Ignored, respected and fully booked

Whoosh, halfway through our vacation already. Petra has to get up early in the morning again to go for a run, in order to make the most of the last day of the month and collect a few steps for the statistics. No, kidding aside, not because of the statistics, but because of the great experience of being alone in the forest in the morning. To experience how the sun fights against the fog that has formed. Last night at ten o'clock an incredible thunderstorm started, it was flashing and thundering for two hours. The rain stopped during the night. The forest smells wonderfully fresh, moist and the sun manages to clear the view into the valley while I'm running.

After a leisurely breakfast, we pack our bikes into the "Knecht" and start cycling. First, we want to quickly buy an ice spray, because Mario's Achilles tendon is causing problems again, cooling would be good. So we go to Rossmann, they must have something like that. We inspect all the shelves and also ask a saleswoman: no, they don't have it. So we buy a candle in a glass for a romantic evening on the terrace, tweezers for plucking eyebrows, and a can of cola for thirst. Next destination: Rewe. The result of our shopping there is much better. Because from this store we walk out with bread, sausage, and cheese for tomorrow's barbecue. Oh, and they didn't have cooling pads and ice spray either. We decide to ignore the Achilles problem.

We are coming from Zwiesel towards the Arber area. There are currently road construction works, which is why the access via Bodenmais is not possible. Since we definitely want to go for a bike ride, we park the "Knecht" in the parking lot at the "Haus der Wildnis" in Ludwigsthal. The RegenRadweg (rain bike path) runs along the large Regen river towards the Arber. The location of the path is beautiful again and often right by the water. The bike paths are relatively well signposted and mostly lead on gravel paths through the forest, but also several kilometers on the road. I know, the grass is always greener elsewhere, but we notice the differences when cycling in our hometown. Hikers (with and without dogs) on the shared gravel paths and also on several narrower paths greet each other friendly. The car drivers give you a feeling of safety, as they don't squeeze past at dangerous spots, but simply stay behind for a few seconds and then overtake with enough distance. All of this happens without swearing, honking, and without indignation. People look out for each other and respect others. Another thing that stands out is that many roads are in good condition, well built, and thus provide space and safety for all road users. If you compare our road from Stöckenhof towards Ebnisee... no, we'll stop that thought.

It is a wonderful tour, filled with some elevation meters and another downhill trail. That was a real challenge, especially for the people WITHOUT a mountain bike in our team. Everyone arrived safely at the bottom and whoosh: we were at the Arbersee. It was crowded here! The service staff in the restaurant tells us that the region is fully booked this year. We are happy for the people here who depend on tourism. With coffee, a dessert, and a great view, we enjoy a short break at the lake before we climb the last meters towards the Arber valley station at an altitude of 1050 meters. Passing the Arber Biathlon Arena, the European Championships will be held here in January 2022 and we see some athletes training "on wheels". Finally, at the top - quickly take a few pictures and continue towards Bayerisch Eisenstein. In Brennes, we turn right onto the bike path "Grünes Dach" (Green Roof). Wow, it goes downhill on partially rough gravel roads with a 15% gradient - I (Mario) am afraid for the brakes - as soon as the condition of the path allows it - we enjoy the beautiful route. We are glad to be traveling by bike and not by car. We wouldn't even notice half of it. Water, forest, butterflies, and the smell of sun on wood - indescribably beautiful.

Arriving in the valley, we cycle along the RegenRadweg (rain bike path) to the car. We return to our vacation home. Just before the apartment, our "Knecht" strongly pulls to the left... towards another great inn that we discovered in the neighboring village a few days ago. Full and tired, we finally head home, enjoying the beautiful sunset and looking forward to the next few days.