Mountain biking trails in Scheibenhardt

I finally made it to the Schmalsteinhütte in Bruchweiler-Bärenbach! I’d had my eye on the Pfälzerwald Hütte above Bärenbach for a long time. Whenever I drove to the Drachenfels, I’d often come across these signs. The hut is run by the Bruchweiler Hiking Club and is open on weekends and Wednesdays. The hut was very busy today; it’s located about 3.5 km from the village and offers parking within walking distance. As is customary in the Palatinate, my question about a seat at the regulars’ table was answered with, “Of course there’s room here.” The “Hausmacherplatte” caught my eye—“A good choice,” said my neighbor. “Yeah, they know how to make homemade food in the Palatinate—I’ll give you that.” The conversation turned to the Palatinate and all its advantages. I asked about the best route to the Napoleonfels. “Yeah, there are several routes.” But there was a cyclist there whose route convinced me. Thanks and goodbye—off I went on my bike. The climb is steady at about a 7% grade for about 4 km through the pretty mixed forest. Although it had rained during the night, the trail wasn’t muddy or slippery. In some spots you just have to be careful, but it wasn’t too difficult. And suddenly, through the canopy of leaves, you see the famous sandstone rock. It takes a bit of imagination to recognize the shape of Napoleon. I was impressed by the various colors and layers of the striking rock formation. “If only it could talk,” I thought during the short walk. But it remained silent, so I simply said goodbye without words. The clear signage led me back down to Bärenbach. The Lautertal Bike Trail—also known as the Wieslauter Bike Trail in its rear section—took me back quickly. For me, this stretch is simply a special highlight in the Palatinate Forest. It’s just a pleasure to ride here—good asphalt and the right width. So today I made an exception and chose the same route both ways. Only in the villages of Alsace did I take the roads through town on my way home. So today’s ride turned out to be a very varied tour with an excellent stop for refreshments and a sandstone rock formation with a very unique shape.

A successful trip today. Our ferry operator has resumed service. He told me he had to take time off due to illness. His main pump malfunctioned briefly, but they were able to fix it at the hospital. You can tell just by looking at him—Mark has lost a significant amount of weight. Now he’s getting back into the swing of things at the ferry’s helm. Hopefully everything goes WELL. I was glad to welcome him back after the low-water period, and then came such a shock. It’s hard for him to take it slow—unless someone can step in. But people with a boat operator’s license are few and far between. “It just has to be done,” he says. “The hospital isn’t for me at all,” he says dryly. You really have to grit your teeth and bear it there. That thought had been on my mind during the ride through the Southern Palatinate. I cycled through Bienwald and Freckenfeld along the Firstweg to Bad Bergzabern. Then into the forest, up to Birkenhördt and Lauterschwann, and down into the Porzbachtal valley. There it glows amid the beautiful greenery: the Seehofweiher pond. Today I’m riding along the right side of it. Not many people are out and about today. I’m not far from the castle. And there it is right in front of me—the imposing Berwartstein Castle. But first, I was hungry and thirsty. I opted for the Grumbersubb with sausages. And I didn’t regret it. That SUBB was really GOOD! Today I decided to take a tour in, on, and around the castle. You can see that parts of the buildings are still inhabited. Naturally, the upper areas—the ones with the best views. They deserve it; there’s still plenty of rooms and space left for visitors to explore. The open spaces on the promontories are particularly interesting. I have great respect for the master builders of that era. The well goes down an endless distance—the castle stands on a cliff, after all, and was considered impregnable. The view is vast; I had to get my bearings first to make sense of the hills and sandstone fragments. The lower section with the garden is also very interesting. Afterward, I headed home via Erlenbach. At Niederschlettenbach, I turned onto the Lautertal Bike Trail. The Lauter River accompanied me all the way home. In Bobenthal, I had to take another look at the village center. The harmony of the half-timbered houses, the village church, and the school is worth taking a closer look at. The sky grew a little darker; something was brewing over the Rhine. In Schleihthal, the clouds parted a bit. That made me think of the past few weeks. How happy we would have been to have a few drops of rain then. So I arrived at the ferry quickly. No traffic, a quick crossing, and in no time I was home. Everything went perfectly once again—a great view, good food, awesome trials—today was a fantastic day.

After the long heat wave, today’s bike ride was a relaxing one, with pleasant temperatures ranging from 20 to 22°C. Naturally, I chose to ride through the Rhine floodplains so I could pay my respects to Heini, the Aalschocker. The ride through Alsace was relaxing and interesting. Of course, Seebach, with its half-timbered buildings, was once again something very special. Via Altenstadt and Wissembourg, I soon arrived at the German Wine Gate in Schweigen. Bernd Pfeffer gave me a warm welcome; he asked me to pass on his regards to all the RadSportSenioren, which I’m doing here. As usual, he’s got his umbrella bar fully under control, always making improvements that the guests receive with enthusiasm. His conversations are always something special. In the meantime, a few drops of rain fell from above, which meant I had to close my umbrella. To block the sun, he’s installed a few colorful sails, which elegantly enhance the ambiance of his establishment. The menu has also been spruced up a bit—anyone who leaves here hungry has only themselves to blame. The return trip past the Südpfalz airfield took me through the Bienwald, naturally along nature trails. A large, dark cloud was approaching me from afar. In the distance, a real downpour was breaking over the Südpfalz. Yes, every drop of rain is welcome, but I was, of course, glad that my wide detour around that dark cloud had paid off. A tornado had really wreaked havoc in the Bienwald, carving a small swath of destruction through the forest. It’s a terrifying sight when a huge beech tree is practically uprooted. The entire root system was torn from the ground. What does this teach me: Leave the forest immediately during a storm—hopefully I won’t find myself in such a situation. I quickly cycled through the Bienwald, and before I knew it, I was in Scheibenhardt. I crossed over to Berg and through the little forest before Hagenbach, and soon I was at the Rheibrigg. In the evening, I realized that Marc Freiwald had put his ferry into service today after all. I could have taken a shortcut that way. At ten in the morning, I specifically checked online. It said service was scheduled to start on Monday. So today I cycled a hundred for nothing. Oh well—I’m sure it’s good for something. In any case, it was definitely fun today.

It was an interesting ride along the Klingbachtal Bike Path to Klingenmünster. Waldhambach and Waldrohrbach were the next towns before reaching Völkersweiler. From there, I followed the signposted, wooded nature trail to the castle ruins. Today I set out on foot from the hunting lodge, covering the 700 meters—with a steep climb—to the castle. It was well worth it. Just below the castle complex, you’re greeted by a massive, weathered block of multicolored sandstone. From here, it’s not far to the castle terrace. A breathtaking panoramic view captivates the senses. The castle complex was built as early as the 12th century. This castle is also part of the group of castles surrounding Landeck, Trifels, Berwartstein, and Madenburg—fortresses that once served as strongholds for the authoritarian noble houses of the time and later belonged to the various bishoprics or monasteries in the region, from which they exercised their power. The Kramerhaus—named after a local forester—at the foot of the castle offers hikers, cyclists, and day-trippers a place to rest and refuel. The “ ” Kaiserschmarren with stewed plums was just what I needed. On my way home, I headed through Erlenbach, past Berwartstein Castle and the Seehofweiher pond, into the Portsbach Valley. This valley flows into the Lauter Valley, and the bike path of the same name took me through Wissemburg and Altenstadt, past Schweighofen International Airport and the Maximimiliansbahn rail terminal, into the shady Bienwald. I chose this route because the sun had really started to beat down in the afternoon. So, with a nice tailwind, I just let it roll all the way to the Rhine ferry. It was a very interesting ride with just the right mix of different surfaces—exactly how I like it. And it was a treat for the senses and the soul, too. All in all, I’m glad I made it to my destination today in this gorgeous weather.

It was great cycling weather today—a little warm, but not too hot. So the route I chose was just right. The balance between bike paths and nature trails was just right, too. Away from traffic, away from the weekend motorcycle noise—I managed to do just that today. So I was all the more delighted when I ran into a large convoy of tractor-trailer drivers at the border in Lauterburg. They accompanied me on the ferry. The engine noise is also very loud, but I don’t sense any aggression in it like I do in the noise of motorcycles. It’s a hard-working chugging sound, though there are exceptions there, too. But back to my tour. The morning wasn’t hot—it was pleasant. Since no one had confirmed they’d be joining me today, I took the early ferry. Cycling through the Bienwald was very pleasant. The Firstweg, the route leading to Bergzabern, was perfect, too. There were some really great cloud formations on the horizon. The Palatinate Forest also offered a SUPER PANORAMA. My enthusiasm for it grows a little more each time. Cycling through the Palatinate Forest via Bad Bergzabern and Birkenhördt is simply an experience. Between Birkenhördt and Lauterschwann, a signpost points up to the Hirzeck summit. I haven’t cycled that route yet, and the Naturfreundehaus up there is rarely open. But I hope things will improve there. So I quickly reached the bike path right in the middle of Lauterschwann, which leads toward SEEHOF AND BURG BERWARTSTEIN. It’s only 4.5 km from there. That worked out well, because my thirst was really kicking in. So I rode on with just a brief stop at the swimming pond, all the way to Burg. And here I got lucky—no line at the order counter and a shady spot to boot. Two ladies from Berlin asked if they could share the shaded spot, which was no problem at all. This led to an interesting conversation about the region as well as the advantages of our capital city. As for the food here at the castle: everything was just right—the selection, the preparation, and the service. Kudos to the kitchen staff. Time flew by, and I set off back toward the Portsbach Valley. At the point where the Portsbach flows into the Lauter, there’s a lovely rest area. Here, I was able to perfectly put my plan to wade in the water into action. Of course, I wasn’t alone at this exposed spot. But that’s actually wonderful. I was now on the Lauter Valley Bike Trail, which ends right at the Baden-Pfalz ferry. Thirst drove me to the old customs station in Scheibenhardt, which has now been converted into an ice cream parlor. But I was able to quench my thirst there. That’s also where I ran into the group of cyclists from the Hohenlohe region. So I was back home very early today. OH, HOW BEAUTIFUL OUR WORLD IS....and right in our own backyard...LET’S PRESERVE, NURTURE, AND FURTHER DEVELOP IT.... The Palatinate Forest, in particular, is what’s on my mind.

Today I was out with the group again. Much was good, some still could be improved. It's human, as the "Läwe so isch" goes. Discipline is part of it, as well as self-assessment; sometimes you just have to want to get out of the comfort zone....Developing team spirit.... It was worth cycling to Alsace. And then over to the wonderful South Palatinate. Blossoming landscape, beautiful panorama, wonderfully varied shades of brown in the fields like in a picture book. Refreshments at the umbrella bar in Schweigen with Bernd, everything went PERFECT today. Finishing by the Rhine in the sun, what more could you want.

For today, I had set my sights on the Südwestpfalz region. That was a good choice. No, I did not overreach: these were genuine highlights that I visited: >>The Drachenfels in Busenberg, >>Oberotterbach as original as few other communities in Südwestpfalz, >>Klingenmünster with its collegiate estate and its unique landscape and its winemakers. I truly enjoyed this, a dream start to the weekend. I hadn't been to Busenberg for a long time. Below the old Drachenfels castle ruin, which the Busenberg locals also call their molar (a MUST is climbing the castle ruin with magnificent views over the entire Wasgau), the Palatinate Forest Association, Busenberg section, maintains the hut at Drachenfels. Everyone here is voluntary, that is, they work only for the benefit of the association and the visitors. This deserves special mention in today's times. Thanks to ALL helpers. White cheese and Palatinate potatoes were my favorite dish today, tasted very good. And of course a Palatine spritzer with it, by the way all very reasonably priced. On my way home, I took a small detour through fields and forest on barely passable natural paths past Bühlhof (where you can also stop for a break) to Oberschlettenbach. In this Südwestpfälzisch community, time seems to have stood still. All solid old houses, nothing has changed. In the village center stands the village fountain, which has been fed by a spring for over 700 years. Even the cup for a drink is still present. The following inscription can be read there: Whoever manages a glass daily has 100 years of manly strength, only if he does not die earlier, thus spoiling the fun. >>Simply wonderful, the ambiance in Oberschlettenbach. Afterwards, I set off toward Lindellbrunn, but the well-visible castle on the Schlossberg hill to the upper left was just too much. I know it from earlier trips along with the Kramerhaus, a guesthouse at the foot of the hill. My family was also cycling in the Palatinate today, and we met in Klingenmünster where I tried the new wine at winemaker Kuhn. Very drinkable, here you can choose between the fermentation stages of the Federweißer and between red/white and also mix yourself. CCM stayed overnight at the nearby collegiate estate where we spent some time together in the wonderful garden. I had to hurry, I still had 40 km to reach the last ferry in Neuburg over the Rhine. Of course, I made it, but I had to pedal hard. Along the way, I had already fueled enough today, so I skipped the final beer by the Rhine. It was a really great day today, with great experiences of different trials in a wonderful nature. I carried my rain gear in my backpack in vain, better that way than being soaked. In the afternoon it got really warm, the sun still has power.

Martin and I had imagined it a bit differently. Positive as we always think, we hoped to cycle dry on the Lautertal bike trail to the Drachenfels near Busenberg in the Southwest Palatinate. Of course, we had a plan B in mind in case the weather didn't cooperate. This is not difficult on this route, as there are plenty of alternatives. So we pedaled against the wind through Scheibenhard, Niederlauterbach, Salmbach, and Schleihthal. The closer we got to the Palatinate Forest, the darker the clouds over the largest German mixed forest area became. After Wissembourg and Weiler, it got a bit gloomy, and as we passed Germanshof, the raindrops started. And to such an extent that it prompted us to turn back. Yes, now backwards and off to the Schorle umbrella. Outside the forest region, the valuable wetness from above stopped bothering us. The refreshment at Bernd's in liquid and solid form came at the right time. As always, we enjoyed our stay there. The time gained suited me quite well. So after the speedy return through the blooming Bienwald (several road bike groups already in shorts came towards us), I was able to take care of an errand in the Brigand city. So today's bad luck with the weather still resulted in a happy coincidence. All GOOD, the time for the Drachenfels is yet to come. For me, it was confirmed once again today: exercise outside the comfort zone has a special appeal. After the effort, a feeling of well-being strengthens the body and mind, which demands repetition, expands the fitting threshold, and promotes fitness.

This year, April was more than just wet, yes, there were more rainy days than for a long time. It was good for nature, but not so beneficial for cycling. Today, in consultation with Michael, I once again chose the Southwest Palatinate as the destination. The Drachenfels and the Drachenfels hut are simply GREAT. And the way there and back leads through beautiful nature. The Wieslauter is a long companion on the approach. After Bärenbach, it goes uphill. Under the Drachenfels, which is also commonly called "Backenzahn" (molar), there are several well-stocked fish ponds. You just have to stop and let nature work its magic. Unfortunately, the sun showed little today, so the water's sparkle was missing today as well. The last few meters of ascent are no problem in anticipation of the following liquid and solid refreshments. These take place in the Nature Friends House of the Palatinate Forest Association, Busenberg section. The offer is very rich and is provided by volunteer club members. Three times "HATS OFF" to such honorable people, everything was wonderful again. The descent to Erlenbach was really fast, the moderate ascent through Vorderweidenthal and the L493 country road led us past the Wild and Hiking Park Southern Wine Route in Silz. It rolls well through the Klingbach valley with surprisingly little car traffic down to Klingenmünster. We continue cycling through the winegrowers' villages of Klingen, Ingenheim, and Mühlhofen. For me, this section is the secret Palatinate Wine Route. Many half-timbered houses and wineries adorn the way. At the Mühlhofen church, we have to stop, of course not in the church itself. Right next to it, Margit Dyck runs a cozy wine tavern. The Chardonnay tasted excellent and provided strength for the last kilometers to the Rhine ferry. Another successful cycling day today away from the traffic streams in the Palatinate.