A revised Gö Gravel informal social ride route featuring massive modern structures in the area around Göttingen.

The Shock of the New Ride
Featuring – The Colossi Logistics Centres, Gö Prison, Grundbachtalbrücke High Speed ​​Rail, Power Lines, Windpower and the Autobahn. All have changed the landscape radically causing alarm and shock.

I suggest humming Autobahn by Kraftwerk to yourself on this tour.

Photos taken from various rides

Shock of the New
In the early 1980’s BBC television in Britain broadcast a major series about ‘new’ art, it was called the ‘ Shock of the New’ . Prior to this art critic Ian Dunlop had written a book with the same title (1972) featuring seven ‘scandalous’ exhibitions.

Since then, it has become a way to sum up the tension between innovation and resistance to change.

The Ride
On this ride we get up close and personal with structures which are shocking in their own way. Away from the Göttingen velodrome and on leaving the Leine River we are faced with the new in the form of a colossi of 21st century mercantile activity. The area immediately to the west of Göttingen city is dominated by massive logistics centers and despite the softening of the landscape with re-wilding it feels like being on an alien world.

Once we are free of the logistic centers, we pass by the Gö prison (Justizvollzugsanstalt Rosdorf) with its stark concrete walls. Built in 2007 the prison is a level 2 facility but has space for some level 1 offenders (high risk). In the past, the citizens of Göttingen preferred a prison to be in their midst rather than a university, but the King of Hannover wanted rid of the unruly students and relocated them to the city. Gö citizens had to wait two centuries for the prison.

At this point you may spot the ship shaped building of the Labotect Labor-Technik-Göttingen GmbH in the distance.

A few kilometers later we begin following the unseen but audible high-speed rail link and at Olenhusen the trail takes us under the viaduct opened in 1991 (Grundbachtalbrücke).

At Mengerhausen we climb up to rejoin the rail line traveling upon the high ground of the west side hills. Above our heads at times are gigantic power lines that sweep through the Leine Valley.

Dropping down into the valley near Lemshausen the route continues up to Volkerode. Close by are the turning blades of wind turbines harvesting energy, soon after we cross the Autobahn yet again it being very symbolic of the Modern (Kraftwerk – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DO-Ddqbqgs)

We return back to Göttingen riding through thousand-year-old villages.

Change
Another way of describing change and and the shock of the new is to say a ‘World Turned Upside-Down’, this references a 1640’s English song protesting the banning of Christmas by Puritans (https://www.youtube.com /watch?v=IuPapvLoYZQ). Later Christopher Hill used it as a title for a book describing UK political movements such as the Levellers in the 1600’s. Billy Bragg followed suit much more recently. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apWE0puBAPY )

Are you shocked by the new or feeling some of the tension? Then at least the visceral nature of riding a bike is something more tangible to express….

A Post Modern or a ride of Modernity? Has progress through technology been achieved?

The Ride: 39km

Strava: To be added
Komoot (Revised route): https://www.komoot.com/tour/1473676322
Garmin: To be added

365m of elevation.

Ride Pictures

March 17, 2024

Scouting January 28, 2024

Scouting November 22, 2023 

Buying Cat Food in Gö – October 4, 2023

Achtung/Attention

The Gö Gravel Rides are suggested routes for a bike tour and not a race or competition. Should you decide to follow our tour description or a GPS of the route described, you do so at your own risk.

You are responsible for cycling as you think you can, according to your ability and fitness level.

Die Gö Gravel Rides sind vorgeschlagene Strecken für eine Fahrradtour und kein Rennen oder Wettbewerb. Sollten Sie sich entscheiden, unserer Tourenbeschreibung oder einem GPS der beschriebenen Route zu folgen, tun Sie dies auf eigene Gefahr.

Sie sind für das Radfahren verantwortlich, wie Sie es für möglich halten, entsprechend Ihren Fähigkeiten und Ihrem Fitnessniveau.