Winter Cycling - not much snow in the Alps yet

well, there's usually quite a bit of snow in the Alps by this time of year, but the last 4 weeks have been really warm and i've been on 2 mountain tours the last 2 weekends and am headed out again tomorrow!!

2 weeks ago we rode up over 1500m before we hit snow and then last weekend the snow started about 1200m but it wasn't very deep and we rode to the end of rideable section of trail up to 1400m.

tomorrow is supposed to be dry and mostly sunny in the Alps! we're planning a lower elevation route noly up to 1250 to 1300m, but for almost December that's awesome!

here's a picture from my tour last Sunday in the Reintal Valley near the Zugspitze (2960m) on 11/24/2002 (if i can upload the photo correctly):

the file was too big... i'll see if i can reduce the size a little...

ok, trying again...

and my freind Ingo...

and nearing the top of the climb where it flattens out but before we hit the snow (had the arm-warmers pulled down)

That's awesome. I'm jealous. Hey, what's that little bear thingie on your h-bars in the last picture?

I want to go to the Alps again!!! :cry:

wow, today was awesome!!! sunny, warm, beautiful!!!

i took the train at 8:30am for 50 minutes to the beginning of the mountains and met my friend who rode his bike there (he lives about 10km south of me so about 1/4 the way there).

we rode a few km and then did a really steep 500m climb on a gravel road with maximum steepness of 22% and mostly between 15-20% -- it was very steep and a great workout, but all rideable. then we reached the first summit at 1200m and we hit the snow... rode along the ridge in 3-4 inches of snow and then had to push the last part b/c it was steep and snow covered. at the next summit 1340m (picture with the summit cross) we took a break and then rode downhill in the snow which was a combination of skiing/biking.

then we rode 50km from the mountains back to Munich - 75km and 800m vertical for the day! back at home at 3:30pm!

next weekend i'll be in Barcelona, but maybe i can do another mountain tour in the week after... after then there'll probably be too much snow in the mountains until March/April or so... (time for ski touring)

and then the downhill in the snow...

That's awesome. I'm jealous. Hey, what's that little bear thingie on your h-bars in the last picture?

it's a squeaking Tiger - works kind of like a bell except it's more friendly b/c people laugh when they hear it - it's really good on trails in the Alps b/c you can warn hikers and they don't get annoyed b/c they find it funny - especially kids.

actually, it's kind of broken now b/c it doesn't really squeak anymore b/c i've crashed a few times and the bottom has a hole so it doesn't really squeak... but my girlfriend really likes it (and she calls me Tiger) so i've left in on... kind of my personal mark on my bike!