It’s time for my last day in Germany, my first in Austria and then a new visit in Czech Republic. I’m ready for a new day on the road and are prepared for some more climbing.

It’s early morning, the electricity in the whole town is gone. Luckily I was able to charge all my equipment yesterday. I’ve got no breakfast at this pension. After meeting the owner, walking around in his singlet and boxer shorts everytime I meet him, I’m not 100% sure if I would have eaten the breakfast if it was any.

There’s a shop 100 meters away. I buy what I need for today. My music is turned on, I’m cycling through the streets of Borava Lada and are continuing down the valley. Quickly passing Horni Vltavice and further on towards the german boarder.

My plan is to stop for a lunch on the Czech side of the boarder, why? Simple answer…It’s cheaper and maybe I don’t have to eat snitzel.

I’m cycling through the woods, but on paved cycle paths towards the german boarder after passing Stożek. This place seems really popular for cyclists. It’s funny how you can cycle alone for a whole day and suddenly you meet 500 cyclists. Families, groups, couples or maybe people out training.

There’s a restaurant 50 meters from the boarder. I stop here and choose to sit inside. I don’t want to freeze too much. I order some food and drinks.

I need to start looking for an accommodation for tonight. I’m searching around 100-120Km from my starting point. Everything is fully booked. I look even closer than my plan, but there’s nothing. Finally booking.com helped me. They found a pension close to the forrest just outside Lipno nad Vltavou. There’s only one room left and I book it immediately.

It’s about time to get on the road again. I’m still in Czech Republic, but will have to visit Germany and the mountains in Austria before entering Czech again. Will I be able to reach this before 19:00, which is the latest check-in time?

Crossing the boarder to Germany. Cycling through Haidmuhle and Riedelsbach before I cross the Austrian boarder.

Imagine that? I’m in country nr 10 out of 20. This means that I have 10 more countries to visit during the next 40 days. Crazy, but I like it!

I always like to take a picture on the boarder, and of course I can’t break this tradition. I’m continuing and are surrounded by mountains. It’s beautiful.

You can’t have everything at the same time. Either you have a flat and booring landscape, or you have beautiful and powerful mountains which really make you feel small in this world. The last part will of course be harder, but sometimes it’s really worth it!

There are good roads here in Austria. The drivers are friendly and keeps a safe distance when passing me.

I’m cycling over some climbs and through places like Ulrichsberg. When I’m coming to Almesberg, it’s just like meeting a wall. You see what’s coming, but you don’t see how long the climb is.

My GPS is showing me that I’m about 550 meters above sea level. I’m climbing and climbing the steep hills. There are two girls jogging behind me. They are actually coming closer and closer, but they don’t carry 35Kg and most likely they don’t have 90Km in their legs already.

The GPS tells me that I should follow a trail. I can’t see any trail, there’s only grass and woods. I can however see that a tractor have been driving here.

OK… Michael Cramer…One more time. I will follow the «trail».

I’m cycling down the hill full of grass. My hope is that the trail gets better down at the woods. This must be wrong. There’s no trail here. I decide just to follow the blue line through the woods. There’s a trail. I’m off the bike and start to push it up the steep hill. I’m «finally» through the woods. There is no continuing trail, just some grass fields. 500 meters up the hill. My GPS shows me that there will be a normal road there. I’m pushing, pulling and changing grip…It’s really hard.

Back at the road. I continue and are just laughing about the whole experience. What’s next? Are you gonna see if I’m stupid enough to swim as well?

The next hill is even harder. I’m pushing, step by step. Don’t look too much forward, don’t think about the climb, think about something fun and if you have enough breath left…Sing along with the music!

Finally at the top. It’s getting late and I don’t have too much time to reach the check-in at 19:00. I have to cycle further.

It seems like I’m over the worst part now. Some steep downhill cycling. I love it! My glasses are on and I cycle towards the Czech boarder.

9.7Km left. That’s not much. I’ve got control about the time. I cycle along the water Vltava and found a bank in Lipno. It’s just 1 km left to the pension.

I’ve arrived. What a house. You enter a huge hall. It’s beautiful. The owner takes me up the stairs and shows me my room, or should I say appartment? This must be bigger than my place back home, it’s amazing. There’s a huge king size bed, a living room, a room for the toilet and one for the shower.

I have a shower and cycle down to a restaurant to get some food. I really need some food today. I must admit that I’m exhausted after todays climbs. It’s the third day with above 2000 meters of climbs.

It’s time for skype with Lillian and to sleepzzzzzzzzzz, goodnight!

What is Challenge4you?

I’ve got the question from some of the followers. They want me to tell a few words about Challenge4you and what it is, so here we go!

Challenge4you is a website that i started in 2012. I’ve been looking for a name for what I am doing, a name that will identify what I am doing and what I try to do with my trips. Challenge4you.com was available, and I’ve been trying to build this up.

The story behind everything:

In 2003 my brother was hit by a car. He’s been struggeling with a lot of surgeries to fix his legs, but most likely they will never be 100% again. This was hard on our family, but in the end I think it made us stronger and even closer to each other.

In December 2005 I was found unconscious in Stavanger. I had been out bowling with my company and were actually leaving the company only a few days later.

I was brought to the hospital and they found two broken bones in my spine (vertebral).

To make a story short. I ended up with metal inside my back. In 2007 they removed it and I got an infection in my body and ended up in hospital for 5 weeks, and 4 of them were in isolation with surgery almost every second day

What’s next?

Me and my brother decided to challenge ourself to cycle from Northcape to Lindesnes in 2011, which is Norway from top to bottom and our route was about 2700Km. We managed to do this and we really loved the challenge.

I challenged my sister to join me on bicycle from Denmark to Italy in 2012. She joined and we had an amazing summer together.

I loved these types of challenges. And when people give me the positive feedback, it really motivates me to continue. And when people comes over to me and tells me to continue with writing about our mountain hiking and challenges, and that it motivates them… This gives me motivation to continue.

In other words, Challenge4you is a website that I write about my trips and adventures. My goal with this site is to get a good documentation from our experiences and to motivate the normal person in the streets. Show them that it is possible to get back from a serious injury and to enjoy life!

GPS Data from todays ride: