Breitenberg

Breitenberg was the plan for today. Had met up with Nico and Marty yesterday for a swim in a local lake and we decided that today we would bike up there.

Marty drove to my house and after that we set of towards the Breitenberg. Nico and me still noticed our sore legs from two days prior. We may be good at biking downhill, but walking down a steep mountain in the early mornings is not what we are used to. Going towards Pfronten we had a bit of a head wind, but managed to Pfronten Kappel and onwards no problem (I still got lost there). After that up through Achtal to the back of the Breitenberg, where the firs surprise was waiting. The complete way up we wanted to bike up had been closed due to timber felling. After a short brake we saw a car with very lumberjacky looking people come down and as it was a bank holiday we concluded that there would be no danger. Started biking uphill with Nico rocketing of nearly instantly, me coming second and Marty bringing up the rear. After going uphill for a while we heard some weird hollow sound. Turned out it was a woodpecker pecking an old tree. Carried on even higher until we had to give Marty some moral support for the last stretch of road. Reaching the top we where once again greeted by breathtaking Alpine scenery. Had a bite to eat and something to drink before we put our long clothes on to go downhill. Was a rather interesting tour downhill, basically it amounted to a few things. Bad track conditions on some way, near accident on my (and I think Martys) side, a puncture for me (number three this year) and some drifting for Marty and Nico. Reaching the bottom we powered back to Nesselwang before the presumed thunderstorm hit. We have had hot conditions the whole day, but in the evening the usual thunderclouds where rolling in.

Track at GPSies and pictures at Picasa.

Time in saddle: 3 hours 20 min.

Distance: 43 km

Average speed: 12,8 km/h

Timelapse Buron

Interesting night this weekend. Nico and me have been planning a photo session at night for a long time now, to make a few timelapse videos. I had extra ordered a batch of new batteries and a new 32 gig SD card. Batteries where a bit late in the postal system, so I did not get them on time. Guess what ran out first.

Nevertheless, after spending the day driving up and down mountains with Dad on AllgäuDSL business, Nico and I set of towards our destination. Parked the car and still had a trek uphill, I managed to get us a bit lost on the way up. Reaching the top, we where there early as planned and got everything set up. Started timelapsing and after a few hours had our dinner on a camp stove. Let the cameras run overnight whilst camping up there. I slept through one of my alarms and missed readjusting the camera for one and a half hours. Battery was nearly flat, but it was enough for a few more seconds of video footage. Nico managed to get some really super images of the Milky Way sometime in the night. By the time morning had come we had a load of pictures, in total something ridiculous like 4600 pictures. After packing together our gear we set of downhill at very steep angle as we went strait down a ski piste. By the time we reached the bottom our knees where aching. As we both had forgotten anything for breakfast we went to the bakery and had to wait for ten minutes for it to open. After breakfast back home for a few hours of rest.
YouTube video of the timelapse can be found here.

Falkenstein Detour

Out biking with the Thursday group, after a few weeks of not being able of going with them. Met up at the Alpspitzhalle as usual, with only Karin sitting there. I started wondering if we where really going to be so few, but until we left we managed to get the count up to seven people for Group 1. Group 2 set of on their way and at some point passed the Sorgalm, so we concluded that they would be a bit late.

We had our aims set for the Falkenstein, a normally early season tour as the Falkenstein is not a mountain, per say. More of a very rocky big hill (yes, yes, that might classify as a mountain). But as Inge was our tour guide, we weren't expecting an “easy” run. First aim, Kappel. I took a wrong turn in Wank already, thinking we would take the usual route. Went along the main road, saves us from having to cross it further on. Through Kappel and then up the mountain behind the Heuschuppen. Very steep, I think everybody started sweating. The last bit had to be pushed and after that it was along the side of the mountain to Pfronten. Biked through the village, also taking a few detours here and there. Arrived at the bottom of the Falkenstein and started biking up whilst we where passed by a bunch of Porsches going up to the hotel at the top. Arrived at the top for a group photo and then it was back down again, a slight variation of the way up, consisting of more trail and less tarmac. The holes in the trail seem to be getting deeper and more dangerous every year. Through now sunlit fields with nosy young cows in them, stepping over gates all along the way. Hopsing speed of after a while, but we weren't to worried, he always finds back sometime. Through Pfronten Rebichel and up a hill that bought us back to exactly where we had started going up. Back over to Pfronten Kappel and up past the Heuschuppen and down a trail I have not been down yet. Heidi shocked me a bit, as she was in front of me and had to nearly get of, but her, Hopsing and me got down without incident. Everybody did in the end, but Karmen fell over shortly after the trail and sprained her ankle. Nothing lethal, so we went back to the Bistro for a drink and then home for a shower.

Track at GPSies and pictures at Picasa.

Time in saddle: 2 hours 30 min.

Distance: 33 km

Average speed: 13.0 km/h

Light Show Reuterwanne

Back on the bike, as it is Tuesday once again. The weather seemed to be rather mild with us today. There was a torrential downpour in the afternoon, but by the evening the sky had cleared up a bit.

Set of with Nico towards Obere Reuterwanne, as I have not been up there yet this year. Also a rather short tour, as my apprenticeship is nearing its end and the exams are looming closer.

To Gschwend via the back way and I finally managed to get up the short steep hill near the beginning. A first on my side. Through Gschwend, Reichenbach and then up past the Haslacher Alm. After the Alm up through the forest, where we were chased by a cuckoo (it was timed, it “cuckooed” every two seconds). The sky was getting a bit overcast and there where a few drops of rain here and there, but not something marginal. Passed two biker coming down, the first we had seen up till now.

Reached the Obere Reuterwanne and had a super view towards the Grünten, the “Gurdian of Allgäu”. Rain was moving in from the north, creating an brilliant picture with the sun shinning through the clouds. Carried on to our panorama point, but went right up the mountain, to the end of the ski lift. Low and beholds, what did we find? One of Amisols (AllgäuDSL) mast. That road was probably built there for a reason, but you would need something akin to a chain driven vehicle to get up there. Did a few pictures at the top and then went back down past the Unter Reuterwanne Alm. The rain had caught up with us at that point, and we where a showered on the way down in cold rain. Me twice as Nico has no mud guards and was in front of me. Reached the bottom (saw a rainbow) and went to Wertach, where the roads weren't even wet. Around the Grüntensee, taking the wood chip path (sucks out your stamina) and back home to Nesselwang via the bridge that spans the Wertach.

Tack at GPSies and pictures at Picasa.

Time in saddle: 2 hours

Distance: 28,7 km

Average speed: 13,4 km/h

Sunday Gappenfeldalm and Gundhütte

First Sunday tour of this year managed today, am a bit nackered whilst writing this. Biked with Daniel and Nico for the first time on a Sunday tour and Nico and me had no idea how Daniel would bike stamina wise.

Daniel arrived punctually and I got a good look at his new fully 29er bike. Very cool piece of machinery, with a nifty saddle lowering mechanism. Nico arrived a bit after time, so we set of ten minutes later than planed, but on the length of the tour we where doing, nobody cares about ten minutes. First aim way Pfronten Kappel, the first few minutes biking already nearly resulted in a collision between Nico and Dani, when we had to turn left at one point. No idea if it was a bit of intentional gimmick.

Reached Kappel after a while and once again nearly got lost in there. That small community is built up completely wrong, every house has at least three roads. Round the back to the main Pfronten section, where we got stuck behind a very relaxed biker. Was rather slow and didn't break into a sweat as three twenty year old raced up behind him. Got past him at one point and biked through Pfronten main to get to the Achtal. Biked wrong at one point and had a few more meters in altitude.

Up Achtal after that, with a sizeable amount of traffic going along the valley to Austria. Passed the Austrian border and biked on towards Grän, where we had a small break to eat something (and to switch bikes) before we continued up along the supply road for the huts. Up and up it went, us getting rather warm as the sun kept poking out here and there. We where overtaken by a small plane a third up the mountain. He continued up the valley and came back around, just like you see in the old war films. Heading strait for us, Nico and me did the motor noises whilst Daniel simulated the machine gun firing. The pilot even waved his wings when he flew past.

Carried up along the valley, overtaking quite a few walkers, also on their way up. Through a few streams of melted snow and another short break just underneath the top. Saw a person come shooting up on a bike. First thought: “blimey, he's fit”. Passed us, next thought: “Typical e-bikes”. His stated reason was that he IS twenty years older than us after all ;D.

Continued up to the Gappenfeldalm, by passing through a mountain pass. Biked a bit down, which included going through a water filled snow hole. Daniel managed a perfect stop in front of the hut. Not getting out of his clicky and falling over sideways in front of 6 people. Had a lunch break before continuing back uphill and then along snow filled mountain fields along the side of the mountains. Had to carry the bike a few times but we reached the Gundhütte in the end. Had a drink, some ice and refilled our water bottles before continuing on. Managed a short way, before we got to a turn where the lumberjacks had deposited some trees on the road. Daniel took a short cut through the field, and me not thinking that he has a better suited bike for this kind of thing went strait after him. The end result being: me going to fast down the mountain, putting my full force on the breaks to get slower and eventually rolling over the top of the handle bars to somehow land on my back with the rucksack on. My back ached for quite a bit (and still is) but the more annoying problem was that I had managed to get a flat tyre because of my stunt. Fixed the tyre in record time, thanks to Nicos compressed CO² bottle. Rather a lot of walkers stopped by and had a look at what we where doing. After we fixed the tyre it was back downhill, past all the people that had stooped at my crash site (there was one man which played traffic controller when we passed him).

Arrived in Tannheim after going down a trail. Danield biked near to everything I think, as I pushed down a bit, still rather shaky from before. Through Tannheim and along the Tannheimer Tal, whith opposing wind blowing the whole time. We reached Wertach after a while and continued along the right side of the Grüntensee, before Nico turned left to got back through Dohle to Maria Rein and Daniel and me went back to my place to have a shower. Set up the grill after that and had a relaxed evening (with thunderstorm) on the terrace with Nico, Franzy, Daniel, Inge and Johanna.

Track at GPSies , pictures at Picasa and a video from Nico (including the crash) can be found here.

Time in saddle: 5 hours

Distance: 73 km

Average speed: 14,6 km/h

Wertacher Hörnle with Detours

A nice sunny Tuesday this week, until about five o'clock in the afternoon. That is when it got a bit overcast, but it was not something to worry about to much, as it was still warm.

Got ready to go of with Nico and came out of the house to find him playing with one of our two cats. Shortly after that we where of towards the Wertacher Hörnle via Grüntensee. On the way to Gschwend I felt like we where going at a snails pace, probably due to the heigh temperatures we have got this week addling with my perception. Round the Grüntensee (meeting Inge and the Oyer bike group on the way). Then through Wertach and round the back towards the Wertacher Hörnle.

Instead of taking the strait way up we took three detours, straying of the path and visiting at leas three different Alms on the way. Lots of cows around as well, although the Alms are closed. Had a short trail along the way, going uphill (generally the wrong way for a trail). I got of at some points, but Nico had his ambitions high, so he tried nearly everything (okay, you have to give up if you have an incline of more than 45 degrees).

Past some farmers and cows and then it was towards the top. Shortly before the Alpe Schnitzlertal my legs started saying I had done enough. Nico shot ahead and waited for me at the Alm where we both had something to drink, eat, put long clothes on and in Nicos case, fix his clicky. As it was getting dark and cold rather fast we forfeited the last 100 meters altitude and turned round.

Downhill along strait tarmac road, getting back to Wertach rather fast. Through Wertach and around the other side of the Grüntensee. My gears started mucking about somewhere there. Getting close to not working at all in the middle sections. Plan to take them to Jon the next day to get them fixed.

Along the side of the Grüntensee until we reached Haslach where we bid each other goodbye. Back home via the Römerbrücke and through Gschwend, for a shower and something to eat.

Track at GPSies and pictures at Picasa.

Time in saddle: 3 hours

Distance: 46 km

Average speed: 15.1 km/h

Wet and Snowy Alpspitze Round

Tuesday once again, with the according weather. It even started snowing in May, which is becoming more common around here. Nico arrived at about six and as the weather was so unpredictable (for that moment we had blue sky) we waited with Dad until Heidi had finished and then set of together towards the Alpspitze.

Biked past the brewery and up along the ski piste for a bit before entering the forest and continuing along a small path. Finally managed to get up a stretch of gravel I have had problems with. After getting a few layers of clothes of we continued on, as it was uphill from then on. Nico and me left Dad and Heidi back a bit. Met Wolfi near the chapel on the way up, he had just picked up biking and shot up a stretch with us. He left us at the crossing to the middle station and we continued on to Sportheim Böck. Was rather windy and cold getting nearer to the top, as the protective tree cover was left behind. Even managed to get above snow level. Reached Sportheim Böck and waited for Heidi and Dad for a bit, just long enough to get our warm clothes on. We had a short discussion if we should turn round or go up a bit further. Still some daylight around, but the clouds had cast over. We carried on to the top, some snow starting to fall. Once we reached our highest point the snow started picking up a bit. Went down across a field, which Dad was sure led to a track past the Herzler Hütte. Ended up getting closer to the “Grat”, but had a fun time exploring round the back of the Alpspitze, with the snow falling from the sky becoming ever more present. Went whizzing down towards and bejond the Haslacher Alm and raced back home for a hot shower, Nico turning towards home in Gschwend.

Track at GPSies and pictures at Picasa. Dads blog here.

Time in saddle: 2 hours

Distance: 19,2 km

Average speed:9,4 km/h