It often feels strange when I find myself reflecting on past adventures. My intention is always to keep blog posts brief to alleviate the pressures of writing lengthy articles, and I assume that shorter reads make it easier for consumption as well. However, as I begin to recount a journey and the experiences we shared, the vivid memories come flooding back. And before I even notice, I have to hold myself back so much to avoid describing every turn we made and every view we encountered. Every – single – time!
Anyways! So, let me share with you this day in August 2024: a typical summer weekend where the mountains were calling. Since that initial exploration, I have returned to the same region twice more, but this story centers on the first experience that I shared with my wife. Our goal was simple: to explore the region and to walk a specific trail that I had read was also suitable for mountain biking. Naturally, I wanted to assess the path before attempting to bike it (and find myself in a situation where I have to carry the bike for hours, unplanned). Well, this much can be said in advance: mountain biking is not permitted on this trail as it is located in a protected area.
Setting Out for Adventure
On this warm summer day, with the weather forecast hinting at instability and a high likelihood of rain later on, we did not let that deter us. Equipped with rain gear and our adventurous spirits, we chose not to set a specific goal. Instead, we aimed to see how far we could explore the trail, soak in the surrounding beauty, and perhaps capture a few photographs – a rather relaxed approach to the day.
After assembling our bikes at the trailhead, we began pedaling along the first 4-5 km of asphalt road. Soon after leaving the asphalt and changing to a forest road, we encountered the first incline, prompting us to lock our bikes securely and shift our focus to the hiking portion of our adventure. Our mood was good and we walked along the road towards the spot where the hiking trail forked off the road. To my surprise, the path exceeded my expectations! We wandered through charming mountain meadows and lush green forestry with moss and ferns. I tried to capture some moments on camera, trying to convey the wild beauty of the landscape. I knew already that it would be tough to capture the impression properly: steep inclines are tough to capture without looking odd or imbalanced – and woodlands can be beautiful to watch but can quickly result in a very chaotic photo.
As we walked further, we found ourselves crossing a high moor – a somewhat boggy area but luckily the trail was stable and sometimes improved by some wooden planks to keep the feet dry. It was just such a pleasure to walk this trail! We took a little break for some snacks and enjoyed the view around. Meanwhile we also noticed the sky in the distance above darkening into ominous gray.
It was hard to judge, it looked like the dark clouds could pass north of us. But just a slight change in wind direction could mean that we would suddenly find ourselves directly in the rain area. As we had spent a couple of hours already and had seen quite some beautiful views, we decided to turn our way back. This time just following the forest road which would be longer but of course also less steep – and in case of rain – less slippery.
A Rainy Return
Unsurprisingly, the rain soon began to fall lightly, and my wife smartly donned her rain jacket and pants. Meanwhile, I started off with my trusty hiking umbrella, which offered reasonable protection against the drizzle for a while.
However, I was about to learn a lesson. I neglected to swap into my rain pants and jacket until the rain intensified. By the time we reached the bikes, I finally needed to put them on – just protected by the small umbrella held by my wife. Well – it resulted in a somewhat damp experience. I found myself battling with getting my gear on while trying to stay dry – and of course, I ended up a bit wet during the process. It served as a reminder for next time to don my rain gear far sooner than I did, ideally before the rain gets really heavy.
Once back at our bikes, we resumed our way back and rolled down the first part easily. When reaching a short uphill, we opted to push our bikes rather than ride, preferring to avoid unnecessary sweating in our rain gear. The rest of the ride was not challenging but a pretty new experience: cycling in full rain gear with our hiking back packs isn’t something we practiced ever before!
What a Great Day
By the time we arrived at the car, the rain had lessened considerably. We quickly dismantled our bikes and packed them away, reflecting on what turned out to be an incredible day. Despite the rain and a lesson learned about rain gear, we thrived in the lush mountain landscape, enjoyed the shared experience, and discovered that biking in the rain wasn’t as uncomfortable as it initially seemed.
All in all, it was a wonderful adventure – one filled with exploration, nature, and newfound knowledge. And well .. so far about my idea to just quickly write a very short blogpost.