The Alternative Grand Tour Part 1 Continued…
SWITZERLAND
Day 18 8th April Saturday
INTERLUDE – Mulhouse to Luzern 26
A really efficient decamp – away by 10:20 for our visit to friends in Luzern. A bit tricky getting out of Mulhouse but we were soon on the A2 and down to and quickly through the Swiss border purchasing a vignette as we went through. Very slow through Basel but once done we motored well arriving at our friends just after 13:00. A tour of Monika’s apartment, a nice lunch and then down to the centre of town. Kate was amazed by the surrounding snow-capped mountains and the general atmosphere – not what she was expecting. Many photos, a visit to Monika’s university and an ice cream later we returned to Libellerain, walked around the local lake returning to a lovely evening meal. Then much discussion re the next stage of our trip.
Total to date 1143
Day 19 9th April Sunday
INTERLUDE – Luzern
Another lovely day in Luzern including a lie in in a real bed. A leisurely breakfast and then Monika had to go to Zurich. So Paul took us for a “short” ride (15k) to Rotkreuz. This included my first fall on a rather narrow rocky path, but no real harm done. Pleasant lunch in the shade followed by breathtaking views and downhill alpine runs on our return. The only photos we had time for today are of a lovely, well tended hospital garden with unusual living sycamore lattice fence. Now anticipating another of Monika’s tasty eating creations. No route 6 miles done today.
M and P – Luzern
SWITZERLAND/GERMANY
Day 20 10th April Monday
Luzern to Waldshut 66
Another lovely day. lie in and leisurely breakfast followed by a trip to Conrads in Hattie with Paul. Kate sat in the back. Conrads is a big German version of Maplins which had a new Garmin for Kate. Set the new Garmin up back a Monika’s and then set out for Rhein Camping near Waldshut and Koblenz 50 miles north of Luzern. Got there just after 15:00. They were full! But they did have a motor home park with a space available for 12 euros. Set up camp and went for a ride towards Bad Sackingen. Got as far as a bridge crossing, had some late Aldi lunch and rode back via Aldi for essential supplies. Had a chat with father and son touring cyclists looking for a campsite. Got back to Hattie unloaded and went looking for a meal out. Eventually found a Japanese restaurant next to the Zoll of all places. Neither us had had Japanese before. Kate’s first meal in Germany, therefore, was Japanese (in German)! Very pleasant meal for two of five courses with large glasses of Chardonnay. Returned in the dark so Kate tried her new headlight which worked well. Settled down to an evening of Acker Bilk, tech bashing and some German learning.
Note: 290k on Bernie for France
Total to date 1209
Day 21 11th April Tuesday
Waldshut to Gaienhofen via Rheinfall 65
Awoke slowly to a cloudy day but no rain. Eventually got going just after 12 and headed toward Rheinfall. Something of a tourist trap but an amazing place nonetheless. Hope the photos do justice. After some lunch and an extensive photo session we moved on to an ACSI campsite (campingplatz-horn). We were worried we wouldn’t get in or would be treated abruptly. Neither could be further from the truth. Lovely campsite with a beach down by the Zellersee lake (part of the Bodensee), sitting in warm, late afternoon sunshine with various beverages from the campsite shop having just cycled down to the lake. Have just now finished a home cooked meal of meatballs(frikadelle in tomato sauce ) brown rice and broccoli – lovely.
Total to date 1274
GERMANY
Day 22 12th April Wednesday
Gaienhofen to Radolfzell 12
Awoke early, after an early night, to another lovely day in central Europe. Coffee and some bread and jam for breakfast as temporarily without cash. Pottered about in the morning – laundry, wasser tanks, making troublesome wifi work, etc. Finally got going at 14:00 and headed off to Radolfzell using the new Garmin (this needed unplugging from Diana’s power system to stop it, ironically, powering down every few seconds). Got to Radolfzell just after 15:00, found a geldautomat hidden inside an obscure bank building, and had some coffee and cake for late lunch – although Kate didn’t have much of either. Found an Aldi, restocked with supplies and returned to camp just after 18:00. Not many official miles but a 30k bike ride nonetheless. Salad, cheese and some kind of wurst for tea after a beer or two in the late afternoon sun.
Radofzell
Total to date 1286
Day 23 13th April Thursday
Radolfzell to Fridingen an der Donau 48
Prompt, efficient start on a slightly cooler morning than usual. Tommy needed resetting, but we were still away by 11 towards Tuttlingen. Kate had fun in a LiDL there. We then stopped for sushi lunch in a layby on the way to an ACSI campsite near Thalheim. Found the campsite with its panoramic views of forests and hillsides. Booked in easily – we thought this might be tricky with the run up to Easter. Went for a short cycle ride, had another beer in the evening sunshine and a salad for tea.
Total to date 1334
Day 24 14th April Good Friday
No official miles today
A cool. cloudy day to begin with, with some encouraging blue sky, and a lie in. Also Bernie (the Volt) was not fully charged so we were slow to get going. Eventually the clouds broke just before 14:00 so we headed out to what proved to be quite an adventure (by our standards). To begin with we decided to use the roads after our experience with the Garmin the previous day. This meant a long climb up to Bucheim that in turn lead to a long steep downhill track that according to our map came to a dead end. But we were rewarded with first sight of the Donau at the bottom. We headed west towards Fridingen and stopped for a picnic at a pleasant confluence of paths and river. We then took the short over hill route to the pleasing town of Fridingen. Kate found a geldautomat with her Garmin, we took some photos and decided to go back via roads. The route we took started with a gradual climb that gradually got steeper and steeper. The road from Bergsteig to Bucheim was worst. Kate called it mountainous – worse than Devon… Once in Bucheim it was all downhill back to camp though. I got 57kph indicated!! And I still had four blobs on my battery after 25k of steep cycling. Mackerel pasta and some beer for tea as it’s Good Friday. Ulm tomorrow..
Day 25 15th April Easter Saturday
Vorsang (the campsite) to Donauworth 220
Another prompt, efficient start on another cool morning. The idea was to camp near Ersingen but we couldn’t find anything. We found plenty of fuel and supermarkets galore, on the way, in Messkirch. So supplies to see us through to Easter and a picnic lunch in a slightly messy parking layby was easily done. Without a campsite in Ersingem though we drove on, through a number of spring showers, to Donauworth. Hence the large number of official miles done. Set up camp and had Bratwurst and sauerkraut for tea. Very Bavarian. Note: no cycling today – just transit
Total distance to date 1554
Day 26 16th April Easter Day
No official miles done today – quite a lot yesterday!
A steady awakening to a cool, dark grey sky and an Aldi chocolate Easter egg – although no rain. Got going at 12 to visit Donauworth. Using the Garmin the route was most interesting, especially when traversing an extremely gravelly track – puncture city. Got to a pretty town, had a ride around looking at the town statues decorated for Easter with bunnies and chocolate.. and found a nice warm café (one of many bars and cafés that were, surprisingly, open) in the centre of town. Europe is so civilised. Our first proper cappacino of the trip, as requested in my broken German, plus bacon and cheese savoury bread. I wanted to stay all afternoon as it was nice and warm. But Kate thought otherwise.. Lo and behold as we left it started to rain. Fortunately this did not last long and we routed back on roads rather than tracks, with help from a German family out for an Easter Day stroll, with a detour to Eggelstretton. Got back at 15:30. Bavarian beef ghoulash for tea.
Day 27 17th April Easter Monday
Donauworth to Regensburg 140
Another grey, leaden sky and prompt start to get way from Eggelstretton. Started raining as we left. We were going to stop at Kelheim but a diversion forced us away. Stopped at an extremely small and crowded motorway service station for Gulaschsuppe and coffee. Got to Bad Abbach campsite (Campingplatz Freizeitinsel) too early so we drove around the pleasant local town for a while. Now settling in for a cool, blustery afternoon and evening. May cycle later – weather permitting.
Total to date 1694
Day 28 18th April Tuesday
No miles done today – at all
What can I say about today…. Started with rain and carried on with rain plus sleet, hail and snow. So we didn’t cycle today. A shame as it’s quite nice here. Got quite a few chores done though and much done on the Web as the Wifi is good here. Had a little walk together in the evening before the showers came in again. Kate is now putting a chilli together.
Day 29 19th April Wednesday
Regensburg (Bad Abbach) to Eglin am See 112
Not much to say. More snow this morning and a prompt get away. Drove into Regensburg for some shopping. Nice town but nowhere to park so we drove on straight to our next campsite at Egling am See via a pleasant (at last) motorway services (still not as good as Gloucester services though..) where we had lunch of saute potatoes, rolled brisket around a gherkin in rich gravy (i.e. done the German way) and red pickled cabbage. Sehr gut… and then a REWE supermarket in Egling itself. Kate thought it was a garden centre but it proved to be a most pleasant shopping experience. Much money was spent and we even stopped for another coffee. Got to the campsite at 16:00 but the reception was closed. Kate explored the campsite while we waited, booked in for one night and settled in for an evening of Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines, a nice sandwich for tea and more of the Amazon version of Top Gear, The Grand Tour (hence this blog’s title). No cycling today – deemed too cold! The electric radiator is very busy…
Total to date 1806
Day 30 20th April Thursday
Egling to Gottsdorf 33
More snow this morning, prompt get away yet again aiming at a campsite on the Austrian border at a place called Gottsdorf in Bavaria. Not too far to go so took our time including slowly going past Passau with impressive gothic churches and colourful buildings across a wide River Donau. We thought about staying in a town near the cycle route but carried on up a steep alpine (according to Kate) road, found and drove round the campsite thinking reception was closed. In fact it was open, staffed by a young. laid back Dutchman who found us a nice warm bungalow given the current weather. This proved very warm with all the heating on. He also pointed us towards a superb (ausgezeichnet as Kate said) restaurant (The Land Hotel) in the village for late lunch. Pork schnitzel with Kartoffeln and red currant jelly. Watched afternoon German telly. Potato omelette for tea. Again no cycling…
Total Switzerland and Germany 722
Total to date 1839
AROOD - a record of our doings 