If there's one thing Armin Feyrer doesn't like, it's main roads. For the man from the TV Miltenberg cycling club, this category includes anything wider than a tarmac dirt track. But Feyrer knows all the narrow-gauge routes in his home region, including one that meanders through the Odenwald like a river. First, the little road leads from the deeply incised Main valley up to the Limes, the old Roman border wall, then deeper into Odin's realm with every turn. The name of the low mountain range is said to derive from the name of the Germanic god - not all scholars are sure of this, but many locals are.
The descent from Bullau down into the Mümling valley is another of Feyrer's insider tips: the route is so hidden that even fellow club member Timmo Bein, who accompanies Feyrer, doesn't know it. In the finest Alpine pass style, hairpin bends nestle against the forest flank. The brain switches to tunnel vision, trees dart past to the left and right. It's almost impossible to get lost, you need a full-suspension mountain bike if you want to turn off. At the end of the descent, the historic Himbächel viaduct swings over the valley in forty metre high arches. Feyrer grins. A successful surprise.
You can download the entire article and the GPS data below:
- Tour 1: Odenwalder Schleichwege (94 km, 1,350 m elevation gain, max. altitude 543 m, max. gradient six per cent, hilly)
- Tour 2: Spessart Achter (78 km, 1,330 m elevation gain, max. altitude 468 m, max. gradient eight per cent, hilly)
GPS DATA: TOUR offers the tour data for free download. You can download the tracks in GPX format directly onto a GPS device or view them on your computer in Google Earth or Google Maps.
