Day 9 Monday
Detlev, Patrick and myself had finished within an hour of each other the previous evening and all camped within a couple of kilometres of each other. My alarm went off at 4am and it was show time. I knew I probably had a two hour head start on Patrick, and if I was lucky an hour or more on Detlev. There was a supermarket in town [...]
Posts in category btg
Bikepacking Trans Germany (BTG): Pt 7
Day 9 Monday
Detlev, Patrick and myself had finished within an hour of each other the previous evening and all camped within a couple of kilometres of each other. My alarm went off at 4am and it was show time. I knew I probably had a two hour head start on Patrick, and if I was lucky an hour or more on Detlev. There was a supermarket in town [...]
Bikepacking Trans Germany (BTG): Pt 6
Day 7 Saturday
I felt fresh despite the 4am start, I was eager to closed the 25km between Patrick O and myself and hopefully leave Peter F behind while he slept. If they stuck to their usual routine I guessed I had a little over 2 hours to do my damage. The cold morning air and bitter head wind drained my energy quickly, not to mention the cr [...]
Bikepacking Trans Germany (BTG): Pt 5
Day 6 Friday
The cool morning air felt refreshing as I left the stuffy hotel, sleeping indoors after a few days wild camping always feels a little claustrophobic. But the nice bed, shower and access to electric had done my moral wonders and my clothes were smelling fresh again. Sadly breakfast didn’t start until 7am, which seemed like [...]
Bikepacking Trans Germany (BTG): Pt 4
Day 4 Wednesday.
I’d had the perfect sleep until my alarm sounded at 0430, 5am and 0530, eventually I dragged myself out of bed and was on the road at 6am. Arriving in town at 7am just as the supermarket and bakery were opening. Just before town I’d found Morgan packing up his gear. “where the fuck did you come from?” [...]
Bikepacking Trans Germany (BTG): Pt 3
Day 2 Monday.
My alarm sounded at 0530 after a reasonable six hours sleep, I assumed that nobody had passed me in the night or I’d slept through the sound of tires grinding through the gravel only 10m from my tent. 15 minutes later I was on the move again. I’m not a breakfast person so a hand full of nuts while packing up is usua [...]
Bikepacking Trans Germany (BTG): Pt 2
With 60+ riders on narrow cycle paths and promised single track the neutralized start of the first kilometers was a good idea. As predicted the riders spread out nicely over the first hour. I started almost last and slowly made my way forward to be ahead of the riders with bulky gear before any single track and bike carrying started.
BTG Pt1 [...]
Bikepacking Trans Germany (BTG): Pt 1
The pre race BBQ and briefing was a low key affair at a swimming pool just outside Basel. Riders dribbled in from around Europe and further afield. Trackers and race numbers were handed out and there was a short and simple briefing by Achim, he didn’t seem too comfortable talking to a crowd, but that is logical as the BTG has gone in 3 [...]