The Swabian Alb is one of the most unconventional low mountain ranges in Germany. Its hills do not rise gradually from the Neckar region. It looks more as if a plateau has suddenly risen out of the earth. In fact, the Alb is a slab of the earth's crust that became unbalanced as a result of the folding of the Alps. Volcanism was also at play in the primeval forces. The bubbling thermal springs in Bad Urach still bear witness to this today. The Alb plateau towers around 300 metres above the lowlands. Anyone who has ever driven on the motorway from Stuttgart to Ulm will be familiar with this ridge, known as the Albtrauf. "Heiligs Blechle", the Swabian grumbles in the face of the snake of lorries that torment their way up the Aichelberg and Drackensteiner Hang in gloomy diesel clouds. Bikers, too, are confronted by the poisonous ramp on every tour. However, among Swabian cross bikers, the climb is more likely to cause "Luscht" than "Fruscht" (Swabian for "lust" or "frustration". Rule: The Swabian uncompromisingly turns every "st" into "scht"). In any case, we are happy for every metre of altitude that gets our blood pumping. Because the Alb is showing its bitchy side this morning. At the start in Reutlingen, the sun was still peeking out from time to time. Up on the edge of the Alb, the clouds almost caress the treetops. It is not for nothing that the karstic plateaus are also known as the "rough Alb".
You can find these tours in the spot guide:
1. over the Roßberg (44 km, 1034 m elevation gain, 3 h)
2nd Kornbühl loop (45.74 km, 1090 m elevation gain, 3 h 15 min.)
3rd Höllenlöcher (32.24 km, 762 m elevation gain, 2 h 30 min.)
