2013-07-06: On the bikes, Day One. Passau to Schloegen.

Last night, we had our informational meeting with Euro Bike, got the bikes and then biked back to our hotel.  Our contact person at EuroBike was really helpful with directions and the expected detours due to the terrible flooding they had a few weeks back.  To Germany and Austria's big credit, although we see a lot of damage where the floodwaters were, most of the trails are cleared/repaired.  There were a few times that we had significant detours due to the repairs, and a few times where we just biked past the barriers and played dumb.  Most construction workers were pretty chill about it (they even had the various armies in places helping with the reconstruction, helping the bikers pass their bikes across wooden planks, etc.).  Some construction workers were not as happy about it :)

Anyway, at this point, the trip started to feel real.  We're really going to bike 340 km on nerd bikes?!?  (they're nice bikes, but as mentioned in previous posts, they're HEAVY)  So we biked back to the Hotel Innsento, had dinner, and got ready to leave in the morning. 

Our breakfast the next day was made for a champion (all of them have been!).  Of course, it was only fitting that I got an espresso at breakfast time - I swear I could feel the hair growing on my chest.  I wish it would relocate north, but Mother Nature has a cruel sense of humor sometimes. 

Breakfast of Champions!

What a day!  We had 3 border crossings (from Germany to Austria to Germany to Austria).  We also had a double-schnitzel day - we've found that the Germanic Tribes like their meats and cheeses.  A LOT.  Good news is that it's all delicious.  Bad news is that it's been fairly rare to eat fiber, instead mostly opting to eat animals that ate fiber.  I keep wanting to ask people, "seriously, how often do you poop?"  I'm not sure what I would expect, but let's just say that our apartment in Vienna will have a lot of fresh obst und gemuse. 

The area we're biking through is known as the Wachau valley, and is regarded as the most beautiful scenery in Austria.  Our distance today is fairly short, about 40 km.  The destination is Schloegen, right at the famous Schloegener Schlinger, which is a hilarious name for an amazingly beautiful area of the Donau.  The river carved through all the countryside over the millenia, but encountered huge cliffs of granite that it couldn't cut through.  At that point, the river bends back on itself and does a sweet S-curve through the hills.  More pictures of this tomorrow from our little "hike" up the blick.

Thought I might stop in and see what was going on here...

These are seriously everywhere.  It's almost like "hey, it's been a good 10 mins since I last prayed.  I really wish there was a shrine or something...  Oh HERE'S ONE!  On an island.  Wow.

But before we got there, we went through an area that was famous for schwartzware - a type of pottery that is mixed with graphite and it gives all of the pieces a metallic dark-gray-to-black look.  One of the things that's constantly surprising me is just HOW MUCH history is here.  There are little town halls that have artifacts that are easily 500 years old.  And it doesn't look like they're in a climate-controlled display or anything, it's just "hey, look!  We have cool old stuff, and lots of it!" sort of way. 

That holds a LOT of salt.

Just some cool stuff from 500 years ago.  No big thang.

We were watching the rain clouds all day, and were very fortunate to not have any issues with it until the end of the day.  We came upon another group by the side of the trail and they had a flat tire and a broken pump.  We lent them our and decided it was a perfect place for a little picnic of gummis, water, and some crackers.  I should have just changed their tire for them, I'm positive I could have had it a done deal in < 3 mins (no patch, just a new tube!) but didn't want to be overbearing, and some of the others were talking with Amy in German (have I mentioned how many people are like "you are NOT from America, fraulein".  Ah well, you can take the girl out of Austria, but evidently not the Austria out of the girl...

Us, near the beginning of the ride.

Jumping the border.

So about 20 - 30 mins later, their tire replaced, we were on our way.  About 3 km later, the rain started.  It came down FAST.  We were soaked - Ella and I don't mind riding in the rain, I just didn't want all of my stuff wet.  But we arrived at the edge of the river and the boatman saw us coming.  Took us right across and after some exploring, we found our next stop. 

Nice place!  They had an outdoor pool that Maya and I went into, although I have to tell you it was the coldest water I've been in with the exception of Lake Superior.  MAN.  So now the phrase "like a turtle" has a special meaning in our family.  Seinfeld fans are already familiar with this lexicon of personal embarrassment.  Again, Mother Nature will have her laughs.  Anyway, it's now a sure-fire way for me to get the girls to say "DAAAAD!", which you all know is one of my Favorite Things in the World.  Win-win!

The night was peaceful and gorgeous - in a way it reminded me of camping in MN/WI.  There were campers parked outside down by the river, and you could hear families and their chatter.  Looking out the window as dusk turned into the thing *just* darker (but not quite night), all was right with the world.