Day 27, Budapest Rest Day

Time for touring. Terry and I signed up for a two hour city bus tour and got a free river boat tour. This was a little more than we bargained for at 3 ½ hours, but learned a lot about this city where Europe and Asia start to meet. Parts of the city are quite elaborate and it advertises 233 museums. Other parts are rundown, and there is major redevelopment underway.

Budapest seems to have been occupied by just about everyone over the years - Romans, Huns, Austria, Germany, and Russia – but have managed to maintain their identity. The city seems to be quite happy they have rid themselves of the commies.

We went through our first large shopping bazaar, with the world’s largest to come in Istanbul. Any and everything is for sale with McDonalds, fresh fruits and vegetables, antiques, and jewellery at the top of the list.

Tomorrow we leave the Danube and its bike paths after 1400 km. It should be an adventure.

Day 26, Day 26, Esztergom to Budapest, 55km

2000km and 2000 km to go! First flat.

Last night we had a huge thunder storm at the camp site, but everyone weathered it well…more wet gear to pack, though. The news showed the European Soccer Simi-finals with Germany defeating Turkey in Vienna and a huge thunder storm dumping on a crowd of 100,000. We were part of the same weather system.

Terry made a good recovery and was able to ride today. This ride was cross country again, through a beautiful rain forest. I was delayed with my first flat…a metal filing in my flat resistant Armadillo tires. We rolled into lunch at 10:00 and spent an hour eating and gathering up the group. Then we were off into Budapest in two convoys. We sure needed the help. This was 20 km of riding through rough roads and crazy traffic that would intimidate the most seasoned biker. There are very few bikers here, and I can see why. Bike paths are almost nonexistent. Budapest is a beautiful old city on the Danube that has the look and feel of Paris, but being communist, it hasn’t been maintained. Plus, it has the feel of a South American city with too many cars and many drivers aspiring to be racing pros.

The city has lots of energy and is full of young people. It looks and feels a lot like Manhattan, with graffiti and many of the old building crumbling. There is lots of construction and cranes too, so it is a city on the move.

I’ll try to do a city tour tomorrow. Budapest was originally two cities: Buda was south of the Danube and Pest was north. Today it is a single city of three million with many bridges joining the two.

Day 25, Gyor to Esztergom, Hungary, 108 km

Half way point!

Today we turned the corner and half done with the trip.

It rained on us again last night, so we packed up wet gear again. Today we left the Danube and rode cross country. The villages were small, roads primitive, and road signs few and far between. At one point we got hopelessly lost and had to ask a farm wife for help. She was quite helpful, though she didn’t speak a word of English or German. She got one of her teenage kids to help, who was studying German.

Another time Joc said he spotted marijuana and we had to investigate. Jon, our gourmet chef was able to clue us in - it was wild hemp and not the real stuff.

We found a lot of the heavy industrial factories had shut down and abandoned…moved to China. Many of the towns had new industrial parks with electronics factories moving in. The country side is a lot like Germany and France, just smaller farms. The big castles and cathedrals we saw in Germany and Austria are mostly gone. Also gone are the smooth bike paths...I really need a mountain bike for many of the beater roads and paths.

Coming out of a town after our lunch, four of us were going over a rough section of road and Terry bumped a curb and did a fall into tall grass. Since he is a big guy, he hit hard on his elbow and knee. For a moment we feared this was our fourth accident with broken bones. After five minutes, Terry shook it off and insisted on finishing the ride. He was lucky, getting only bruises and hurt pride…a tough guy who is determined to ride every inch.

Day 24, Day 24, Bratislava to Gyor, Hungary, 87 km

Goodbye Slovakia, Hello Hungary

Today was a fast ride along an elevated Danube levee. It reminded me of Holland. It was exceptionally hot and humid with temps reaching 95 deg. Yea, warm at last! But, not dry! We had lunch at 10:00 at a large dam and locks on the Danube, which is now taking on the look of a large industrial river…a lot like the Mississippi.

The border crossing into Hungary was also interesting. The border crossing buildings were deserted. Hungary and Slovakia are not yet apart of the European Union and they have already removed their border controls. Anyone in these countries can move to another country. The young kids are leaving the town and moving to the big cities where the money and action is.

Hungary is a beautiful country, but many of the roads are beat up and the towns are in disrepair. It is another country on the move with lots of construction underway, but it needs 20 years to catch up from 50 years under communism.

We had a great campsite with hot water and toilet paper, but the bathroom looked like it was out of a prison…really seedy.

No one in the group speaks Hungarian and we all get lost because road signs are not consistently placed. The locals have been quite friendly and helpful. Prices are coming down.

Day 23, June 23, Vienna to Bratislava, 78 km

Goodbye Austria, Hello Slovakia

The ride out of Vienna was memorable. I left mid-morning to help Terry get some new tires. A group of six of us rode about 20 km along the Danube bike path and since it was a sunny and hot morning, the park was filling up with nudists wanting to soak up the rays. Amazing stuff! I failed to get a picture, since most of the men and women really needed to be clothed. This contributed in us missing our first turn.

We cruised along the river levee for some 70 km until we crossed the border into Slovakia, which was deserted…no passports, no stamps, no visa, no nothing.

Bratislava is the new capital of Slovakia, the other half of the Check Republic that divided in 2003. It is a pretty former communist town that is now attracting river boat tourists. For the first time I recognized lots of Americans, because prices are about half that of Central Europe, or comparable to the US. This is a country that is on the move, but about 50 years behind the rest of Europe.

The owner of Tour d’Afrique, Henry, joined us and made arrangements for us to spend the night in a botel, a river boat hotel, and he treated us all to a traditional Slovakian dinner of goulash, fried pork, and potatoes. It was a great evening.

PS Yesterday afternoon Jos, from New Zealand, had his pocket picked and lost about 500 Euros. He was checking out of a grocery store when a woman asked him questions on bagging as he was putting his wallet in his pocket. Before he got it zipped up someone bumped into him and the wallet was gone. We lost two wallets in Vienna during the European Soccer Championship.

Day 22, June 22, Vienna

Rest Day, Summer Solstice

What a grand city and a great day. The skies are clear and temps are forecast to be 90 deg. We should be biking today instead of in a hotel. If the bed was a little hard, I didn’t notice. It was heavenly. We are in a ultra modern hotel with plastic bathrooms made for cruise ships. Word is that hotel and campsite quality will start to go down hill as we move eastward.

First things first…must wash cloths, so I have clean biking outfits for the next two days. The hotel only had one machine and there are no laundry mats in the neighbourhood. I gave up at 11:00 pm, so I got up at 5:30 am only to find I was second in line. Apparently some were washing all night. It is hard to compete with a group of Type As.

I went with part of the group to Catholic mass and concert at Stephan Cathedral in the old town. The only word I understood during the entire 1 ¼ hour service was “amen.” The rest was either German or Latin. However, the service was awesome with a world class choir and organ. The acoustics in the huge cathedrals are amazing – like a concert hall.

The downtown was packed with soccer fans. The place had the feel of the Olympics. Italy is playing Spain tonight, so the streets were filled with fans all dressed up in their team colors. Of course, there were lots of police around too.

I visited with several Scottish gentlemen who are in town for the European soccer championship. They said that in the old section of town is a huge tourist zone where there are bands, and beer/food tents. They wore their kilts and stayed out until sunrise partying. Last night Russia beat Holland in overtime.

Today is the first day of summer. Yea…hot weather. Along yesterday’s route we found huge piles of wood and signs advertising “fire party”…a Pagan ritual that is a perfect excuse for a beer party!

I met Don and Terry coming back from town on the subway. Don was managing with the broken collarbone, but his bad karma continued…he had his pocket picked on the subway and lost his wallet. Now he has to get home in several days and we have to figure out how he pays for his hotel and travel. Live can be complicated.

Tomorrow is a new week and time for a new country…on to Slovakia.

Day 21, June 21, Emmersdorf to Vienna, 122km

Disaster! Third Biker Down

We camped in a small town right on the Danube River, so are watching lots of river traffic. I woke up to another damp morning with showers around us. Since it was a relatively long day, we got up before 6:00 and were on the road before 7:00. The scenery was out of a postcard through the river valley and thousand year old terraced vineyards. For some 30 km we rode in and out of small cobble stone villages every 5 km with quaint restaurants and wine tasting. Since we were in a hurry, we didn’t stop.

Terry managed to have three flats, so that slowed us down (I have not had my first). At about 80 km Terry, Don, and I decided to swing into a McDonalds for a quick snack(Mac Attack). While turning onto a bike path from a bridge, Don didn’t see a section of pipe sticking up six inches above the ground and managed to hook it with his peddle. He took a hard crash to the ground and lay stunned for several minutes. Terry and I got him up and we walked to a service station where I ask the attendant for help. This Austrian gentleman let me use his cell phone to contact Shanty, our tour leader, and then called for an ambulance. In several minutes we had the police and ambulance there. After we gave them a report they took Don off to the hospital. Shanty had me lock up Don’s bike and it was picked up by the van several hours later.

Don got right into the hospital and was told that he had a broken collar bone. They put him in a collar brace and told him there would be no biking for a month. Don rejoined us at the hotel and is making arrangements to fly back to Calgary. He was the life of the party and will be missed.

This makes three bikers down and three broken bones. The Orient Express staff said this is unprecedented. All I know is my good Viking friend gave me a lucky stone for my safe journey. I continue to carry it and it has taken good care of me.

I have been invited to attend a church concert tomorrow…I should probably do it.

Day 20, June 20, Linz to Emmersdorf, 113 km

A Sober Day at a Concentration Camp

I woke up to another wet, but warm morning. The sun came out and temps were back in the mid-80s. Today we had an opportunity to stop and tour the Mauthausen Nazi Concentration Camp. To reach it we had to climb up a ridge overlooking the Danube Valley, involving a 1 km climb up a 14 % grade. My group of guys decided it was a good time to race again to see who was the girly man…I didn’t loose.

The camp was built like a castle and had a million dollar view of the Danube Valley. The Austrian government has made it into a showcase. Other than a few tourists like us, there were several hundred school kids touring. To say the experience was distressing was an understatement. There were lots of room depicting man’s inhuman treatment to his fellow man…gas chambers and crematoriums. All of us were troubled by this place where over 130,000 souls were exterminated by civilized people that many of us had descended from. Again I have to pause and be grateful for my good fortune!

Day 19, June 19, Passau to Linz, 102 km

Goodbye Germany Hello Austria

A new week and a new country. Austria has the best bike paths along the Danube. They are paved, smooth, well marked, and fast. It is much more like cruising on the road, except when you are diverted into a small town with narrow streets and cobblestone roads. We woke up to a foggy day, but after I packed my wet camping gear for the umpteenth consecutive time, the sun came out and we had a day in the mid-80s. Yea!

The ride was again great with lots of river, castles, and churches…more than I can remember. The memorable part was camping on a lake in Linz and being able to go for a swim. It was fantastic to cool off instead of trying to stay warm and dry. However, we noticed the local folks also came to the lake and many had no concerns about taking off their cloths and sunbathing. Joco, my swimming partner, and I swam across the lake and found a huge section of the beach that was a public nudist beach. Surprising stuff! The bad news was that with very few exceptions, we concluded that these bathers looked better with cloths on. The adventure continues.

Day 18, June 18, Straublin to Passau, 98 km

Disaster! Second biker down.

It rained on us last night, but the skies were clear and temps finally getting in the upper 60s. I rode with five and then seven guys who decided it was a race day. It was fun riding fast. Passau is a beautiful university city on the Austrian border. It has the distinction of having the world’s largest organ in St Stephens Cathedral. These churches never end and each seems to outdo the others. This is also a port for river cruises, so the docks were full of luxury boats and tour busses.

Today we passed Neil, our 80 year old biker form Eugene, Oregon, who had been driven out 50 km to ride in by himself. We passed him at about the 80 km point and waved as he waived back. Later we learned that he had somehow hit a farm trailer and been run over. There were no witnesses other than the German farmer, who summoned an ambulance and the police. Poor Neil, who had biked around the world in 2000, has broken hip and internal injuries. He was to be sedated for several days and had to remain hospitalized for a month. The plan was for a family member to come to Germany and fly home with him when he is ready. I really feel sorry for him…an 80 year old in a German hospital with no friends or family. I had to take pause and count my blessings.

Day 17, June 17, Regensburg to Straublin, 51 km

Easy Day

This was a very easy day after a rest day. The Orient Express staff had a good campground staked out and Straublin is another interesting medieval town. Terry, Don, and I left mid-morning and by noon we were at the campsite. To our surprise, the largest bike store I have ever visited was next to the campsite – 100,000 square feet. The town was quite manageable, and we were able to find good deals on cheap Bavarian beer and one Euro bottles of German wine. It turned out to be a enjoyable day. Weather was damp but warming!

Day 16, Regensberg Rest Day

This is fabulous medieval town near the Austrian border. We are staying in the old downtown in a 700 year old hotel with our bikes locked up in their courtyard. The hotel is on a narrow alleyway. Last night Terry, Curt, Clare, and I ate at a 300 year old Bavarian restaurant/brewery. I must say there has been no bad German beer or food. We walked to the train station and found it is a part of a large two story modern shopping mall. McDonalds and Burger King are kept out of the old town, but are a prominent part of the new.
A passing observation is that we see lots of people in the restaurants and on the street, but have seen no really fat people…a stark difference from America.
The big event last night was soccer…Turkey came from behind and beat Portugal. There must be a lot of Turks in town because there whooping and hollering for several hours on the town square. Tonight it is Germany vs Austria. We expect the place to go crazy.

We had a two hour tour of the city and learned it is a World Heratige Site with one thousand old buildings...the largest medievel city. This is also Pope Benedict's home town, which the city is proud. Thirty years ago the old center was a slum where one could buy a home for nothing. Today it is quite expensive and trendy.

Tomorrow we are off for Vienna where we have five straight days of biking/camping.

Day 15, Kipenburg to Regensberg, 106 km

Father’s Day

Today we got up to another cool morning, but the sun was shining and the birds were singing. It doesn’t get much better. Today we finished up the ride through the Altmuhl River Valley and rejoined the Danube. Sunday the bike paths were full of bikers and strollers, like riding through a park. Everyone is friendly and most say “hello” when passed. One has to be extra vigilant to avoid the traffic. I am going to have to buy a bell.
About a third of the trail was gravel, but it was reasonably fast. My Armadillo touring tires are taking good care of me…no flats or spills. At one of the rest stops on the trail we came across a “bikehaus” a vending machine that dispenses bike tubes.

Today makes two weeks…out of seven. I feel like I am in a cruising mode of riding and taking in the sights without much effort. This international group is quite an entertaining component. One of the women, Al from Jackson Hole, rode around the world in 2000 and just climbed Kilimanjaro in Feb. I got all the info on how to do that. Wynn, talked about two attempts to sail solo around the world, but had to give up when his boat was damaged by storms.

I hope everyone had a good Father’s Day. I couldn’t do much checking in because most stores were closed and I couldn’t get to a call center.

Day 14, June 14, Eggelstetten to Kipenburg, 107 km

Went over 1000 km

Camp was great…clean and quiet. Got up to 48 deg cool weather again. I wonder when summer arrives. Today we did an excursion off the more industrial part of the Danube and up the Altmuhl River Valley, a tributary. This was a great ride through canyons and castles on cliffs overlooking the towns.

The high point was riding into Eichstatt, a large medieval university town that had a weekend renaissance festival underway to celebrate their 1000 years of existence. The town center was roped off and town’s people dressed up in period costumes to perform and demonstrate their crafts. My biking group had the obligatory stein of beer. I visited with the local Viking, Thor, who proceeded to teach me about axe throwing…I hit 3/6 targets. He gave me a lucky stone to keep me safe on the remainder of the journey. As bunch of bikers on their way to Istanbul, we got a lot of looks and questions from the locals.

We had another great camp and had time to climb up a steep cliff to visit a castle and museum of the Roman Limes Wall, which was built in 300 AD and went across Europe to keep out the Barbarians. It evolved into a smaller version of the Great Wall of China, but must not have worked since the Barbarians settled into Bavaria. I got to dress up in the linked armour suit, with Terry and Clare…it was really heavy. I would have been wielding a really slow sword. There is a lot of history in these parts.