With our format, Beyond Tech, we offer insights into the lives, activities, and personal missions of our employees. At our company, people come first… no filter, true story.
700 kilometers, 6,500 meters of elevation, 3.5 days on the move — from Passau to Vienna and back again.
In this edition of Beyond Tech, we follow Niklas Baldauf, Project Manager Space Applications, on his road-bike adventure with a clear mission: #onamissiontothefuture.
🚲 Bikepacking from Passau to Vienna — and back
The Donau shimmers in the first morning light as Niklas starts pedaling. Behind him lies Passau, the city of three rivers; ahead of him stretches a narrow ribbon of asphalt winding through the Danube valley.
He rides the outbound route together with his friend Andi. For Niklas, the entire adventure lasts 3.5 days: roughly 700 kilometers and an impressive 6,500 meters of elevation gain. On his road bike, with everything important packed into a single bikepacking bag.
⛰️ Between scenic views and the pain barrier
The first kilometers fly by: church towers, small villages, and the gentle sound of the Donau as a constant companion. Postcard views blur past; it’s warm, and the air smells like summer.
But the idyll is deceptive. The sun burns relentlessly, temperatures climb above 30°C, and occasional headwinds tug at the wheels. The daily stages are long, and the elevation gain stacks up like the Lego towers of childhood.
“These are exactly the challenges that make it so appealing,” Niklas says with a grin. “Just setting off — just the bike and one bag.”
💓 Greetings from the “Kaiserstadt”
And then the goal comes into view: Vienna. They made it! Exhausted and happy, the two roll into the former imperial capital. Trams are clattering, big city flair everywhere. The air smells of coffee houses. A Wiener Schnitzel? Mandatory — golden brown, crispy, and in this exact moment probably the best in the world.
“And also a very welcome change from energy bars and gels,” Niklas laughs. Here the shared route ends.
Andi continues on to Bratislava; Niklas hops back on the bike and heads toward Lower Bavaria. The return takes him through the Kamptal and the Mühlviertel: “You always meet other cyclists. Short conversations by the roadside, helping each other out, or just exchanging a smile as you ride by.”
💪 More than a physical challenge
Beyond muscle power and endurance, the trip is above all one thing for Niklas: a mental reset. “Every pedal stroke is like hitting the stop button on everyday life. No emails, no meetings, just the moment right now.” The physical effort is balanced out by the clarity it brings.
Niklas won’t stay still for long — his next plan is already set: bikepacking through Kyrgyzstan, into the majestic Tian Shan mountains. Where endless passes and untamed landscapes await in the “Heavenly Mountains” — and new adventure stories are ready to be written.
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