Into the Tyrolean mountains

Into the Tyrolean mountains

It was on a valentine’s day that I will always remember. I was exhausted watching yet another steep slope. I was tired, I had calculated that it would be another 60 kilometers. My cycling computer already counted 80 kilometers and I was not there yet. I almost couldn’t cycle anymore. Mentally yes, but my legs were completely soured. I just had to move on because today I wanted to reach the city of Innsbruck.

Michelstadt, the city where I wrote my last blog, I took a night in a room to warm up in a so-called guesthouse. I was at Pension Rosengarten where a nice lady named Mrs. Holschuh helped me -with a small price- to not only provide a warm room, but also with washing my not so fresh smelling bike clothing. And she even accompanied me when peeling carrots during my breakfast!

Germany #r2s #adventure #cycling #cycletouring #winter #snow

From Michelstadt it was a race against time to Austria. Because I had seen the infinite high hills of Germany. I wanted the real mountain experience, to feel myself small by nature. With enough packaged food to feed entire orphanage I started to cycle the remaining 500 kilometers in five days to Innsbruck in Austria.

That would be four nights wild camping because of the short days I could otherwise not get to the 100 kilometers per day. And yes, in a thick layer of snow!

Germany #r2s #adventure #cycling #cycletouring #winter #snow

The day before valentine’s day I passed a flower shop where I went to buy decorations for Ringo and my bike. I was once again very pleased when the ladies would decorate my bike for free. This was mainly due to Ringo, because he was flirting with one of the ladies.

Germany #r2s #adventure #cycling #nature #snow

The result was amazing, a romantic breakfast on valentine’s day in the snow with beautiful decoration.

Happy Valentin! #r2s #cycling #wildcamping #tent #valentin #love #bike #winter #snow #germany

Cycling, cycling and more cycling. “Why do my legs don’t want anymore cycling?” I thought, when I had just made my first kilometers into the Tyrolean mountains. I had just passed the border of Austria and still had at least 30 kilometers to go before I would arrive in the city of Innsbruck. After a short stop it turned out to be my diet, I was empty and forgot that I had to keep eating nonstop. After two Lions, an energy bar and some Dextro energy I went to push further again.

Into the mountains #r2s #adventure #mountains #winter #snow #cycling

Into the mountains #r2s #adventure #mountains #winter #snow #cycling

At 8:00pm in the evening I arrived exhausted. I only had one little problem. I did not managed to arrange a place to sleep in this city and a hostel in the tourist season was far too expensive.

Through Warm Showers and CouchSurfing I had little luck. Fortunately, at the last moment a text message came in from a hero named Logan. I contacted him through Warm Showers and he informed me that in emergency he still has a place in his kitchen. Well, better than nothing! I happily didn’t needed to spend all my hard earned savings to an expensive room.

The next few days I will stay at Logan’s place in the center of Innsbruck. Today a rest day and tomorrow I’m going to give it a try with a snowboard on the slopes. Because from the center of this great city there is a lift going up to the mountains. Hard cycling pays its debt!