Late to post, but Saturday was an enjoyable 54 miles with 6k’ feet of climbing in 5hrs with perhaps 15% on pavement. Ventured into new territory with new sights on a gloriously sunny day that was neither too cool nor too warm.
This is perhaps 2 miles from the end of pretty much 10 straight miles of climbing, going from <1500’ to 3900’. I’ve never seen anyone going up this section but plenty of riders coming down as it has some great twists and turns, roots and rocks, and overall flow to it.
This is actually shortly before the previous pic with double-digit climbs before and after this. It’s a welcome pause. About 100m from here, at the edge of the forest the previous pic is in, I’ve been stopped by a cow crossing as they move from one pasture to another.
Be kind to nature and don’t trample. Hedgehogs, “Igels” in German, are some kind of national treasure here in Switzerland. In addition to signs warning cars to slow for children, you’ll see signs warning to slow for hedgehogs.
Overlooking Hochmoor Rothenthurm (Rothenthurm moors, ok, High Moors of Rothenthurm). Einsiedeln is just on the other side of the opposite range.
Wood sculptures on the trail, see right side of pic, is a not uncommon here. At this point, I’ve ridden 30mi, will drop down and cruise on the left side of the lake ahead, Ägerisee, to start heading home. Next weekend, probably, I plan to hang a left and continue onward before swinging toward home.
Lower down the mountain and the obligatory pic of cows with cowbells.
The next day, Mother’s Day, was a short spin before the wife and kids got up. Unlike the beautiful Saturday, Sunday started out wet and gray. Though it did clear up in the afternoon for a clear, windy, and chilly day.
Did another quickie easy spin (16mi, 1.5’k, 75min) starting “late” at 6a and I caught a glimpse of the dog (fat-tire) sled team that practices in a nearby forest. They were well ahead as I crested one small climb, I pulled out the GoPro and picked up the pace. They had just turned onto my trail, which banked up and then to the left out of sight. They had the option of right or left, I figure I would have seen them to the right, though that was a down slope, so I went left. There, it soon had three options, hard right, straight-right and left-straight, with the latter two heading to where I know their car is parked with the trailer. I chose left-straight thinking I’d catch them either way. Nope. So I tried to head them off where I figured they might have went. Ultimately no-joy and I continued on my journey. Hopefully, I’ll share a pic of the sled team someday. The only other time I spotted them was when my dog and I were running, it would early winter, I had a necessary headlight as it was early and still pitch dark, and they had clearly just finished. But, I’ve seen the trailer several times.
