Life is not a Practice

Two of us took three days to cycle the 418kms from Nesselwang to Milan. Set off in rain and at a temperature of 6°C but the weather got better and we had a fun five days (including the two days of cycling and train riding to get back).



418 kms with 4000 meters of climbing. Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=anftazlpzetzogeg



The first day we cycled from home, over the Fernpass and then along the Inn Valley to beyond Landeck. On the second day we rode in to Switzerland, on up to St. Moritz (and the Cresta Run) and then over the Maloja Pass. The third day we rode past Lake Como and on to Milan. On the fourth day we rode to the cathedral for a photo and then caught the train to start home.

Photos at https://picasaweb.google.com/103827427036815679772/2013Milan?noredirect=1

A Sunday tour to a lake I had never even heard of - the Faulensee. We rode over the Beichelstein to get there and add a few meters of climbing and back via Vils in Austria.



On the way back we also rode "through" the Forgensee lake. It is a resevoir and not currently full so the old road was above water level.



52 kms and nearly 800 meters of climbing.
Track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=voekzodakucmmnbf

More pictures at https://plus.google.com/photos/103827427036815679772/albums/5876039696493748161?banner=pwa

Jon's pictures are at https://plus.google.com/photos/100547066824249637955/albums/5876255920545131825

My first "mountain" mountain biking this year. After the 80kms yesterday, a gentle mountain bike ride half way up the local mountain and back down again.



Only 9km but nearly 400 meters of climbing.
Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=xnoptxunouqeolxb

Out with Heidi for a training run on our race bikes. We had no plan of where to go and decided at each turn based on in which direction there were the least clouds.



Ended up doing a fantastic 80km trip largely on routes we had never been on before. The old railway line from MArktoberdorf to Roßhaupten has been converted to a cycling path and is fantastic as a race bike route. The next picture is an old station on the route.



82km with 800 meters of climbing
Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=yptbysrlcnxhhzme

More pictures at https://plus.google.com/photos/103827427036815679772/albums/5866409348860352993?banner=pwa

Missed the Tuesday night reace biketour last night so went out for an hour today.
In all the villages I passed through, they were putting up the new maypoles.



22kms and 250 meters of climbing.
Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=wiarczqkirgobnqz

Sun shine and warm weather today. It is a Wednesday but by taking an extended „lunch break“ we (Heidi and I) managed a two hour race bike tour across the Allgäu hills. 40 kilometers and 620 meters of climbing with an average speed of 20km/h isn't bad for the first „serious“ ride of 2013.



Track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=gyyasgininvacdja

A quick run round the lake on the race bike after work.

http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=xsavjvjghbbjebbe
19.3km 217m of climb

Another lovely day so once again off on my mountain bike. This time down in to the Wertach valley and then up again and then down again and so on.



Some snow covered patches but mostly just muddy.

http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=txidywcmwjpnzwhq
20km 258m of climbing.

Photos at https://plus.google.com/photos/103827427036815679772/albums/5866409348860352993?banner=pwa

A week ago I was skiing but finally spring has arrived so I went out for my first ride of the year on my mountain bike - in shorts!



http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=fhsenklcvyjsngwy
22.7km 347 meters of climb 1hr38min.

Out this morning with Alison in the hills around Isny looking for places to position our masts (hard life when you have to work on Sunday :-)



And then this afternoon the first race bike tour of 2013. It was only 7.5°C but was Ok as long as you kept moving.
24.48 km, Total climb 279 Meter so why do my legs ache despite all the spinning this winter?

Track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=cfseumbxbgbmvnyf