Kaszebe Round ... I still do not know what it was.

What is Kaszebe Runda? I do not know. It's neither a race, nor Gran Fondo, nor basically a trip. However, the idea is that you do not have to think about the exact definition.

The last weekend of May is usually full of cycling events, this year covered with each other: Jarna Klasika in the Slovak Tatra Mountains, which we have been riding every year for years (relationship with 2015 and 2016), marathon in Choszczno (for which I really wanted to go, because it's almost 250km racing, but a bit far, and the weekend so short), Bydgoszcz Cycling Challange (meaning the definition of "what I do not like in mass races& #8222;) and Kross Road Tour in Głowno (which was a last resort). And when I was finishing the list of pros and cons to choose the smallest evil, I came across a video on the internet & #8211; report from Kaszebe Round 2014 (link to youtube). It was something new, something wonderful. Instead of showing struggle, fatigue and overcoming their own weaknesses, there were cyclists and cyclists ... counted more in the hundreds or thousands than tens. Such in sandals, sneakers, reflective vests, with backpacks, panniers, baskets. Such, without offense, critical mass. They all ate ... or lay (and in total also ate). They lay talking about the fact that this year they will try to improve last year's time .... lying still.

For a dozen or so minutes of shots from a cycling rally (?), About 90% depicted people who talked about donuts, pancakes, tires, cakes, smoked fish, lard, bread, buns, aroniówce lemonade, ice cream. I checked quickly what the route looks like - over 200km after the essence of Kashubia and Bory Tucholskie. It was a moment when we once again postponed prosecution for other, better times.

Kaszebe Runda is a marathon in which 1500+ people compete at distances 65/125 / 208km. The start takes place in the classic formula for this type of event: every 2 minutes, groups of ~ 15 people are played, with the difference that the groups can be created alone. So you can talk to your team and make a time trial for 208 kilometers, breaking all records along the way. In my opinion, this is impossible, although my preoccupied with searching free eating eye, spotted a lot of triathletes, taking the matter very seriously. I mean VERY :) You can not do it for one simple reason: 8 buffets, or, on average, every 26 kilometers. It is impossible to go!

Roads

First of all, the most important: Kaszuby are not flat. Perhaps 1280 meters above 208km surplus does not sound particularly impressive, but not only that the vast majority of these increases were generated in the second half of the route, there were no large hills on it. To klasyczna droga wyglądający tak / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \. It is the Świętokrzyskie Mountains (which have the same number of mountains as Góra Kalwaria with a mountain), but without the Holy Cross.

Bitumen is excellent or average - however stupid it sounds. And so, for example: Bory Tucholskie National Park has roads in which you would not believe the existence. It looks more like this: a dense forest surrounding dozens of lakes and from time to time a village that is probably stable from agritourism and rental of canoes, and asphalt goes through the middle. Asphalt so equal that I would like to put my roller from the primary school with plastic rings and go. Really, it's a road where you can drive 14 atmosphere into your tubular chores. Not only that, you can basically turn them into wooden wheels from a horse carriage.

A slight problem here, however, may be the fact that on many sections there is a ban on cycling, despite the minimal traffic. Cars pass us one by one every few to several minutes. So what is the point of the ban? The area, however, is a place for people on vacation, with children, with trekking, with city bikes or the most popular & #8211; MTB. Beside these perfectly even asphalt paths specially prepared for cyclists lead through the forest & #8211; even, but still off-road. Ideal for family outings or cyclotourism, ideal for road bikers. But it doesn't matter, we drive down Kaszebe Runda.

Kashubian Road away

On the other hand, we have undulating areas between Bytów and Kościerzyna, which, although devoid of craters, have asphalt rough as pumice. The outpatient route (I've always wanted to use this joke) is mentally and physically exhausting, like most in that area. This probably explains why so many good cyclists in this area & #8211; The Bytów Tower does its job, even Czesław Lang started there. Unfortunately, it is these roads that most of the shortest loop Kaszebe Runda runs on. If someone, driving so several dozen kilometers, extrapolates it to over 200, I doubt that one day he would like to try the longest option.

In my opinion & #8211; a long round is the best option. So if there is a shadow of a chance that you'll be able to cross it, I definitely recommend it. Both in terms of landscape and surface. An interesting element, however, are long straight ones that allow you to feel like on a trainer. I don't remember the last time I drove so long without a turn. The road visible to the horizon, with an identical non-stop forest, can go on for up to 10 kilometers. If it was a computer game, I would restart my computer thinking something was crashing.

Is 200 kilometers a lot? On the one hand, yes, on the other hand, it's hard for me to imagine a better opportunity to start an adventure with long distances than just Kaszebe Runda. I think that every average experienced cyclist or cyclist should be able to do it.

Giro di Buffet, meaning more protection than starters

The something else is amazing. Yes, the party is not cheap. Depending on the time of enrollment, it is from PLN 89 to PLN 199, but it is not possible to look for such intersection protection anywhere else. In total there was a minimum of 250 km of the tour, and looking at the attendance and the large spread over time, the human resources required for this become enormous. I do not know about others, but for us, practically every major (and mostly smaller) crossword was guarded by police, or a volunteer with a flag who stopped the car. Cars, which on these roads were really a rarity. I remind you that it was not a race and looking around is not a problem for us. We were also traveling without a track / map - nor did we lose the route for a moment. Small arrows and markings of each hole on the asphalt were visible all the time. Magic.

We know very well that PLN 129 we paid for is indecently. The plan is simple: it will turn in the food (he, he, he - literally). We quickly discover that in order to get closer to such amounts, we would have to price every donut in Swiss prices.

You can think that with such a mass of people, losing a route is a feat. Well, no, we go a lot in the group, but most of us travel alone - with no one in sight. This is an event for both those who like in small groups and solo.

Kaszebe Runda - who is this for?

This is an excellent question (that's why I asked it). Kaszebe Runda is not for everyone - it's a special event.

If you are a born chaser, your workouts are carefully planned, the number of TSS in the week is limited, and when you anticipate a guy on a Giant bike, you speed up and leave him behind, even if you have 400 kilometers in your legs - you may not like it. The idea in which you start in groups, with the number on the back and the steering wheel and the chip measuring the time ... and at the finish line you do not know which one you came, it's something new. Well, a lot of masters' races are also organized so well that you do not know which one you came from, but at least you know who the winner is. Everyone is the winner here - as in running. You can sign up to see if you like it - but I doubt it.

The marathon is for I-DE-AL-NY for people who would like to move their distance record at once. Did you ever drive a penny at once? This is the moment to drive two. Lots of food that will overcome the bombs, hills that torment, but do not kill, many groups - it makes things easier.

Departure with friends or integration with colleagues. Instead of arranging the same loop for the thousandth time, go with them to a new place. No pressure, with the attitude that you will spend a nice day. In silence, peace, friendly lokalsami and generally as Sunday should look.

What am I eating?

Time for a spoon of tar - it can not be perfect. Buffets have let me down a bit. This is the only thing I can stick with, because generally the constraint is a masterpiece. Even the start is organized at the water park (ends 2km further, on the market) and thanks to a 50% discount, visitors can get a little out there before the trip. Maybe it's a little Parisian syndrome, but the expectations have exceeded what I got.

The first buffet is at 23 kilometers, we handle it with taste. Scrambled eggs with olives are just fried in butter, we don't want to wait. On the next, according to plan, we eat sandwiches, deep-baked pastries and dough. Then I only eat cakes and pastries. The last buffet is located 10 kilometers from the finish, we leave it & #8211; it's the only one we've forgiven. No previous one we ate local bread with local butter and jams & #8211; probably the best thing on this day. At 6. there was nothing & #8211; only mint water (which was excellent by the way). It also had ice cream fridges, which we dreamed of the whole route & #8211; unfortunately empty. The previous one is a roadside bar, where next to the cake was also rice with chicken or vegetarian. Nice because it tasted mainly of salt & #8211; salt is tasty.

Perhaps we were driving too slowly to catch everything? 210 kilometers with a driving time of less than 7 hours + 40 minutes of stops is probably such a standard speed. Do not get me wrong, I would be delighted with the buffets, because I like the rolls and sweet, but it did not coincide with my imaginations created on the Internet and reports from previous years. We compensate for this on the market with great ice cream. Although, of course, this is not an objective statement - after a few hours at almost 30 degrees, each ice cream will be good.

Epicka is not

The Kaszebe Round loop is not epic landscapes. You will not make a photo here that will conquer a fejsbuk and will bring jealousy to everyone who sees it. There are no mountains, impressive castles, safety pins. There is forest and lakes for this. Including fields, meadows, animals, sale of honey, smoked fish and fresh eggs. Such a combination of Świętokrzyskie and Masuria. Only the area is much richer (I think so from observation), the movement is much smaller and the surfaces are better. Instead of crazy Masurian dairies, there are kayaks with kayaks - besides, virtually nobody.

If you like lakes, peace, quiet and nature - I definitely recommend it. It is finally only a 4-hour drive from the center of Warsaw.

Will we return to Kaszebe Runda? I do not know. It is worth coming once for sure and I can encourage anyone with a clear conscience. Many people have been coming here for years. On the other hand, the route is already known, the buffets are cool, but at the entry fee you can eat in resistance in roadside stores. The route is well protected, but from the perspective of the trip it is not very necessary.

We can treat the Round as a classic Std on exact studies. In the pursuit of results and equipment, in a flood of hundreds of the same rounds that we pat under the house, it is sometimes worth to break out to the end of the world (in a positive word meaning) and cross the forest. Necessarily with friends.

In short, from Panda: it was great, next year we come back with some crew.

Photos from Kaszebe Round 2017