Certain events after 24 February made me uncomfortable posting anything on this blog. But I think it is time to restart the whole thing again.
My purpose for this blog – is to practice my writing and English skills, document my life a bit, and maybe share some findings and knowledge.
This year was… very different. Some experiments with electronics (sadly, not so much as I wanted it to be). A lot of cycling. A lot of new activities. A lot of uncertainties.
So, at the beginning of the year, I purchased a used bike, for gravel roads and the city.
Franz-Otto von Xylophone (or MuddyFox)
And although I started really late in the year, it was my most-bike-ridden year (4 400 km, almost 20 000hm of elevation, 200 hours in the saddle). 2x 100km rides, and 1x 160km ride (to the Bratislava and back).
So this post is more or less a picture gallery of my year-on-the-bike.
But not entirely: Araucaria Araucana one of the oldest trees on the earth, it was here in dinosaurs time. Can be found in the Türkenschatzpark.
Araucaria Araucana
Following photos are from my rides. For example, this nice Stonehendge on the Donauinsel. Stones are oriented to the astronomical reference points, so it is kinda useful.
Stonehenge
Very nice silo in the Donau harbour.
As I said, this year was “gravel” year – I managed to cover almost 2000km on my F.O.X.
Sometimes on really wild roads in the middle of nowhere.Some nice sunsets along DanubeSome very well hidden bike paths outside the city (the former steam-trains railway)WWI fortificationsNice views from the Dopplerhütte serpentine.Again on the former steam-trains railway, now the bike path.Wienerberg – big recreation area in the middle of the Vienna. With a pond (former brick-factory)Nice gravel path along the Marchfeldkanal – the water supply for the fields around the Vienna.I love to ride at sunrise/sunset, it adds depth and colors to the landscape.One 08/15 ride ~45km along the Danube to the Greifenstein hydroelectric power station.With sometimes really unexpected encounters on the way.Longer routes to the Tulln (35 km from the Vienna), with smooth bike lane.
My first 100km this year – to the Zwentendorf Nuclear Power Plant. Compete, but never seen any fuel. Just because Austrians (50.1%) decided not to run it. So pitty 🙁
Zwentendorf Nuclear Power PlantSummer ride, but because it was on the sunrise – with only 10° outside…)Bike lane along the Danube. May be a bit boring, but with proper clouds and sun may be really beautiful.On the way back my usual road was closed due to fire near explosive stuff… So I used a very neat detour.Old Danube (Altedonau) on the summer day.My discovery of the year – Hadersfeld. Steep, steady and with epic views.This is a nice aqueduct, which delivers fresh mountain water to the Vienna. Fascinating.Cycling traffic jam. Very happy to see one, but also sad.Oh, battery of my bike computer after so many years lost a lot of capacity. So I replaced the shell (fresh buttons, yeah), and battery now at ~80% of original one.Alterlaa residential park. Interesting project, interesting architecture.Hadersfeld hairpins. Feels like Alpe d’HuezMy second 100km. Donaukraftwerk Altenwörth. Pretty happy with my average speed.And nice sunset again. Sorry, I like sunsets.And don’t forget about Kahlenberg – 350m over the Vienna, with perfect view over the Vienna.Some nice views from Leopoldsberg.And sunset again.
And my big, spontaneous and great project: 160km ride. Bratislava and back.
Start of my long ride. Sun is rising above the horizon.Beautiful cycling/pedestrial bridge from Austria to Slovakia.Devin castle. I was way too early for the excursion.UFO over the Bratislava.Carnuntum – was a Roman legionary fortress (Latin: castra legionis) and headquarters of the Pannonian fleet from 50 AD. After the 1st century, it was capital of the Pannonia Superior province. It also became a large city of 50,000 inhabitantsBeautiful clouds.Nice sunset again.And again.I was happy to found the egg-selling-machine. Fresh from the farm. And nice POI.It was not always solely for fun, bike can be used for transporting almost everything.Sometimes I let me just to sit end admire the view.Lobau – protected National Park. Always happy to take a quick stroll here.And on the way back to witness a beautiful sunset.And once again.Early autumn – also my favourite time. It is very hard to find a really colorful tree in the Vienna at this time, so I always happy to meet one on my commuting route.View from Jubiläumswarte. My unexpected discovery – a viewing tower high in the Vienna forest.Liesingbach gravel bike lane – my new alternative commuting route. A bit longer, but only one traffic light on the way.LIesingbach bike lane.Local shortcutDonauinsel – cherry-blossom alleyWasserpark – one of my favourite locations on the commuting route.Delivering some packages, and admiring the view other the night Vienna.Commuting in late autumn – it’s getting dark early, but also very beautiful. Once again – riding through the night Vienna is awesome.And my first foto of 2023. Calm Old Danube.
