Perfect date with the High Tatry mountains

By: Tezera Hurikova

So it´s after the seasson, rest and after-seasson illness and I already started training for the next seasson. Just one more blood test (last coach Lutak would be surprised, because the test was maybe the 10th in this year)and let´s go to the real mountains...

I was growing up in the Šumava mountains and though I am a girl from mountains. After I moved to another part of Czech republic and Beskydy mountains showed me how hard are these mountain already on the first MTB training. Pavel also induced me to visit a High Tatry mountains in Slovakia two years ago which reminded me a high altittude hiking and how the big mountains looks like. Faces of the pretty cliffs are like a face of the man...sharpness, elevation, cold and rough surface seems hardcore. Effused respect but also despite of this character are attractive and you have a hunger to reach the top. Same feelings I had on the rock climbing few weeks ago. I tried climbing like a compensation for my weak top muscles. At first felt scared but after a few minutes I started enjoy this adventure and finally passed also 35 metres high rock way in Štramber forest garden. And it was compensation both for my body and mind.

Also that´s why we are returning to the mountains every autumn immediately after the races finish and we take a little bit energy to start training from the beginning. We love this time of different activities. Also this year we were looking forward to packing the hiking boots, hiking sticks and testing a new Alpine Pro outdoor clothes as well as Craft underwear with Pavel in High Tatry mountains.

We lodged up into the nice appartment in New Smokovec on Monday evening 4th October and looked forward to another day. In the morning the drops of rain woke us up. Fog and a cold rain mixed together and the cliffs were hidden somewhere inside. Despite of this we still had a taste for hiking this day and started our way to Polish chine. All trip on the map had something about 9 hours but after a 4 and a half hours of limber speed we did it. Saw a few mountains goat and one Dutch speaking Slovakian well. Near the top we had to pass one rocky part with a really cold chains and stones. This place was so cold that my fingers were like ice. I didn´t feel them and didn´t know if they are still latched onto the rock or just my legs stayed up on the wet rock. We were really happy to have a spare clothes, snack and a hot tea in our bags. It was a little bit problem to dressed into a dry clothes with a freezy hands and I was proud to my collegues from Craft team (professional climber Radek Jaroš and extreme biker Jan Kopka) who are able to fight with an extreme conditions which we can´t imagine from our living rooms.

Slavkovský cliff in 2452 m.s.l. was our target on Wednesday. Today was totally different. Sun was shinning and the freeze cliffs got out from the blue sky. This hiking throw the stone sea was very steep and tough. The legs from the first day hurts because the muscles weren´t used to walk after the bike seasson. All the time I used sporttester in the mountains and this hiking was like a MTB interval training!!! Despite of this we were really surprised when one professional uphill runner passed us in the middle of the uphill and met us second time on his way back when we were in the three quarters of uphill. We hadn´t different option beyond told to him "respect". We also did a good speed and did 9 hours long trip in 5 hours.

Another day was like a picture immediately when the morning fog disappeared. Nothing could stopped us in our next target...Rysy in the altittude 2500 m.s.l. I had to passed very painful muscles in the morning but I did it very fast and enjoyed the day a lot. Also I was able to touch fresh snow, climb on the rocks with a chains and feel some adrenaline in my blood. It was a most hard day both tough uphill and also of vanishing energy, but the views were the prettiest. Felt all mountains very close to me.

Our choice for the last day was easier. Batizovske lake under the Gerlach cliff (the highest mountain in High Tatry). The lake was like a mirror reflected a beauty of mountains what was a due to very steep uphill. We enjoyed also this last 3 hours in Tatry took another energy from nature. After it was the time to say hello and go back home to "Wallachian kingdom". Already now I am looking forward to return to the Slovakian mountains to feel energy reflecting from this countryside with a rich rebel history which is still effusing from everything here.

So next year hello Tatry!!!