Bikepacking is one of the original forms of mountain biking. And Slovenia is one of the most versatile, yet relatively undiscovered mountain bike regions in the Alps. It goes without saying that BIKE reporter Henri Lesewitz could not resist the temptation of a fast MTB adventure and set off on a three-and-a-half-day altitude orgy through Slovenia with a sleeping bag and insulating mat.
430 kilometre-long "altitude battle"
Just suppose someone were to put you into a deep sleep - let's say through hypnosis. For four or five hours. And then you would be woken up. In Slovenia. But you wouldn't know it. After all, you're taking part in a guessing game where the aim is to ride around on your bike and find out exactly where you've been abandoned. And then you would take a quick look and immediately shout: "South Tyrol!". A few kilometres later, however, you wouldn't be so sure. "Canada, perhaps?", you would say, only to look even more irritated after every further hilltop: Tuscany? Andalusia? Trentino? Berchtesgaden? Anything is possible.
Okay, admittedly, that was a pretty lurid introduction. But it's not that easy to put the amazing things into words. The small country of Slovenia, of all places, is one of the most diverse regions in the Alps. What canoeists and hikers have known for a long time is now gradually being discovered by mountain bikers. In recent years, the Alpine republic has developed into a hotspot for touring cyclists and Alpine crossers.
The "Slovenia's West Loop", which an American recently published on a portal for adventure bikers, connects many of Slovenia's scenic highlights. Together with two buddies, our reporter Henri Lesewitz rode the loop: 430 kilometres and almost 9800 metres in altitude. And not - as recommended on the internet - in seven days, but in three and a half! The report plus tour description is available in BIKE 8/2018. Here are a few photo impressions.
You can buy the complete issue of BIKE 8/2018 at newsagents from 3 July or order it in our online shop. You can find the digital editions in the BIKE app (iTunes and Google Play)
:
