Weekend Snapshot

This lush edition of Weekend Snapshot features scenes from Texas and two corners of Europe and finds readers making the most of perfect weather windows to pedal and camp in their backyards. Browse all three of today’s scenes below, then continue scrolling to find some related posts from the archive and a quick form you can use to share a glimpse at one of your getaways.

Hungary

By Ádám Bakó

Last week’s adventure took us on the KalandKör 400 (Adventure Loop 400), a scenic ride encircling Lake Balaton, Central Europe’s largest lake, in Hungary. The tour’s highlight was reaching the Pusztatorony church ruin, built in the 12th century. We enjoyed the night camping near its ancient walls. The route is well-signposted and perfectly suited for gravel bikes. For anyone traveling through Hungary, the rolling hills of the Balaton Highlands are an absolute must-see.

Texas

By Neo Jang

Having postponed several times this spring, our children succeeded in pedaling to and sleeping outside in the beautiful Sam Houston National Forest last weekend. It was our niece’s first-ever bikepacking trip, our daughter’s return as a confident, experienced rider, and our son’s first self-pedaled one. On a singlespeed with 16″ tires, there were several tumblings on fast and loose dirt and few cries. We pushed our bikes together uphill side-by-side, his with wheels half the size of mine. There was much impromptu play in nature at creek crossings (soaked shoes and sticker-filled clothes) and at the lakeside campsite. Thanks to all the moms in the family, I am so proud of all our kids and will forever cherish these small adventures filled with joy and awe of discovery and reconnection.

Freiburg, Germany

By Quint Sblick

For the first really warm spring weekend, I decided on a relaxed Friday after-work sleepover in one of my favorite places close to home. The beautiful clearing in the forest is not far from the city limits but far enough from the stress of everyday life delivered with its lush green grass, fallen trees, and chirping birds. Topped off with a cup of morning tea prepped on the old alcohol stove plus caramel peanut butter from the tube, not even the discovery of a flat tire and my moderately successful attempts to fix it (with the pump breaking midway) could kill the mood. I rolled back into town around midday on what felt like 0.5 bar with my rims at risk but my state of mind restored.

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