Dark Round Around Balaton, A Diary of a Nature Lover

Prologue:

This idea is related to my friend. I was really busy in the summer, but finally we were able to do it. There were other wannabe participants as well. Some of them didn’t have time, someone fall asleep, someone didn’t like the weather forecast. There are two types of cycling weather: good cycling weather and bad cycling weather. This night belongs to the second group. After all I and my friend were on the “start line” and ready to embrace the darkness.

Place and date:

Balatönfüred

27.08.2022 Saturday

Equipment:

I took with me my saddle bag, where I stored my SOS bike kit (spare tube, tube repair kit, some tools, spd, bolts etc.) I had to carry a powerbank for charging my front light and GPS. I used my handlebar bag. It had plenty of room for my security vest and chocolates. I mounted my aerobar for addicitonal comfort. I think it is really nice on flat surfaces.

Tactic:

I wanted to reach the starting town with a moderate speed then survive the night.

Experience report:

It’s been while since I rode those streets of Zala and Balaton Upperland. I was in a good form for ultra cycling, therefore I decided to cycle all the way down to the starting town. I didn’t want to use a car, because the trip would have been dangerous after so much cycling. The train was out of question. There were ongoing repairs on the railway. I estimated a 25 kph average speed. It was a bit optimistic due to the high temperature and I had to do many small climbs. I started at 2 pm to reach my destination in time and have a dinner before the start. Firstly the temperature caused a little bit of trouble and I had to make multiple stops at cemeteries. I tried to drink as much water as I could and keep my head cool. After Kapolcs the street was wet and the air was really humid. I was struggling with breathing. My head was a bit dizzy after I reached Balatonfüred. I wasn’t able to drink enough water in the heat. I fueled myself up with a ham pizza. It was super tasty

After the darkness has fallen, we started our journey. My body was still to hot. Finally we reached the high coast and I felt myself much better. The lightning accompanied us during the whole night. We saw it sometimes in front of us, sometimes behinds us, sometimes to the side. One lost cloud even soaked us after Siófok. Fortunately Zala County received the largest amount of precipitation. We chose the right, clockweise direction. Of course we had to fight with the wind, and the pavement was partly wet. The crowd was crazy in Siófok. A lot of young guys and girls wanted to have a party at the last summer weekend.

I wanted to have a hot drink at the train station of Keszthely. I was out of order. Nevertheless we eat a bit of food and continued the route. Our muscles were cold, the first couple of kilometers weren’t really enjoyable. The pavement was also absolutely garbage for road bikes. It was a pure punishment for body-soul-bike. The sunrise was interesting. It took a while till we were able to actually see the sun. The last dark clouds from the night passed away slowly. And suddenly it felt like someone turned the light on. My whole body was sore. Fortunately the grocery store was already open after we completed the big circle.

Conclusion:

Despite the bad weather circumstances, it was an interesting experience. This was the first time I cycled through the whole night. Continuation? Maybe there will be a Bu(dapest)-Ba(laton) bicycle tour in October.

Recommendation:

Round around the Lake at night isn’t a bad idea after all. The course doesn’t really lead on the coast, so the view to the lake is limited even at daylight. The mild temperature and traffic would be also beneficial. I recommend a storm-free and full moon night.

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