September 9, 2014
Fridingen - Riedlingen
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It was misty this morning. We took a look around the village, on foot, before setting off on the bikes.
The first section of the ride took us through the Naturpark Obere Donau, the Upper Danube Nature Park. I also heard this upper stretch of the river [as far as Ulm, I think] referred to as Die Junge Donau, the Young Danube. Whatever the name, the ride is both scenically attractive and to Barbara's consternation, quite hilly. We stopped to eat, under a tree outside the Swabian Farm Museum near Inzigkofen. Here it rained a little, but the tree kept us dry.
Mist and cloud persisted almost to Sigmaringen, famous for its castle on the hill. It dominates the view from the river, an impressive sight. We however rode on by, in sunshine now, the trail flatter, towards Mengen. It was on this stretch that we encountered a young couple, of whom the man was carrying all the gear; panniers and a backpack, whereas Fräulein Freiheit was riding unencumbered. I imagined a conversation, in which Captain Selfless, or mug, as I would prefer to call him, was trying to convince his demure girlfriend to accompany him on a bike tour. “You won't have to carry a thing” being the clincher.
In Mengen a storm threatened and we took cover under the canopy of a Norma supermarket. I took advantage of the rain break to check my rear wheel, which was just catching the blocks. I found three loose spokes. How they unravel like that is a mystery to me. I tightened them and the wheel returned to something close to its proper shape.
Barbara complained of knee pain, brought on by the morning's hilly stretch she thought. Fortunately, the next section of the route, across flat fields didn't distress her too much. It had obviously rained much more heavily here than in Mengen. There were puddles and the track shone black, in the now returned sunshine. We stopped for the night in Riedlingen.
We were back to eating in our room. In the old town centre, we asked after a supermarket and were directed about a kilometre away uphill. Barbara's left knee was still giving her grief, so it was a slow stroll there and back. She was unsure if she would be able to continue the next day.
Today's ride: 80 km (50 miles)
Total: 776 km (482 miles)
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