2012 - die Bilanz

Nun ist 2012 vorbei und der Kilometersack wurde zugezogen. Das Ziel war, 10.000km zu erreichen. Dieses Ziel wurde letztendlich doch ganz knapp verfehlt. Auf dem Zähler für 2012 stehen verbriefte 9962km.
Dabei sah für das Erreichen der Marke alles ganz gut aus, der Dezember aber lief etwas anders als geplant, klar die Feiertage zeichnen sich immer durch geringe Fahraktivität aus, aber die starke Kälte zu Beginn des Monats und zweimaliges Erkranken waren nicht unbedingt einkalkuliert. Am 31. Dezember drehte ich ein Ründchen und überlegte noch da die fehlenden 38km dranzuhängen, entschied mich aber dagegen. Es wäre doch arg gekünstelt, nur um der Zahl willen. Natürlich klingt 10.000 gut und die Zahl ist auch nicht völlig aussagelos, aber man sollte den Inhalt der Zahl auch nicht überbewerten. Ein gefahrerner Kilometer gleicht nicht immer einem anderen gefahrenen Kilometer wie ein sprichwörtliches Ei dem anderen. Da gibt es das Offensichtliche wie unterschiedliche Höhenprofile (2012 war ein vergleichsweise flacheres Jahr) oder aber die Wahl des Fahrrades oder der Kleidung (schnittig im Trikot oder mit Wintermantel) oder auch ob mit Anhänger oder ohne (2012 zählte einige Hundert km mit Anhänger). Die Größenordnung 10.000km als Jahresziel bleibt. Die exakten Werte sind nur Spielerei - zugegeben eine ganz netter Spielerei.

Kilometerleistung 2012 aufgelistet nach Monaten. Blau bezeichnet mit dem Specialized gefahrene Kilometer, grün mit dem Bergamont gefahrene.

Insgesamt bin ich mit dem Ergebnis zufrieden, einzig der Juni war etwas schwach, das lag zu einem großen Teil am Wetter (Regen!, kühl!) und am Urlaub (ohne Rad).

Lange Touren waren selten, die "heiße 220km-Runde" zum kahlen Asten war die längste Tour des Jahres, ein paar weitere Runden in der Größenordnung 150-180km waren aber immerhin noch dabei. Eine große Sommerradreise fand nicht statt. Auch wenn ich keine Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit gemessen habe, so war 2012 ein eher schnelles Jahr.

Für 2013 habe ich mir vorgenommen wieder ein paar Brevets (vielleicht keinen 600er aber wenigstens einmal wieder mehr als 200) zu fahren und evtl. auch ein paar RTFs. Wie aber schon letzes Jahr gilt: nichts muss, alles kann.

The temperature peak on the peak of NRW

Summer became really hot recently. Temperatures went well above 30C with additional clear sun. While the newspaper warned to better avoid physical activity I decided to take one of these real hot summer days to cycle up the roof of Northrhinewestphalia - the Roothaargebirge with it's famous almost highest (it's only 3rd highest actually) hill the Kahler Asten with 842m. I hoped to get a fresh breeze up there.
Since it was pretty hot already when I started at about 10:00 I decided to ride a real slow pace. The way was straightly to the south where an additional reasonable wind was constantly blowing from. Unfortunately the wind was also very hot and offered no big refreshment.

A railroad crossing where you have to call to pass the tracks
After about 2 hrs I reached Rüthen which was the first town on the way that can be considered to be within the Sauerland. I took a break there at a bakery where I had lunch and had a little conversation with some locals. They suggested me another route than I had planned. I should go via Brilon. Said, done. The route to Brilon was following a major part of way an old railroad track and was conveniently to ride. A little bit behind Brilon I passed a big, forrest surrounded open air bath - it looked so freshening I really considered to stop the ride and go bathing instead, but I had no swim wear with me and I wanted to reach the Kahler Asten, hence I rode on. But the wrong way. Consulting the map, turning back and looking for the right way - I love that game!
Eventually I was on track to Willingen, which is famous for winter sports and rather high. Unfortunately the initially good looking bike track became worse and was no fun for a road bike. I even had to shoulder it up once when a lumber truck blocked the way. Well, I must say balancing over tree trunks with a bike on the shoulder is quite demanding. The good thing was that this track was going through the forrests and hence a little bit fresher.
When I reached Willingen Upland I again considered to stop there and instead ride the summer bobsleigh run I surpassed on my way and that looked like serious fun. But again I rode on. It was brutally hot now. I really don't know why it seemed that hot. In other years when I cycled the mediterranian coast it was definitly not colder, but this heat was really massive!
A bit after Willingen I lost track again. The map looked promising for a good way to the Kahler Asten, but it was not easy to find it. My gps was of little help only, because I was now in Hessen for which I had no detailed maps on the gps. Eventually I found a way that had the right direction, but instead of a nice little road it was a graveled way for hikers and forrest workers. Anyway I took that way. I wasn't able to ride that way up, too bad underground, serious climb and massive heat. I had to push the bike. When I reached the heights of the Ettelsberg (838m) I really felt close to collapsing, but when I sat in the saddle again (the way was still pretty bad, but at least it was rather flat now) it soon became a bit better. But all in all that hill was a little too much (albeit I tried to go on slowly) which was a pity since it was rather nice up there.

On top of Ettelsberg
The landscape is a heathland and the views are spectacular. But I valued that not too much instead was more than happy when I reached an asphalt road again. From there I passed the Ruhr spring and quickly went on to Winterberg which I reached much later than originally anticipated. I bought something cold to drink, recovered a moment and went on to the Kahler Asten. The way up there was not too difficult, the climb rather mild.
After 115km I reached the peak and was happy to buy another cold drink. I recovered a while and had a brief chat with another biker who was also pretty much done and wondered why the temperature was that much impacting today. Generally it seemed to be nice up there. Of course it's not the Alps nor the Black Forrest, but today the 842m felt rather like the Mount Everest.

On top of the Kahler Asten
I soon went down to Winterberg again where I had a gorgeous ice cream and then too the way back that I initially had planed. The way back was nice to ride, the way was mildly loosing its heightmeters. Unfortunately the traffic was not too little, but all in al okay.
I reached Bestwig where I decided not to go to Brilon, but directly to Rüthen which included passing another mountain. But before going up again I needed to fill at least one of my water bottles again, strangely it was difficult to find people on the road or in te garden, but eventually I found a lady who gave me fresh water but also remarks that today sporting is dangerous and I would be a fool to do so. Well, I think she was not too wrong, it was indeed too hot, but I kept my slow pace so it was okay. The way up was surprising, because in the middle of the forrest suddenly there are big cranes and huge columns. They are building a new bridge for the Autobahn to Brilon. Very impressing construction site!

The Autobahn construction site
Anyway, I reached Rüthen and it became evening already, which was welcome since the temperature lowered a bit. The last 50km were comparatively refreshening and when I reached home after 220 km it was dark already.

Evenving came with warm light and eventually the temprature lowered
All in all it was a nice tour, but a little too hot. It's difficult to keep the pace low enough. The gravel ways in the heathland behind Willingen were a bit too much. Probably it would have been best, if I had decided for the bath in the forrest a little behind Brilon.

Rescue mission for toads

I randomly came across a web page that was seeking for people who may join the "toad taxi" service, i.e. help to collect toads at streets that they want to cross. I joined that initiate.
During the last few evenings I collected quite some toads at a little road. If you go their on about 20:00 - 21:00 you will find about 50 toads sitting on the asphalt. Usually about all 5 minutes a car crosses that place. A road sign calls for attention, but many drivers just ignore that. If people wouldn't collect the toads, most would die because of the cars. It is said that 10 cars per hour is sufficient to eleminate a toad population within a few years if nothing is done to help the toads.
Many people don't like or just don't care about toads and indeed they aren't exactly what most people would call cute on first sight, but eventually they are nice and funny. And if you collect them, bring and set them free at the watersite it gives you a good feeling to actually have helped those little animals, that just don't know about cars and streets (and the danger of that), but find the asphalt quite attractive, because it is a bit warmer in the evenning.



A few toads and a frog waiting to get released to safe waters.

2011 - Radfahrbilanz

2011 wurden 9034km pedaliert. Das ist seit 2008 die geringste Kilometersumme. Dabei hat das Jahr aus radfahrererscher Sicht sehr ordentlich begonnen. Bis Ende Februar waren die ersten 1000km schon beinahe zusammen und der März war mit 1172km der insgesamt kiometerreichste Monat des gesamten Jahres. Der Sommer war radfahrerisch schwach - doch gab es dafür einen guten Grund. Und dieser gute Grund ist nun einige Monate alt, beschert die ein oder andere schlaflose Nacht, volle Windeln aber vor allem sehr, sehr viel Freude.
Im Herbst begann sich das Leben dann auch wieder zu normalisieren und ich fuhr viele kürzere Runden (so sehr lang weg sein mochte ich noch nicht), das gute Wetter war dabei sehr hilfreich.

Dieses Jahr nahm ich an keinem Brevet teil, auch gab es keinen Fahrradsommerurlab. Als radfahrerischer Höhepunkt ist somit ganz eindeutig die Tour nach London gegen Ende März auszumachen. In zwei Tagen von Bielefeld nach Rotterdam/Hook van Holland, dann mit der Fähre nach Harwich und von dort an einem halben Tag nach London. Das ganze bei milden Temperaturen, ordentlich Sonne und auch mehr Wind als unbedingt immer gewünscht. Das war eine sehr schöne Tour.
Der 200er und 300er Brevet im Weserbergland lagen zeitlich dieses Jahr unpassend, andere Startorte waren mir zu aufwändig zu erreichen und ohne einen 200er oder 300er gefahren zu sein, wollte ich auch keinen 400er oder 600er angehen. Paris-Brest-Paris stand dieses Mal ebenfalls nicht zur Debatte.



Die Kilometerverteilung zwichen beiden Rädern war dieses Mal recht ausgeglichen. Die vielen kurzen Runden im 2. Halbjahr fuhr ich überwiegend mit dem Specialized Rad. Lange Touren gab es tatsächlich nur recht wenige. Die 100km Distanz wurde nur einige wenige Male überschritten.
Als Neuerung kamen in den letzten Wochen noch Fahrten mit Anhänger (Croozer Kid 1) hinzu. Ein ganz spezielles Training. Vor einer Weile sah ich ein Rennradpaar (insgesamt also 3 Personen) mit Croozeranhänger. Sie fuhren aber in die Gegenrichtung, so kann ich nicht sagen wie schnell sie unterwegs waren. Croozer sagt 25km/h wären die zulässige Höchstgeschwindigkeit.
Mal sehen was 2012 so kommt. Ein Brevet und irgendeine hübsche Spezialtour sollten in jedem Fall wieder auf dem Plan stehen - aber wohl ohne Anhänger.

An alphorn doesn't make a hill the Swiss alps

Autumn is not summer. Even if the weather pretends to be summer, the late October just isn't. Unfortunately.
Doing a cycling trip in late October is still nice though, but it is a pity that some summeresque behaviours are void now. So for my ice cream break in Hiddesen. The ice café Daniele offers a world class cappucino ice cream and is in fact one of the real reasons I quite frequently chose to cycle to the Hermannsdenkmal. What a disappointment that this ice café is in its winter break already! All the way out to the Hermannsdenkmal I was happily anticipating a sunny summer like break with this gorgeous cappucino ice cream (with crispy white chocolate and a strong, but balanced taste of coffee) and then - nothing. No ice cream at all, the ice café gone and disappeared - bugger!
Anyway, I decided to go on to Bielefeld for an alternative ice café where they offer rhubarb and sweet chestnut icecream which both are pretty nice. Arriving there sun was almost gone and no rhubarb, no chestnut flavour - bugger again! Only the limited winter standard flavours. And the cognition a sunny and mild late October day just isn't summer. It's the details not fitting and betraying the issue. Just like the alphorn blower I met recently at the Stromberg hill (155m) dosen't make that hill the Swiss alps.

Nevertheless it was atmospheric and funny. The straciatella ice cream was delicious, too. And I got a nice partial reminder about summer and serious mountains and am anticipating the real thing again - and I really hope the ice café Daniele will open its doors again next summer. Would be a loss if it didn't.

Promotion video for Bielefeld sports my experimental setup

I just discoverd that the promotion video for Bielefeld sports my experimental setup from my doctoral work. It's a while back, but once I did a pseudo experiment for filming purpose which made it to a promo video of the university. And as I just discovered also to a promotion video for the city of Bielefeld at about 1:30.

Looks of course nice. But I will find it even nicer if more folks will read my findings and cite it in their work. Especially the DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2009.02.045 Precise timing in fly motion vision is mediated by fast components of combined graded and spike signals is worth a read. It was a rather good article, nice general coverage of the issues and pretty neat findings. Unfortunately not wide spread.

A summer farewell at the Köterberg

Summer 2011 was kind of strange. Spring started brilliantly. But the summer was wet and rather cold to a far extend - all in all pretty disappointing. But on time with the starting autumn the weather became great again. Since time for cycling is currently rather short, I took opportunity for a few hours ride to enjoy this warm and sunny autumn and went to the highest peak of OWL - the Köterberg (actually parts of it don't belong to OWL, but to Lower Saxony). The precise hight differs according to various sources. Up on the peak there is the Köterberghaus and at its wall there is a plate stating it would be 500m above sea level (other sources claim heights between 496m and 502m). Anyway, it is the highest hill around, has a serious ramp up to the peak (average ascent from the Köterberg village to the peak is 14%, maximum is about 20%) and offers brilliant views. Hence, good for a cycling tour. The views from the peak are reaching over the Werserbergland, to the Teutoburger Wald/Eggegebirge, Solling and the Habichtswald. It is said, that on some days even the Brocken is to see, too. But I haven't spotted it yet on any of my visits there.



As almost every hill, river or village in the Weserbergland the Köterberg is also known from a Grimm's fairytale, "Die drei Vögelchen" which seems rather confused to me. But the hill is not playing aparticular role within that fairytale anyway.t
The Köterberg is also a famous meeting point for motor cyclists (I guess there were about 200 motor cycles on the parking lot). They just drive up there, drink a coffee, enjoy the views and have a chat with other motor cyclists. Sometimes even a chat with non motor cyclists...
The hour I kept being there I just enjoyed the sun, the views and the last impression of how summer actually feels. It was a nice tour to say the summer a friendly farewell. Come back soon.