Cycling video #001 on March 9, 2014

Today was a warm end-winter Sunday and I decided to go for a bike ride outside. And guess what – I cycled the exact round trip from indoor cycling video #001 (“Sunny Fall Day Round Trip”) and #006 (“Sunny Spring Day Round Trip”)!
I took a ton of photos. Those of you who enjoyed cycling video #001 or/and #006 during your Indoor Cycling Sessions will certainly recognize some of the following shots!

From Ried I went to Bachern, where I turned to the right to go to Eismannsberg:

Turning to the right in Bachern

You probably remember this turn from the indoor cycling video?

The winter is over but nature has not woken up yet…

On the way to Eismannsberg

Trees are bold, the whole scenery looks all bold…

Entering Asbach!

From Asbach, I continued to Holzburg. There were no horses on the field today in Holzburg, but if you look closely, you can see a horse with a person on the left side of the picture:

Entering Holzburg

Holzburg – then comes Eismannsberg:

Entering Eismannsberg – there was no tractor today :-)

In Eismannsberg, I took this photo:

In Eismannsberg

What about these strange trees from the cycling video? …

I got some emails from people who wanted to know what these strange trees mean, that they can see in many villages when Indoor Cycling in South Germany. So I took a closer picture of this tree, it’s actually a “May Tree”:

May Tree in Eismannsberg

Almost every village has its May Tree. They are painted blue-white because blue-white are the colors of the Bavarian flag (Bavaria is a federal state of Germany). I’m not sure about the real purpose of these May Trees (Wikipedia also doesn’t really know) but they are very traditional. They are erected in a traditional way in May and there is a tradition of the young men of one village stealing a May Tree whereas the May Tree must be guarded by young men of that village, and they will also try to steal the May Tree of the other village, in the night that precedes the day of erection. So this is very traditional and I don’t think that all young men of a village will participate in this, but if the family is a traditional one, maybe. Also the May Tree must be erected with a complicated system, no machines involved … hey you didn’t expect this, right? They are like that, the Bavarians. … but wait until you hear their traditional “music” which they play at every traditional celebration. Horrible! :-) Oh and they also love beer. Maybe beer is a Bavarian invention, I’m not sure. But the Bavarians are very proud of their beer, which they believe is the best of the world.
Back to the May Trees, here is a shot of Eismannsberg’s May Tree at the bottom:

Writing on the May Tree in Eismannsberg

It says “We’re plowing and we’re scattering the seeds to the soil but growing and flourishing is in the hand of God”

Shot of the other side of the street :-) “happy chicken” …

happy chicken on the other side of the street …

Leaving Eismannsberg

(To learn more about this little yellow chapel on the picture – as seen in cycling video #001! – read this blog post)

Continuing to Baindlkirch …

through the wood which just survived the cold winter

Here we are, at Baindlkirch:

Entering Baindlkirch

May Trees all over!

Another May Tree – in Baindlkirch!

A closer look to the May Tree of Baindlkirch

Leaving Baindlkirch – take to the left to go to Tegernbach:

take to the left, direction Tegernbach

Entering Tegernbach

This scene is also in the preview of indoor cycling video #001:

after the building turn to the left

Though nature is still sleeping, I found many crocuses blooming beautifully.

nature is still sleeping but crocuses are already blooming

Actually, the air was sort of misty today. No good weather for recording a cycling video. Anyway, I will only record when all the trees become green in spring.

Today was a misty late winter day

shining street, late winter, the warm sun reminded me of spring

Beautiful!

still asleep, but just beautiful

Now comes Baierberg:

Entering Baierberg

Almost overlooked – the white chapel from cycling video #001!

You remember when leaving Baierberg, there’s a very sharp turn to the left. And exactly at that sharp turn there’s a small chapel. Check next time when you’re cycling the video: on the YouTube Version you can see it from mm:ss 36:31, on the purchase version it’s at 36:37 … Here is the chapel:

right when leaving Baierberg: small chapel at sharp turn to the left

I decided to stop and look what’s in the chapel! So here is a closer look of the small chapel:

Let’s check out what’s in the chapel

Even closer:

taking a closer look

It’s Holy Mary inside!

Holy Mary

What was really funny was the light behind her head. I don’t know where it came from, it must be a smart construction of the building to direct a sunbeam right behind her head. Isn’t this nice.
Most people in Bavaria are Catholics, especially in the rural country. Mary is important for Catholics. They consider her holy. Mary has no real importance for the (Lutheran) Protestants. I’m Protestant, but I’d prefer to be a Catholic.
Next village is Sirchenried!

on the way to Sirchenried

Already there:

Entering Sirchenried

Next stop is Ried, and we’re back:

back in Ried, passing by the sports club

Couldn’t resist to take a photo of Ried’s May Tree …

Yes! Ried has its May Tree, too!

Back to where we started!

There we are

The Indoor Cycling Video (#001 Sunny Fall Day Cycling) ends here, but I had to continue from Ried to Hörmannsberg to Mering, where I live and I took a few beautiful shots on my way back:

On my way to Hörmannsberg

between Hörmannsberg and Mering

Back in Mering.

Back in Mering – very close to home

Time for a shower!

Just in case you don’t know the video #001 yet: Check it out here. There’s also a free version on Youtube! I took it off the shop because it had no music. But the spring-recording video #006 (same route, better camera, beauuutiful footage!!!) does have music, you can find it here, it’s an amazing video.