Boyens Medien: Slogging and graveling: Workation with the gravel bike

Parsdorf (dpa/tmn) – I cover the last few kilometers to my co-workation home, how could it be otherwise, on a gravel bike. Despite the light drizzle, a holiday feeling immediately sets in.

I cycle past farms from Vaterstetten train station to Parsdorf in just under 20 minutes. The small town is well connected to the east of Munich city centre – still relatively unknown to tourists, but in close proximity to the forest and the first hills. A good starting point for cycling tours, a nice place to work and therefore perfect for a potentially new trend: gravel co-workation.

To explain the terms first: Gravel means gravel. Simply put, gravel bikes combine the dynamics of a racing bike with the off-road capability of a mountain bike thanks to slightly wider tires. And they are totally on trend.

Co-workation or refers to the combination of vacation and work with colleagues – hence the “co-“. A model that more and more companies are jumping on and which – even without colleagues – is also becoming increasingly popular among digital nomads and people with flexible working conditions. The Corona pandemic has fueled this trend.

German restraint

In other countries such as Italy, people are already more open to the concept. In Germany, however, hotels and tourist regions are still somewhat hesitant. “We want to use the opportunity of the New Work movement to sustainably strengthen rural areas in the Alps.” “We have something that others don’t have: the work-life-mountain balance,” says Veronika Engel, who is promoting the topic in the Alpine region with her association CoworkationAlps.

A hiking, yoga or e-bike co-workation would of course be just as conceivable. But now we want to go on gravel through Upper Bavaria.

The first tour leads out of Parsdorf into the forest. The sun occasionally peeks through the treetops and shines into the thick moss. It looks a bit like a fairytale forest. You just have to watch out for the wild boars, says guide Max Marquardt. He leads the group over the first climbs and past the typical Bavarian meadows with cows. After 20 kilometers you reach the small town of Glonn.

Coffee and cycling

Lisa Hinterholzer and her partner have been running a coffee roastery here for 15 years, the ideal place for a first stop on the bike tour. “Cycling and drinking coffee belong together, they are historically linked,” explains Marquardt. Coffee manufacturers often act as sponsors at cycling events, and many ambitious cyclists swear by the caffeine for an extra performance boost.

But I’m not in Upper Bavaria for peak performance, but also for relaxation. And so we head back towards Parsdorf at a relaxed pace. The route leads on asphalt through cute Bavarian villages, over a small pass, on gravel paths through the forest again and later across a meadow. The different surfaces are no problem with the gravel bike. After a total of almost 50 kilometers, we reach the “Bader Hotel” in Parsdorf again in the early afternoon.

Off to the desk in the hotel

If it were a vacation, I could put my feet up. But unfortunately, work is also part of workation. And off to the small desk in the hotel room. My legs are a little heavy, but it’s easier to work after exercise and with a clear head.

I sit comfortably on the wooden chair, but of course it is not really ergonomic to work here. And the internet connection also reaches its limits when it comes to more complex tasks. The hotel room is only partially suitable for a whole day’s work, but it is a pleasant change for an afternoon of small tasks. The view of the greenery and the very tasty dinner in the hotel restaurant also make up for it.

Together with CoworkationAlps, the Upper Bavaria region is trying to improve the working conditions and digital infrastructure in the accommodations and to promote cooperation. Until now, co-workation trips could not really be booked in a compact manner.

Guests usually have to organize travel, accommodation, and bike rental and transport themselves. However, some hotels in Upper Bavaria are currently converting their rooms specifically for working holiday guests. “This is an opportunity for areas that have not been so overcrowded by tourists and offers the possibility of extending the classic season,” says Miriam Hördegen from the Upper Bavaria Munich Tourism Association. Co-working could attract more young people to the region, especially in combination with sport.

In addition to private individuals, there is a focus on companies that organize co-working spaces for their employees. Some accommodations, such as the “Bader Hotel,” offer well-equipped conference rooms. But many companies have not yet even considered the concept.

“Where home office is not normal, there is no need to talk about workation,” says Veronika Engel, but she is already seeing progress in the Alpine region thanks to her commitment. Portals such as coworkland.de or workation.de now also offer special accommodation for groups who want to work together on vacation – not only in other parts of Germany, but throughout Europe.

Reach your destination with a clear head

The next morning, I was faced with snow, mud and temperatures around freezing in Upper Bavaria. Not for fair-weather riders. But we are riding gravel bikes, so it’s time to get in the saddle.

This time the route leads south towards the Alps. It goes through a forest area and of course through villages with unmistakable Bavarian charm. Cycling clears your head and in a group it is only half as strenuous as alone. But the temperatures drop with every kilometer, hands and toes freeze. So I am glad that this time the stage destination of Holzkirchen is reached after just 30 kilometers.

Christian Lutz from Specialized welcomes us here. The US bicycle manufacturer has one of its headquarters in Holzkirchen and is well informed about the cycling trend. “Gravel bikes have come across the pond from the USA to us. “I think this is a trend that will be with us for quite some time,” says Lutz. Co-workation offers with this type of bike are also likely to continue.

Wide field of activity in Upper Bavaria

To ensure that cycling opportunities in Upper Bavaria are accepted, the region is working on improving cycle paths and infrastructure. With the Hopfenschleife, the Salzschleife and the Kunstschleife, the tourism authority has already put together three routes with different requirements and thematic focuses off the beaten track. The water cycle paths, which were inaugurated in 2018, extend over around 1,200 kilometers.

In the afternoon, I go back to my hotel desk. The combination of work and cycling in a new environment works very well for me personally and has a special appeal. And working feels less like work when you’re on a workation.

But you could quickly copy it anywhere without a marketing strategy: rent a holiday apartment, hotel or campsite with internet access and a workspace, take your bike and colleagues or friends with you. The concept probably has a future every autumn. Whether you call it gravel (co)workation or not.