Today was by far the longest ride of the trip at around 115 miles.
I expected to stop in Melk but kept on until Zwentendorf. The campsite just outside of Linz sucked, avoid it if you can. A guy played loud hardcore German music until 11 pm. I’m tempted to say Rammstein then again that’s the only German hardcore rock ban that I know.
It stayed hot until 7 pm when the sky cracked wide open and let fall a storm from hell. I got lucky again and found a cyclist pub at just the right moment. I took refuge there for an hour and ordered a beer. I made friends with a very drunk and gregarious Austrian guy. We talked about Arnold Schwarzenegger, the guy’s distaste for Austria’s military police (three of whom were drinking a few feet from us), and he tried to help find me a place to stay, to no avail. No problem though, a sopping wet campsite was just a few km from the pub in Zwentendorf.
I should mention that today’s scorcher of a ride included a jaunt through the Wachau wine region. I stopped for a delicious glass of local Grüner. The towns in this region were at peak capacity with tourists fresh off their Danube river cruises clamoring to get in and out of tchotchke shops.
The views of the Wachau region were unique. Whereas in France the vineyards are atop sloping hills above the Loire, in Wachau the vines grow on the steep cliffs that drop straight down into the Danube.
Vienna tomorrow!
Today’s Miscellany:
