June 13, 2022
Vaduz to Bregenz
Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Austria!
Liechstenstein is the 4th smallest microstate in Europe. Quick, name the smaller ones?! A tiny place, we rode through it, then Switzerland, into Austria today. How about that? When you live in a country the size of Canada, it seems impossible to change countries so fast!
Today started out rainy, then got more rainy. We could see the blue sky in the distance, and black clouds above us, so we knew that "good times" were ahead. That took till about 3pm though!
We found a bus stop that allowed us to get our rain amour on. Once there was a break, we headed out. Still in Vaduz though (and its not big!).
This is the road we followed from our hotel through Vaduz. Reading up on Liechtenstein, it almost went bankrupt after WW2, so had a "monetary union" with Switzerland (I read that as meaning Switzerland lent them $$), then lowered their corporate tax to almost zero attracting many banks etc. It is no longer a "secret banking state" like it used to be, but banks are still the base of the economy and the GDP/person of this place is the highest in the world.
Under a large willow tree, and under the watchful gaze of happy cows with those penetrating cow bells ringing, we waited for the next break in rain. We made a run for it.
Some of you have asked if we share roads with cars. We actually do go on a few roads with no bike lanes, but only short distances. We go on a number of roads WITH bike lanes, but mostly on cycle paths. Even those are used by various small cars - usually residents only - and the occasional farm vehicle. Marjory played chicken with this tractor (like the song: I fought the law and the, law won!).
Back to the Rhine. Mostly paved cycle paths, sometimes fine packed gravel. You can see in the distance the mountains heading lower to the horizon? That's the beginning of the Bodensee where we will be tomorrow, and the last of the mountains in this section.
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Finally, blue sky! We took out our various rain gear to get the drying cycle started and had a water break for a few minutes. There was a bridge over us just before here with a traffic snarl - trucks and cars barely moving. We felt pretty smug zipping along underneath.
Now in a suburb of Bregenz, Austria, we air out our clothes for good in the courtyard on a sunny early evening. Other cyclists check in as well, and they eye us with an understanding eye. I get a Mohrenbrau beer out of the vending machine (cool idea), and the guest house manager hustles over with a Mohrenbrau glass. It wouldn't do to drink out of the bottle. Those Canadians!
Very short ride tomorrow to Lindau, then after dumping the panniers at the hotel, enjoying riding around the Bodensee.
Today's ride: 55 km (34 miles)
Total: 384 km (238 miles)
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