The last 5 days I collected a good number of kilometers on the bike. First on Thursday the evening tour with the “Lauftreff Holzgerlingen” (57,3km) , then on Friday a smaller tour alone, to stay warm… (41km).
On Saturday then the RSG/fratelli tour. This time a ride via Bondorf and returning via Entringen, Mönchberg and Herrenberg up via the “bee path” (80km, Tour at GPSies). Great disappointment in Mönchberg, the spring/fountain is currently “closed” for renovation. No clear, cold spring-water for refreshment in the next several weeks.
On Sunday then the planned RSG club tour into the Black Forrest, to Simmersfeld. Finally we were 5 riders, one missed the start and called us a bit later so we waited for him in Gärtringen (thanks to cell phones). The tour was the “shortest” possible Simmersfeld-tour, but with summer temperatures of up to 35°C, no detours were planned. In Altensteig we had a nice break with cake and coffee. The first time since 3 years I chose Emmingen to climb back up out of the Nagold-valley. This is a nice alternative, in the town Emmingen are a few very steep passages, but after town, the rest is a nice climb and with partial Forrest and shade. So the longest weekend-tour was 120km and 1060m altitude (Tour at GPSies).
For the holiday today (Whit Monday), we chose to do only a smaller tour with about 75km and 630m altitude. In total this week: 372,5 km and 3160m altitude. The first summer weekend nicely used 🙂
After the planned break, it first continued to rain on Friday. But it stopped around mid-day so we started at 14:00 and then the sun also came out. So we visited Eremita Betlem, that we missed on one of our first tours. On the way back we tried a “new” route and must have missed the bike-road. The “road” we then had to endure for 10km may only be used as a mountain-bike test-terrain, not suitable for road bikes. Anyway, day’s result: 111,7km with 1650m altitude and 23,9 km/h average speed.
Then the first top tour: Valdemossa and Soller, so over two passes. This year we did not go via the “bike road” because of too much cyclist traffic, we chose the main road from Sineu to Santa Eugenia… very good pavement and fast to go although a few meters altitude to do. The climb to Valdemossa is good, not too steep. The town is really nice, but as it is so nice, that there are too many tourists there.
Mallorca 2014, 5.4. Valdemossa
Then we continued via Deia to Soller, I was a little frightened of this section as the up/down/up/down can really kill you in the mountains. But that was not the case: just one further climb directly after Valdemossa and then the route is flat and downhill all the way to Soller. 🙂 Now the Soller-Pass, for me the first time in this direction. It is a little steeper this way, but still OK to ride.
Mallorca 2014, Sa 5.4., Soller Pass
So this was the first top tour: 160,5 km with 2100m altitude and 24,2 km/h average speed.
After such a tour, next day needs some “recovery-training”: going again to the coast (Colonia Sant Pere), in the mountains there would anyway be too much traffic on a Sunday. As flat as possible and a coffee/cake break in Petra. The day: 110,5 km with 1290m altitude and 25,4 km/h average speed.
Monday: second top tour! As this was such a great tour last year, we repeated the same as in 2013. Again (as two days earlier) via the highway to Bunyola and over the Soller-Pass. FOG! We did not get the best day. Due to the fog, it was really cold, on the ship we had to sit inside as it was freezing cold outside. It looks like we started much earlier last year, we just arrive at the harbor around 12:40 … just in time to get the ticket. Never mind: in Calobra there was also fog, but after the first 50m altitude behind, we were above fog and could continue the climb in the sun with pleasant temperature. Not such much sweat… but heavy breathing anyway, with 7% average rise and 700m altitude. Such much breathing that on top, I just thought about calming down, buy something to drink and forgot to take photos. Therefor picture from last year:
Serpentines at Sa Calobra
On the way back, we shortly visited the Monastery Lluc for a quick break. The day: 143,4 km with 2140m altitude and 22,8 km/h average speed.
For our small group, Tuesday was the finishing tour: trip towards Cap Formentor, but only till the first platform, as the total tour would have been a bit too much for the day. Something left for the next time…
Tue 8.4.2014: First platform view towards Cap Formentor
The day: 104,7 km with 970m altitude and 24,1 km/h
As Jürgen, Andi and Ralf traveled home Wednesday, I was left to do a small tour in my own speed… I chose again the Monastery Lluc, but with time for sightseeing. But for that I first had to go over another pass from Caimari:
Coll de sa Batalla, Pass von Caimari zum Kloster Lluc
The climb was OK to do, not steep. But at the beginning a lot of traffic, cyclists, cars and busses 🙁 … Fortunately this was over after the first kilometer or so. At the monastery I took an hour to walk around and enjoy the location and scenery. The day: 100,6 km (I had to do some detours, otherwise I would have been back with only ~85km), estimated 1200m altitude and 24,2 km/h average speed.
Thursday was then a slow “rolling out” tour: 61,7 km with estimated 500m altitude and 25,7 km/h average speed. A short visit at the Roadbike Festival, which started on this day. But only “window shopping” and checking out the new stuff… nothing to buy (forgot the credit card in the hotel).
For me this was pretty hard training. I had done only 3-4 small rides before going to Mallorca, not enough as preparation, and Jürgen’s tours were tough. But I really enjoyed it!!!
Summary:
13 Tours with two top runs
1.505,8 Kilometers
62 hours, 20 Minutes pure cycling time
18.450m of altitude
For the following weekend, I will just rest and leave my legs to recover. But I already look forward to the next time. 🙂
I think that many people too quickly come to believe that (some) animals are intelligen. Specifically pet-owners tend to believe that “their” special creature definitely must be intelligent.
I’m certainly not convinced. Some time I go I thought it is easy to tell which behaviour is intelligent, or not; but today I believe that objective criteria are hard to find. It may still be possible to argue specific behaviours or specific cases, but to instate objective criteria to decide in general about intelligence… seems to be hard or impossible.
And there are astonishing specific cases. You can see reports or videos where you really wonder: is this a fake with long and specific training of the animal; is it just coincidence; or is it a collection of very specific natural behaviour pattern, that put together create the impression of intelligent behaviour; or is it really Intelligence?
Currently I tend to think that a collection of thoroughly connected pieces of behaviour, you can call it evolution of behavioural patterns, combined together … can create the impression of intelligent behaviour. But it’s not necessarily intelligence. But I would not be sure enough to rule it out.
In any case, it is a very interesting topic and fun to watch…
A few weeks ago on a Saturday tour, we found out that we have a common week of vacation. We, that is Brigitte and Hartmut Krist-Priem, we were on Mallorca in spring this year. So… what not ride a black-forest tour? Like ordered, the sun came out today, after two cold days, and presented a nice summer day. After my weekly biking announcement, another cyclist joined, Michael Strang.
So we started out at 10, still a little cold. After the first downhill, the first real UPhill section, from Station Teinach to Sommenhardt helped to warm up. The typical black forest terrain, up, down, up, down, … helps to stay warm further 😉
We reached Simmersfeld early enough, shortly after 1pm. I had announce that here we can decide how to continue… as we felt OK, we decided for the slightly longer tour. So we took the downhill to Enzklösterle, nice and freshly paved, I was here 2-3 years ago the last time. The uphill via the “Poppeltal” is not steep, rolling upwards easily pedaling.
After the next downhill part, we reach Erzgrube, where we can refresh with some cake, coffee, and typical local mixed fruit drink (“Schorle”). Re-charged, we continue the fast way down to Altensteig, Nagold, Wildberg… we had enough hills now. Just a last climb via Gültlingen to Deckenpfronn and then rolling home.
In summary: 161,9km with 24,5 kmh average 1545m altitude.
The tour today: from the bike-club in Böblingen via Ehningen, Kuppingen, Mötzingen, Iselshausen, Unter-/Oberschwandorf, Egenhausen to Altensteig. On the road downhills from Egenhausen to Altensteig there is a great view on Altensteig, good opportunity for a small break and calorie-intake in form of a Banana.
Afterwards down to Altensteig, but immediately up the hill again via Überberg to Simmersfeld. From there onwards via Aichhalden, Hofstett and Neuweiler to Bad Teinach. From there it’s one last uphill section via Wildberg and Gültlingen to Deckenprfonn… and then rolling easily back home via Gärtringen and Ehningen.
After the flat but very fast tour yesterday (Saturday), this was a pretty heavy tour today, pretty tired legs in the end. But it’s always very, very nice in the black forest, worth it, every kilometer: 127,6 km with 1340 meter altitude and avg speed 24,2 kmh.
The first weekend with really great weather this summer… After a easy-going tour (70km) yesterday to warm up, a first highlight today: a real black-forest tour. We are two as three others were bound otherwise and could not come with us.
So starting with the usual way via “7-Tannen” to Station Teinach, the side-way up to Sommenhardt and onwards direction Oberreichenbach. Before reaching that, turning left via Agenbach to Neuweiler (found a really nice side-road here) and on via Hofstett and Aichhalden to Simmersfeld (picture).
We reached here in record speed… just about 12:00, so we continue to Besenfeld. Well, the main road has a lot of motor bikes, but OK. Than the fantastic down-hill section to Erzgrube, and already announced here “motor-free upper Nagold-Tal” today!
So we continued the downhill road to Altensteig together with thousands of bikers (non-motor!) and Inline-skaters… not a single car or motor-cycle, fantastic!
The usual break in Altensteig… Cake and Coffee … onwards in more record-breaking speed via Nagold until Wildberg, the motor-free section continued until here, almost 50km in total! So with free road and wind-shade riding, we reached 27 km/h as total average. After Wildberg we split up. Otfried was in better shape and we would split after the climb anyway, so no need for him to wait for me.
Total: 155km with 26,4 km/h average, roughly 6 hours riding time with 1375m altitude. Not bad 😉
Started the tour via Ehningen, Aidlingen, 7-Tannen and past Holzbronn into the Nagold-valley, then return “up” out of the valley at Iselshausen (Picture). Now I’ll see how I return home, probably via Mötzingen and Öschelbronn and Herrenberg.
The tour today goes via Aichtal, Neckartal, Grafenberg, Metzingen, Tübingen, Herrenberg (here currently the view in direction to Kayh/Mönchberg/Herrenberg) and back via Ehningen. I guess around 110km in total.
The spectacular stage was yesterday… Today a flat tour to the east coast. The legs scream at times, but we go slow and easy … the tour is again really nice and worth every km.
Today was the spectacular stage of this years training camp. First we rode via Bunyola over the Soller Pass. To start the day, very nice tour, the climb was quite good to do, not steep. And also a very nice view, as you can see on the picture…
Down from the pass to the town of Soller and the buying tickets for the boat to go to Sa Calobra, which is THE climb, on 700m from sea level. Pictures will follow.
