Den folgenden Text habe ich mal für eine englischsprachige Homepage geschrieben.
From Freising to Bad Toelz
From Munich Hauptbahnhof (Central Station) you can travel by train towards Bad Toelz or by S-Bahn "S1" (commuter train) to Freising. From there you bike back towards Munich. Then you cross the city at the signed way (little white signs with green writing). "Cross" means cross-free! You don't need to use traffic-lights or -crossings at all! (If you do so you are definitely at the wrong way!) Munich's city-administration is very proud to built the bike-way this way. Leave Munich again by using the signs leading your destination. You bike always along the river Isar in nice surroundings to your opposite point. The Isar flows from Bad Toelz (directly in front of the Alpine) to Freising. So at a first view it would be more easy to bike downstream, but the other direction is the more impressing one. You are always facing the great landscape of the Alpine. Esp. while a phenomenon called "Foehn" - a warm wind coming over the Alpine from Italy. ("Foehn" spelling: oe like u in "urgent" or "murder".) This Foehn works like a huge lens, a magnifying glass. The Alpine seems to be very close and starting directly behind the city, but it’s nearly 100 kilometres away! It is such a great view you’ll never forget. This weather-situation mostly occurs at a upcoming bad weather at the next day.
The ground at the country-side parts mostly is rough round gravel from the river. Often it is filled and fixed with small gravel so you can bike without trouble. Into the inner city you have perfect bike-lanes. You have to share your track with pedestrians only two times.
My favourite direction is south. So I’ll also describe the way in this direction.
- At Freising you can visit the very famous cathedral. Freising was for centuries the home of the bishop of Bavaria. (Munich was a founding by burning the bridge at Freising which was used for salt transport in the middle ages. The loads has to put over the river at the next bridge: Munich ["At the monks"].)
- The bike tour starts just opposite the station. Coming out of the station (the bike way in your back) turn right and follow the street to the crossing with the "Erdinger Strasse". You turn right a second time and before crossing the river turn right again. You should stay in a park with a bike road. Ride southwards.
- South of Freising loads of planes will directly cross over your head. Very impressing! The airport is south-east of Freising and the Isar crosses the landing zone. After the subway of the highway 92 it becomes quiet again.
- At "Grueneck" ("green corner") is the "Gasthaus Holzner". "Gasthaus" is something typically German: It is not as noble as a restaurant. It is more like a pub, but you’ll get all kinds of simple Bavarian food there. Often a "Biergarten" is attached to such a Gasthaus. You can divine: it’s a beer garden - also something very Bavarian.
- Some kilometres ago you have to cross a street (B471). Now it’s time to decide: visit four beer gardens or straight biking. But mention: German beer is usually given away in 1 litre glasses. If you visit all four beer gardens you’ll not able to reach Bad Toelz!
- Straight free-crossing biking: To your left leads a narrow biker bridge parallel to the B471 over the Isar. Use this bridge and do directly afterwards a 270 degree left turn. Then you reach a subway below the street. A new subway is build now (Nov. 1999) and hopefully it will be ready next year. Now you just have to follow the green signs toward Munich. ("Muenchen", with a mutated vowel "u" instead of "ue".) "Innenstadt", "Deutsches Museum", "Bad Toelz": That all is your direction.
- Beer biking: Cross the street B471 instead of turning left. Sometimes you have to be a little patient, because of the traffic. Be aware! Germans are driving fast!
- Behind the undergoing the next highway (A99) and forward the path you bike at a little street turning right after about 200 metres. In this curve is the "Bayerischer Rundfunk" TV-studio. Turn left at the following crossing and afterwards bike always straight ahead. Beyond the next bridge you are undergoing is the beer garden "Aumeister". Now you has reached the "Englischer Garten" - the biggest city park of the world! Rest there at the "Aumeister" if you are tired or bike forward 3.5km and rest at the beer garden "Hirschau" or - after the steep bridge at the "Seehaus" (beer garden) with seats and view over a lake. Nicest beer gardens of all is the "Chinesischer Turm" (Chinese Tower) ahead. Just follow the crowd or the sound of jingling beer glasses and the brass-band or even ask a local. Most of the locals are not wearing Bavarian dress! Just ask in English and mention "Chinesischer Turm". You’ll be understood.
- After your rest try to bike straight ahead (instead of doing curves) southwards until the "Englischer Garten" ends. Leave the Japanese teahouse to your right and you’ll reach the left end of the backside of a big house - the "Haus der Kunst" It’s an ancient Nazi-Temple of art. Nowadays it (luckily) is used for all kinds of art - but Nazi art! Turn left at the big street (named "Prinzregentenstrasse", the famous disco "P1" is also there. "P" is because none of the Americans can spell the whole name of the street and "1" is the house number.) You bike forward until you reach a bridge over the Isar. Cross it and directly afterwards turn right and use the combined bike and pedestrian way. Always use the bike subways! Do not try to cross the streets above! If the way splits always use the bike part! Pedestrian parts usually starts end ends with bars.
- A steep up’n’down is to do: you reached the "Gasteig" (Bavarian: "Gachsteig" ~ "gacher Steig", "steep path").
- After the path had become narrow between a house and a balustrade and a following subway you can decide for a day-long stop and visit the "Deutsches Museum" that is to your right or visit the IMAX-theatre in it’s forehead-part of the building.
- A solid two-track bike lane with priority for bikers(!) at crossings leads always parallel to the Isar southwards. Be aware: lot’s of pedestrians walking at the bike lane! The rule is: you ring, they jump! Tell aloud: "Radlweeg!!!" and (sometimes) they would understand; not because of your spelling, but of ignorance.
- At a modern wooden bridge is the big zoo. It’s also worth a visit (the zoo, not the bridge). It’s on your (the eastern) side of the river directly at your end of the bridge.
- The road leads between the zoo and the river southwards and - after a while - its covering turns back to nature. You are gradually leaving the city.
- At the "Grünwalder Brücke" a high bridge you swap the bank on the road and cross the street at the other side of the bridge immediately. Watch out!
- The way seemingly ends at a power station. You bike at a street for about 20 metres in the wrong direction and turn left - follow the little wooden sign - and bike steep upwards leaving the station to your left.
- If you have to decide your way: If you are in seek of adventures turn left and downwards. Or use the upleading right part if you have family. Both ways will meet again later. If you are an adventurer don’t be irritated if you have to ride over a swampy meadow. It is a path there. Afterwards use the small road right upwards. At the junction turn left downwards. Now you can see the "Kloster Schäftlarn" close to you.
- The "Kloster Schäftlarn" is a cloister with brewery. It’s worth a visit. Also the church is. Afterwards take the easy way and cross the Isar directly after the cloister. So you can bypass the next city "Wolfratshausen".
- Only if you decide to stop your travel at Wolfratshausen, cross the river at the street in direction Wolfratshausen (turn right). Follow white signs with a green "S" with a green ring around. That’s the S-Bahn. It brings you back home easily. At some entrance doors of the train is a sign "no bikes". Observe it. The train entrances are at the same level as the platform, which is very handy.
- At "Geretsried" cross the river again and follow the green signs. The road will sometimes lead away from the river. "Bad Toelz" always is your target.
- Arrived Bad Toelz you have to cross the river and the city eastwards to reach the station which is at the eastern end of the city at the street 472. That’s it!