12 May 2011

Out with SWB

I had been a while since I have ridden with Bremen's SWB club.

I started to ride with them last year. Nice guys in principle but not very talkative. Typical North Germans not that fun loving bunch from the lower rhineland to which I belong. But they are fast and always riding in a group with two riders in front and the rest drafting in two lines behind.

Because of the wind direction we rode to Borgfeld and continued to Timmersloh and Wilstedt. Wilstedt has a nice yellow tower in the center that can be seen from far away. First sprint. Then we continued to Vorwerk and took a nice Forest road to Dipshorn and Bucholz before we rode back through Quelkorn and Fischerhude. I didn't know most of the roads and it is good to know people who can introduce me to roads off the beaten tracks.

I will never figure out all the abbreviations and small roads between Fischerhude and Borgfeld. Today I learned about another one.

These rides are serious. Only two hours long, but without any breaks or any loss in speed, 32 km/hr average. Riding into Vorwerk I was ready to give up, when I had to stay in the draft at 40 km/hr for an extended period of time running at 175 HRM. Only the thought that I need to find my way home alone prevented me from throwing the towel.

At least I had enough power to make the second place at the last hill climb sprint. This is a treacherous slope, leading over the federal highway and adding at least 8 elevation meters. Yes, in Bremen one has to be satisfied with that. Two hours of good training that will keep me fit for the 216 km scheduled for Saturday and the Velothon race in Berlin. I also feel now much more confident to ride in a peloton.

By the way David (L), my uncle told me that we can sleep at his house in Munich the day before the Transalp, no problem. So you stay one night at the hotel and the next with me at my uncles house before we meet Juliane and David and travel to Sonthofen.

It's getting closer.

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