The Last Two Days of the Ronde van Bouldern – From Here On, Solo…
This is a guest article by Martin. After eight days across Germany on The Ronde van Bouldern with Bengt, I still had two more days to ride – and two final stops on the way.
Day 1 kicked off in Stuttgart, right in front of Boulderhalle VELS. Thanks to a little shuffle in our tour plan, I ended up rolling in there twice. That morning I got to spend some proper time with the great people I met – thanks for the warm welcome, the conversations, and for caring about our story. Bonus fact: I can now confirm that our Flossen-Fett-Refiller is at least for one dog-stomach friendly.
We chatted longer than planned, so I didn’t hit the road until late – with 113 km and 1,300 vertical meters still ahead. Half the climbs came halfway in, the rest just before the finish. The first stretch was the exact route I had done in reverse the day before – through valleys and forests I already knew from past two-wheeled adventures. What pushed me on, apart from the scenery, was the thought of meeting my friend Lars that evening. And I’ll admit it: I wanted to keep up a solid pace without Bengt’s slipstream and pedal pressure out front. Bengt’s wish for me the day before was simple: “May the wind stay with you.” Sadly, that prayer went unanswered – so instead of tailwind joyrides, I got headwind reality.
Close to the end I got a sharp reminder of how far I’ve come over the past year: a little rear-wheel drift in a hairpin on a 9% downhill just before the finish. My heartrate spiked, but I caught it calmly, almost routine. Lucky – the choice was otherwise between trees down the slope or a steel guardrail shred.
After conquering the world’s biggest Schnitzel and a solid boulder session with Lars at Boulder Bock in Schwäbisch Hall (tip: you can check in there anytime between 6 AM and midnight!), I called it a night. Sleep was short, but brunch with Lars and Kim in front of their campervan made for the perfect reset.
Day 2: Final sprint. The forecast looked kind: sun, light tailwind, and a course that promised both beauty and pain. Saddled up and rolling. 167 km with 1,140 vertical meters – all stacked on the first half. With a late start again (no Bengt means no early start, as I learned), there was no room for breaks: just climb. Meter by meter, just constant forward motion, up roads I knew from my motorbike days during and just after university. Experiencing them now at bicycle speed was humbling. Every ascent felt longer, but also richer.
Fueled by brunch, I barely stopped – driven by the wish to arrive before the storm and the turning winds. When I finally crested the last classified climb, I almost did not believe it. That was it? No more uphill? Time for the cyclist’s ritual: eat a bar, quick pee, and push the pace. With 85 km still to go, it was no free gift, but in Bamberg I rolled in dry and relieved. Tour officially over.
That evening, reason won over stubbornness: instead of one more boulder session, I went for clean clothes, a shower, a bed, and a burger. Good choice.
The next day, though, I was back at it with Tizia – bouldering at BLOCKHELDEN Bamberg. Huge thanks for the hospitality – and if you’ve never been: put it on your list. It’s a classic Frankenjura Bouldergym.
The two bonus days after Bamberg, heading through the Franconian countryside to Schweinfurt (to see my friend Jul) and Würzburg (to see my cousin Tom), felt like a gift. Riding along the Main river on quiet paths, away from traffic, gave me a new view of a region I thought I knew super well since my childhood. At this point, I want to thank all my friends, family, and the gyms who supported me with food, shelter, and encouragement along the way. And everyone else who lent a hand in any form – you made this adventure possible. And of course: my own company, KAPITÄN OHLSEN
From my side: anytime again. More, please. Next year? Absolutely.
Adventurer: Martin