October 8, 2021
Day 1: To Eglofs
Sun in the weather forecast and again the road beckons. This time we are taking to the hills in the beautiful Allgäu, a region about 140 kilometers to the southwest of Munich and which extends into Austria and Switzerland. It is hilly, to say the least. I don't believe there is a flat kilometer unless you count Lake Constance which is located in the Allgäu.
As I have mentioned in other journals, I don't like long car trips. Wangen in the Allgäu was only a one and a half hour drive, close enough to make it a comfortable drive and far enough to make it a new area for us to explore. We cycled through on another other tour many years ago and I remember it as being lovely and a shame to be through in a day or two. Now with a room in Wangen for three nights, we can discover more of what the Allgäu has to offer.
We set out from home around noon on a very grey day. Was this a good idea? Should we believe the weather forecast for Wangen? But the closer we got, the brighter the sky, then bits of blue. Too early to check in, we walked from where we parked the car at the hotel down to the historic center of Wangen. I chose Wangen for the starting point for our day rides because on the Open Cycle map a lot of bicycle routes radiated out from here. Otherwise I had no idea what to expect. What a pleasant surprise Wangen was.
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We were in our room at three and had no time to lose, we didn't want to be out when the warming sun went under. We were out the door within 30 minutes and started pedaling. Warming sun or not, the wind was strong and the climbs numerous. I don't think there is a flat kilometer to be found in this countryside. In the mountains you follow valleys, which of course aren't always flat, but here you go over the hills, there is no inbetween. Not as dramatic as mountain peaks, but still stunning country, breathtaking in more ways than one.
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Our goal for our ride was Eglofs, a village with a charming town square. Our ride was planned as a loop. There are enough small roads with negligible traffic that you don't have to retrace your steps - unless it is to avoid another steep climb.
The 13° C and the wind and long shadows convinced us to shorten our route from the original 30 km. It was so simple to just take the next country road back in the right direction without worrying about traffic. Just another quiet roller coaster with bucolic views.
Today's ride: 24 km (15 miles)
Total: 24 km (15 miles)
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