At Home with Kasi

Episode 1: Freiburg, Germany

It’s time to hit the home trails again! After Ludo May gave us a tour of his native Switzerland last year, Kasi Schmidt figured it was his turn to show us his home turf around Freiburg im Breisgau in southwest Germany.

Are you ready for an epic journey?

Like all good rides this one starts in a cozy café. And, like most rides with Ludo, this one involves waiting for him to show up. Three coffees later he bursts into the café with a grin on his face, shouting "Action, on y va!" Sure thing Ludo but first another coffee.

I’m stoked to show the guys my Freiburg home trails were getting from good coffee to great trails is easy! A quick pedal gets us up to our first trail of the day: ‘Baden to the Bone.’ This one is a real banger, with tire-schralping turns and an epic flow that gets our adrenaline pumping.

Next up, we introduce Ludo to ‘Borderline.’ A real mix of rocky gnar, super-fast berms and every kind of jump imaginable. I know he’ll love it. Judging by the laughter coming from behind me halfway down the trail, I think it’s safe to say Ludo and his box-fresh Yum-Gum 4060 are having a great time.

Stoke levels are high but our energy is starting to fade. We decide to fuel up with some delicious kebabs delivered to the trail. After a well-deserved break, we hit up a few more of the area's all-time favorite spots. We play until dusk, rolling back into town for an evening of well-earned German-sized beers. It’s all about hydration kids!

The next morning brings a white coffee and a trip to the picturesque Black Forest. Despite the name, the forest is bright, sunny and the autumn colors are truly breathtaking. Our destination for the day is ‘Schädelwäg,’ a trail that embodies everything that's great about riding in this part of Germany. Super varied, with an amazing flow and equally impressive jank. The perfect spot to end our first part of the trip on.

After two days of hammering the trails, Ludo is super tired, but there's no rest for the weary. German efficiency calls for us to pack up the van and head straight to the next part of our tour. Destination: France, where we'll meet up with our good friend Thomas Del Gatto aka The Racoon. We pack the van. I grab one last coffee before hitting the road and Ludo tries to grab some shut eye.

Next stop, the Vosges!

Episode 2: Les Vosges, France

It's time to saddle up and hit the road, as Ludo and I embark on a mission to explore the French side of the German-French border. The destination: the Vosges Mountains, home to some of the most epic bike parks in the region like La Bresse and Lac Blanc.

Today, we are going in search of off-piste loam though. But first we need to find Thomas.

We arrive in the Vosges late at night but hit the trails at sunrise to make the most of the daylight. To make sure we can ride as many trails as possible, and because Thomas is allergic to pedaling, we use our 4060 Z e-bikes. We stack up laps on some lesser-known trails to get a taste of the area until we decide to mix things up a bit.

As the day progresses, we pull in for a quick baguette pit stop and swap uphill e-assistance for a shuttle. The afternoon is all about laughs and playing around on trail features, before heading for a night at the cozy chalet.

A fresh day means fresh coffee and plenty of fresh turns. We explore the Vosges with Ludo, the "King of the Switchback", leading the way. The chase continues, not only on the trails, but also being chased by a drone as we capture every moment of our adventure.

It's time to pack up and head back home, but not before Ludo and I promise to come back with another sequel to this epic tour. We've only shown a fraction of what the Freiburg area has to offer, and we can't wait to come back and explore more.

Watch Episode 2

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