This month we spent 8 days riding the Danube bike path in Austria and Germany. It was a test run for our much longer adventure coming up next month. This was a chance for us to test out our gear and get use to our new mode of travel. It turned out to be a fantastic trip. What we did is called bicycle touring it’s a mix between biking and backpacking. We carry everything we need on the bikes. Think of the book Wild but with bikes and more civilization.
We started in Ineglstat Germany and fallowed the river downstream to Vienna Austria. Every day on the bike brought new sights, experiences, and challenges. One of the very first things we learned on day one is that there is a right side and a wrong side to the river. As you might suspect we learned this the hard way. Our first day we were on this gravel path that ran between farmland and river on a beautiful summer day. The sun is great for a sort while but it quickly gets very warm in the sun without shade. The gravel path is on the flood control dike that is now the bank of the river and it goes up and down every 100 yards or so. This got old really fast. Shortly after we crossed a damn and got on the right side of the river where it was all flat. Much better riding.
We also learned how to pack our panniers. These are saddle bags we use to carry all our stuff. Each bike has 5 total 2 on the back 2 on the front and one on the handlebars for easy grab stuff like snacks and cameras. By the second day we had a system down. Stuff you don’t need on the very bottom camping gear in one, clothes in another, food all together in one and one for tools and other random things and food overflow, and on top rain gear. Luckily we didn’t need our rain gear on this trip but it is a high value item that you don’t want to get ride off or have at the bottom of the bag. When you want it you want it on top. Over all we figured we had about 40 pound of stuff. With the bike being 35 pounds it can feel like a lot of weight going down the road. Next time we will pack lighter. After getting on and off trains and up and down stairs the new rule is the bike has to be able to be lifted while fully loaded. (Time to hit the gym!)
By the third day we were off the gravel track and on to pavement and made much better distances. We also learned to take brakes better. We made it a rule to stop about every hour to have a snack and a brake and stop and enjoy the scenery. This led to stopping in some pretty perfect spots. One time it was on the edge of a farmer’s field at a picnic table in the shade. Another time was a shady bench by the river, one time it was at picnic table next to water ski place and we were asked if we wanted to go for a boat ride (it sounded like the begins to a law & order episode so we said no). The trail is wonderfully developed in that there are plenty of places to stop all along the way. We discovered that we liked the stops the best so we were always on the lookout for a pretty spot.
The people we meet along the way always make the trip better. From the older German gentleman heading to the black sea with his bike and trailer to the day tripping couple from Oregon on vacation. The Germans and the Austrians were wonderfully nice and helpful. It was fascinating riding thru farm country seeing the farmers at work and even some early season pickers out picking strawberries. The farmers are so cute the look up as you ride bide and every one nods and says good morning.
About half the time we were on the trial we camped ant it was great. Each camping spot had its own charm and amenities. The first night we camped was perfect. We had this nice flat shot between the trail and river. We pitched our tents and spent the evening watching the Viking boats go up and down. The second night we camped was at this very nice campground. The tents had a beautiful mowed lawn with picnic tables and flushies. There was a playground for the kids and a bar for the adults. The ice cream was amazing after a long hot ride! Our third night we camped in the shadow of Melk abbey at a little after thought of a campground. It was small field with good hedges all around. It was mostly RVs but there were about three other bikers like us. The Inn right next to it served up a good hot dinner. That night we fell asleep to the sound of fireworks and the smell of a big bonfire. It was some Austrian celebration night what for I have no idea. We were tired enough that we fell asleep instead of joining the party.
The hardest lesson to learn was dealing with the airlines. It’s best to just put the bike in a box and tell the airline it is a bike and pay the fee. I had a special bag to put my bike in to avoid the fees and it worked but at a cost. When I finally got my bike home, it was delayed in the airports for 3 days, and unpacked one of the disk brakes was bent. I won against the airlines but it was more hassle than it was worth having to return days later to pick up my delinquent bag and to have it repaired, not to mention the scratches to the paint job. If crossing an ocean its better to put it in the box.
In short it was a fabulous trip and I can’t wait to go on the next one. But for now it’s back to the grind stone.
