After a day off we were both ready to get back in the saddle. It is hard not to have a good time on a bike. I spend a lot of my time in the saddle just enjoying the scenery and marvelling at my good fortune.
Today was a great ride, but an unexpected one for me. I left all the map reading and study to the Chief Navigator last night, so it was a complete surprise to me that we didn't follow the Donau the whole way. We were next to the river, then away from it, then back beside it throughout the day. The CN knew this of course, but everytime we left the river he had to reassure me we were going in the right direction.
The ride was flat for the most part and we made great time. About 35 km in we were looking for a coffee and Keith found the perfect spot, but then decided against it because, as he put it "People are schmoken." When will we learn? It was another 10 km before we saw another spot. It was fantastic although we were a wee bit underdressed. White table cloths, impeccable service and a designated spot for the bikes and gear.
Dillingen was next. Market day!! I had to laugh. The bike route went right through the market, and this was like running the gauntlet. Even Keith saw the humour in the situation, but then he was feeling happy because he had just had an enormous bratwurst in a bun. A couple of times I thought I had lost him in the crowd, but then I would see him ahead, also hung up in the crowd. Dilligen was gorgeous, even on market day.
It was here as well that the sun burned through the clouds. After one navigational error...what would a day be without one of those...we were on our way. We bought macadamia nuts covered in I am not sure what, and I opened the package. Man, were they good. That sweet/salty combo that is impossible to resist. I figure each one packed about 100 calories into a small package. I solved the problem by giving them to Keith to carry. He polished them off in no time, saving me from myself.
We had a second navigational error and we were only aware of it because in a very few minutes Donauworth went from being 34 km away to 22 km away. We accidentally left the Eurovelo 6 route and ended up on an alternate which saved us 10 km. You really have to appreciate a country that has multiple well signed routes to the same place. Our accidental route paralleled the highway, but was well away from it. We think at Hochstadt an der Donau we made a left instead of a right. We probably went by a sign too fast, and missed the fact that there were two ways to Donauworth. Since we enjoyed the way we went, it didn't matter.
We are in Donauworth at the Gasthof Goldener Hirsh. It is a great spot. We have walked around the town and are now sitting in the restaurant. One of us is drinking beer, and the other is drinking green tea and eating apple strudel with ice cream, whipped cream and vanilla sauce. What could be better?
Just outside of Ulm. Another market to slow us down. This one was a giant flea market.
Big tobacco has a huge presence in Germany and France. We can't believe the number of smokers. We thought these machines went out with the dark ages, but you see them everywhere here. There are also tobacco ads on billboards that make smoking look attractive. I guess they have to make money to pay for the lawsuits in other parts of the world.
