Taunus Bikepacking 2023

(photo: Gosia Michalik: @bite.of.me or www.biteofme.com)

It is done. I made it, I survived, just. My bike is in good condition with a couple of issues to solve, I am a bit more ‚broken‘. This is the story of my Taunus Bikepacking 06 2023.

The Start

I arrived by bike to the Eppstein Project too late for the group photo, but in time for my start. The crowd of starters, around 90, were waiting patiently for their start time. Old friends caught up and new connections were made.

I had a last-minute tyre problem, but happily I managed to get my new tubeless set up fixed in time for my 08:28, starting slot.

I moved forward, now third in line. The riders in front headed off and then I was up. I was apprehensive, I had great respect for the challenge, but I would not say I felt scared. Jesko gave me a hug and told me to take it easy. I said I would try, and then it was time. Off, and up I went.

(photo: Gosia Michalik: @bite.of.me, www.biteofme.com)

The riding was good, I was fit and ready. The route went first towards Glashutten before heading up the Franzkopf (602hm) then down to Königstein.

The route was already varied with forest paths and steep climbs. Mammolshainer Stich and the Eppstein Kaisertemple included. I knew them both, but this was the first time with bags and extra weight.

Before the start one of the riders posted in the WhatsApp group about a Bauernhof that would provide a camping spot at KM160. That was my target. Until then I still had a lot of climbing to do. Off to the Kapellenberg in Hofheim, the finishing line for earlier Taunus Bikepacking events.

Next I headed up to Idstein, and then behind Wiesbaden I stopped at Hubertushutte for an early dinner. I met another rider and we ate together. By now I had noticed that I had lost one of my Adidas flip flops that I had tied on top of my tail bag. I felt bad for littering but I had no idea where it was. I continued with the remaining one, it was now going to be a lucky charm.

Onwards, to KM160 and my resting spot for the night. I was not alone, 4 other riders joined me in the field.

Day 2

It started cold but my self made route card suggested a bakery would be nearby. Unfortunately, no more, so I continued mostly alone until I came across trail magic like none I have ever seen: bread rolls, cake, coffee, other drinks, fruit, everything I would want for breakfast. This was the kind action of Andreas Siefer who had run a BBQ on the same spot for those who slept in a Schutzhutte the previous night. The hut was by the light aircraft field just a few kilometers on from my farm resting spot.

As I stood with my second coffee and piece of cake, more and more riders arrived, delighted, and surprised at this small oasis in the Taunus.

After thanking our host, I went off on my own. I figured I would go on to lunch time and try to get to CP1 at 230km. I rode with Jorg for much of the route and then met others at a Rewe. Finally reaching the checkpoint.

I wanted to do another 70km at least before thinking about dinner. I reached Nasstaten with many restaurants and opportunities for food. I felt it was a bit too early, and I would surely find another option. That was a big mistake. I caught up with Nico who pulled me forwards, but about KM150 I could not go on. I stopped near Hausen vor der Hohe and decided I would head down to town for some dinner before deciding what to do next.

Dinner was pasta and coke x2. I looked around for a sleeping place with no luck. I asked the restaurant staff if they knew any hotel or pension that I should try. I called the two hotels with no luck. The waiter gave me a card from a Ferienwohnung in the Town. I called and they had a room. Winner. After a shower I went to sleep in a real bed. 🙂

Day 3

I woke at 0500 and left soon after. Back up to the track and onwards. After about 11km I stopped at a bakery for breakfast. Remaining a Vegetarian on a Bikepacking ultra is not easy, so I enjoyed my ham and cheese croissant. As I ate breakfast, Dominique stopped and Nico rode by, looping back to say hello. We started off together towards the Rheingau. I was apprehensive of the climbs I had riden in the past, and of the sun.

(photo: Gosia Michalik: @bite.of.me, www.biteofme.com)

Off we went, along the Rhein towards Rüdesheim and Assmanshausen, then it was back up into the hills, before heading once again down to the river. It was getting hot, very hot. Water was always a worry. Graveyards were searched for and the three of us stopped at houses with people in their gardens asking for water. A lady asked us to come into her kitchen to fill up the bottles at one point.

Check Point 2 was overlooking the Rhein and after a short rest, we rode on, also with Benni for a while and when separated we would usually meet up again at some point on the route. We met again just above the town of Kestert with a steep gravel path ahead of us, or a fast smooth downhill to dinner. Down it was, for schnitzel pommes and coke. The four of us took the opportunity to load devices and think about next steps.

The discussion turned to whether we would stay in town, maybe in a hotel, or head up the hill. It was agreed to go up after dinner rather than in the morning. Also the hotels were booked out, and a Spielplatz was not a favoured sleeping place. So off we went, hopeful of reaching one of a couple of Schutzhutten on the track. The road up to the track was not so long as I remembered in the way down, but the gravel path up another 150 or so meters was far from easy. I managed to ride it up, but others needed to push a bit. At the top we found a Schutzhutte with an amazing view over the Rheingau and the river. We squeezed 3 of the 4 of us in the hut. Nico opted to sleep out.

Day 4

Off we went as the 4 amigos into the dawn. It was magical riding through the forest with the sun rising behind the trees.

We were heading through the hills of the Rheingau before descending again to the Rhein. Back up again and onwards to Dachsenhausen and a welcome fuel station. There was also a bakery in town where we saw other dots refuelling, but after a lengthy stop, we opted to continue.

My feet and ass were not in a good way. I had switched back to my kind of clean Rapha shorts but the damage had been done. Pain killers helped but I need to find better bibs or bring chamois cream next time.

The route was ever changing, forest trails, fields, single trails, technical sections and of course, hills.

Water refills were always a topic in the heat. We stopped at another house with people in their garden, this time with a friendly Dalmatian interested in the three smelly, dirty strangers.

Onwards towards the Lahn and a relatively flat section of the route. We rode down an amazing set of switchbacks down to the river. The target was Limburg for lunch, but it took a while. I munched Bifis and Haribo to keep going. We stopped in Bad Ems where they were preparing for a festival on that coming weekend. It looks like a place I would like to visit again. We stopped for an espresso before heading off still as a quartet.

Finally Limburg and Lunch. Pasta and Cola. By then we had lost Benni but we would meet him again. My choice was perhaps not the best as I did not feel so good later in the day.

We followed the Lahn before cutting a bend on the river towards Runkel. Onwards to Villmar and away from the river. The day was long, we were tired sore and dirty. We agreed to book a room in a hotel in Burgschwalbach and we were not alone, there were a good handful of TBP riders in the same place. Pizzas ordered and eaten, showered and alarms set for early. I slept a good sleep.

Day 5

Cold pizza for breakfast. Never had it; needs must. We were out and ready to go by 0630 heading back towards familiar ground and Idstein. We skirted the city and headed to Bad Camberg but first up the Pferdeskopf. There was a tough forrest trail leading up to it. None of us were about to climb the tower today. I didn’t climb it on my Taunus Teaser attempt either.

We had done the hard climbs for a while and on we went over a relatively flat section towards CP3 where we met Ken, and Fabian who we would meet multiple times over the next days.There was still 250km to go to the finish, so we did not hang around too long before continuing.

Weilburg, Sheep and Braunfels

Soon after the checkpoint we, now 5 riders were in a forest going down a gentle slope until we had to stop for sheep crossing. There must have been about 200 of them streaming up the hill, across our path, eventually followed by the shepherd and a couple of dogs. He did not acknowledge us cyclists waiting for him and his flock to pass. We continued.

In Braunfels we stopped for ice cream and some energy to keep going. A couple of riders passed and I wondered aloud why we stopped for longer stops to then ride so fast. We could ride slower and stop less. I was thinking too much about positions and where I would finish. After our ice we headed off.

Dominique found an extra gear and was off like a rocket. Nico and I continued, pushing each other on. He would be fast up a hill at the start, I would catch and lead over the top, he would be faster down than me. I have some good endurance but at 15 years older I had to work to keep up. It was good though, I was riding faster than otherwise I might.

Evening came and dinner was in a Rewe. We continued through a field of long grass that tangled itself around my cassette and derailleur. I resorted to a Swiss army knife to cut as much off as possible. I was still finding grass as I cleaned my bike after the event, even in the brake lever housing. 🙂

We were looking for a Schutzhutte near the track and stopped to check my roughly accurate POI list. We looked up and there was the hut. We went off to check it out and decided that would be home for the night. Our Supermarket dinner was eaten and then off to bed.

I was awoken in the night be the sound of wildschwein/wild boars. They got louder and then stopped. They were in the forrest behind the hut. I told myself they would not be interested in us and would not come into the hut. Luckily I was right.

Day 6. The final push.

A 0530 alarm woke me, tired and groggy. We packed our stuff and got ready to go. I applied my zinc cream and took a pain killer. My ass and my feet were not in a good way. The pain subsided as we rode onwards.

Later, Nico had a problem with one of his tires. A slow puncture needed a fix. We stopped at a fuel station where I bought some pommes and nuggets from a roast chicken van. We met Jeremy and he helped fix the wheel. I thought I would head off as I was keen to keep moving. We separated for a while and I rode into a light rain shower, enough for me to get my rain jacket on, but I took it off soon after as the heat returned.

Up though a forest trail I met Jeremy again. Nico caught me up and we continued, determined to get to the finish tonight. We passed Schloss Kransberg and a quick toilet stop in Brandoberndorf at a fuel station trapped in time. We still had 100km to ride and needed water and haribo; another stop in Weilmunster. Onwards to Langenbach, Audenschmiede, Monstadt, Gravenwiesbach, Eschbach Usingen, 70km to go.

As we rode through Neu Anspach, we felt we were getting closer and closer to the Feldberg and the finish.

The elevation got steeper and it felt like we were on the way up the big one, but not yet. Past an old army base and then along a ridge of hills up to the Großer Feldberg; Bornberg (301hm), Rehköpfe (385hm), Hesselberg (461hm), Gickelsburg (471hm), Föhlichmannskopf (465hm), Hollerkopf (616hm), Roßkopf (632hm), Einseidler (607hm), Klingenkopf (683hm), and finally it was on, the Größer Feldberg.The mountain bike path up runs alongside the road and it was mostly OK to ride, until the last stretch up to the platform at the top. It was not rideable for me with so many kilometers in my legs and so many bags on my bike. I pushed to the top. We finally made it, Nico and I were alone up there, it was early evening. No photographers or other riders in sight so we took our own pictures and got ready to descend to the finish.

I had a real sense of achievement getting up there and knowing we were almost done. We did not hang around and made our way down. The ‚down‘ was fast and fun, gravel all the way. It felt almost too fast. The long decent ended before Oberems then Oberrod and its brother Niederrod. The hoped-for decent to the finish was not to be as we climbed again. The elevation was not much, but with about 1000km and 20,000 elevation meters in my legs, t struggled on these last hills.

Finally the way was downhill and fast. Nico pulled away and finished about 20 minutes before me, I was at the end of my powers and was holding on for the finish. Eventually Niederjosbach and I knew I was there. To the campsite and a small climb to the finishing line. I managed that alright and was greeted with cheers, smiles, and a cold beer. 😉

I had completed the Taunus Bikepacking number 6 in 5 days and 11 hours, finishing in place 33.

I met so many cool people, cyclists and adventurers who I hope to remain in contact with. I pushed my boundaries and experienced new challenges over the week. I grew, I think.

It was only possible with the support of my family. I was allowed to indulge a dream. I hope I get the chance to do it again next year.

Ross, cap 67.