An enforced mid-week break saw us jump across the border to the Sauerland area of Germany (a hilly region just near the industrial heartland of the Ruhr valley). Summer met us there: temperatures got to the mid-thirties – hooray! The loop from Sorpesee dam to Schmallenberg and Sundern had lots of long forested climbs like the one below, surpassed only by hot-mixed descents.  A nice change from the usual…
It is rare for me to be envious of riding in Europe because of the weather, but this time the superb location and the weather are enough to turn me a little green. Das ist besonders schön!