Photo Report Bosch (e)MTB Scavenger Hunt 2023

Peter Perstl and his team are talking themselves hoarse. "You'll get points depending on which of the three route lengths you choose or how many checkpoints you visit. And at the skill stations, you can collect extra points. The total number will then decide whether you get a gold, silver, or bronze medal. All clear?"
Again and again, the helpers in green explain the rules using a scorecard and route map at the Bosch (e)MTB Scavenger Hunt. Sometimes man to man, sometimes woman to woman, but most often from individual to small group. Patiently, meticulously, unshakeably like the Dachstein in a storm.
But that's just how it is when an event organizer wants to offer the greatest possible freedom in terms of start time (freely selectable between 9 and 11 AM), mode (see above), and route choice (21, 37, or 46 km). The fewer fixed points for some, the more work for others.

After all, Peter Perstl is lucky with the starting numbers Z128 and Z189. Their loud and friendly greeting and clearly noticeable dialect identify them as locals.
Even more: Eva and Stephan Unterberger, whom we will follow in the following through the Salzkammergut Trophy side event of a slightly different kind, are not only locals but also well-acquainted with the format. As first-time participants in 2022, they are already familiar with the functioning and special features of the fun competition on the Sunday after the legendary MTB Marathon in Bad Goisern.

Accordingly, their briefing is completed quickly, and co-organizer Perstl can soon take care of the next of the total 169 treasure hunters - of course, not without having a bit of small talk with the Unterbergers, who last year, together with their son who is prevented this year due to a new addition to the family, rode not only the treasure hunt but also the 120 km distance of the Trophy: "Ohhh, Moustache! I didn't even know that you now have e-bikes as well?"
These are not their own, just borrowed, explains the 53-year-old with the nickname and artist name Etienne, who will later turn out to be the chairman of the Bad Ischl tourist board. "Unfortunately," the avowed Provence fan adds with a regretful look at the chic aluminum full-suspension bikes from France.

A little chat here, a recognizing nod there. Check the route plan one last time, start the battery, off we go. With the power of up to 600 watts of extra power in their legs, the trained business economist and the studied nutrition scientist, who are not only married but also business partners since founding Etienne's Art GmbH in 2015, zoom up the hill behind the Expo and off to St. Agatha, where the first skill station awaits.
However: The order in which the checkpoints and stations are approached is irrelevant according to the Bosch scavenger hunt rules. And the three routes marked on the map, covering 21, 37, or 46 kilometers respectively, are also just suggestions; other variations can be chosen. It is only important to note that the control points and skill stations have certain operating hours. Therefore, those aiming for the highest possible score would do well, in terms of time management, to follow the route tips provided by the organizers.

After 30 years in Vienna, Eva and Stephan returned to the Salzkammergut in 2016 and are out on their bikes at least three times a week, so they don't have a hard time finding their way around. Some participants, who don't have the advantage of knowing the area like the back of their hand, tucked away in their shorts, jersey, or saddlebags, initially find it a bit more challenging.
No wonder, then, that the duo quickly grows to a quintet and, by the time of the first special test, they have included other route-seekers into their group. With a cheerful hello, the spontaneously formed community of fate arrives a few kilometers later at the Schützenhaus in St. Agatha.

Shooting house? Absolutely. One of the charms of the fun event is indeed trying out sports that are not usually among the typical leisure activities of Mr. and Mrs. Cyclist. Crossbow shooting, for example. Mini crossbow, to be precise. Or, just one station further at the Halleralm, archery.
In addition, the scavenger hunt is appealing with its relaxed atmosphere, the banter that soon starts within and between the groups, and its colorful composition: In terms of bicycles, anything that pleases and seems suitable for the route is allowed - whether with or without a motor, whether with two saddles or one. Age-wise, young meets old and youthful meets mature, and from the former ski pro to the complete KTM marketing team to the family with three children, the field of starters is conceivably diverse.

Well then! Step right into the shooting range, shoulder the wooden stock, aim at the notch, bead, and target, and pull the trigger - of course, all after expert instruction by the members of the St. Agatha crossbow shooting club.

A steep 300 meters of altitude through - thankfully - shady forest later, it's time to stand even straighter, breathe even more calmly, and look even more carefully. Because a genuine bow lacks not only the retaining device for the taut string but also the sight.
"How is one ever supposed to hit anything?" asks Stephan - and promptly sinks his arrow right into the pretty center of the target.

Even for the rest of the day, Lady Fortune remains faithful to the nature-loving artist.
Although the painter, whose unique selling point is expressive concrete paintings, fails somewhat at the Wheel of Fortune - but not so badly that he would have earned a consolation beer, as gleefully offered by competitors with perfect zero scores at this point.
Instead, he excels in the backpack challenge after having comfortably bid farewell to his wife and manager, who had other commitments in the afternoon, at the Weissenbachwirt. And in the final technical course, the freelancer with his own gallery and self-built studio on wooden pallets & Co. also performs very well.

Power, combined with the four checkpoints reached, makes for a total of 590 points and thus a solid mid-field position as well as a silver medal as a reward and memento.
"True, but this event really isn't about prizes or rankings," deflects the passionate tour cyclist, who also finds inspiration for his paintings while cycling, after the collective awards ceremony. So what is the appeal of this event for him?
"It's a great opportunity for friends, colleagues, or families to have fun for a day, to get to know the most beautiful bike spots of the inner Salzkammergut including some passages that are normally not allowed, to have a cool drink in the festival tent afterwards, and to go home with good memories of a fun experience."

Having a good time" turns into the exact opposite no more than twelve hours after the last participant of the legendary Salzkammergut Trophy crosses the finish line, thus at the Sunday side-event as opposed to the performance-oriented meaning that dominated on Saturday: The best time at the Bosch (e)MTB Scavenger Hunt is probably had by those who allow themselves plenty of it and enjoy it in a relaxed manner. And this fits as a contrasting program to the competition-oriented marathon just like the famous fist to the eye...