Bad Gastein to Spitall

September 4, 2018

Transalpine train and tunnel- we leave Austria North and pass over to the sunnier side.

September 4 Tuesday 47kms

Transalpine train and tunnel- we leave Austria North and pass over to the sunnier side.

Our train awaits! A good breakfast in the comfort of our hostel and then it’s 5 kilometres of easy riding to the station as the valley narrows even further. We are to take the transporter train from Böckstein and through the tunnel to Mallnitz. It’s a grey day - chilly as we line up with the other touring cyclists, including our German friends from the climb, as well as some other couples we’ve said hello to along the trail. There are cars and motorcycles in the queue also.

The shape of things to come. Aiming for Spittal today.

View from hostel window- where’s that clear sky?

Böckstein- end of the line, start of the rail ride.

Eventually the train arrives and the driver mans the ticket office. Five Euros for cycles - there are about 15 with 25 cars and 10 motorbikes. We load up bikes, bags with the help of two muscular young German chaps, and we are off! The journey is brief and I’m just starting to nod off and we’re there. Alighting in sunshine and warmth on the other side is energising and we begin the steep descent. And it is steep- from 1200 metres to 700 metres over 10 kilometres. We’re fairly careful about how we accomplish this but a couple of cyclists fly past at a speed way beyond anything I could control.

Mallnitz- Alighting from the train - a co-operative effort. Lots of helping hands. Think some of the young German chaps thought we really needed it.

Through the tunnel and good to go- Mallnitz.

Obervellach- a quick 8 kilometres downhill.

It’s a wonderful morning to cycle- still not to warm , some challenging hills and always the views of massive mountains around us and in the blue distance. And it’s to stay like this for days to come. We join the Moll river and continue to enjoy views of mountain pasture, wooden houses and barns, wood piles and everywhere apple and plum trees. The apples are ripe and there are frequent opportunities to avail oneself of one. We find a stall at Muhldorf selling jam, plums, apples, apple beer and strudel at 2€ a slice so we decide to treat ourselves, sitting in the warming sunshine chomping on this delicious pastry.

We reach Spittal by late afternoon and discover Pension Central after what seems like a prolonged ride through the town. Our room has a balcony and we sit outside and drink cups of tea. At the supermarket over the road we buy pork ribs and the necessaries for a salad as well as some new potatoes.

The balcony is also useful for cooking although we have neighbours a few rooms down sitting with their miniature pooch which looks a little disturbed and whines periodically. He may have detected the spare ribs.

All is well though, and we enjoy our version of haute cuisine washed down with a cheeky glass or two of Austrian red.

Today's ride: 47 km (29 miles)
Total: 3,758 km (2,334 miles)

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