nbjtours

Day 8

Vienna

56 miles. 421 ft climbed

660 miles completed on the first leg.

When cycling for long distances you do become somewhat obsessed by the quality of the surface you are travelling upon as it directly affects the pain transmitted to your ever more sore backside.

Generally speaking we have been spoilt by the super smooth tarmac or gravel paths in all the countries we have visited. Only occasionally he we had to evade difficult terrain. Well today was a first for all of us as just after leaving Krems and crossing a bridge under construction (but open) we actually cycled across some newly laid cement, having to push extra hard to get out to the other end before we would have become statues embedded on the bridge. The workmen seemed none too perturbed and straightaway started to tidy up our tracks!!

Today was always planned as a short day to get the final 55 miles to Vienna then meet up with our wives who had flown over the day before. Once again we ran alongside the Danube and luckily the headwind abated for the first 30 minutes before coming back on song for the rest of the day.

We crossed over the Danube on a few occasions using the huge hydro/ locks as crossing points watching a barge through on one occasion

Cycling along the levees was tough with the only respite being either these crossings or a short section of woodland as another tributary joined the Danube meaning a diversion in the otherwise consistent pedalling.

Whilst we haven’t seen as much wildlife as we thought we may as usual first thing we did spot some large slugs who seem destined to be caught out by the sun before they are able to make it across the path. Nick continues to frighten the grasshoppers who ping into the undergrowth as he powers past. Chris has no such luck and has so far squashed a slow worm and a lizard, although a grass snake did evade his concrete tyres this morning as it slithered away into the bushes!

We had a brief coffee stop with only 25 miles to go and arranged to meet up with Nigel, Monica and the ladies in Vienna so all was set. Nigel performed a quick clean up of the bikes to remove any traces of the early morning’s concrete encounter before we left.

Coming into Vienna was a breeze with the specific cycle lanes guiding us passed complex road junctions and into the city centre without an issue.

We even managed to work our way through the Hofburg Palace and Spanish Riding school.

Sopping briefly to meet up Nick’s wife Carolyn who was on her way to a music museum as befits a piano teacher we carried on until we arrived at Schonbrunn, a palace fit for the end of leg one.

Not being allowed even to walk our bikes passed these gates we then went to meet Nigel & Monica who had by this time been joined by our wives, Caroline & Karen, our Austrian friends Moni and ( my Austrian daughter) Tini.

Leg one completed successfully over 1000kms on mainly dedicated cycle paths, not a drop of rain Incredible. We have s lot to Learn in the U.K.

We now have two days r’n ‘r before the next stage of the trip into the old iron curtain. We are not expecting the same level of sophistication or quality of campsite!

The next update will be published o. Monday until then BBFN.