Life is not a Practice

Another rainy Tuesday and once again it was just Heidi and I. I had been working outside all afternoon and didn't feel like a trip up in to the mountains so we went across to the Moorgang and then up through Mittelberg on to the Ellegg. It only rained a bit and was not so cold.

Didn't take my GPS but I guess it was about 25 kilometers.

Despite the showers and low cloud we had a fantastic day doing the Karwendelrunde. The 2000 meters of climbing was challenging for me but the scenery was stunning. Almost the entire route was on forest tracks but we found a few trails to add to the fun.

Until the Karwendelhütte we only met two other cyclists and they were in the process of abandoning their planned tour. Once we saw four hillwalkers far off on the other side of the valley. Obviously the rain kept every one at home. It was amazing having so much mountain just for us.


During the worst rain of the trip we had to ford a river. Heidi fell in as we were jumping from stone to stone and did the rest of the tour in soaking shoes.

The day before this ride I was in Friedrichshafen with Jon at the big bike show. The amazing thing there was almost everything was about "Image". There were bikes for eight thousand Euros, cool looking clothes and accesories of every kind but it all seemed to be about "buy our stuff and show people what a great biker you are".Today was very different. Just the two of us, our "normal" bikes, the mountains and the rain. But today was what biking is really about - getting out there and enjoying yourself even without people applauding your great taste in clothing or your expensive bike. I still believe that the most important things are your legs for getting you uphill and your head for getting you back down.

75km and over 2000 meters of climbing.
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=czrpwdszgdnwmlrn
Actually the distance was nearer to 77km. The distances that I write in this blog are those shown at gpsies.com but these are those measured on a flat map. The actual distance covered needs to take account of the ups and downs. But, at the end of the day, who cares about 2km.



Photos at https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103827427036815679772/albums/6050786238514201409?authkey=CM6y9qnHhfj9mAE

Thursday and it did not rain all day. A bit of a surprise this summer. Eight of us were out in Group 2.



26km and 639 meters of climbing
Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=otvxerakxadnanpj



Pictures at https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103827427036815679772/albums/6050786238514201409?authkey=CM6y9qnHhfj9mAE

It was too wet for Jon and Moni so Heidi and I took our mountain bikes and cycled up to the Herzer Hütte. Despite the bad weather all day, it only rained for a few minutes while we were in a wood so we reached the hut still dry. It was also still light so we cycled back the long way via the Buron Hütte.

At one point a gust of wind nearly blew me off my bike but in the shade of the trees we didn't really notice the storm.



22km and 770 meters of climbing. Track is at
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=oabcjuokvrgagsxo

Pictures at https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103827427036815679772/albums/6050786238514201409?authkey=CM6y9qnHhfj9mAE

An amazing Sunday Evening tour. Both Heidi and I needed lots of zone 2 and 3 to finish our training weeks so we cycled up over the two passes on the Königsstrasse and then back up the Alte Jochpass - amazing that something so steep is possible with race bikes.



Still needed more so cycled over the pass to Schattwald and then back to Unterjoch and home.
Great evening with great weather and great views.

63km with 1050 meters of climbing!
Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=uyocxwlkhskeziis

Thursday evening tour. Everyone thought it was cold and would be dark soon so we only did a quick tour round the Edelsberg. I would have enjoyed somethimg a little more challenging but "the group" wanted something relaxing.



25km and 650 meters of climbing
Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=opgqgskxlbhfimlj

Just Heidi and I (Jon was ill and Moni tired) out on our race bikes.



46km and 450 meters of climbing
Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=wepdjrdzwftrrfkp

A sunny Sunday and needed to get my zones finished for the week. Alison came along so went on my mountain bike and took things gently. By the time we reached Nesselwang I still did not have zone 2 finished so rode up towards Maria Trost until I had the 100%.
3 hrs 47 minutes moving time!



Pictures at https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103827427036815679772/albums/6030336146678088705

53 km and 800 meters of climbing.
Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=xsenkqwntetukrqt

Rafting on the Iller with colleagues and their families.



Some pictures at https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103827427036815679772/albums/6019625995923164481?authkey=CIqchoCt_NH-lAE

Out with Jon and Heidi on the race bikes.

62 km and 680 meters of climbing.
Track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=ftkkvljlfdkxcvxb It is Jon's track because my GPS is still on the way to Venice with Max ( http://maxhogarth.blogspot.de/2014/08/day-1-nesselwang-seefeld-unfinished.html ).

A quick race bike tour to top up my zones for this week.
No GPS as Max has mine on his trip to Venice.



32km.

A sunday tour in an area unknown to most of us. I seem to remember that four of us were here about 10 years ago but took a different route.


Cycled up to the Kenzenhütte for lunch then down and back up to the Buchenberger Alp for coffee and then back down again and back to Nesselwang for ice cream.

28km and 770 meters of climbing
Jons track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=gjywafyothzuayuz My GPS is on the way to Italy with Max

My pictures at https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103827427036815679772/albums/6030336146678088705

10 of us out on mountainbikes and following trails selected by Wera again. Great route.



31km and 680 meters of climbing
Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=qsmbfjfyndrkvfol

The "standard" ride through Tannheimertal. With Moni and Heidi. It didn't rain until we got back to Nesselwang.

52kms and 590 meters of climbing
Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=klsojlkpbucpnqgy

Heidi and I both needed training time to complete our training schedules this week so we spent two hours riding up and down hills.



34kms and 660 meters of climbing
Track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=vucwzcmplmamzfmo

Last night was the annual Marktfest in Nesselwang



A video I took at midnight is at https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103827427036815679772/albums/6035783557911106593/6043304149483009730?pid=6043304149483009730&oid=103827427036815679772

A fantastic route worked out by Wera. Through spectacular Allgäu scenery. We finished with a swim in the Kögelweiher.



41km and 680 meters of climbing
Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=uapcfqmirlwlqhrt



Photos at https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103827427036815679772/albums/6030336146678088705