Between effort and fulfillment
Intensive Gravelbiking in the Sauerland means: varied terrain, reliable quality and sporty flow on every kilometer. Are you ready for the next level?
I get on my bike early in the morning. The air is clear, damp from the morning dew, the forest smells of resin and earth. I click into the pedals, turn the first cranks of my Gravelbike and the day begins. No destination. No must. Just me, the bike and the varied landscape with its striking mountains, dense forests and endless paths and trails.
The first climb of the tour comes faster than expected. The gravel crunches under my tires, my lungs burn and my heart pounds in time with the climb. I get out of the saddle and my legs give it their all. Every meter of altitude is demanding. Every drop of sweat on my forehead feels well deserved. I curse inwardly for a moment - and grin. Because this is exactly what I had in mind. A challenge for the body and a reward for the mind at the same time!
The next descent is wild. The loose surface demands concentration. My fingers are firmly on the brake levers, my body hovers over the bike, ready to react at any time. It feels like flying, but with resistance. I now pass small streams, dodge tree root passages and encounter deserted forest paths that seem to have been made just for me.
Somewhere between exertion and euphoria, my head starts to get quieter. Thoughts disappear. Because it is almost unnaturally quiet around me, hardly a sound can be heard and if there is, then it is the sounds of nature. The cracking of branches, the wind blowing between the trees, the twittering of birds and the chirping of insects.
Finally arrived on the mountain - silence. I only have my pulse in my ears and then this view: Forests as far as the eye can see. Distant views of valleys in which only the idyllic half-timbered villages of the region stand out like small dots, framed by the green tones of nature. I take a deep breath. This is what the tourism experts mean when they talk about "Germany's most inspiring outdoor region".
The hours pass. Slowly, I'm through - physically. And at the same time, I feel completely alive in a strange way. The last trail leads me along a ridge, the sun bathes everything in warm light and creates an absolutely unique atmosphere. The speedometer now reads over 80 kilometers, but not much further and I've made it.
I slowly roll out the last few meters. And there it is - this deep, honest satisfaction. Not the loud "I've done it", but the knowledge: I was out there. I have felt myself. In the Sauerland, NRW's No. 1 gravel destination.