This morning, at the campground restaurant, I purchased my return plane ticket home. I was able to save a large amount by flying to London, swallowing a twenty-one hour layover, then flying direct to Seattle. I look at this as an opportunity to see something in the city and stay at a cheap Airbnb (which will need to be booked when I arrive in Vienna).
After breakfast, and many kilometers down the EV6, we decided to cycle off route 2.5 kilometers uphill to view Aggstein castle. This amounted to the most difficult, nonstop climb I have ever done (20% grade! Fully loaded touring bike!). In the heat and effort, sweat was accumulating on the inside of my sunglasses and pouring freely into my eyes. I cycled as slowly as I could, keeping an even pace to the top. Five and a half weeks of cycling gave us the base strength to do this. We recovered while viewing the castle from different angles. The gift shop sold ice cream bars.
The way down didn’t come without mishap. Due to the grade and tight turns, I had to break the entire time. Close to the bottom, I heard a pop as one of my spokes broke free of the rim, causing it to lose true. I’ve never experienced this on the flat, but it may have had something to do with a small bump and extreme heat. At the bottom, I couldn’t hold my finger on the rim for fear of burning it.
I’ll be nursing the wheel for the next day and a half to Vienna. She’ll hold.
Taking a small ferry, we entered wine country. Vineyards and villages consumed the landscape. This may have been the most picturesque cycling on the Danube thus far. On one town stop, we spoke with two teachers from Denver, Colorado. They were enjoying an extended stay on their own after organizing a high school group via EF Tours. They sounded enthusiastic about their trip and asked us about ours; quite pleasant.
We ended our day at a free campsite in Zwentendorf an der Donau. After setting up the tents, and before showering, we struck out under cover of darkness to a local pub we had passed two kilometers away. Kelley had brought a bright light, and getting there and back was a cinch.
The Danube tells its dark secrets to the stars.
It’s hard to believe that we’re a day’s cycle from Vienna, our final destination for this tour. I can sense that I’m getting emotional at this point, knowing that something so special is coming to an end.
What new adventure will begin?
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