Well I Was Walking in Memph… I Mean Starnberg

Last weekend I finally did it (8^th May 2010). And I hadn’t even intended to. I simply wanted to chart the exact course but I ended up going the whole way. Yes, I cycled from Munich to Starnberg to see the famous Starnberg Lake. Though the route is supposedly some 26 km from the centre of Munich I’m sure that with my constant detours I cycled closed to 35 km. On Friday I had no lessons so I tried to make the trip but a crucial part of the designated cycle route was blocked due to road works so I used Google maps to chart a new course. Since Google only provides walking and car routes this was a compromise. I found out soon enough that I had to improvise. Parts of the walking route were steep stairs built for hikers to get from the level ground of Thalkirchen up the escarpment to Solln.

With the aid of my Google directions and Munich map combined I found an alternate route and made my way to the gentler climb that is Isartalbahnweg which flanks a golf course. If you ever make your way to Munich and decide to follow the cycle routes beyond the Munich city centre, be warned, you need a racing or a mountain bike. I have neither but what I do have are strong legs courtesy of a sporting past and a healthy lifestyle. The gentler climb referred to was therefore fairly arduous with a straight back posture. Nevertheless, I made my way up the 2.5 kilometre long climb, took a right turn at the top and arrived at Wolfratshauser Strasse in Solln. I took another right and cycled until I reached a field and decided to explore (a detour that bore no fruit when I realised it was taking me back downhill to Munich). I returned to my original detour spot and cycled past the field and hospital on the left till I reached Siemensallee and turned left. The name of this very, very, very long road changed twice until I reached Forstenrieder Allee and turned left. From here I cycled until Forstenrieder Allee became St2065. The St2065 is a quiet two lane side road which runs parallel to an autobahn. Now on my Google directions I was assured I only had 6 km to go before reaching Starnberg and indeed there were only 6 km until I reached Starnberg Municipality. I soon discovered after passing the sign announcing Starnberg Landkreis there was still a way to go before reaching Starnberg town and Starnbergersee (the lake).

Now my original intention had been to chart the route until St2065 road then turn back to attempt the journey another day. I should have known it was unwise to go through with this expedition given that every other cyclist on the road to Starnberg was kitted out in professional looking tour-de-France gear. Every other cyclist was on a racing bicycle as opposed to my unwieldy town bicycle. Not to be deterred I struck out with my straight back riding position and oh the horror, the horror of seeing myself passed by every cyclist on the road. I actually took on a cycling couple and whizzed past them for about a kilometre but (after the Thalkirchen/Solln ordeal) my energy was quickly sapped by the rather gentle slopes. I was doing 50% more work to achieve the same result attained by these slinky, graphite frame bicycle riders and I just gave up.

As you’ll see from the pictures that follow, I did make it to Starnberg – much to the surprise of the couple I had whizzed past momentarily. On the way back to Munich the couple went past me again and the man turned to look at me as though to say, “You actually made it to Starnberg on that bicycle?” I was happy to let him think I was also making the return journey by bicycle but the truth is I was heading to Starnberg train station. My body had had enough punishment and I felt lethargic after having the lunch I had brought along. I gave up red meat a year ago (I lapsed occasionally) and recently gave up poultry so that I’ve been a fish eating “vegetarian” for about two weeks now. I was therefore interested to see how my body would cope. As I lolled in my seat on the train back I thought about just how effortless the whole trip would have been if I owned one of those slinky, graphite frame bicycles. Never mind, I love my town bike nonetheless.

For anyone who wants to try this at some point, you might prefer the more scenic route along the Würm river. For this route, make your way to Planegg or Gauting from Munich (by train if needs be) then find the Würm and happy cycling.