Abensburg

October 1, 2018

Successfully dodging rain

The weather forcast today was for rain until about midday, so we decided to see if we could dodge it. We have been so lucky with the beautiful weather we have had and only had rain on one occasion, sunshine the rest of the time.

We went over the road to a cafe for breakfast and it was an education. It was packed with I think some of the cake eaters from yesterday and they were having the most beautiful looking elaborate breakfasts, I was sorry we didn't have the camera with us, looking at these breakfasts was just about as good as eating them - some of them on two tier cake plates. We were much more restrained and had boiled eggs and bretzels accompanied by enormous cups of very good coffee

Set off with some trepidation about 11. We were well aware that with the cancelation of boats on the Danube our first 5km would be extremely hard. At the bottom of the track was a notice warning us that unless we were extremely fit mountain bikers to go back and take the ferry, it had a drawing of the tracks profile. Well the ferry was impossible and the only other option was a busy, steep narrow road. Off we went and the track was very steep with loose gravel, not an option to ride so up we pushed, it actually was only with difficulty that we could actually get the bikes up as the front wheels kept skidding. By the time we got to the top the surface of the track had improved greatly and we were able to ride most of it. It really is a beautiful track made primarily for hikers and on the way we saw a big group of them. Just before the end we came to some more cycle tourists coming the opposite direction, they were young and fit looking so it made me feel better to see that they too were struggling. It took us three quarters of an hour to do 5km. It is hard but perfectly doable.

This was taken after the track levelled out and became smoothly rideable

Coming out of the forest onto paved road

Emerging at Weltenburg we wanted to go and see the Benedictine Monastry there - we arrived at the same time as the tour buses. Associated with it is the abbey brewery said to be the oldest monastic brewery in the world - established 1050. There is an enormous beer garden in the monastery grounds but we confined ourselves to coffee rather than tasting their famous product. This is still very much a working monastery with pastoral responsibility for two parishes.

These are the biscuits they give you when you have coffee

This view of the Danube really shows how low the water is - the gravel is normally covered and you can see the line on the cliffs where the normal level is

From then to Abensberg we wandered along on what is probably the most productive country we have seen. There were huge areas of strawberries and asparagus and it looked as if they were growing enough hops to supply all the breweries in Bavaria.

Abensberg is a lovely little town and the hotel we are staying in is right in the middle of the old town and the room is really the nicest one we have had anywhere.

Don't know what this is for it was in a beer garden!

Today's ride: 40 km (25 miles)
Total: 2,145 km (1,332 miles)

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Robyn RichardsHello Tricia
I've been reading and enjoying your cycling journals for a couple of years now, having heard of you and your adventures from my friend in Cambridge, Jill, who I think you've met.

We've cycled in Europe on a much smaller scale in the last 2 years. Like you, we've taken our bikes from NZ. And like you, we are seriously considering buying bikes over there next August and storing them. We like Zurich as a base, and initial research suggests we would pay around NZ$500-600 a year to rent a 3cu m self storage unit there.

So I'm following with interest what you decide to do with your bikes in the next few days! Thanks for sharing your adventures.
Regards
Robyn
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6 years ago

Tricia GrahamTo Robyn RichardsWell the bike storage worked out very easily in the end. I had researched it on the internet and found 'MyPlace" on the internet. They are a chain of self storage units and very professional. Can also get their web site in English They had a unit which was absolutely perfect fit for our bikes and other gear. Not particularly cheap We took the unit for a whole year and paid in advance even though we wont need that long it just seemed easier. Also were able to find the branch which was an easy cycle ride from our hotel and a tram ride back. Good luck with your search for storage
Tricia
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6 years ago

Robyn RichardsTo Tricia GrahamThanks for replying. Interestingly, I was already looking at MyPlace in Zurich when I read your blog. Definitely dearer in Switzerland, equivalent to €1000, but that's not surprising, I guess. We'll just have to bite that bullet when it happens. Or store the bikes in Germany!
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6 years ago

Tricia GrahamIt took us only about half an hour from arriving at MyPlace doing alll the paper work, locking up the bikes etc until we were out of there. So easy and I had been worrying about it
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6 years ago