So happy - it isn't raining. The morning is cool and grey but as the day goes on it gets sonnier and warmer. From Spittal to Villach we follow the Drau, sometimes on small roads, often on unsealed bicycle paths, crossing from one side of the river to the other, and almost always flat.
We see a sign for a beer garden and leave the bike path for lunch in the small village of Pobersach. A great find. They have home made cheese, home made cider and a very homey atmosphere.
At Villach we leave the Drau bike path to visit the old center of the town, while the bike path follows the river and circumvents the town. Villach's popularity is largely due to its hot springs and status as a spa as well as its scenic location. I must admit, we didn't find much of interest in the historic center, maybe we just missed it. We have a coffee and instead of returning to the Drau bike path as it loops around Villach, we take a short cut through the city and save ourselves a few kilometers. I didn't take a single picture to show we were in Villach, just pictures of the path and the river.
At this point the Drau bike path continues to the east and the Alpe-Adria heads southwest following the Gail River to Arnoldstein where we spend the night. We are now close to the borders of three countries, Austria, Italy and Slovenia. Yes, close to the Italian border. We're getting there, just seven kilometers!
There aren't a lot of rooms available in Arnoldstein, for some reason everything is more or less booked out. But Hotel Wallner has a room, a restaurant and is easy to find, being directly on the bicycle route. When we put our bicycles in the garage, we notice that there are several Harleys in the parking lot. Come to think of it, we have been seeing motorcycles on the roads all day, actually hearing more than seeing. It's that unmistakable Harley sound. And we will see more of those bikers tomorrow.
As we approach Arnoldstein, we pass giant fields of pumpkins. They're not for pumpkin pie or Halloween, but for the dark and strong flavored pumpkin seed oil that the region is known for.
