Advise on Black Forest

[Wapping]

I think French Busy and UK Busy are a bit different.

I have ridden the B500 on a Sunday and found it reasonably good, a bit busier than in the week, but nothing compared to how any great biking road in the UK gets jammed on a nice sunny weekend.

On my first Alps trip I was warned about how commercial and busy the Julier Pass is, I rode it twice, and both times the traffic was what I would call very light on any A or B road in my part of the world.

Ain't that the truth

 

[Keith24GB]

If you do spend time in the Black Forest area and are in the vicinity of Todtnau (south of Freiburg) don't miss the chance of a ride on the "Hasenhorn Coaster", Absolutely the best ride down the side of a mountain ever. It's like a bob sleigh on rails with wheels below and above the rails sp you can't "come off", Brilliant. We came down and immediately went back up for another go. My missus screamed all the way down !!. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmGA096IoMs&feature=related

What have I been missing all these years . My sister lives in Kappel-Frieburg, who I visit regular. Todtnau is only 25KM away and I have never heard of the Rollarbahn , next time I visit her I will defiantly be having a go.
If I cast my mind back, I think I was at Todtnau about 20 years ago (most probably before the RollarBahn was built) if it’s the same place I’m thinking of! At the top there was a platform specifically built for hang gliders to launch from, and the road leading up the mountain was full of cyclists.

 

[swissrob]

Can i ask how busy is gets at weekends as i could be there over a weekend mid june
Ta.

all depends which area - route de cretes is caravan and sunday driver city. same for the route de ballon.

Any areas with parking turn into a rolling car park , forgot the name of 1 area but on weekends you will find a few hundred cars park either side of the road with granny tottering across the road.

but of course this is just 1 area, the vosges is huge.

if you search through some of my older posts there is a gps track of a great 400km day ride on a lot of roads that you would never ever find.


we never bother with the vosges on weekends BTW.

 

[Rasher]

we never bother with the vosges on weekends BTW.

I am there on a Monday

Arrive in the Black Forest on Sunday and can be there by lunch time if weather is good for a bit of back roading (everyone else will be on the B500)

route de cretes is caravan and sunday driver city. same for the route de ballon

These are both in my planned route along with Schlucht, we are starting at St Marie, riding down Cretes until it meets Schlucht and then riding over that before setting back down to that twisty road that leads to Cernay. From there we take the Ballon.

Also get to ride the B500 (and other great roads) to and from the Vosges. Hopefully being late April we are beating the real holiday season as well.

 

[Wapping]

What have I been missing all these years .

A basic map by the sound of it

 

[swissrob]

sounds good.
watch out for the cobbled section of turns on the cretes also there is a fair bit of loose grit on the vosges roads so please be aware.

 

[Rasher]

sounds good.
watch out for the cobbled section of turns on the cretes also there is a fair bit of loose grit on the vosges roads so please be aware.

Thanks

I should be arriving just as all the winter snow has melted and dragged more crap than usual onto the road