We’re back on the road! This time around, Kelley and I are traveling with Charlie Snelling and Isaac Hall, two local Island boys up for an adventure. Of course, I’ve cycled with Charlie in the past on the Pacific Coast.
We left Hostel Ruthensteiner at about 11:30 this morning bound for an unknown campsite, somewhere between Vienna and Bratislava.
Feeling our way through the streets of Vienna went remarkably well, considering it was our first day on the bikes and urban areas tend to cross me up.
We found the Danube River and spotted the EuroVelo 6 route sign. Did we ever leave?
Outside of Vienna, we cycled for a mile along side a nude beach. I really haven’t witnessed something this expansive in the States. Everyone appeared comfortable. I need to try this.
The day was cooler than the previous three days, a huge relief. We cycled over fifty kilometers, much more than I anticipated. I have a feeling the saddle will take some getting used to tomorrow. It takes about seven to ten days to really become accustomed to this amount of movement. I’ll be patient with myself as I work through the transition.
One big highlight, which I hope to continue, was out first afternoon Danube dip. We all went in to cool off in a little backeddy at the end of a boat launch. Not wanting to get my cycling shorts wet, I stripped and put on my new Speedo. I’m getting accustomed to it. I’m not sure anyone else is.
The Batavus is running well, with the exception of an intermittent whine coming from, I think, the rear derailleur. It seemed to subside a bit by the end of the day. Maybe she softened up over the winter months. Maybe we both did. We’ll see how it goes.
Close to seven o’clock, Charlie met up with a German cyclist who led us to a hotel in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg. After pulling into the parking lot, a woman let us know that she had accommodations. When asked the price, she wrote down 40€ per person. This amounts to about $50 US. The group was at a standstill as to what to do.
It was decided that we would stop at a little park, have a bite and talk. I knew that we had to make a decision due to the fact that it was after eight o’clock. Charlie decided to take the room, and Kelley, Isaac and I opted for trying our luck down the route. This was the best decision because everyone was able to get what they wanted.
THIS TRIP IS MAGIC! Sure enough, within five minutes of starting to cycle, a touring couple from Vienna pulled up along side of us and offered to take us to a FREE campsite on the other side of the river. We retraced our pedal strokes, following them to a nice campsite not far away. After thanking the couple, we quickly set up our tents and dove inside to avoid the mosquitoes.
It’s true that the trip couldn’t have started any other way.
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