Europe 2018
We fly out to arrive on the last weekend of June so I can begin the German on Monday.
A week later, we ride out to Klosterneuberg on both days of the weekend. Once to see Peter's mum and then on Sunday to see Anna and Christian at their summer place. At the bottom of the garden is a side arm of the Danube, and the whole area is vulnerable to flooding. We manage to go a couple of times, always scoring a swim.
On the following Friday, the 13th, Suz met me in town to ride straight to the main station to catch the train to Salzburg, panniers full of everything for the weekend. Volker, Anke and Mitja came down from Berlin via Munich, Volkers parents live there, to meet us in Salzburg. We meet at the station and walk to the town centre to hire bikes. On the Saturday, we ride out to the biggest bike shop in Germany, Zwei Rad, just across the border, the river Salach. I buy a new front tyre with knobblies for when riding offroad, always a possibility as illustrated below . . .
Up the side of Festung HoheSalzburg. At only 4, Mitja is surprising good on the bike. Suz suggests a short cut . . .
We manage to find the cable car station and go up to the top of Untersberg. At 1400m above sea level, we are unsuitably dressed for the cool of the mountains.
But lunch and the views make it worth it. Back at the foot of the moutain, we warm up and ride back to Salzburg.
Sunday is a slow start and we breakfast together before we escort the Berliners to a local bus stop. Afterwards, we ride out to Hellbrunn for an ice cream and say hello to the sturgeon - 2 Beluga and 2 Russian before rushing back to the brewery behind Suz's apartment for the World Cup final between France and Croatia.
My favourite bike track, straight, flat and no cars.
It is after kick off but no goals had been scored. The place was packed, mostly by Croatian supporters. We get a bite to eat at half time and leave a little early. We return, pack and ride out to the station for the train back Vienna. It is just before 11pm before we crawl into bed.
Steve flies in late the following Wednesday, an old contact from work, he was in the UK at the time. After nice Italian meal with Lucia the dentist in town, we wander over to pick him up at the airport bus stand at Schweden Platz.
On Thursday, Suz and Steve in the gardens on the way up to the Gloriette at Schonbrunn (Summer Palace).
On the Saturday, while we ride 65km east south east out to Neufeldsee lake, an old lignite coal mine pit long filled in and now a summer holiday camping area with Nikky, his son and another friend. Verena, a swim and a BBQ await us upon arrival.
We catch the train back into Vienna just as the skies open up. Our nice and very effective cycling rain coats are where we left them, snug and secure back in the house. Absolutely sodden though not cold by the time we get home. The rain does not let up until lunch the follwing day, when we tram into town with Steve and see the 1949 British classic by Graham Green, The 3rd Man. On Monday, Steve catches the train to Budapest for a night. I meet up with Suz in town and after German on Tuesday, we catch the City Liner catamaran to Bratislava to meet him for lunch.
Onboard the Cityliner and steaming upstream.
One of two catamarans that service the Vienna to Braslava route, slightly faster than the hydrofoils to Budapest, but much more quiet and comfortable.
After my final German class, Suz once again meets me to dash across town to catch the train to Salzburg, again. We catch up with Anne for dinner and we spend the Saturday together, riding out to the Waldbad for a swim.
Sunday is a ride out to the Naturbad Aschauerweiher in Bischofswiesen, a most excellent way to spend a hot summer's day before we return to ride out to the Custom's house for dinner with Willie and Roswita.
Monday is an early start to catch the train to Amstettern for a three day, two night, 200km tour of Mostviertel, writeup below.
In amongst all of this, we manage dinner with neighbours either side and opposite, a visit to the dentist (not just dinner), the local pool, the local resturant, and even the Technical Museum of Vienna, not remotely local. The riding was mostly going places and I clock about 1000km including German class over the 6 weeks, and up that hill almost every day.
Suz drops me off at the airport on the Thursday.