September 7, 2021
Day 20 - with update
Toblach to Lienz - unglaublich
Okay. This is just getting ridiculous. What happened to europe the last two years while covid was here and I wasn’t??? Let’s start at the beginning of the latest ärger. (Google translate will tell you what that means, but I think by the end of this entry you’ll have it figured out.)
After the rather frustrating riding experience yesterday I decided I would use my last day in bleeding Italy to ride in Austria. The Drau Radweg starts in Toblach and runs all the way to Croatia or something like that. From Toblach it looked like it would be all downhill minus a tiny bump in a couple spots to Lienz where I could catch the train back. Lienz also was said to have actual ticket agents so I could buy the very necessary ticket back to München for tomorrow. Seemed a logical course of action.
Much like yesterday, I was not terribly quick getting going this morning. By the time I ate breakfast and got my stuff together for the ride and loaded on the bike it was 10:15am. The ride is a 30 miles ride and downhill the whole way so I figured it shouldn’t take too long. Waiting a bit would let the sun get up over the mountains more anyway.
The Radweg is easy to find outside the hostel. It is literally outside the hostel right by the train station. The views along the way are very nice, though there was more traffic on the path than I would prefer. The first few miles are all in Italy and a lot of families had rented bikes and were out on a day ride with kids and dogs in tow. The one downside is that they had a tendency to spread out across the entire trail and the little kids haven’t always mastered the idea of staying in a straight line. It inspired me to stop much less often. Every stop means you’ve got to maneuver past the same families again. There was also a large guided tour group that I had to pass a few times. They had ebikes, completely unnecessary on this stretch of trail. Ebike support is limited to a certain speed. I’m pretty sure most of them were above that speed just coasting.
| Heart | 1 | Comment | 0 | Link |
The path really doesn’t pass through much in the way of towns. Innichen is about the only one. Most of it is directly on the Drau and through forested and quiet areas with nice views of the mountains. And it was truly all downhill. In fact, the further on I rode, the more downhill it got. After nearly 3 weeks of being passed by even small children, I was now passing everyone like they were standing still. It was marvelous. This is exactly the type of route my bike excels on. Or should I say accel?
For awhile a group of fast riders thought they could pass or keep up with me. There was a teeny tiny little hill that slowed me down just enough for them to pass me. Then it went right back downhill, but now they were blocking the trail and I had to coast and apply my brakes. Finally I got my chance to blast past them and left them permanently in the dust. The whole day I think one rode biker maybe passed me that I never saw again. And that was it. Aside from bragging about how fast I was able to coast, there isn’t anything of note to report about the ride. I didn’t stop much for pictures. I just let the bike go.
The ride ended in Lienz. The train station here is supposed to be a decent sized station where I could buy tickets from an actual ticket agent. Please note how I worded that.
The station is under construction for expansion. I wandered around for quite awhile trying to find the ticket counter. I finally had to ask in the station pharmacy where t fine the ticket agent. Turns out why’re on the far side of the tracks in a container. You know, those portable container things. The line was mercifully short. The experience with the agent was not mercifully short enough. The guy started out by training to speak to me in Italian. I had to ask him to please speak German. His German was not all that easy to understand. So much for going to Austria and finally being out of Italy. It extends as far as Lienz in Austria now, apparently. The return ticket to Toblach costed €18. Ridiculous. Had I gone in the opposite direction it would have been free. Turns out recumbents don’t cost anything on Südtirol trains. Oh, and this only gets me to Innichen. I either have to ride the 3 miles back, or switch to a different train. Fine. Be that way. I also was able to buy the coveted ticket on the EuroCity train from Franzensfeste back to München. 11am or so. I can finally get out of blasted Italy. It will be my last time here. Oh, and it cost a ridiculous €72. Pretty sure I’ve never paid that much for a ticket.
Now you probably think this is the end of the story for today. I got on the train, and went back to my crummy hostel room, took a shower, ate supper, and packed up for the morning. You are wrong. I cannot have such nice things. No no. I was turned back by an official “helper” dude when I tried to get on the 2:50 train. Bikes are not allowed on that train. No, you must go back down the elevator and out and around to track 4 where the special bike train will leave at 3:20. Okay fine. I did that. I showed my ticket to the “helper” girl there who informed me I had to wait until 4:23. What the bleep? That’s an hour and a half. I could be 10-15 miles back by bike at that point. And I was not the only person waiting for the special train. No. There was quite a crowd forming. I began to worry about if there would even be enough space on the special bike train. In fact, I am still sitting here waiting while writing this entry. I have another hour to wait. I’m afraid if I leave and come back there will be so many people I won’t get on this train. I am not waiting for them to designate another special train. I want out of Austria. I also want out of Italy. I just hope Germany hasn’t ruined everything during the two years since I was last there! Oh, and there are no designated waiting places here. People are sitting all over the place waiting for this very special bicycle train. Perhaps it’s a trap by Lienz to increase their tourism? Trap unsuspecting idiot tourists who think they can simply take the train back? Who knows, but what a typical way to end this trip. I’ve experienced more frustration in this one trip than in probably all the others combined. I don’t think all of it is due to covid either. It just was the wrong area for me at very much the wrong time. I won’t be back to Italy. That’s assuming I can so much as get back to Toblach and the hostel so I can catch my train tomorrow morning from Franzensfeste.
Well, after the very long wait, our special bike train pulled up. It had two wagons dedicated to hauling bicycles. How those bicycles were to be secured in those two wagons, I have no idea. I handed my bike off to the train bike wagon guy who stuffed it away with the several hundred other bikes heading back to Innichen. Sorry. San Candido. Honestly Italy, just acknowledging the former Austrian heritage of these towns and let them keep their original names. I’m doing good to remember one name. Two is asking too much. The guy I handed my bike to asked if I was going to San Candido and I just gave him a blank stare. He had to ask more than once before I finally figured out what he even wanted to know. Then he acted all exasperated. “I just wanted to know if that’s where you’re getting off.” Dude. We’re in Austria. If you would speak German to me I’d know how to answer you. Even in Austria I can’t escape Italy.
The train ride was an experience. The cars were packed full of Italians. Very animated Italians. Some of which were not wearing masks. I may or may not have reminded a couple people to put masks on.... Now, I am an extremely private person who loves their personal space. The whole reason I go on these vacations by myself to cycle through nature is to get away from people. This has not worked out well in Italy. In Germany and Austria most bike paths are not that highly trafficked, with the exception of perhaps the Donau Radweg through Austria. On previous trips I could ride for long periods with minimal path traffic. When I did encounter someone, it was generally another touring cyclist. As I have reported, that has not been the case here and that is a big part of what has been so tough for me here. This train ride took all of that and crammed it into one insane train ride. So. Much. Noise. It was too much to handle. I’ve been yelled at on a train in Germany for talking too loudly on a cellphone. This kind of train experience would never happen in Germany. Germans love their peace and quiet. And their rules. I love those things too. I think this train ride back just fully confirmed everything about the trip for me, just in case I wasn’t already clear on all of this. Italian culture does not jive with my idea of a vacation.
Long story short, I did make it back to the hostel. I stopped and ate supper first, and now I’m working out where I will sleep tomorrow night near the airport and when and where I’ll get my covid test. I’m intentionally getting tested in Germany in the hopefully very unlikely chance I should test positive. If I had to quarantine, Italy would not be the place I’d want to do it.
Today's ride: 34 miles (55 km)
Total: 540 miles (869 km)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 3 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 2 |