When I looked at map it didn’t look that bad (as a mountains in name ~1000 meters above sea level peeks). But after whole day riding on roads like these:
I had climbed and descended ~2000 m and grinded my brake pads so it was pretty sketchy. Also it is in border region, after WW2 German speaking population left and rest left by formation of Iron Curtain. So when I told my friend that I met French family bikepacking, rain got them, they were drying and asked me where they can find something like shop or restaurant (they didn’t have maps and cell connection), he just smiled and told me that he was there recently and had beer in both opened pubs.
Lucky you got down before you had no more brakes. Life is dangerous, take care. That forest track looks very tempting to ride on. And you never know who you’ll meet in the forest! Once I met a local woodsman who taught me how to look for edible mushrooms.
Man, I didn’t forage for mushrooms in a long time. I want to but didn’t find the time/ weather wasn’t good.
Keep exploring and you’ll run into them eventually!
If your shadow weren’t there in the first pic I’d think it were drawn.