On top of the world - Heuberg in the Alps

Well, recently I had to make another trip to Germany for work (August 2003). This is my third trip to Germany this year and the second time that I am bringing my bike.

When I travel to Germany for work, I work in Rosenheim. Rosenheim is a medium sized city in Bavaria that is about 30 miles southeast of Munich (Munich is in the southeastern part of Germany. Click here for a map). The Alps are only about 15 or 20 miles away from Rosenheim. They are a big part of the landscape there, rising up in the background to the south. In the winter and spring, they are beautifully covered in snow; in summer they are wonderfully green, but always they are tall, impressive and beautiful.

In all of my trips to Rosenheim, I have always wanted to bike ride in the Alps. The last time that I brought my bike here in April, the mountains had received an unexpected late snowfall and finding someone locally to show me even where to park just to explore the mountains was impossible. After my last trip's frustration with not getting any Alpine riding in, I developed a plan for my next trip: I would stay in a small country inn (Gasthof) right at the base of the Alps and then explore the mountains on my own after work and on the weekends.

My plan worked! With the help from a German friend, I arranged to stay at the Gasthof Hotel zur Post in the tiny village of T�rwang. This area of Bavaria is called Samerberg. As with most European rooms, it was spacious.

T�rwang

Some other views from the hotel:   View1   View2   View3

The Trails

Food and beer

My ride with Martin and Marius

One of my favorite things about riding in Germany is that when you are talking with someone on the trail, you can say "Gute Fahrt" a lot.

OK - so actually, knowing some of the people that I ride with, you can probably say "Gute Fahrt" just as often in English. In German it means have a good journey. Obviously it means something altogether different in English.