I managed to find new challenges with the web data situation that have kept me from keeping up the last few days.

Let me give a quick summary to bring those who are trying to keep track of us up to date:

On Monday night when I last posted we were in a hotel in Lindau, listening to the rain off and on and feeling quite comfortable.  

Tuesday morning came with a clearing trend and we started the day by checking out a campground just at the east end of Lindau, very close to the Austrian border.  It looked great and so we booked in there and set up our tent in the prime spot in the bike camping area since everyone else was just leaving as we arrived.  Then we hopped on our bikes and went back into Lindau and onto the island where we spent the better part of the day exploring, walking completely around the outer edge of the island and then up and down the middle.  We sat out a thunder shower in the afternoon having some chicken under the big umbrella of a restaurant.  

Back at the campground, we hung out in the rec centre where we had access to electricity but the hot spot was not providing internet access any more which led me to believe I had maybe used up the 5 GB of data that I had purchased and I couldn't figure out how to top it up.  I guess when the guy told me it would be easy, I forgot to say "Ok good, but how exactly is it done?"  Anyway there was enough German that I didn't understand that I gave up and told myself OK I will be at Bernie's place tomorrow night and I will get him to help me.  Meanwhile, what little bandwidth the campsite was providing went toward getting a few last things done with people regarding the financing for our two houses that we will own in a few days.

So Wednesday morning we took our time moving across the river into Austria and exploring Bregenz, especially the waterfront, since all the stores were closed.  It turned out it was a national holiday in Austria.

Wednesday evening we arrived at Bernie and Delia's place and made friends with them.  Bernie and Delia are good friends of Steve and Dodie, having met them by chance 4 years ago when the Grampies were on a tour in their area.  They have visited Vancouver Island, spending time with Steve and Dodie as well as hosting Steve and Dodie on another occasion while they were on tour in Europe as the Grampies.  Since we are using the Grampies's bicycles and they had arranged for us to leave them with Bernie and Delia, we had the good fortune to meet this wonderful couple and enjoy their generous hospitality.  As soon as we were settled and cleaned up a bit, Bernie took us up into the foothills of the Swiss alps where we could get a great view of the lake as well as looking down on Bernie's neighborhood.  

Wednesday night we discovered what a great cook Delia is, having a wonderful meal.  The next morning she provided us with a really great breakfast.  Thursday was a busy day for a few reasons:  First we spent some time in the downtown area of the city close to their place that had a large mall, Dornbirn.  We purchased a large bag with wheels to bring stuff home in.   Then after walking around the older core of Dornbirn and having something to drink, we headed back to a lunch that Delia had prepared.

Then Bernie set me up with what I needed to work on cleaning the bikes up and showing him how everything works, especially with regard to the electronics and recharging the batteries.  The batteries will need to be recharged every couple of months while they are being stored, as far as I know.  When the bikes were thoroughly cleaned I tested the chains and from what I could tell with my chain tester, the chains are OK but close to needing replacement.  Steve, I will talk with you about all that stuff when I get home.  

Then in the afternoon and into the evening Bernie went for a ride with us along the Austrian side of the old Rhine river which is the border with Switzerland.  The neu Rhine (new Rhine) is the mostly diverted waters of the upper Rhine which run a little to the east through Austria to empty into Bodensee.

We cycled about 20 kms total that evening and had a good meal with Bernie on the shores of Bodensee.  Delia had opted to stay at home and contact some of her Filipino friends.  

Now Friday, Bernie drove us into Lindau to catch a train to Frankfurt where we are in a hotel for the night.  This afternoon we spent in the shopping district of downtown and tomorrow morning we will catch a train to Amsterdam.  Sunday, midday, we fly out of Amsterdam, arriving about 1 hour later in the day in Vancouver, only 9 time zones later as well.

(Pictures and more details will need to follow later)

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Ok, it has been over a year since we returned home and I am going to complete this journal.  But rather than adding pictures and captions to this present page I am going to add new pages for a very special reason.  I will explain as I begin the first new page: