“When I was a student I had a kitesurfing accident. After that the only sport I could do for a while was cycling, so I swapped my board for my bike – and ended up never going back. Surfing is a sport where you spent hours sitting around waiting until the wind is coming from a certain direction or the waves are just right. Cycling is different – your can just open your front door and head out into the mountains.
I knew about the Blindsee lake from a ride I did with my wife over the Marienbergjoch ridge and the Fernpass mountain pass. Back then I said to her, ‘Next time I’m going to ride the Blindsee Trail.’ It is an exposed mountain trail which takes you to a hidden lake in the middle of the forest. I was fascinated by the idea and couldn’t stop thinking about riding that trail.
Some people enjoy learning to play new songs on the guitar – in my case I like learning new things on my bike. It’s a great way to discover new places and share outdoor experiences with other people. I guess that is something that mountainbiking and surfing have in common. That’s why I sometimes call what I do ‘trailsurfing’.”
Michael Gams – amateur mountainbiker
The Blindsee Trail is a challenging 7km mountainbike route from the Grubigalm hut down to the Blindsee lake. The start of the trail can be accessed via a gravel road or using the Grubigsteinbahnen cable car. Michael’s tip is to take your swimming things with you. Access to the lake is free for cyclists and hikers.