STOŁOWE MOUNTAINS // FED BY WILD
In intention, the plan was as simple as a spirit level: I fly in, we meet up, pack up, and head to the Stołowe Mountains to test the endurance of our equipment, which means a typical winter bikepacking trip on fat bikes with camping in the wilderness.
During this spontaneous lack of planning, it turned out that in Karłów, in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, a group of enthusiasts was organizing the country's first unofficial Polish Championships in fat winter cycling: the FatBike Race. Perfect! Us on fat bikes, them on fat bikes, oh, the fat will flow down the slopes of the Stołowe Mountains.
The plan for Saturday was as follows: we arrive in Karłów, pack our gear on the bikes, and head to the mountains to test the new equipment during a camp in a cool place. Sunday morning, a quick retreat and downhill ride to the race.
We arrived in Karłów late in the evening, around midnight we reached the Errant Rocks, and after a quick reconnaissance, we had to slightly adjust our Farleys for the further road...
Food... the genius pasta from Lyo Food and dried beef from a Polish "stable" in Ostrzeszów.
View of our temporary roof over our heads, and Seba contemplating the compression of his sleeping bag.
And off we go... this time, I won't elaborate - although I really want to - on how magical and incredible this place is; the photos speak for themselves.
Catching the "flow" is only for the patient and skilled, in other words, skills pay off doubly here.
The incredible Errant Rocks are behind us, an unearthly spot that certainly left a few scratches and abrasions on our frames and jackets. Before us, another amazing realm of a fairytale-like winter opened up. White Mordor - malicious and unpredictable.
After maneuvering through the marvelous Errant Rocks, it feels fantastic to ride a longer stretch in one go...
Just in the nick of time, we managed to snap a photo before dismantling the finish line. That's how our first joint bikepacking adventure ended. Although we didn't make it to the race or kill two birds with one stone, what we experienced in the mountains is ours!
text: Sebastian Pawłowski / photos: Adam Klimek / www.fedbywild.com