Muenchen – Eating & Drinking – Restaurants – International – Eating & Drinking – Pubs & Bars – Bars – Beer Garden – Eating & Drinking – Restaurants

I’ve been to quite a few Biergartens since I’ve lived in München and this is bar far my favorite. It used to be a local place for me when I lived in Schwabing. However, I now live on the opposite end of town and I still go to the Chinese Tower whenever possible.

Not many Biergartens have live Bayerischer Musik and such good food. It’s just a München sort of place in the middle of one of the most beautiful public parks in the world… the English Garten.

The feeling here cannot be duplicated anywhere else. On a sunny, warm day, there are few places I’d rather be hanging out with friends than the Chinese Tower.

Check out my review of Restaurant am Chinesischen Turm – I am wunnspeed – on Qype

Munich – Eating & Drinking – Cafes & Coffee Shops – Cafes – Nightlife – Snooker & Pool – Nightlife – Music Venues – Eating & Drinking – Pubs & Bars – Bars – Cocktail Bars

Only been there the one time with Rottenmac. It’s a pretty cool place at the end of a street with good jazz music and yummy burgers. Not as expensive as many of the ’so-called’ burger joints in town.

Also, the only time I’ve been there was at night so I don’t really know why it’s called Kaffee Giesing. Maybe they do coffee in the daytime. I’m not sure. Or, it could be they’re modeling themselves after the coffee shops of the 50’s and William Burroughs or something.

Anyway, it’s worth a try if you’re in the area.

Check out my review of Kaffee Giesing – I am wunnspeed – on Qype

Muenchen – Verkehrsmittel – KFZ & Zweiraeder – Fahrrad

This shop is small, basically all Specialized but the guy who runs it is quite helpful and friendly. Believe it or not, it’s one of the few shops in town that I’ve ever actually gotten to order me something and then do it!

I’d pretty much given up on any sort of quality service in a shop until I met this guy.

I’ll keep coming back!

Mein Beitrag zu BIKE SPORT MÜNCHEN – Ich bin wunnspeed – auf Qype

Muenchen – Verkehrsmittel – KFZ & Zweiraeder – Fahrrad

This is the most non-Secondhand Sports store that I think I’ve ever seen. I’m not sure who shops here but the guy must make a mint because his prices on most ‘used’ things are more than they cost new. I’m not sure if he thinks he’s running the German bicycle version of the Antiques Road Show but something I’d sell on EBay for 10 Euros he’s often asking 50 Euros plus for. Bizarre! Thus… no stars (unfortunately, I can’t leave no stars) for this guy or his customers.

The only good thing that I can say about this shop is it’s location next to the Cinema München which gives you something to do while waiting for movies to start.

Mein Beitrag zu Secondhand Sports – Ich bin wunnspeed – auf Qype

Muenchen – Eating & Drinking – Restaurants – Mexican – Eating & Drinking – Restaurants – Bistros

This is the ONLY Mexican restaurant that I have found in München. Nothing else (I’ve tried them all) comes even close to the food here. It’s not ‘real’ Mexican food because if it was, the food and drinks would rate a 1 Pound mark instead of 3 Pounds.

In any case. Jorge is a very friendly host even if his wife can be a tad… well, unfriendly. We love their Happy Hour and their drinks.

Again, compared to everywhere else in town, El Patio is definitely the most authentic and easily the best tasting. I just wish it were about 1/2 the price.

Check out my review of El Patio – I am wunnspeed – on Qype

Muenchen – Eating & Drinking – Restaurants – American – Eating & Drinking – Restaurants – Southwestern

I have eaten at Dillingers quite a few times. For me, about the only thing that they do really well is steaks. The service is good, the prices are about double what I would expect, except for the aforementioned steaks which are on special once a week.

They bill themselves as an American Restaurant but it’s often German/American food in disguise. Oh well. I’ve certainly had worse. Eat here in a pinch, otherwise go elsewhere.

Check out my review of Dillinger Chicago Bar’n Grill – I am wunnspeed – on Qype

My dear wife being herself!

This is us at Dachstein - click for more pics

Before the carnage - Click for more pics

After the carnage

It’s been ages since I’ve written.

Why?

Well, my excuse boils down to my new job and trying to ride as much as I can. Sadly, a large part of the time the two goals seem to cancel each other out.

Not only have I pretty much vanished as a web presence/blogger, I’ve also not been able or made time for a few other things (i.e. Phone calls, emails, stuff around the house, the list goes on).

For that, I apologise. Things are slowly starting to normalize, a bit. I’m managing, or should I say, we’re adjusting to me working full-time and not having anywhere near as much time for all the things I could do as a freelancer.

Kera and I have begun going on one, if not two long rides (100 plus kilometers) each weekend. Also, I’m doing my best to get out at least twice a week for a ride with intervals. Strangely, I feel like I’m in pretty good shape because of those rides.

That was two weeks ago. Almost no exercise for me since then. We’ve been on a long weekend trip to Hallstatt, Austria since which was great and we both needed.

Wow, that was written a few weeks ago. Things have changed a bit…. or, a lot!

It’s already snowed here. I crashed pretty hard in a race and have hardly exercised in a month and we’re both very busy with work.

Right now, Kera us in Australia. In the last month, she’s travelled to Toronto, Canada, Seattle, London, Zurich and now she’s taking on the Southern Hemisphere. Needless to say she’s a busy girl.

I just felt the need to get something posted for the first time since June. Please excuse the absence and scattered thoughts. This was all typed while on the subway or train between classes.

Ciao!

Only of few of us Auslanders in Dresden this past weekend. Too bad, you guys missed a fun weekend. Here are a number of photos.
A taste of what you missed..

SingleSpeed European Championships

Looks like I made 32nd…

Last on the list...many more behind me... I think

In Purple is Longo, in plaid is Ed

The Start...

If I remember correctly, these four were fixies

Drink a Schapps, cut the course by a 1/3

Said Schapps

Nice Blue Retrovelo bike

Singlestoph out front here.

Isaac... being Isaac

Thanks to Torture King for all the photos.
Many more here.

Thanks to all my moms!

The FIRST thing. I’m a shit when it comes to being a son. I completely overlooked the fact that it was Mother’s Day due to the bike show, etc. I just want to say I’m sorry and a BELATED HAPPY MOTHERS DAY to my step-mother Cherie, my other step-ish mom Vivian and my mother-in-law Dee. You’re all great and I’m sorry I missed it.

Drop bar beauty

Grey in color only

Lovely!

Last weekend didn’t turn out to be our most active weekend ever but we did manage to get a pretty good road ride in on Saturday and then we did a bit of shopping and following that a birthday party for our friend Christian Borst. The ride was about 70 km and had a few hills along with a mid-ride stop for a snack. The party was fun as we got to meet some of Borsts friends from college and the rest of his family. It was his 30th so everyone wanted to come celebrate with him. Yes, we hang out with people that I could be their parent from time-to-time.

Sunday, we got up early and headed off with another Christian in tow to  the European Handmade Bicycle Expo in Schwabisch Gmünd. This was the first EHBE ever and from all indications, it was a resonding success. The list of wonderful builders is long. Click this link if you’re interested.

I know that I’ll miss some but a few standouts for me were.

Crisp Titanium (a sponsor of BWR Europe and possibly the builder of my next mountain bike)

Julie Racing Design

Le Cadre

Daily Bread

Independent Fabrications

Not a bike maker but great to see there just the same were also our friends at

Biciclista.it

I got the above jersey and Stefano is doing our European BWR uniforms as well. Kera got the Chicken jersey as well.

Also our buddy Jelle who runs

singlespeed.nl

Here’s the link to my pics from the event. Also, click here for the EHBE 2009 group on Flickr.

In other news… I turned another year older on the 13th of May. I’m now an aging 47 years old. Ugh!

My loving wife got me two great bottles of Scotch, A great wool jersey/hoodie from EWB and Indy Fab. She also gave me a great Icebreaker wool t-shirt and a pair of wool underwear. They’re Merino wool which feels great to me.

Me in Munich Olympic Park

This was year No. 2 for the SOG Events City Bike Marathon. Essentially, it’s two different distance marathons (64 Km and 87 KM), plus a kids race that starts and ends at the famous Munich Olympic Park. Last year turned out to be a mess because some people tore down marking tape, moved arrows, etc. and caused major confusion on the course with people going the wrong direction then returning toward oncoming traffic, etc

The start of the short course. Long course a few minutes later.

This year, they really did a great job of having people stationed at virtually ever corner and ground markings, mixed with the occasional arrow to help you confirm that you were indeed going the correct direction. Well, that is until about the 80-something kilometer mark inside the Oly Park (as we call it). When we rounded the corner to enter the stadium there were two paths. One had a very small sign with maybe 1″ tall letters (very hard to read at 25 km/hr) which we now know led to a second round of the park. The other, the one that Justin and I (as well as seemingly many others) took went to the finish line with no way to get out to finish properly.

Therefore, I finished, didn’t finish it again this year. Didn’t make me happy, but there was nothing I could do about it once I’d crossed the line and realized what was actually going on. Oh well, hopefully SOG and I will learn from these mistakes. Hopefully.

Map of the long course

Long course profile

The course led directly toward the Isar river from the park. From there we headed North for many kilometers where a lot of carnage ensued. It always amazes me how many people manage to crash on dirt/gravel roads and end up either heavily bandaged or going to the hospital. After almost reaching the airport, we crossed the river and headed back south. At one point, we went west to the windmill hill up/over and around the Alliance Arena and then started doing a long flat curve around the north end of the city. Then we started working our way back to the park were we were supposed to do two rounds and then finish.

A couple of equipment comments. I ran singlespeed at 32X17. The course was sooooo very flat. I’m not sure whether I’ll do it singlespeed again or not. If I do, I may do it 32 or 34X16. Maybe I’ll do it on a fixie next year. Anyway, close to the end I had to stand to climb and both legs simultaniously locked up. OUCH! I kind of spun that out going into the park but I attribute it to 80+ km of spinning and not enough fluids. My Ergon grips (sadly, the Euro team couldn’t gain sponsorship for ‘09) really did the job. I really love their products. Also, my GEAX tires were amazing! I’ve got the Barro Race 2.0 tires on now. There’s amazingly light and definitely a race tire. I can honestly say that they probably upped my average speed by a 2-3 km/hr. They roll so smoothly and even though they have a super low profile they never once let me down in corners. Oh… FYI, I’m also running them tubeless which works very well too. Thanks GEAX!

Here’s a link to all the Sportograf.de photos that I bought. Go HERE.

Look on the right... that's where I should be. Grrr!

So, at first SOG didn’t post our results. Then, a few days later they popped up. Here they are. Keep in mind that over 2000 people participated and that people were continuing to finish over an hour after I finished. So, doing it on a singlespeed wasn’t the worst that I could have imagined.

82nd in Senior Men, 244th out of all men