Reset search
Matthias PaulMatthias Paul
SatelliteEdit route
traveled in 14 countries Read more Innsbruck, Österreich
  • Alpe Adria Trail by Bike
    Day 6

    Reminiscing

    September 16, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    On my train back to Innsbruck I had plenty of time to reflect on the bike trip.
    As the adrenaline wore off, the exhaustion was catching up with me. It was mixed with pride - we did what we set out to do, we cycled from the Austrian Alps to the Adriatic Sea in just five days, covering more than 500 km. However, for the next time - if vacation days allow - I would take some extra days, to have some time in the afternoon or evening to relax, to read a book and to be able to explore left or right of the road (we had to skip several waterfalls and lakes that might have been worth a visit). Maybe there would then be less to boast about, but at least it would feel more like a vacation. We already joked that considering our pace and daily efforts, we actually need another holiday just to recover from the trip. The statistic was created thanks to the data from Giacomo's watch and gives an impression of our efforts, explaining my exhaustion.

    In the end, all my stressing regarding the preparation had paid off - I hadn't forgotten anything important at home or was caught off-guard by anything. There were a few items of clothing I didn't need but they were mostly cold-weather gear, so it was not due to a miscalculation on my side that I had brought them, but rather luck in weather. I was especially glad about one item, that I had packed and never needed: the first aid kit.

    But apart from gear, I was also content with the deliberate choice of the route: I had wanted a route that was not too far away, rich in variety and not too difficult to ride. And we had had it all: the valleys of Salzburg, the Carinthian countryside, the pine forests of the train line, the lowlands of Italy and finally the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It was a memorable trip and I hadn't wished to be anywhere else.

    I especially enjoyed riding the old train line, though maybe I also just remember a romanticized version, because when I had a look at the photos at home it didn't look so impressive. It might have also been Giacomo, who made this leg of the journey so memorable for me, as it allowed us to ride next to each other (as opposed to the other parts, where we had to ride one after the other because of the oncoming traffic) - it amplified the feeling of companionship, of experiencing it together. Overall, I was pleased with our "social experiment": after all, we hadn't seen each other since our youth exchange back in 2019 where we met each other, so undertaking such an adventure was quite a dare. While we kept in contact via messenger and snail mail and know each other's inner life, dreams and insecurities, being in such trying circumstances as a bike trip - with exhaustion, hunger, constant "togetherness" and facing potential conflicts about decision making and leadership - is a challenge, but we passed.    Read more

  • Alpe Adria Trail by Bike
    Day 6

    Like Father, Like Son

    September 16, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    Some of you may recognize my jersey: it belonged to my father, who died in an mountaineering accident two months prior.
    Although this trip was never planned with my dad in mind, the vacancy that his loss caused was ever present. Starting at the preparation, where I was lost at the sheer range of options, no matter whether it regarded the clothes, shoes or other items of gear - I was overwhelmed as I am just a "commuter" and have not required any special gear so far and I would have needed his experience to navigate the almost unlimited options.

    It was not just the practical advice and help that I missed, but also his commentaries: what would he had replied to my posts here on FindPenguins? I know that he as a student himself undertook several bike trips to Greece with friends; I would have loved to compare our experiences - why we set out in the first place, how it felt, the joy of little things like a cold beverage, social dynamics ...

    But to my questions there will be no answers, and I am left with his jersey and a photograph of him that accompanied me on my trip.

    So this footprint goes out to you dad: I miss you.    Read more

  • Alpe Adria Trail by Bike
    Day 6

    To Bid Farewell

    September 16, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    In Verona, I had a layover of almost two hours (for Giacomo it was even more relaxed, as he prolonged the journey and returned home on Sunday) so we decided to get lunch. We found a charming little restaurant, hidden from the busy main street, that also offered local dishes. But the best part was that they had a digital menu in the form of a tablet where we could choose the language and each dish was also listed with a photo, so there was no need to wonder what we had actually ordered! It was a good ending of our trip together, before saying goodbye at the train station.Read more

  • Alpe Adria Trail by Bike
    Day 6

    Heading for Home

    September 16, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Early in the morning we broke camp and headed to the train station in Trieste. The way down from the hill was in stark contrast to the way up, as it was pure pleasure - due to the incline we didn't need to pedal at all, the pavement surface was new and smooth without any potholes, and as it was still early in the morning there was hardly any traffic. While on the evening before we had struggled for more than an hour, we now arrived after a 15-minute ride at the train station, feeling refreshed. We treated ourselves to a coffee and croissants and found our train coach for the first leg of our journey back home - from Trieste to Venezia, where we got another chance to see the Adriatic Sea pass us by.

    In Venezia we changed trains - the next one would take us to Verona - which was stressful as we didn't know how the "bike situation" would be and unlike in Trieste we only had a short time window to board the train and get settled. On top of that, we started to regret to be traveling on a Saturday, as the train station in Venezia was bustling with people, unlike the quiet and placid Trieste (though maybe this was also due to the time of day).
    Unfortunately, not only the train station was packed with people, but the train, too! We had a hard time even getting on the train (although the trains themselves were very comfortable - with a low floor and a "bike station" to just park them, without having to hang them up), in fact, it was so crowded that the doors almost wouldn't close. We had bought a ticket specifically for the bikes, but the bike station was already full - not with other people's bikes in that case, but with huge suitcases that exacerbated the whole misery. On the next station, we switched train coach, but the situation was hardly any better; we were glad that the total train ride was only an hour!    Read more

  • Alpe Adria Trail by Bike
    Day 5

    Final Destination: Trieste

    September 15, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    After a badly needed (though short) cooling break, we arrived at our final destination - Trieste!
    After all our hardships we were relieved to finally be where we wanted to be, as the 400+ km of the last days were taking a toll on us. However, our joy was marred by the thought of what was still ahead of us: to get to the campsite in time, that was - how else could it be? - on a hill and even had a warning for cyclists on the website that it was a steep climb!
    We enjoyed a bit of the architecture and after a misunderstanding in communication settled for a beverage, but the last distance yet to come loomed over us and we soon mounted up again. And what a run it was! It took us over an hour to cover the 10 km to the campsite, and despite the impressive view of the town and the sea (after all, there has to be some upside to going uphill!) it called for all of our endurance (at least mine, Giacomo made it look like just a normal bike trip). It was a continuous uphill battle and darkness eventually caught up with us; to offer us a bit more adventure, the last part (though level) was more of an MTB trail than a cycle path but we managed and reached the campsite.
    Once again I was very glad to have a "native" with me, as Giacomo effortlessly took care of the registration, while I tried to catch my breath. Thankfully our tent site was not far from the gateway and the sanitary area - and the small ristorante, which we already had set eyes upon, as we were ravenously hungry! But first, we set up camp and took a shower that was badly needed (my jersey was soaked in sweat).
    Giacomo inquired if there was still space for us to have dinner, and we were lucky, as there was - though they warned us, that there was only one meal option left, as it was already pretty late. We saw it as an advantage, as we didn't have the energy to choose between several options anyway, we just wanted something to eat - anything! And most importantly, we didn't want to go (or bike) anywhere, just to sit, eat and drink - and collapse into bed.
    The "leftover" option turned out to be a delicious seafood dish with gnocchi, which left us wondering how to eat the crabs but otherwise satisfied - though we enjoyed our meal with a bittersweet feeling, as we knew that our trip was coming to an end and it was our last dinner together.    Read more

  • Alpe Adria Trail by Bike
    Day 5

    And then, there was the Sea...

    September 15, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Finally, we caught the first glimpse of the Adriatic Sea in Monfalcone. Unfortunately, the path led us away from the sea again, but we were soon compensated as we followed the coastline on the last 20 km to Trieste.

    If the video won't load you can also try this link: https://clipchamp.com/watch/Cug3rXgb3AL
    Song used: Sunroof by Nicky Youre
    Videos by Giacomo, Photos by me    Read more

  • Alpe Adria Trail by Bike
    Day 5

    Crossing the Isonzo

    September 15, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    On our last day, we had quite some distance ahead of us (more than 110 km), so we were glad that we could quickly pass through Udine - the path was now very familiar to us! - and not have to spend time on sightseeing.
    We were now leaving the well-signposted Alpe Adria Cycle Path (CAAR) and switching to the AIDA Cycle Path, as we had exchanged Grado (the final destination of the CAAR) for Trieste, as the train connections home were better suited for us. Unfortunately, on the change-over we got a bit lost, but that's also part of the journey.

    The open country was now completely flat and monotonous, which on the one hand enabled us to ride faster as there were no climbs, but on the other hand didn't offer much variety in view. Additionally, the heat was now getting much more uncomfortable, as there was no shade whatsoever. We stopped in a park for lunch and to fill our water bottles, before crossing the Isonzo River. Shortly after, we visited the War Memorial in Redipuglia, which is the biggest war memorial in Italy and the final resting place for more than 100,000 Italian soldiers who fought and died in World War I, more than half of them unidentified.
    This is truly a somber place, built in the 1930s, the sheer dimension makes one despair and feel very small and vulnerable. As there are no descriptions or explanations whatsoever, it enhanced my feeling of being lost and out of place. The memorial is structured like a gigantic flight of stairs, leading up to three simple crosses and the graves holding the unidentified remains of over 60,000 soldiers. On each step the names of the dead are engraved, and above, one word, repeated again and again: "Presente (Present)", a roll-call of the dead, led by Prince Emanuele Filiberto, the Commander of the Third Army, who wanted to be buried with his men after his death in 1931. The memorial offers no hope or solace, but an affirmation: "We are here". And maybe that is the only comfort of the dead: that they - and their suffering - will not be forgotten, a reminder of the cost of war.
    It made me think that if Giacomo and I had lived a hundred years earlier, we might have still met - not to do a bike trip together, but on a battlefield trying to kill each other, to shift an arbitrary line in a map some meters.    Read more

  • Alpe Adria Trail by Bike
    Day 5

    A little bit of Sunshine

    September 15, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    We were lucky with the weather, as we only had a few drops of rain on our whole trip - the rain jacket that I had bought was only needed as a windbreaker.
    While the intensity of the sun had us longing for shade and a refreshing beverage in the treeless plains, it made us also appreciate the short passages through groves even more, where the sunshine was limited by the canopy and thus made special by it.

    In order to enjoy some summer vibes, makes sure to turn on the music when watching the video!
    Music by OneRepublic, videos by Giacomo.    Read more

  • Alpe Adria Trail by Bike
    Day 4

    For a coffee to Udine

    September 14, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    After our rest we set out again, leaving the woods behind and exchanging them for the fields of the lowlands.
    In the early afternoon we arrived at our B&B, where once again Giacomo proved his unique talent of choosing the accomodation with the most ascent possible - we saw it as additional training.
    Because today's distance is so short, we decide to leave the baggage at the B&B and visit Udine, about 20 kms south of our accomodation. This way, we can quickly pass through Udine tomorrow, saving time on our final day to Trieste.
    While Udine is stressful to get into with the busy streets, the inner city is well worth a visit, the architecture reminded us of Venice and the little cafes were very inviting - so we rewarded us with some calories.
    On the way back darkness fell upon us, we were prepared and had brought our lights, but the exhaustion of the day was beginning to show. As it was already getting late we changed plans and got dinner on the way instead of first returning to the B&B for a shower - fortunately, we weren't thrown out, so apparently we weren't smelling as bad as we had feared.
    As we were far off the "tourist route" the menu was only in Italian but Giacomo did his best to translate and gave me an introduction to the Italian cuisine, reaching farther than just pizza. On the bright side to being off the "tourist highway", the restaurant offered local dishes (there seems to be no limit to the different shapes of pasta!) and as we had "primi" and "secondi" we also had plenty of opportunity to try it.
    After our saturating meal we returned back to the B&B, where we finally took advantage of the shower - a true highlight after our long day. We had - with our visit to Udine - covered more than 100 kms and spent almost 6 hours on our bikes - so much for our lazy rest day!    Read more

  • Alpe Adria Trail by Bike
    Day 4

    Day 4 - Our "Lazy Day"

    September 14, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Today would be our "relax day", with only 66 km ahead of us, so we enjoyed our breakfast in the hostel without hurry before we got on the cycle path again. Unfortunately, the cycle path on the train line ended and we had to join the cars on the highway - there was a designated lane for us cyclists, but having the cars pass us by after the total placidity of the train line was a shock.

    We passed through the village of Venzone, which was structured just like a middle aged city - with cobble stoned, narrow alleys, a market place with cafes, a fountain and buildings in the unique Italian architecture.

    We didn't join the flocks of tourists though, who had coffee at the main square, as it was still too early for us to stop. Fortunately the way lead us away from the highway again and onto empty side streets through the backcountry, where we found the perfect place for lunch: a little grove that gave us shade and had even a big trunk that served as a bench. We enjoyed our sandwich and rested in this placid place, surrounded by trees and birds and only occasionally being passed by other bikers or cars.    Read more

Join us:

FindPenguins for iOSFindPenguins for Android

  • 2024© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Blog
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Support
  • Legal notice
  • English