Silly Lines

Golden Autumn Days

2011-11-06T11:34:00.000-08:00

This tour was planned 3 years ago, the reason I didn´t ride it earlier is that in this area

the hunters and land owners don´t want any bikers there.

(A problem mostly here in this province)

The trip offered everything from good trails to wide views over the neighboring mountains.

After 5 1/2 hours of riding I was back at my car, tired but happy!

Carinthia

2011-09-25T11:52:00.000-07:00

3 Days, 3 Rides ...
just some photos.
In order of appearance:
View towards Slowenia
Wolfgang in a steep, rocky slope
Me
Mihi climbing

Good Days

2011-08-02T04:39:00.000-07:00

Last year I thought that the Seekofel was the toughest decent I´ve ever done,
but this one was even harder. Even though it was described as an easy 3000 m
mountain, trying to make it with a bike was a challenge. I did this trip together with Mihi,
on the first day we made the first 800 meters of uphill till we reached the hut.
On the next day we had to walk another 800 meters in altitude, finally reaching the top.
On my way up I was insecure, most of the path are only rocks in all sizes, so it was like
a big, natural trial track. To be honest, I wasn´t able to ride everything, but in the end I
managed to do about 90 % of it.
From the top till the hut it took us about 3 hours, mostly doing this kinda trial-biking!
I never was that exhausted and tired, both my body and my head.

Special thanks to the innkeeper of the Arthur von Schmid hut, he really appreciated our doing,
he even wanted a photo of us (with bike) on the summit!

Thanks also to Mihi for doing most of the film work.

This is not a mountain you will do often, but the emotions after such a ride are very special!

Here is a video in a (short) Banshee-only version:

Good Days (Banshee only version) from Lizard on Vimeo.

Rainy day, dream away ...

2011-06-08T13:21:00.000-07:00

Normally I don´t do this kind of biking: trying to do a lot of miles
just to get myself in shape. Yesterday was different: I wanted to
do 3 of my hometrails in a row. So I started after midday, weather was fine
and I rode the first 500 m (difference in altitude) up in the hot sun.
A nice & flowy downhill and I went up for the next mountain. No more sun,
dark clouds everywhere and after 15 minutes it started to rain. The kind of weather
we had all the last week. Normally I would cancel the tour and head home.
This time I thought: "Now I have the real world test for my new Endura Pakajak Jacket"!
Last week Jim and his team from Endura sent some new parts, including
the eagerly awaited Pakajak Jacket. A very small & showerproof Jacket,
finding place even in the smallest rucksack! For the next 30 minutes it was raining,
making the uphill a challenge with all the wet roots. Up on the mountain the weather
was changing once again and there was a short sunny period for the downhill.
With a dirty bike, wet shoes and gloves I started the third uphill and yes: it started to rain! ...
I was surprised that I still could push myself up in a good pace.
I took the shortest way down - not only I was exhausted, also a thunder storm was closing in!
The last 15 minutes I had intense rain but it didn´t bother me as I had reached my goal!
In the end it took me 5 1/2 hours for all 3 mountains summing up to 1700 m difference in elevation.

Conclusion: The Pakajak exceeded my expectations, I couldn´t have finished my tour without
a (this rain) jacket. As I always carry a jacket with me, regardless the weather (for emergency situations),
this one helps me to save weight and packing size.

At this point I would like to thank Jim and his team at Endura!

This little fellow likes it too! ;-)

Early Christmas

2010-10-12T11:33:00.000-07:00

Today was like Christmas: I got a parcel from Scotland ...
With lots of apparel from Endura!
Thanks to Jim and his team!

Also thanks to Johannes for making great photos.

So I dressed up and went for a ride.
Luckily there was no fog up in the mountains, just blue sky!

The Duke

2010-07-20T12:30:00.000-07:00

A long planned Videoproject from Andi was realised this Juli:
A Mountain bike trip into the heart of the Hochschwab! A mountain range near
my hometown. Johannes and myself with our bikes, Andi with a big (!) backpack full of
Video equipment. After more than 4 hours mostly carring our bikes we had a short break
at the refuge. Luckily we were fast enough to reach the top before sunset!
What a great view, a touching moment ... A sunset on a mountain is really something special!

After a short night we started filming about 5 o´clock the next day. Section after section we
rode down, Andi had to walk a lot to find the perfect spots for filming. It took us long after
midday till we reached our starting point. What a great trip, what a great experience!

And here it is:

Visiting the Duke from amotion.at on Vimeo.

some photos:
The Alpha & Omega; sunset & sunrise:

Panorama from the top:
(as with most photos: click to enlarge)

Various pictures

2010-06-16T02:23:00.000-07:00

Some pictures I really like, mostly from 2010.

without a story, just good shots.

(klick to enlarge!)
Photos take by Johannes!

Last autumn

2010-05-30T01:47:00.000-07:00

This is a video from last year, we were riding a big mountain (2680 m) in Osttirol.
On the top there was some snow and also ice passages. Altogether there are 1900 m of downhill!
But first you have to get up, 900 m mostly carrying the bike!
We were lucky to have perfect weather and thanks to Andi (www.amotion.at) who was filming.

Silly Lines Reloaded from amotion.at on Vimeo.

View from the top of the mountain:

Every time I see this mountain down from valley, I´m surprised that you can ride such a mountain!
The red marking shows the first 900 m of downhill, still 1000 m of singletrails are waiting!

Time travel

2010-05-07T23:44:00.000-07:00

A time travel from 1982 to 1994.

As an 11 year old boy I got my first race bike:
a used "Chesini" from my father.
The first picture shows me on top of the Großglockner road!

Unfortunately there is no picture from my first MTB (1984; a RWC with 15 gears).

From 1988 on for the next 4 years I had a Scott Windriver (Shimano XT with 18 gears).
With this bike I made my first attempts in the alps.
The wiggly picture shows me near the Seekofel area in Italy.

Playing around in Greece, where I worked as a Guide for 2 summers.

Last one: my time as an XC rider, getting air with my Kona Explosif steel frame.

Psychotrail Part II

2010-04-23T09:50:00.000-07:00

Last week I´ve done a new video on a challenging trail near to my hometown.
The first section is very exposed to a cliff, the more technical stuff after it is very steep.
Unfortunately you can´t really see it on the video.

Springtime

2010-04-11T02:39:00.000-07:00

Spring is coming, ice & snow are melting from my hometrails.
Despite the fact that today the mountains surrounding my hometown are fresh covered with snow!

Here are some pictures from this week:
Fine, warm weather on wednesday, the first 800 m climb this season.
I was a little bit exhausted ...
Nice view from the top!

The whole downhill is nice singletrail with lots of flow!

On Saturday I had the chance to ride the socalled "Lifttrassentrail" near Graz.
(thanks to Daniel, Wolfgang, Martin & Johannes for their invitation)
A steep, technical trail under the chair-lift.

Some thight turns with loose gravel.

Very steep section that wasn´t riden before! :-)

Thanks to Martin (http://www.trickytrails.com/) for taking the photos!

Playin´ in the woods

2010-03-09T11:04:00.000-08:00

For the first time I experimented with a video,
filming myself with my small Sony camera.
The name speaks for itself: some playing around with fallen trees!

Pics of 2009

2010-03-04T12:11:00.000-08:00

2009 I really did a lot of biking, several summits could be done for the first time.
This is a short excerpt of it.
For the small photos: click to enlarge.
Thanks to the photographer!

Silly Lines

2010-03-02T13:22:00.000-08:00

Why "Silly Lines"?
I came up with the name after some riding with friends, where I always tried to make the
trail more difficult by choosing not the smooth line, instead riding over all obstacles on or beside the trail.
Now "silly lines" is a synonym for playing around with my bike and the trail.

Gear

2010-03-02T13:14:00.000-08:00

Bike:
A 2008 Banshee Wildcard, medium size with a Fox DHX coil shock.
Fork: Marzocchi 66
Drivetrain & Brakes: XT with a rear Saint caliper.
Hubs and Rims: Hope pro II with a DoB Magnesium front, Chris King with Try All Hole rear
Tires: Schwalbe: mostly Muddy Mary 2.5" in the front, Wicked Will 2.35" or Nobby Nic 2.4" rear

Apperal: Endura
As you can see on my photos, I wear mostly a Hummvee baggy and Baa Baa Merino shirts.
Helium or Pakajak Jacket.
Protection: MT 500 gloves and knee protector.
Eyewear: Endura Piranha glasses with photocromic lens.

About me

2010-03-02T13:03:00.000-08:00

It all started a long time ago, together with my father I bought one of the first MTB´s that were sold here in Austria (RWC, 1984).
I was racing XC, later I mounted a DH bar on my XC bike, then a Fullsuspension bike, the tires got wider
and the bikes heavier ...
More & more being fast became less important. The aim was not training to get as quick as possible,
just playing around with the bike became crucial, often doing some basic trial moves.
So for me it was a natural evolution to ride difficult trails trying not to put my foot down on the ground. It´s a kind of downhill-trial.
As I progressed in my riding techniques I was able to ride mountains
that were reserved to mountaineers before.

One of the big reasons why I enjoy biking so much is the great outdoor experience.

Biking is not only a hobby for me: since several years I work in a bikeshop.