Donauradweg: Klížska Nemá - Budapest
Klížska Nemá - Border Slovakia/Hungary - Esztergom - Szentendre - Budapest
The last 20 km in Slovakia on a deep gravel road were very exhausting to cycle, and at the end of Slovakia, the road was also closed without warning due to a construction site. I had to push my bike 1 km through a field and continue on the main road.
In Hungary, I continued on the road. The cathedral in Esztergom was definitely worth seeing. Unfortunately, several welds on my front carrier broke on Esztergom's cobblestone pavement, so I had to improvise.
Afterwards, I cycled over hills through a national park to Szentendre instead of continuing on the road next to the river. Unfortunately, there were again many cobblestones in Szentendre's old town, and my rear carrier's suspension also broke. The subsequent cycling path's surroundings along the river to Budapest were very nice, but I couldn't enjoy them because I had to cycle carefully and concentrate due to its many potholes and unevenness, making it better suited for mountain bikes.
Donauradweg: Baja - Novo Selo
Baja - Border Hungary/Serbia - Novo Selo
I started in Hungary in the morning. At the EU's outer border soldiers were stationed every 100m to protect it. Unfortunately, I had to realize on my tour that my air pump, which I hadn't used for years, no longer fits tightly enough on the valve and at gas stations like 4 bar are rarely available. Therefore, I used the small traffic jam at the border post to borrow an air pump from Team Nankang-Dynatek, who were waiting behind me and had come home from a competition. I inflated my bike to be able to ride more easily again (front wheel: 9 bar, back wheel: 5 bar). After passing the border, they also offered me a drink from their service vehicle. But unfortunately, I declined because I still had enough.
Shortly after that, another welding seam of my front carrier broke and one bottle was damaged by it and got a leak. So, I had to cook lunch quickly to save as much water as possible. There, I also met a 60-year-old man who also goes on larger bicycle tours sometimes.
All in all, from Serbia onwards the streets were like rag rugs. However, the landscape was very beautiful and the people were also very nice and interested. In the evening while setting up my tent, I was bitten by lots of mosquitoes, whose aggressiveness increases from
Serbia onwards.
Transalp 2013
Diese Etappe führt von Trafoi aus auf einer Passstraße mit unzähligen Spitzkehren hinauf auf das 1000 Meter höher gelegene Stilfser Joch.
Von dort geht es über den Umbrailpass weiter auf den Bocchetta di Forcola, dem mit 2768m, höchsten Punkt unserer Tour. Die Abfahrt vom Bocchetta di Pendolo mündet von einem wunderschönen, sich in das Tal schlängelnden, Trail in einen Schotterabhang mit recht grobem Schotter, bis man letztendlich in Bormiò ankommt.
Das Etappenziel Santa Caterina Valfurva erreichten wir am Spätnachmittag und somit hatten wir die am Vortag verloren gegangene Zeit wieder aufgeholt.
Everest Basecamp Trek (EBC): Namche Bazar - Tengboche
The trek from Namche Bazar to Tengboche offered breathtaking views of the towering mountains that surrounded us.
In the evening, we watched a prayer ceremony of Buddhist monks at Tengboche Monastery, where we took a moment to appreciate its serene beauty and the spiritual atmosphere that enveloped the area.