Lakes ’n‘ Knödel - report

Premiere of Lakes ’n‘ Knödel:
730 km/ 15,200 metres of gravel from Fuschl to Bregenz …
I underestimated the whole thing a bit due to the wording in the announcement … probably not just me …

Day 1: Start – CP1 Blecksteinhaus:
233,11 km/ 3.302 m
Movement time : 14:09:59

Pre-start. So many people, all looking so young and professional, talking shop. It looks like I’ll probably be in the back third. Especially because my legs are not fully recovered after the exertions of the Panceltic-Ultra Race, which I had finished two weeks earlier; 2300 kilometres along the coast of Scotland with unspeakably steep climbs – I will probably be spared that here, I THINK …

I’m looking forward to a few days of cycling through beautiful landscapes, eating dumplings, exchanging experiences with nice people, simply riding a nice tour, just as it somehow came across in the advert. How wrong I was …

The first day from Fuschl to the first mountains promises to be easy. I cycle over 200 kilometres to the first sleep break. Well, it’s not quite that easy after all. I remember what Bastian said at the briefing: „You’re going to hate me sometimes …!“ There are repeated detours into the terrain and it’s usually really muddy due to the rain of the previous days and there are a few pushing passages, which are pretty strenuous with 20kg of bike and luggage.
The day before I had a problem with the gears, which Clemens from Hotel Jakob had probably fixed by removing a chain link, and a lot of air had leaked out of my rear tyre, so Finn from reception helped me fill up with milk. The tyre didn’t seem to be leaking until it was properly seated in the rim. On the way, however, I realised that some of the air was out again. I have a small pump with me, but a proper floor pump would be better. My enquiry over a garden fence is unsuccessful. I ask if there is a garden hose I could use to clean my bike and panniers. Yes! I ride on with a spotlessly clean bike, but soon realise that this was a wasted effort, as the route continues happily through mud. Vanity is probably out of place here.

After Lake Chiemsee and an ice cream and coffee break, I cycle on. Dark grey, lead-heavy clouds loom in the west. I’m lucky and always cycle in the direction where it’s a little lighter. But then I see a huge yellow-grey cloud roll from which lightning is already flashing. The thunder scares me, I panic and look for shelter and find it in a bus shelter before it starts to pour down. Two other participants are already squatting here. We have to sit out the storm for an hour or so.

Now I continue along the Inn embankment and in Raubling I turn off the route to a petrol station. There are no further refreshment stops for the next 100 kilometres or so. A cheerful group meets here.

At dusk, I asked for another pump in a mountain inn. Success. The manager of the establishment disappears into the house next door, comes back with an ancient-looking pump and, before I can raise an objection, gets to work on my rear wheel, forcibly slams the pump onto the valve, pumps a little and pulls the thing off again. Oh, shock, the shut-off valve is now at an angle, it’s badly bent. If I bend it back carefully, it might break off … So I leave it as it is, but I can hardly get the valve cap on.

I continue into the darkness. According to the plan, I had actually intended to sleep before the next mountain, but I’m earlier than I thought and cross it. Before Bayrischzell, I find a small playground, perfect for my camp for the night. I set up my tent and only realise that the ground is not flat when I settle in. I keep slipping off the mat and my night’s sleep is correspondingly restless.

I pack early, around three o’clock. It takes me far too long to organise my belongings – where is the second sock and where are the gloves? I only find the headband after a long rummage. Getting dressed here in the tent is a stomach muscle exercise anyway, as it’s so low. I drive on. Of course, the bakery in the next town isn’t open yet.

Day 2: CP1 – CP2 Plumsjoch-Hütte
145,57 km/ 4.303 m
Movement time: 14:10:29

There are still 30 kilometres to go to CP1 at the Blecksteinhaus near Spitzingsee.

The scenery is a dream, it goes over mountain pastures, through a gorge to the Valepp. I have already been here this year on the Watzmann-Arber tour (600km/ over 10,000 metres on a racing bike). The narrow road leads upwards through a small valley at a pleasant gradient. Or so I thought, because my track runs parallel to it, always within sight of the road over rough gravel. Again and again I have to dismount because there are scree-filled ditches to push through. To make matters worse, it starts to pour. Rain gear out. My feet are soaking wet in no time. Soaked, I arrive at CP1. I have a delicious dumpling on a bed of lettuce. An unusual breakfast, but it gives me strength for the onward journey. And there’s an air pump!

In the meantime it stopped raining and I set off again. Through the Spitzingsattel to Schliersee, obviously not comfortably on asphalt road, but off-road. Whereas the day before I had cycled a lot on asphalt, today the situation is reversed: pleasant asphalt is only rarely found. The weather is mixed. It is drizzling again and again.

In Gmund am Tegernsee I fill up my reserves for the next lonely 100 kilometres or so. On a narrow pedestrian bridge, I cross a walker with a dog: „Wer hotn sich dera Streckn ausgsuacht? De Radler schindn sich olle wie di Verrucktn. Wo miaßtn es hin? Ja, des gang jo do untn viel leichter ibr di Stroßn!“ Ich frage: „Ist es verboten?“ – „Na, obr do isch jo kniehoach Sumpf!“ That means as much as who would have thought up such a crazy route.

According to the plan, today will be mega „nasty“, solitude, lots of mountains, big climbs. Where will I end up in the evening? In any case, you’re only allowed to ride in the Karwendel during the day, disqualification if you’re between Pertisau am Achensee and Scharnitz between 8pm and 6am.

The route now leads through the dense forest of the Bavarian foothills of the Alps. Very steep gradients force me to push quite a few times. The route had been rerouted at short notice due to logging work. I had the new track on my Garmin. It is now very hot and pleasant in the forest. After a steep descent to Bad Wiessee on the lake of the same name, I take a lunch break on a bench. While I’m eating my sandwich, I happen to check the tracker platform. Strangely, there are no participants where I am, they are all a little further up in the forest.

Confused, I call Bastian, who can’t explain it either. My Garmin tells me I’m on the right track, but according to the live tracking I’m off the route. To make matters worse, my Garmin locks up and I have to google how to switch it off completely and restart it. Fortunately, I manage that. Bastian has told me that I need to return to the route briefly. Short, yes, but pushing up the 20% tarmac road in the blazing sun is no fun.

Then, in the forest, I seem to thread correctly. Garmin seems to agree. I’m pushing up an extremely steep valley when I realise that the line on my sat nav that I have to follow is not dark purple, but lighter. Shock! That means the sat nav is showing an alternative route. What if it doesn’t guide me correctly? It gets steeper and steeper, sometimes I slip back in my shoes. What if I have to go back down all those metres in altitude? I probably wouldn’t be able to manage that. And what if that led to disqualification because I was obviously wrong? I’m almost in tears when I see someone else pushing his bike in front of me. Relief! I must be on the right track after all.

Further up, I join the dark purple track. Saved! I meet several fellow sufferers at a hut. They’ve all pushed up the valley.

It now goes downhill. Soon a pushing section here too. A few brave gravel bike riders overtake me at breakneck speed. A little further on, however, I catch up with them again. „I’ve just shredded my trousers!“ reports one of them. Fortunately, nothing much happened and after disinfecting the wound on my thigh, the two continue on their way. This encourages me to ride carefully, albeit more slowly.

At the Austrian border, it is already late afternoon after more gruelling pushes and mutual lamentations. A small group sets off on the next two climbs. I wonder what’s in store for me. I decide to have some soup in an inn a few hundred metres from the route and then set off on the ascent.

Ten kilometres up to an alpine pasture. Contrary to expectations, (almost) everything is rideable. Then down to Steinberg am Rofan and up again, steeper now. After a mountain pasture it gets even steeper. The path is washed out and leads over fist-sized stones. At the highest point, the path gets lost in an alpine meadow. Somehow I stay on the track indicated by the sat nav and find the path again. A pushing section, then from an alpine pasture I can cycle again in the direction of Lake Achensee. In Austria it is strictly forbidden to bivouac, even emergency bivouacs are not permitted.

I give up my idea of sleeping somewhere on the shores of Lake Achensee. But I find a spot on the alpine road just before Achenkirch next to the alpine path. The sleep is short but restful, I set the alarm clock for another 10 minutes twice, I’m not stressed, it doesn’t matter whether I start at 6 a.m. towards Plumsjoch or a little later.

Packing, which goes faster this time, almost every move is right. I’ll probably be a pro by the finish.

Procedure in the evening: find a place, take the tent utensils out of the Cyclite handlebar roll, spread out the groundsheet, pitch the tent, stretch it properly, take out the sleeping bag, inflate the mat and pillow. Change and stuff everything into the sleeping bag, put on sleeping shirt, jacket over it and Primaloft jacket over that, fresh socks on, thin trousers on, skin care cream on your bum, rain trousers on too, brush your teeth, slip into your sleeping bag, close the tent, switch off the light.

Procedure in the morning: fish stuff out of sleeping bag, lie down next to me in the correct order, sit up in tent, take off sleeping gear, put on bike gear, mat and pillow, put everything in the correct sleeves, zip up tent, get into shoes, put sleeping gear in bag and in the correct bag. Take down the tent and pack it with the mat, pad and pillow as well as the sleeping bag in the handlebar roll. Check that everything is tidy. Stow the bags correctly, check again that everything is secure and set off.

Day 3: CP2 – CP3 Vilsalpe
180 km/ 4.190 m
Movement time: 16:51:19

Riding into the dawn on Lake Achensee is fabulously beautiful. I can already see Pertisau on the other shore, from where it’s about to get really nasty.

Stop at a petrol station for coffee and brioche. We buy a few more sandwiches and off we go.

Soon after Pertisau, the road really goes up. Friends had already warned me that there was really nothing left to ride here.

At the foot of the mountain, a mountaineer holds a gate for me. Together we set off on the ascent. With a bit of chatting, the time and distance pass more quickly. My companion says that as long as I can talk, it’s not so strenuous … At about the halfway point, I let my companion go. More cyclists follow behind me. We complain to each other a little, I push on. It’s not really hard for me, because I knew what was coming. Nevertheless, the route is pretty tough: about 7 kilometres with a good 700 metres of ascent. So steep in places that the weight of my bike almost knocks me over several times. Then some figures further up. Lakes ’n‘ Knödel – photographers. I wipe the sweat from my brow, put on a good face and take a step forward. When they are out of sight again, I trudge on. But now the hut, the second checkpoint, is not far away. And there are Kaspress dumplings in the soup and cake. Card stamped and I’m back on the descent.

As always, you have to be extremely careful. The descents are hardly ever relaxing: large stones, washed-out gullies, fine piles of stones, all traps that can quickly lead to a fall if you are not focussed and not careful.

Once you reach the bottom of the valley, it’s a few kilometres of fine tarmac along the Riss before things get serious again. The steep forest path to Kleiner Ahornboden is now hot and sweaty. Once there, you can cool off at the fountain.

I had been dreading the path to the Karwendelhaus. I had travelled it twice and had my problems. How was I supposed to get up there? There were still 4 kilometres and a few metres of altitude to overcome. I push off on the bumpy path. After about 200 metres, I realise that I probably won’t reach the Karwendelhaus in the evening by pushing. I get on my bike and start a somewhat tricky but slow ascent in the saddle.

The hut is perched like an eagle’s nest on a rocky outcrop. A fabulous place. After a grandma-style lentil soup, I set off on the descent to Scharnitz. The 18 kilometres could be a rapid descent, but don’t be tempted to go too fast. The forest path harbours dangers such as gullies, loose stones, … The next day, the helicopter would have to fly into the valley for several missions. Tiredness catches up with me on the way. I treat myself to a 10-minute power nap. Then onwards. Shortly before Scharnitz I have a small „accident“. After a photo break, I want to climb up, my right foot is already stuck in the clipless pedals. I get the excess weight, tip to the right and the entire weight of my body, bike and luggage lands on my knee. Auaa!!!! The kneecap seems strangely dented. Is it always like that? It swells up a bit and hurts with every turn of the cranks and I can’t stretch my knee all the way, especially when running.

After the unavoidable stop at a petrol station, but there’s nothing good here, we continue in the heat. Some hilly terrain. I discover that both my smartphone and Garmin batteries are almost flat. Even the power bank has run out of power. As I can’t cycle anywhere fast, charging is infinitely slow or even impossible. Oh dear, what if I suddenly find myself without a sat nav and no way to communicate? I keep reconnecting the charging cable and watch the charging process with suspicion. I also have almost no water left.

A ray of hope. At Lermoos, at the start of the beautiful ascent along the Leutascher Ache, there is a toilet block – and fresh water. I quickly replenish my hydration pack and supplies and head into the valley. The ascent is pleasant and my devices get a little more power and I’m also motivated by the fact that I recognise that I’ve been here before. In the opposite direction at the Schottergaudi.

At some point I reached the turn-off to the „oncoming traffic area“ in the direction of Seebensee. I had to climb 4 kilometres up, then down again. At the start I meet a couple who must have already been up there. They have it good. Why did we have to go up there at all?

When I arrive, I realise why … The lake, which is embedded in the rocks opposite the Zugspitze, is one of the most beautiful places on the tour. Here I meet some fellow sufferers who are getting dressed. Good idea! A bath. Quickly peeled out of my clothes and into the cool waters. Dreamlike. And at night I didn’t have to climb into my sleeping bag all dirty and sticky. I removed the proof photo from my video after all … naked in the lake …

Descent to Ehrwald. Very steep. And I’ve been up there before …

In Ehrwald, I join a fun group at a pizzeria al Taglio and enjoy a margherita before setting off into the twilight. I make my way quickly through the darkness to Lake Heiterwanger See. Things get exciting there. A lonely forest path initially leads along the shore. After crossing the lake and changing its name to Plansee, why forever, because the waters are connected, a narrow hiking trail continues along the shore. You can’t see the water on the right, only that it goes steeply downhill. I carefully „egg“ onwards. One mistake here and nobody would find me if I crashed down the slope and/or fell into the water.

At some point I meet up with a few colleagues again and pass your campsite. What now? It’s no longer possible to check in there. The group wanted to cycle as far as Reutte, which was actually my plan too. But it was almost midnight and there were still two more mountains to go. I let the group go.

The gravel cycle path led up a gentle incline through the forest. There! A flat spot next to the path. But the ground is compressed and stony, I wonder if I could get my tent pegs in there. I take one from the roll. Nothing to do. I carry on with the peg in my hand. I keep getting down and checking the ground. Until I found a suitable spot, a little off the path, the ground wasn’t so compacted.

Woman alone in the forest. As soon as I zip up my little tent and wrap myself up in my sleeping bag, I hear strange noises. I hold my breath and listen in shock, eyes wide open. What is that out there? Those strange noises over and over again. Quiet as a mouse, I continue to listen … there, again! Suddenly I have to laugh … I realise what those sounds are: my stomach is grumbling to itself; it’s probably still busy with the Margherita pizza … Relief. Now I can go to sleep with peace of mind and that’s what I do.

Day 4 & 5: CP3 – Finish at Bregenz
173 km/ 3.415 m
Movement time: 13:29:50

I’m back in the saddle just before dawn. Breakfast is waiting in Reutte. A bakery is open from 5.15am. I’m glad I didn’t ride any further during the night, because I had to cross a deep gorge. Pushing down and being careful not to tip over the precipice on the left, over a small bridge and then hoisting the bike up the irregular steps on the other side. An almost inhuman effort given the weight.

But I’m done and on the way down into the valley I take a bivouac photo of two cyclists.

It’s almost 8 o’clock when I reach Reutte. The bakery has a fabulous selection, I feast and pack a few things for myself, as I now have a long stretch through the solitude ahead of me. I can hardly remember the rest of the route. My gears, which have been having problems again over the last few days, keep sticking. I have the easiest gear available – fortunately. But the next three have failed. I can only shift the higher gears again. If only that goes well. Hopefully this is not a sign that something is wrong with the shift cable, that it will break at some point.

A few metres in altitude have to be covered until you reach CP3 at the Vilsalp lake.

There I have dumplings again and treat myself to a bath in the midday heat. As I drive off, oh my! There’s hardly any air left in the rear tyre. I get out the tyre pump. After the fast descent to Tannheim, I top up the tyre again. The air seems to stay in the tyre on the way on. Inserting a tube wouldn’t be an option, because I wouldn’t be able to get the tyre off the rim, it was completely stuck, as I had noticed the day before the race. Stupid feeling to be so helpless in the event of a puncture. Strangely enough, there wasn’t even a bike hire shop in the area.

The following kilometres are very fast on a gravel cycle path. Almost 30 kilometres, until a steep climb caught my eye on my planning profile. And how steep it should be. 5 kilometres with 500 vertical metres of pure pushing in the scorching sun. Once again, I grumbled about the route. Because it goes up to the Kappeler Alm, only to descend steeply again on the other side.

Supermarket stop in Oy. I finally get my beloved kefir and some fruit. Marvellous. Then onwards. Lake Rottachsee invites me for another cool dip. Then another push section.

Due to a landslide, there is now a diversion to almost Sonthofen. Many kilometres of rapid descent on asphalt. I had imagined having a cosy meal in Sonthofen, but I am disappointed. I only find a snack bar near the route. There, however, I have a huge plate of salad and all is right with the world again.

The route now goes up and down a bit through Allgäu villages. I slowly want to find a place to sleep. But nothing suitable in sight. At some point, a toll road closed to normal traffic begins. To the left and right of the road is nothing but dense weeds. Oh dear and I’m tired. Unexpectedly, a short cul-de-sac to the left. It leads behind a tree and I can pitch my tent here out of sight. The sound of the river beside me. I sleep well, but I’m up early again on my last day.

It was only just under 80 kilometres to the finish. They first led over a plateau, then past a few hamlets. No breakfast in sight. And when I plunged back into complete solitude, I was a little unmotivated because I kept having to push. How slowly the kilometres go by. Border with Austria, Vorarlberg, the area is called Sibratsgfäll. After the descent, a ray of hope, a Spar shop in Großdorf, which I hadn’t included in my plans. Then a beautiful ride along the Bregenzer Ach until the penultimate mountain lies ahead of me.

But it’s not so bad, contrary to expectations, you can ride everything. Before setting off, I get lost in the blueberry forest. Lots of little paths and none of them seem to be the right one. I push back onto the road, wrong, so through the forest after all. To make matters worse, it starts to rain. I get back on the right track and head downhill. A rumble of thunder. Only now do I see the black clouds. The rain is getting heavier. Squalls. Fortunately, I see a village further ahead and take shelter under a roof.

When the worst is over, I drive on. A call from Bastian. I should continue on the road and not go off-road. But I should still „enjoy“ the road. As I continue, I realise what he meant: over 18% gradient, long. But my ambition wouldn’t let me get off, soon it would all be over.

Then the last descent. Below me lies Lake Constance and Bregenz. Another obligatory picture on the shore, then I have to push through the pedestrian zone. That too. The route ran parallel to the lakeside promenade.

Wednesday lunchtime. Not many more metres and I’m there. A journey of mixed emotions has come to an end. As always, it’s sudden and I stand there a little lost … Relieved to have the exertions behind me and somehow sad that it’s all over …

I am very happy
4 days / 3 hours/ 46 minutes
Fifth place in the women’s category
40th place overall (with 111 solo-starters)

till the next adventure!!!

Lakes ’n‘ Knödel – report

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