The sign is nailed to a pasture fence and literally screams at us: "Teren prywatny!!!! Zakaz wstepu!!!" And this in the middle of the green countryside, somewhere in the Czech-Polish border region. Drizzling rain. Low hanging clouds. Questioning looks. Our knowledge of the local language: inadequate. However, the red base colour of the sign and a total of six exclamation marks suggest that this is most likely not a cordial invitation from the landowner. The main problem: the path we have been travelling along for ages simply stops before the fence. In the middle of nowhere.
Everything back again? Not an option given the late hour. Ask someone? No chance. We haven't met a soul for hours, apart from three rugged blokes on a grotesquely overloaded tractor and trailer. And the guys don't exactly give the impression that they have any useful information for mountain bikers in their repertoire. Not to mention our severely limited options for verbal communication. The information on the map? Rather dodgy. "Well, according to the dotted line, there must be a path back there," Stefan, one of the guides, oracles and points to the left towards the edge of the forest. But the 300 metres or so across country pose the next problem: Two days of continuous rain have turned the meadow into a respectable wetland biotope. The expression on the group's dirt-spattered faces reveals that our desire to experiment with wayfinding is limited. Fortunately, Stefan has certain duties as a guide. And apparently his thirst for action is unbroken, even after around 2000 metres in altitude over the course of the day through the Giant Mountains. "I'll go and have a look, wait for my signal," he trumpets to the group and heroically tackles the crossing of the swamp. Unfortunately, we have to wade in after him ten minutes later. What the hell. There's no better way than wet and filthy anyway. We continue to dig our way eastwards.
With Transalp pioneer Andi Heckmair on the TransOst
Flashback. The east. Probably the only direction that causes a certain amount of concern among fellow travellers when you announce a trip there. The worries include border fences, barbed wire, Kalashnikovs, bribes and little democracy. The whole thing is garnished with an uncomfortable atmosphere, composed of prefabricated buildings and grey industrial plants. At least this is the image that is often conveyed. In contrast to the inflationary descriptions of Alpine crossings, there is hardly any information about bike tours to the East. And this despite the fact that the borders are no longer barricaded. There is certainly no shortage of suitable terrain for bikers there. This becomes clear to us just a few kilometres later, after we set off from Dresden. The slopes of the Elbe in Pillnitz are covered with a dense network of single trails. However, the constant ups and downs are anything but an easy ride. In other words, the group is secretly glad when the guides order a break at the so-called Rysselkuppe. The vantage point high above the Elbe river offers a good opportunity to get to know your fellow cyclists a little better. This is mainly a group of four from Oberstdorf in the Allgäu, with Andi Heckmair as the most prominent participant. Yes, that's right, Andi Heckmair, who was the first biker ever to cross the Alps in 1989. Now 73 years old, the Allgäu native is the only participant travelling on an e-bike. However, the idea of taking part in the TransOst came from his friend Peter Ege, another Oberstdorf mountain bike veteran. Both have led many tours themselves. And then there are Stephan and Franz from Allgäu, who have been carried away by the others' enthusiasm for the east. The group is completed by David, Ingo, Markus and Stefan with an "f", as the latter informs us. Working as a team, they have scouted out the route over many months. It is the further development of the legendary TransOst 1.
TransOst 2 - the second part of the MTB tour to the east
Just as Heckmair is regarded as the inventor of the Transalp, the tour is the baby of Stefan and Markus Weinberg. The unusual father-son team has big plans. In a few years' time, they plan to ride further sections all the way to the Black Sea. "Carpathians, High Tatras, there are endless mountains there!" Markus is already going into raptures. But even on the 500 kilometres of TransOst 2 that lie ahead of us, one mountain range follows the next. The Giant Mountains are the most famous in this chain, but only one of many. However, the people of Oberstdorf and Saxony still don't quite agree on the definition of "mountains". "You can already see the Elbe Sandstone Mountains over there," Markus announces, stretching his arm theatrically into the distance. "Where? I can only see a few humps," counters Andi, promptly earning a few laughs from his fellow travellers. Of course, those who live in the middle of the Alps are used to other dimensions. But the Oberstdorf gang would stop laughing about the humps over the next few days. Oh well, by the first evening in Sebnitz we were all pretty exhausted. The Elbe trails take their toll. Alpine passes, yes, our legs are used to that. But this insistent up and down, pedalling and braking is definitely a different matter. And the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, which we smiled at, were unexpectedly high when we got up close. But you have to hand it to the humps: Visually, the sandstone rocks are quite something. Piled up to form bizarre bastions, there are hundreds of them in the landscape. "Just wait until we get to Adrspach," says Markus as we look down from the Bastei Bridge onto the Elbe flowing deep below us. "An even more incredible rock town awaits you there." But the fifth stage is still a long way off. Somewhere to the east, behind the next humps.
"Pozor!" Oops, without the sign I would almost have missed the border. In the middle of the forest, a bridge over the Kirnitzsch, with red and white railings on one side. Pozor" doesn't even mean border, but simply "be careful". Only the coat of arms of the Czech Republic brings certainty. We are in the east. Zack, just like that. No Kalashnikovs. And the landscape doesn't look a bit different. Except that we are now in the Lusatian Mountains. We rest at a bizarre railway station, Jedlova, somewhere in the middle of nowhere. It's actually a rest day. But the two elderly ladies behind the counter take pity on us and start the tap. At least Czech beer for "Einsfuffzich", that's around 40 crowns. Delicious. And some artificially sweet wafer biscuits and Kofola, a kind of East German cola fizzy drink, which is expected to rise surprisingly high up the popularity scale. So over-sugared, we fall into the belief that we have almost completed the day's workload. After all, the Jeschken, a striking hump with a pointed cap, is soon visible on the horizon. We generously overlook the waves in between, as is customary in the Alps. A fatal mistake. After all, our muscular system is far from acclimatised to the typical profile of the earth's surface. As a result, some of the participants, including myself, end up on their gums. Almost embarrassing, with a summit height of an incredible 1012 metres. The Zipfelmütze turns out to be a futuristic transmitter with an integrated restaurant. Now let's get a move on, the kitchen closes in half an hour!
An area of low pressure has been breathing down our necks since the start in Dresden. A nasty, cold thing, as the weather services assure us daily via smartphone. Slowly but steadily, the cloud vortex pushes us along. But all hope of escaping to the east is in vain. The wet facts come over us as we are trapped in the middle of the Giant Mountains. Pec is the name of the winter sports resort at the foot of the Schneekoppe, which exudes the charm of the old Eastern Bloc with a few architectural aberrations. Schneekoppe. Sure, you could have guessed that. The following drop in temperature is tremendous, not much is missing from the white landscape. The warming climb to Mala Upa comes just in time. And normally you could also look forward to the marvellous single trail that winds along the Polish border at the top. Today, however, we feel our way like ghosts through the fog soup, with visibility barely reaching ten metres. Water, mud, mould. Half of the Krkonoše Mountains are now spread over us. And then, suddenly, it starts to be really fun. Once you're completely covered in mud, it doesn't matter anyway! The chunks of dirt fly around our ears as we race through Polish villages on the other side of the mountains. Until the sign mentioned at the beginning suddenly stops us. But in the forest, a path actually begins again, leading us the last few kilometres to the border and on to Adrspach in the Czech Republic.
Along the Czech-Polish border
Only two days later did the weather improve significantly and the sun regained the upper hand. The Oberstdorf gang has long since rolled up. Andi in particular has my full respect for the way he keeps going at the age of 73 and sometimes with only one battery a day. Himalayan trips and other expeditions toughen you up. The quick-witted bike pioneer is also a constant source of amusing entertainment: "You Saxony, I Allgäu." Sometimes he verbally duels with Markus when it comes to the dimensions of mountains and ranges. Sometimes he shares his hair-raising adventures with us on his journeys through Mongolia and even more foreign countries. But even a well-travelled Andi Heckmair is impressed by the Adrspach rock city, for example. Hundreds of rock needles stretch their spires into the sky in a very small area. A bed of nails for the giant Rübezahl, who is said to be up to mischief in the neighbourhood. We pass Polish farming villages where time has stood still. Krzyzanow, Laczna, Szczepanow - the place names sound like a scratch in the throat. Piles of dung in the middle of the road, chickens flapping to one side, neglected dogs baring their teeth, families of geese crossing in convoy. Poverty in the countryside is often sobering.
Have you ever heard of the Eagle Mountains? Or the Habelschwerdter Gebirge? In any case, I can now claim to have travelled over their ridges before. And I learnt from Stefan, who is well versed in history, that the area was predominantly populated by Germans until 1945. Until the population was dispossessed and expelled by the regime. The many bunkers in the region are also memorials to the Second World War. A dark chapter in German-Polish history and we are right in the middle of it, searching for the ideal route on the trail. Somehow absurd. Then, after seven tough stages, we finally set our sights on the Altvater Mountains, the last hurdle on the tour. The Altvater, known as "Praded" in the local language, measures just under 1500 metres. At the top, a gigantic aerial pokes around in the clouds. It draws like pike soup on the bare summit. The gnarled undergrowth is somehow reminiscent of Siberia. Unfortunately, so does the temperature. A quick souvenir photo at the highest point. Swap chattering teeth for a grin for a moment. View: worth seeing if it wasn't so arse-cold. But now let's get off the frosty grandad. Unbelievable, it's all downhill from here.
Finale on the market square in Bruntal: smiling faces, pats on the back, high five. We've done it! But Markus and Stefan are already looking further east. Next year they plan to scout out the TransOst 3. Another 1200 kilometres to the Black Sea.
The route of the TransOst 2
Stefan and Markus Weinberg worked as a team to scout out the route of TransOst 2 over many months. Just as Heckmair is regarded as the inventor of the Transalp, the tour is the baby of Stefan and Markus Weinberg. The unusual father-son team has big plans. In a few years' time, they plan to ride further sections all the way to the Black Sea. "Carpathians, High Tatras, there are endless mountains there!" Markus is already going into raptures. But even on the 500 kilometres of TransOst 2 that lie ahead of us, one mountain range follows the next. The Giant Mountains are the most famous in this chain, but only one of many.
Vision: Crowdfunding to the Black Sea
All the way to the Black Sea by bike? It should soon be possible, as the Transost Challenge team is working on a corresponding extension. TransOst 1 starts in Bayreuth, TransOst 2 in Dresden. The plan is to divide the 2,900 km and 47,500 metres in altitude into five sections. These are to be ridden in one week each, divided into 7 to 8 stages. The stages demand 50 to 90 kilometres of fun and effort from the riders. This makes the Transost Challenge rideable in five weeks. Support is provided in the form of guided groups. Those who prefer a more leisurely approach can choose to ride with support or explore the routes of the Transost Challenge completely on their own with the help of GPS tracking.
The crowdfunding is intended to finance a dedicated app that can be used to track the route. The app will be used to record the journey and compare it with the Challenger list. And part of the money will be used to further develop the route. The route is to run roughly through the Carpathian belt and the western tip of Ukraine (1500 kilometres from the crisis site) to the eastern part of Romania to the destination of Constanta.
The Transost Challenge aims to open up a route for mountain biking from the Fichtelgebirge to the Black Sea.
The video above shows suggestions for the TransOst extension.
The stages of the MTB tour "TransOst 2" at a glance:
1st Dresden - Sebnitz
66.8 km/1460 m elevation gain
From Dresden to Pirna, one trail follows the next. But the sandy soil on the Elbe slopes takes its toll. At Wehlen, you enter the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, through the centre of the rock towers of Saxon Switzerland. The highlight is the Bastei, the most striking rock formation in the mountains. From the world-famous bridge, which hangs from the top of the cliffs, you can enjoy a spectacular view of the Elbe. Sebnitz is already on the Czech border.
2. Sebnitz - Jeschken
90.3 km/1920 m elevation gain
The route continues through the Elbe Sandstone Mountains and the wild Kirnitzschtal valley across to the Czech Republic. The characteristic sandstone cliffs accompany the route for quite a while. Along the southern edge of the Zittau Mountains, you hardly meet a soul on the paths. The steep final ascent to the 1012 metre-high Jeschken
(Jested) takes a lot of energy. But the magnificent view is worth it.
3. Jeschken - Vrchlabi
68.4 km/1050 m elevation gain
You pass the city of Liberec to the south. Although the higher mountains recede temporarily, the route only seems to get easier. Dozens of small climbs prevent the gears from coming to rest. Especially the section between Mala Skala and
Semily along the Jizera river is full of ramps and tricky trails. The finish in Vrchlabi lies at the foot of the Giant Mountains.
4th Vrchlabi - Adrspach
82.3 km/1920 hm
The crossing of the Krkonoše Mountains is again full of long climbs. You can roll up to Cerny Dul, then the first steep hurdle follows towards Pec. Pec lies at the foot of the 1603 metre high Schneekoppe, which looks almost high alpine with its steep drop to the south. In Mala Upa, the route crosses the Polish border for the first time and follows the border ridge to Adrspach in the Czech Republic.
5th Adrspach - Kudowa-Zdrój
54.4 km/1090 m elevation gain
To begin with, the route circles the Adrspach rock town, one of the most bizarre landscapes in Europe. Hundreds of sandstone towers stand here in a very small space. On the Czech side, the route continues on trails along a striking mountain ridge. Old crossroads lead through mystical forests back towards the border. The day's destination is the Polish spa town of Kudowa-Zdrój.
6. Kudowa-Zdrój - Kraliky
78.2 km/2040 m elevation gain
One of the most strenuous stages of the tour! The route follows the border ridge again with constant ups and downs.
Every now and then you pass villages where time seems to have stood still. In the Adler and Habelschwerdter mountains there are numerous bunkers from the world wars. Kraliky, the day's destination, is a pretty village dominated by a mighty monastery.
7th Kraliky - Cervenohorske Sedlo
69.6 km/1840 m elevation gain
Another tough day. Immediately after breakfast, the Muttergottesberg kicks things off, a steep ramp up to the monastery. The terrain continues to be varied: lots of forest tracks, with the occasional single trail in between. The climbs become longer, the valleys deeper. The Altvatergebirge gets closer. The area is reminiscent of the Black Forest. The finale: the mountain finish in Cervenohorske Sedlo, a small ski resort on a pass.
8th Cervenohorske Sedlo - Bruntal
45.5 km/620 hm
Final spurt! In comparison, the last stage seems like child's play. You gain almost all the metres in altitude on the first climb up to the roof of the tour. The mighty transmitter antenna on the Praded stands at an altitude of 1491 metres. A cold breeze often blows over the bare summit, even in summer. Winter pictures from the summit show metre-high walls of snow. The last few kilometres to Bruntal almost roll by themselves.
You can read the detailed TransOst report from BIKE 5/2015 in the BIKE app (iTunes and Google Play) or the issue in the DK shop reorder:
Touring character of the Transost 2:
From Dresden, the route follows the course of the Czech-Polish border in a south-easterly direction. Initially mostly on the Czech side, from stage 4 onwards often in Poland. One low mountain range follows the next: the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, the Jizera Mountains, the Giant Mountains and the finale in the Praded Mountains. The highest point of the tour is on the Altvater summit (Praded) at 1491 metres. Between these main mountain ranges there are numerous smaller mountain landscapes that make the profile even more difficult. Due to the difficult route and the return transport to Dresden, we recommend undertaking the TransOst as a guided tour.
Guided tours
TransOst 1: from Bayreuth to Bad Schandau, 450 km/10500 m elevation gain/7 stages
TransOst 2: from Dresden to Bruntal, 554 km/11580 m altitude difference/8 stages
USP Management UG, Bautzner Straße 75, Dresden,
Tel. 0049/(0)172/3520648, www.transost.de
