“If you go to a desert, you will hear this mysterious voice: Be wise, protect your forests!” 
― Mehmet Murat ildan

Itś now becoming increasing more difficult to recall the places we have been to and stayed at, never mind the trails or forests we have been trekking in. I guess it is the joy of being free from the routine most people, including ourselves when needed, adjust to.

Nature knows no borders as we do, for one country becomes the next so fast , even riding through the forest or mountain passes, you can easily skip across a country border.  It´s only when looking at maps the political divide becomes apparent. It´s also amazing to look at the route plotted over the weeks. It´s been a hell of trip so far.
After leaving Ischgl we went into the Zillertal region, a large open valley with hills that rise far beyond fresh cut meadows into alpine forests. More for cross country skiing and epic mountain bike events, it is a picturesque valley with lots of small sleepy villages, and basically a one way road that ends at the bottom of the mountains, unless you take a quick detour out before you reach Mayrhofen. We found a nice camp site in ´Zell am Ziller´ with free WiFi, due to technical difficulties, and spent a few days trying to explore the area on bike. But Esther's bike has had some real issues with needing the rear bearings on the swing arm checked as it is very unsteady and ghost shifting. For those who know about biking that will all have made sense, I hope. So after cutting short the only spin we did there we dropped the bike in to get repaired. Three hours later it was all sorted. But rather than stay any longer we decided to pack up and head to Rupholding, another fashionable cross country ski destination in winter and biker heaven in summer. Duathlons are very popular here, but not the type we are use to, for here it is the combination of shooting and skiing, just like a Bond movie, only with no bad guys. Driving into the town you emerge from the wooded hillside into a mini alpine village with stumpy mountains that end in sharp peaks, still covered in pine forests. We soon discovered after a couple of days on the bikes that as with most places we have been to, it´s all forest roads rather than single track, again probably why hard-tails are so popular. However, it was very scenic and despite the long hard steep climbs, the views were worth it. You can if you dare venture along the hiking trails, for hikers are spoilt with miles upon miles of single track so taking advantage only seemed like the right thing to do.  Stopping for a quick coffee and slice of apple strudel in the town before heading back to camp was just reward. The main roads are great for biking as well. Scores of road bikers always out in force, sporting the latest in either carbon or titanium technology. Brands I have rarely heard of or seen anywhere else, Simplon, Ghost, Focus, Bulls, and yet everyone is riding anything but the Treks, or Specialized so common place. Theses guys and gals have legs of steel, build on hills that cars struggle on in third or fourth gear. Even on the mountain bike tracks or routes, they seem less out of breath and more focused on a good conversation on a steep incline. No wonder so many come to these parts of Europe to train, or stretch out a season in lew of a big event.
Stick Europe in the dairy for training hills, and epic rides.

Most campsites have their regulars, leaving or returning with a caravan or camper year after year, just to relax and enjoy. Here pitched beside the golf course, the less active can watch the mountains do nothing more than slowly grow older whilst their forests are harvested and then regrown. Para-gliders and hang-gliders soar far beyond and above the peaks, circling like birds of prey, sometimes even diving before recovering and resuming a slow graceful decent. They say it is quite an experience, if you have what it takes. For me, I´m happy on two wheels and a aluminum frame. I watched the cable car come out of the forest just beyond where we camped and rise to 1600 metres onto a mountain top. From here it looks like it´s perched on the edge of a sharp ridge, teetering on the brink and with no way down but the one taken up. Again, I´m sure from there the trail back down on two wheels would be a white knuckle decent, requiring a new set of brake pads and a possible change of underwear... Maybe next time. Rupholding is called ´Little Canada´, not clearly sure why, but there could in winter be some resemblance to the greater Canada. All I do know is that as with other places we have been in Switzerland, Austria and Germany, they take pride in where they live, have respect for it and each other. The homes are pristine and beautifully decorated with flowers and murals of woodland or mountain scenes, even religious depictions. Large wooden balconies sit under low hanging roof beams, sheltered from the summer sun and winter snow. Most people can more often than not be seen hopping a bike and cycling to town. Each morning you can order and collect fresh bread rolls from the camp reception, and feel like a local. And in the evening you can sit in one of the many beer gardens and enjoy a local brew with a meal fit for a king, and always with a smile. They are humble folk with all the mod-cons, and when asked ´Do you speak English´, ´A little´ they reply, but converse more clearly and fluently that most English native speakers. Germany so far has been a wonderful place and I am really looking forward to exploring more.

Next stop from here is the Bavarain Forests, and Zweisel, nestled in the heart of the rolling hills. Again it seems to cater for lots of winter activities, as through out the forest there are signed routes for cross country ski tracks, and hiking. They trails are ab it more technical but less of a climb. Used it summer for running and such, they are providing a great change to fire roads. These forests are within the nation park and are still logged, but carefully. The logging roads are also good for riding, as long as it´s dry for they cut into the forest away from the fire roads. Only a short drive is the Czech Republic, so a day trip was in order. Bohemia is land beyond the border and it´s largely untouched thanks to the cold war and restrictions on access to this beautiful area. Only recently opened up to the West, there is much to explore, but not on this trip. For now it is only the small tourist town of Cesky Krumlov, even the name is cool.. Home to one hell of a castle, and thousand of buzzing tourists, it´s small cobbled stone streets, twist and turn over and around the main river that runs through. It´s ancient castle walls show the wear & tear, years of neglect, but still a sight to behold. Not as cheap as you would expect, but then tourism is big money. In some respects the magic of a place such as this is lost in the tourist hype, but that´s got to be expected.

 I still prefer the quiet of the forests and hill tops, but it´s still nice to visit these towns to experience some of the culture and ancient past. After all, we have a social responsibility to engage, to some small or large extent, in the cultural understanding of others. This is what unites us as people under the one sky, on our planet. Respect is formed and an understanding through engaging and learning, listening and viewing.
It´s also why travelling has become an important and invaluable experience that should be not underestimated, or passed up.