A Grimm Day: Day 25 - Tuttlingen to Riedlingen - Get It While It Lasts... A Big Loop Through Europe 2017

September 1, 2017

A Grimm Day: Day 25 - Tuttlingen to Riedlingen

The upper stretches of the Danube that we were biking through today flow through a narrow steep walled valley that the river has carved out over the years through the soft limestone. It is heavily forested with mature hardwoods and the cliffs and limestone karsts often have foreboding castles or forts built on them, looming down on the valley below.

It's a land straight out of a Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale,in their original form. These were pretty grim (apropos) and scary tales that have been Disneyfied over the years (can you imagine any kid going to see 'The Schneewittchen" - the original name of Snow White??)

It probably helped that today was overcast with low clouds and mist rolling through the valley ... it wasn't gloomy ... more moody, in a perfect way. The first 30 km of so was also a nature reserve so there were few towns and no commercial development. It was probably the first time we've felt that we were in a remote area in Europe.

We really enjoyed the cycling. We were also playing hop-scotch with the Kiwis Glenn and Steve for most of the day. We usually ran in to them as either they were finishing their cake and coffee or we were. The cafe's and Konditorei's in most German towns are great!

Another great thing about today was that the rain stayed away from us. Although we were riding on wet roads and through puddles, we didn't get hit directly.

We set up camp in a 'rustic' but cheap and clean campsite just outside Riedlingen and had a really good, and filling, dinner at a Greek restaurant. Surprisingly, when K and I got there at around 7, which we though was late by German standards, the place had only two other customers. However by the time we left it was packed. It was also cold for the ride back to the campsite. September is here, and so is fall!

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Song of the day ...

Down By the Water by P.J. Harvey

K doesn't really like this song, but I do and to me it has a really Grimm brothers feel to it .. listen to the lyrics and see what you think ... creepy but so cool ... (live version on Jools Holland BBC)

Tight valleys with dense forests, limestone karsts and mist floating through

Can't pass up a chance to take pics of calf's

More of this morning's moody but beautiful cycling. That's Kiwi Glenn and Kiwi Steve in the yellow and red up ahead

Schloss Werenwag, a nice little 'weekend retreat' standing sentinel over the valley

Impressive Castle in Sigmarigen, the first large town we came through

The Benedictine Abbey in the distance at Beuron has the largest Monastic Library in Germany ... apparently ... it was closed when we came by

Today's ride: 96 km (60 miles)
Total: 1,829 km (1,136 miles)

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