Biking the Kraichgau for the First (and Probably Last) Time

The Kraichgau is hilly. Very very hilly. And not really suitable for bicycles unless the rider is a trained sportsman/woman.This was no news to me. Nevertheless I had to learn this truth the hard way…

I attended a conference in Bretten at the Melanchthon Academy. Since Bretten is so close, I commuted from home every day. On the last day, the conference was scheduled to end at lunchtime. The weather forecast promised us the most fabulous Golden October. So, how to make use of this glorious weather? Go on a bike tour.

In the morning I took my bike with me on the S-Bahn, packed some picknick supplies and enough water. After the conference ended, I boarded my bike and headed towards Karlsruhe. The plan was following the marked bike trails parallel to the S-Bahn line and bike as far as I’d enjoy it, and board the S-Bahn at the nearest stop if I’d get too tired. In the back of my mind I had the ambitious plan, though, to cycle all the way home… which would sum up to more than 30 kilometres.

Using a map for cyclists with marked tours, I found my trail. Leaving Bretten, I already had to climb the first long ascent. The Kraichgau lived up to its reputation as a landscape of rolling hills: up and down, up and down...

Those hills almost killed me. I was trembling all over. A rest on a bench and the first half of the picknick helped, as well as the decision not to tackle the ascents by force but to get off the bike and push it (that’s why they call it “pushbike”?) as soon as the ascent got harder.

The landscape was bathing in sunshine and autumn colours. The leaves are currently turning colour, the most beautiful phase of autumn is setting in. Some are still green but many are already golden.

Reaching the village of Wössingen, I had to make a decision: Either to board the tram there, continue along the track via Jöhlingen on the longer route which had nasty ascents marked on the map, or take the direct route through the forest over the ridge named Hohberg, which aslo had ascents marked on the map. I picked my courage and energy, and opted for the Hohberg route. Since my general direction was down towards the Pfinz valley, I hoped there would be a short ascent and a much longer descent. And so it was. It was a relatively short stretch to push uphill.
This route took me straight to Berghausen in the Pfinz valley. I had covered half the distance to home because I live on the opposite side of Karlsruhe, but the worst part was over. From there onwards the trail would be flat except for a few bridges.

I am very proud of myself: I made it home on my bike. For an unsporty fattie like me, a bike tour of 30 kilometres is something to be as proud of as of a marathon run. Since the whole ride took me, including two breaks, three and a half hours, it somehow equals a marathon…

But the next bike tour will take place in the Rhine plain or on a valley bottom. Certainly not in the Kraichgau!