Alps

But first.
I spent my last training day riding to the Alps. I took the train to Konstanz and met up with Sascha, who kicked his mother out of his house so I could stay... Ha. Not really, but thanks for the place to sleep and food!
After changing Sascha and I set off, he rode with me for a short 30 minutes, then had to go to the airport.

Bike practice.

So from there on out it was back to myself again. Shortly after parting ways my shifter crapped out on me, in a high gear. Maybe I don't trust SRAM so much anymore. I am going to have a word with them when I get home...

Mountains require a lower gear, thus I rigged up a downtube shifter.
The mountains got closer and closer.

Up up up.

Winter.
Summer.
Nice little ski hill at the top.

After a short Sport Beans break, back down. Really really quickly.

Complete with motor pacing!
Lower by the Lake is fairly green.
And here lives Jan.

Am Bodensee

Yesterday, like the rest of my time spent here in Germany, was spent for the most part on my bicycle. An easy 60 minute cruise in the morning to loosen up, which was really quite nice. Then a good lunch, followed by 6 x 5km of steep climbs. I would have needed another two hours of daylight and a different bike seat to get all 10 in. Plus, 30 km of steep was all I really needed. Due to the wet streets, it got very cold as the sun went down...

Top of one climb.
Light up booties saved me again...

Today I traveled south, into a nice headwind, down to Konstanz, where I met Leo and Vera (the people I am staying with). We had a nice time walking around the city. It was really nice to be back, and the weather was really really nice, 55 F or so. The air was clear to, so you could see the Alps in the distance.

Make it big, see the Alps
3 hours 20 minutes into ride.
3 hours 30 minutes into ride
Back to the Lake.
Downtown
This lamp costs 2,248 Euros...
So warm there is a palm tree!

Tomorrow I take the train back to Konstanz, possibly ride to the Alps, then stay my last night in Germany at a friends house from the bike team.

Back to Germany

Finally, figured out how to make blogger work!

I showed up in Frankfurt after a days worth of traveling, and not nearly enough sleeping. I was just not comfortable in the airplane seat this time. Anyhow it was good to be back in Germany, and to use my German again, it is a bit rusty, but it is coming back quickly. I am not really having trouble communicating, just talking about details...
Anyhow, after the plane and then a 4 hour train ride, I showed up to the Bühlers, my exchange family from the first time I came here. Both the kids my age are off at school, so I am hanging out with the parents and eating good food. No nighttime activities which make good for my week long training camp here.
Despite feeling like I was going to tip over from exhustion upon arrival I set out on a bike ride (yes, of course I brought the bike, and it flew for free here). I ended up riding for 2:45 in rain/snow. It was 5 C so not to cold. This place is very different in winter, the roads are harder to recognize. I am told that usually at this time of year the flowers are starting to bloom, bad luck. But it is much warmer then home still. The last 2 days above 10 C.

The Germans like their signs.
One of my favorite climbs in the area, a good 5km of steep.

Wednesday I decided to try and ride to Konstanz, 80 km. one way over very hilly terrain. Normally not a problem. But I got lost a whole bunch of time and had to turn around 15 km short, I still got back well after dark. Luckily, and thanks to Pearl Izumi at Frostbike my booties now light up, without those I probablly would have been run over....

On the way to Konstanz, towards the steep hills on the horizon.
This photo was taken 45 min later... Elevation makes a huge difference here.

Bodensee! Can´t see in this photo, but the Alps were visible. Sunday I think I will make an attempt at them. All in all ride time was 6:12... I slept to much and started at 1 instead of 10 like I wanted.

Thursday I decided to explore the Swäbische Alpen. The hills in the area around here. I found lots of nice roads, got lost again, and ended up riding 5.5 hours.

This was a fun climb.

Complete with tunnels.

Tomorrow I think I will stay in the area and do lots of climbing. 10 x 5km. That should wear me out.
Saturday to Konstanz, Sunday hopefully Alps, Monday Finland...

Change Up

Due to the fact that over the warm spell the hiker destroyed the trails I have had to find other places to pedal.
Yesterday I explored some snowmobile trails, and today as follows:

You've heard of crust skiing, but how about...

crust biking?

After hanging out at a local ski race it was time for round two. Again with the trails ruined I had to go elsewhere. I chose to explore Park Point again.

It was really bumpy, again with help from hikers, but there were some good sections that were nice and icy, thus fast and fairly smooth. For the most part it was way to bumpy...

But sure pretty.
My chamios zone could not take the beating for another hour, so I stumbled onto the bay. Which happen to be really nice and icy and smooth. Quite nice.
And all open...
Plus, I got to see a flying boat.

But, even with the ice being feet thick, and full of cars, people still manage to find thin spots. So one must be careful!

In one week I'll be here.

For Sale!

Everything must go!

Tarmac SL2 Pro. $3,250!

S-Works mountain bike. Starting around $825.

Rudy Project Glasses. $70 for everything.

Salomon Snowboard boots, $55.

Salomon Snowboard and bindings. $145

Click

Time to get ready!

About a week ago I clicked into bike race mode. Time to get into shape. I don't really know what the catalyst was but that's ok. It is not like I am in poor shape. I have been playing outside lots, doing all kinds of fun activities. But now I am ready to train again. Still do all the activities, just maybe more of them, without days separating them. All I need to do is keep things under control and have fun while training. To intense now will burn me out later.

Enjoying myself thoroughly is still of outmost importance

Today (Sunday) was quite a good day. I decided to go do the xc ski race that was happening in Duluth on this extra brisk day. Showing up in my Clown suit I took off like it was a cx race and ended up getting a group of 3 of us way out front, then at 4k into the 13k race I got tired and had to slow. The start was enough to bring home the bronze though. For not being very close to race shape I am very pleased with my performance, the two guys I was with for a bit are very fast skiers.
(Hopefully I can find some pictures)

After hanging out at the ski race, enjoying the post race food and chatter I came home and decided I had not had enough. Word on the street is that the Big Lake was rideable, so part of bike practice took place down on the ice. My plan was to work on turning on the ice to prep for next weekend, but the big cracks and all the noise freaked me out, so I just cruised. The ice was plenty thick, there are fish houses and all out there, but riding on the ice suspended over the largest freshwater lake on the planet (which is awfully cold, especially in Jan.) just did not allow for relaxation...

Plenty safe, but still...

Kinda deep here already.
Darkness below...

After bumming around for a good 20 minutes I decided to go ride around hockey rinks to practice my corners, at least if I broke something on one of those I was close to something.

I had a good time testing the limits of the studs.

Then I rode some trails, going up this staircase included. Winter riding is so much fun. Everything is open.

Ha!

Up, up and not so fast down.

But first this photo is from bike practice a few days ago.Apparently it is strong enough to ride across. I did not try. Lake Superior in January is awfully cold...

With the recent purchase of downhill skis and AT (alpine tourning) bindings, boots, and other gear. I have been finding all the fun places to ski in and near the city. My main skiing partner and I have found a few good places. There would be many many good places if there was not so much damn brush. All the little trees that make it impossible to go down the hill without impaling some body part. But when an open area it is usually pretty dang good.
Today we set off on an expedition to try and find some bigger hills up the Shore. I looked around on Google earths new terrain feature because it makes looking so easy, and then with the satellite views, even better.
Anyhow, up the shore. From the road one of the hills I had zeroed in on looked pretty damn good, so we were off. as we got closer to the base the brush got quite thick, but we continued on in hopes of clearing, when there was no clearing we continued on in hopes of the backside being clear. 2.5 hours of pushing through waist deep snow at some points up very steep slopes brought us to the summit of Carlton Peak . To my surprise it was very windy and cold up there, bare rock and no trees even. Almost like a real mountain, except that it was only 1600 feet high... Oh well. Some day soon.
After a bit of hot cocoa and freezing our fingers it was time to try and start down. We found a clear trail, but it was not very steep, thus not very exciting. Before long it was back into the brush. With the effort put in going up, neither of us had the energy left for another try. Despite the lack of skiing it was quite an adventure. Well worth it.
All we need is a good forest fire and that place would be amazing, like many of the places in Duluth. Common Forest Service, I know you want to!

Backpack full of liquid + 2 pair skis= heavy

Top

Back to the top after cocoa break

Brush...