PCR - 3265m

This post has nothing to do with Polymerase Chain Reaction but, rather unsurprisingly, with a hike in the mountains Xavi and I undertook at the beginning of June. Yet again we went to the Alba-Maladeta-Ridge where the last time we had left out a summit known as Pico del Collado de la Rimaya (PCR).

Click here to continue reading

Picos del Infierno

Vista from Hell's Central Summit

Back in 2008, Xavi proposed to climb three summits known as Picos del Infierno, which translates as Summits of Hell. Together with Jordi, a friend of his, we actually gave it a try, but during our climb somehow took a wrong turn and finally ended up climbing 4 neighbouring 3000m summits, known as Algas Norte, Pico Algas, Pico de las Argualas and Garmo Negro. Xavi, furthermore summited Aguja de Pondiellos... an account of that story, albeit written in German, is to be found here.

Hell's Summits, however, remained to be summited.

click here to read on

Le Bondidier

North-Eastern panoramic view from Pico Cordier, Gregüeña lake in the centre

Last October, Xavi and me climbed the 4 Alba summits. Now, we wanted to ascend some peaks of the next mountain cluster of the same mountain range. That cluster is made up of Punta Delmàs, Pico Mir, Pico Sayó, Pico Le Bondidier and Pico Cordier. Since we preferred not to repeat the route, which passes by the Renclusa mountain hut, this time we chose Puente de Cregüeña as our starting point - a route a little longer and with an altitude difference of 500 additional metres. We therefore opted to start walking as soon as we'd arrive there, which was Friday at 9.45 p.m.

click to read on

Can Putxet

Eastern panorama from Puigdoure summit

During my previous bike trip to a nice rock shelter known as Balmes Roges, I caught a glimpse of yet another abandoned estate in our local natural park: Can Putxet. It's not that I hadn't been aware of it, but it never really caught my attention. The other day, though, my glimpse at Can Putxet was from a different angle and suddenly I felt I should further explore it. Yesterday, I gave it a try.

click here to read on

Carcassonne

Full moon over Carcassonne

Years ago, I remember, I usually felt some unease, when in France, probably because I don't speak any French and therefore somehow felt vulnerable there. Since Elisabet dominates French almost as a native, things are different now, and some days short of Eastern we went on a short holliday to our Northern neighbour country.

click to read on

Balmes Roges

View from Puig Gili

Not only another biking article, but even another biking article to a rock shelter... this truly gets monothematic. The Balmes Roges (Red Rock Shelters) are a well known landmark in our local Natural Parc, I had never been to. Last Saturday, however, I decided to have a look at them. My trip, again, got me into the vicinity of "El Farell" first, where this time I took a left turn I'd never taken before. The path then led me by a number of "tines", which could be described as bowls, basins, or a kind of silos, which until, say one hundred years ago were either used as fermentation tanks during the production process of wine or for storage of the finished beverage. The god of wine, Baccus, by the way gave name to the district I'm living in (Bages). Apart of the "tines" I additionally was offered nice views of my favourite abandoned estate around: El Farell.

 El Farell estate and surrounding

Click here to read on

Balma de l'Espluga

In the Natural Parc of Sant Llorenç, there are numerous caves, the deepest of which goes down some 120m into the washed out conglomerate rock. That cave is called "Avenc de l'Espluga", avenc being the Catalan word for vertical cave. As a matter of fact, it is the cave I've visited most times, and every time me and my caving companions went there, we passed at least one night in a cosy rock shelter close by, which bears the name "Balma de l'Espluga", Balma being Catalan for ....... rock shelter, exactly! Since I hadn't been there for years, I thought it would be nice to go there by bike.
click here to read on

Laurel

Clochán close to "La Serra"

At home we ran out of laurel leafs. Since laurel (or bay, as I just learned) forms part of our common vegetation, I took my bike to get some. Instead of getting it from a cemetary close by, I looked for it in a more remote place and so could combine my expedition with a nice bike trip.

Click here to read on

A trip around Montserrat

On my previous trip, I went to the Montserrat abbey by bike. That trip was part of a circular biking route I had found in a book, and which goes the whole way around Montserrat, starting and ending point being Marganell.

Better part of the Montserrat round trip

Last Saturday, Xavi and me decided to bike a little, and so it came, that I proposed the Montserrat round trip. Although the description marks it as hard, with only 40km it's not a very long trip. It's the up and downs of more than 1000m of accumulated positive altitude difference, that increase difficulty. Instead of carrying our bikes to Marganell by car, we started the trip from my village and so added some 12 km of distance and maybe 200m vertical meters. 

Click here to read on

Montserrat by bike

Some cool guy blessing my bike 

A bike trip I had had in mind for quite a while goes to the Benedictine abbey of Montserrat, an abbey being a monestry of a somehow higher rank within the hierarchy of the Catholic Church.

click here to read on

Attempt of Punta Alta

Last weekend, Xavi and me tried to climb "La Punta Alta", a 3018m high summit located in the Catalan National Park of "Aigüestortes". 

In my opinion, the route we had chosen, though steep and demanding, is highly recommendable during the winter season. It offers stunning views over the white landscape of the National Park, as well as of the 3000m summits located West of "La Punta Alta".  We had a beautiful day and enjoyed our trip a lot, but unfortunately were not able to make summit. 

click here to read on

River Llobregat

Mediterranean Sea at the river Llobregat delta as seen from "Torre de la Bunyola"

Last Friday there was an official holiday in Spain, and since Catalonia, as for now, still forms part of that country, we too had to celebrate the coming into existence of the devine and untouchable Spanish Constitution. Untouchable for Catalans that is, for Frau Merkel could change it by just mentioning the possibility of a bailout of Spanish banks...

Anyway, I decided to celebrate on my bike. My plan was to follow the river Llobregat downstream to its delta where it flows into the Mediterranean Sea. Two or three years ago I already had done so twice, but instead of making it the whole way down, I then abandoned the river and entered Barcelona.

click here to read on

Route 17 - puncture

Llobregat crossing at Pont de Vilomara

Last Saturday, the day of my birthday,  I tried out another route of the guide of biking routes to be done in Bages. Since the circular Route 17 passes through my village, I decided to start it from home instead of transporting me and my bike to the neighbour village of Pont de Vilomara first.

click here to read on

29 inches - Purchase and first serious trip

Something like a month ago, I acquiered a mountainbike, one of those new with 29" wheels, that have gained ground during the last couple of years. From the first moment on, I was sure that I would like the bigger wheels, because wheel diameter is exactly what most had bothered me about mountain bikes for so many years. On plain level earth roads and hard ground downhill slopes, I always felt that the small 26" wheels set a limit to top speed far to soon, just when speeding doesn't consume too much energy. Here I must say, that for many years, back in Germany mostly, I used mountain bikes for everyday purposes and in urban environments where other types of bicycles, without doubt, would have been of better choice. 

Picture of a season 2014 29" mountain bike, taken from the official Cube webpage

Click here to read on

Vall de Incles

Last Sunday, Lisa and me went on a short but very nice hike in the Andorranean valley "Vall d'Incles". We had slept in the small village of Soldeu, and therefore didn't have a long approach to the point where our route started. The car was parked in the vicinity of the valley's last houses, more precisely at the "Badalosa" Bridge and off we went walking.

Click here to read on