Thursday Breitenberg

Set of today at 18.30 from the gym with plans for cycling up the Breitenberg. It was the longest Day of the year an all in all 17 people in group one peddled towards the Breitenberg. 5 minutes after start we were joined by two who had missed us at the gym. It was of through Kappel (were Jon and I stll got lost) and then uphill through the Achtal. At the bottom of the way up the mountain we had a short break and then shortly after starting s minor crash from one of our guests.
All the way up the Breitenberg with a few rests (Hopsing nearly did it 3x apparently). We lost Matthias on the way as it was his first time cycling this year, but weren’t worried as he had warned us this could happen. At the top long things on and then downhill. First flat tyre from Sebastian just when it started spitting which took about 10 min. to fix. After that I had a flat tyre which took another 10 min. The rest had gone on already so I peddled down with Jon and Hopsing who had helped me fix my tyre.
Along a rocky way which Jon and I bounced through in semi darkness we meet the others at the end. Had lost our two guest but were sure they had continued strait on and set of towards Nesselwang in slight drizzle.
Arrived at the Bistro for a drink and there was a lot of food.
Track at GPSies and pictures at Picasa and from Jon. Report here.

No Track detail as my speedometer broke at some point. According to it I had cycled up the whole mountain in 15min.

Thursday "Heuschuppen" + Sorgalm

Set of as usual towards the gym, picking Heidi up on the way. Nice day, a few clouds and a good weather forecast. On the way Karin C. overtook us with no rucksack. We started wondering if she was actually cycling with Group 1 today as she always has a rucksack on her back. Instantaneously after thinking this she turned round and peddled back home to pick it up.

At the gym Group 1 set of towards Pfronten this time, testing a new way past a Heuschuppen which Inge led us to. Last time Heidi and Moni had tried to find it, but were unable to. After that it was a lot of uphill, as we cycled up the back side of the Alpspitze and nearly reached the Herzler Hütte. Along the Alpspitze to Stubenthal and then for a drink at the Sorgalm with Hans, who had just recently had his 25^th wedding anniversary. Later, after a few Schnapps, it was back to Nesselwang via Wertach at top speed all in one line.

A nice trip with a lot of Höhenmeter (for me) and some really good views.

Track at GPSies and pictures from Jon and me at Picasa. Group 2 info here. Bericht here.

Time in saddle: 2 hours 10 min.

Distance: 34.6 km

Average: 15.8 km/h

Group 1 Attendants: 1

Arrived at the gym today and was the ONLY Group 1 guy. Never happened to me in my four years there. So I decided to cycle with Group 2 today and it wasn’t bad.

Set of towards Bachtel and on the way Christa lost her light which was found by Hans on the ground. After Bachtel towards Schwarzenberg with nice lighting scenes of an upcoming storm from the west. Before Schwarzenberg I took a tunnel which was full of cow muck and the Group 2 just passed by it over a road. Then from Schwarzenberg towards the Schwarzenberger Weiher, finding some fox cubs on the way. Me being a nature photographer stayed for quiet some time and had to catch up with the rest. Above the lake the boys then went down a trail and the girls took some other route, but we all met up in the end. After that up to Mittelberg along a stream which we first had to look for and then along the Panoramaweg. Could already see the storm coming in from the west but we continued along the top and I somehow directed them wrong. Ended up in taking us further towards the storm. On the way back we had to miss out the Mühlbachweg as the sky was growing darker and we could see the rain front bearing down on us. A stop in Feistenoy to get some weather proofs on the rucksacks and then we somehow lost Hans on the way back. Stopped under a bridge wondering were he was and got some raincoats and trousers on. As usual for Group 2 the Sekt came out and whilst having a drink the world vanished in rain. After it had calmed down back through Gschwend home to Nesselwang. Arrived at the Bistro dry and sat all alone at the Group 1 table. Vera ordered a Humpen as she had had her birthday yesterday and it turned out just as I was leaving that Neill had a flat tyre. Still fun.

Track at GPSies and pictures at Picasa. Neills report here.

Time in saddle: 2 hours

Distance: 29.8 km

Average: 13.9 km/h

Thursday Bärenmoos

As it is holidays here right now, the group wasn’t to big but also not to small (7 people). The weather forecast had foretold bad weather for the evening but at 18.00 it didn't look to bad. After some convincing words from Dad (Schönwetterradler,...) we set of to the gym and picked Heidi up on the way. At the gym we had to stand aside a bit as there was some speech being held inside and a tent blocked our meeting point. At 18.45 Group 1 set of towards Bärenmoos, whilst Group 2 biked to the Alatsee. Through Wank and then on to Pfronten, after that a short trip through the Vilstal and then up the Bärenmoos. Jon set a good speed uphill as it did get steep towards the end. Hopsing raced past everybody on he way up and came down after a while with Martin Osterried who he had met at some point. Reaching a crosspoint we still had some time and biked to the top instead of going downhill then. Bloody steep to the end, my chin was nearly touching the front handle bars. Don’t know who managed it, but we all reached the top somehow.

Had a short break at the Alm and then continued downhill with Jon in the lead. Startled some deer on the way down and after reaching the bottom continued down the Achtal and then through Pfronten back home with dark clouds looming ahead. Just reaching Wank it started spitting and we had a short rain down in Nesselwang but arrived at the Bistro dry and happy. Group 2 arrived later and also hadn’t been caught in any rain.

Track at GPSies and pictures at Picasa. Group 2 info here.

Time in saddle: 2 hours

Distance: 32.2 km

Average: 15.6 km/h

Dry Storm Cycling

Couldn't decide today if I should or should not go as it had reined frequently today. At the last minute I then packed my things and after picking up the rest of Brand met at the gym. Group 1 was small today as a lot were preparing for their holidays next week or this weekend.

Set of towards Wertach at 18:45 along the Grüntensee by beautiful sunshine. Through Wertach and then along the main road towards Jungholz. All the others biked on the tarmac, but we do have mountain bikes, so I stuck to the trail on the right side.

After that up past an Alm and then along the side of the mountain. We could see storm clouds brewing, so Sepp sugested we take the direct route home. Everybody agreed so we were of to the Stubenthal Alm. Along the way we met Group 2 coming down (with Dad yelling at the front) telling us we were going right towards a storm. Reached the Stubenthal Alm just in time before the storm started. Had a drink (the Alm had specially opened for us) and waited for the storm to pas. After that long clothes on and then whizzing down past the Haslacher Alm and on towards Nesselwang for a drink in the Bistro.

Lucky today as we weren't caught in any mayor weather conditions.

Track at GPSies and pictures at Picasa. Group 2 info here.

Time in saddle: 2 hours

Distance: 28.3 km

Average: 14.8 km/h

Wednesday Sportheim Böck

Finished a day of school and had done no physical training today. As I came home on the bus it looked like it was going to storm. Which it did. But after that some fresh weather, so instead of sitting at home I went on a cycle ride up the Alpspitze (in case bad weather came again).

Up the Maria Trost way were I met Hanse (my ski teacher boss) also on his bike, and two other bikers that overtook me. Some nice lighting effects of the sun in the forest and then a good view over Nesselwang from the top half. Arrived at Sportheim Böck, had a short rest and then long clothes on to come down again. Met more bikers on their way up and could see a storm coming from the west. Reached the bottom in no time and set of home, being a bit dirty from the damp track down.

Track at GPSies and pictures at Picasa.

Time in saddle: 1 hour 20 min.

Distance: 13.4 km

Average: 9.7 km/h

Alpspitze Trail

Set my alarm yesterday to wake me up today at 9.00, but slept right through it. So I asked Dad if he would like to cycle up the Alpspitze with me after lunch. Mum also joined us but she jogged up.

Set of after lunch with blue sky and a mountain to go up. Mum disbanded of her bike at the bottom and more walked than jogged up the mountain as we cycler are so slow. Up we went and had to get of a few times as there were some trees lying in the way. Heard the occasional thunder but thought nothing of it as the sky was blue. Reached the top and had a drink. We then saw what had caused the rumbling as there were thunderclouds in the Alps behind the Alpspitze. Started spitting again but Dad pressed on to the cross. All three reached it and after enjoying the view Mum set of down to the Kombibahn to get a lift down. Dad and I got our jackets on (he had a rain jacket “grumble”), and then set of along a FOOT path to get down. I walked quiet a bit at the top and Dad staid on his bike a lot. I tried three times to cycle and fell off three times. After getting on the fourth time I staid on and we cycled to Bayerstetten and then onwards to Nesselwang to have an ice with Rhiannon. After that we washed of our bikes as we had cycled through mud a LOT and then had a shower. Had a loot of fun coming down and getting spatterd.

Track at GPSies and pictures from Dad and me at Picasa.

Time in saddle: 2 hours

Distance: 14.4 km

Average: 6.9 km/h