “Brotzeit”. While waiting I got my cam ready and did some photos, which are at Picasa. Jon and Neill also took some. So at the Roßbergalm we all had our Brotzeit except Jon which had to carry on after a drink to a birthday party in Oberzollhaus. He prepared our track by the way so I wonder why it got so difficult after the Roßbergalm. (Just fun Jon). After our delicious lunch, we whizzed downhill towards the Iller and cycled along that. Towards the end there was suddenly a terrible scraping noise behind me. Julius complete back gear holder had fallen of. So after taking him to the nearest point at which his neighbour could pick him up with the car we carried on two people less. Neill had decided to go with Julius as he was exhausted. As it turned out the car was too small anyway so he had to cycle along the track later. Poor Neill.

As it was getting quiet late after the accident we decided to take the roads home as Moni and Klaus had to be somewhere else later. Along the Rottachsee on tarmac (all uphill) with three top fit bikers was really exhausting. Lost them at some points but me and Moni stayed together most of the time, but I lost her before the bridge by Gschwend. So we waited and she turned up eventually.

After that it was a quick run home with a a nice warm bath waiting and a Neill coming home later than planed. Report (should) be at this link.

ObereReuterwanne-Sorgalm

Yesterday (Thursday) we went biking up towards the Obere Reuterwanne, and for somebody who isn't an expert that track will probably nearly kill you. The first third is just slippery gravel steep uphill. Sounds difficult, is difficult. Had to really strain my muscles to get some speed to not fall over. But then at the top, as always, you're really happy.

After that went to the Sorgalm to have a drink and to small spirits. Don't want to fall over on the way back. Way back was then all tarmac as it was dark and we wanted to get home quick. Learnt some good wind trail lessens from Jon on how to save energy.

Track at GPSies and pictures at Picasa (pic 1 + pic 2) and from Jon.

Report at Bike Club 2010.