Szeged to Timosoira. 30 July.

Sun up was 4am. A relatively quiet night except for people walking past the tents talking and sirens blaring at 4.30. We found a critter (gopher, sand snake?) had burrowed under our tent from one side to the other during the night and left a pile of sand! Everyone was up early, packed and ready for breakfast. Set off at 7.30 when it was already 25 degrees to ride through the city to the outskirts, where we waited in a large group for the ferry to carry us across the Tisza River. It was a five minute crossing. Then it was 29kms along a very straight tarsealed one land road which resembled a goat track! Along the road there were many fields of sunflowers, some crop fields and lots of scruffy scrub areas. It was all very flat all day. The soil was very sandy. We headed to the town of Mako, our last Hungarian town. Through the town and another 11 kms on we reached the border with Romania. Empty sentry boxes on the Hungarian side but we had to produce passports for entry into Romania. Liz showed her European passport and was waved through. John had his NZ passport taken off and checked and stamped before he could proceed.

So we were in Romania. Immediately there were differences visible, with poorer roads and more dilapidated buildings. There were many abandoned commune buildings, but evidence also of many lovely new homes and others being done up. All day we were on long straight roads, by 11am it was 36 degrees. Only passed through Cenad at the border where we changed our money into Lei, Sannicolau Mare, Lovrin, Sandra (where we stopped for an icecream, served in a little glass dish), and Biled before reaching Timisoara. We were on Highway 6 which was obviously fairly new (EU money) but all the side roads in towns and country were dirt tracks. There were no footpaths, and unmown grass outside houses. Not a lot of livestock - the odd tethered cow, mangy looking flock of sheep, a flock of geese, and a few hens. Many houses had large barking dogs, fortunately behind high fences. We had been warned about the dogs in Romania, and had ammunition in the form of sticks, stones and hard bits to throw if necessary, tucked into the legs of our cycling shorts. People were very friendly, and many waved to us. The highway was very busy so we kept hard to the right and travelled in single file. Carl and Rita took a tumble on their tandem, as did Philip on his bike. There was usually a big drop off at the side of the road off the tarseal into dirt, so we had to take care. At the border we changed time zones, our first change since Paris, so clocks went forward an hour. Many new appartment blocks are being built on the city outskirts, as well as some areas of new standalone houses which are obviously very
expensive.

We rode the last 5ks into town in small groups, and arrived at the Hotel Timisoara about 5pm local time, hot and tired after 8 & 1/2 hours on the road. Lovely to have a shower and freshen up. At 6pm we heard church bells ringing out "Immaculate Mother" tune. We are in a
lovely hotel, with Internet wifi available downstairs. Walked through the local streets, very impressed with the mostly 3story buildings, which had some lovely architecture. There are lovely gardens and squares in the centre of the city and it is a very Westernised city. Many people speak English. First impressions are of a city which is fast becoming a modern city. There are a lot of young people, the girls are very beautiful. Still some less well-off people around, but most are very well dressed. There is a Masserati and a few other new BMWs and Audis in the hotel carpark - but there are also still many old Skodas and Ladas on the roads though! Went for dinner at a nearby restaurant and had a lovely meal, with Jos, Manon, Graeme, Garis, Allan, Nicole, Dan, Carl and Rita. Sat outside in the mild evening air beside the gardens in the centre of town.

Travelled 120ks on 5hours 40 mins of cycling, ave. 21.2.

Kecskemét to Szeged. 29 June.

It was a noisy night. Camp "neighbours" - the young guys in the cabins nearby, decided to party up all Saturday night. So until 4am there was music and merriment, not appreciated by us cyclists nearby. The sun starts to come up at 4am also! We packed up and gathered for breakfast. It was cornflakes, boiled eggs and the leftover fried fat from last nights pork chops for dinner. So we stood and looked in disappointed amazement at what was presented. Henry, the company owner, is with us for a few days and he went and organized some meusli. So we departed for the days ride feeling a little more satisfied.

From camp we headed out of town and along country roads. We passed areas of fruit trees, more scrubby forest areas, hay being harvested, a thatched roof house under construction, areas of new houses alongside rundown places. At Jakabszállás we passed the church - Sunday morning Mass was on and there were lots of bikes parked outside. There was a memorial outside to all the locals who died in the '56 Hungarian revolution. Then it was on through Bugac, Móricgát and Jászszentlaszlo, (where we stopped for a cold drink) to lunch about 11am just after Kiskunmajsa. We had covered 65ks and it was 32 degrees. The towns were all strung out along the main road, and there was no central shopping centre. The shops were interspersed with the houses all along the way.

There were a number of little bars. Quite a few houses had For Sale signs on them. After lunch it was a ride through similiar country to Szeged. It was hot and after setting up camp we had a swim in the camp pool which cost 600HUFs each. However it was very refreshing. It was 35 degrees by then. Then we relaxed for a few hours until dinner. Again the camp grounds are not of a very high standard. We have only seen one camp with full kitchen and laundry facilities. Some do not have a place to wash dishes, or if they do it is only in cold water. Ablution blocks are poorly designed and maintained. John and I, together with Fred, were on dishes so had to do the cooks dishes - we all get 1-2 turns during the tour.

After that there was a camp talent show organized by Lady Al. The stage was the canopy used for lunch stops, and Jos was the MC. We had a lecture on bridge structures by Carl, a ballad by Philip, a skit by Win and Dan, song by Lady Al accompanied by Bill, cautionary tale by John, tango by Rita and Carl. Jos sang "If I were a rich man", Stewart and George updated us on the news, and Janice and Lady Al did a name song. Duncan finished with a joke. It was a great evening of entertainment and there was much applause, including standing ovations! Some people then went to watch the final of the European soccer cup between Germany and Spain. The rest of us headed to bed, covered in insect repellant as there were mosquitos around. It was still very warm and humid. It was dark at 9pm, much earlier than a few weeks ago, because we have travelled south. Tomorrow we up into Romania, another country, currency, language. However our first two nights will be in a hotel as the following day is a rest day.

Today we rode 102kms in 4hours, 22 mins. Average 23.4.

Budapest to Kecskemet. 28 June.

After a lovely hotel breakfast we assembled for a group ride out of Budapest. Because it was a convoluted route both Olivier and Duncan led groups out of the city. It took 25 mins to leave the city behind. We passed large apartment blocks, then stand-alone houses in an upmarket area.Once out of the city we passed through villages with people on horse and carts. The roads were very bumpy in parts. We passed through Taksony, Bugyi, and had lunch after 50ks at Debas. Then we went through Tatarszentgyorgy and Ladanybene and Mentelek. There were long straight roads, heading south-east all day with a strong tail wind. We rode through long patches of scrubby forest, and some crop areas, and past many unused tunnel houses. We saw a number of horse breeding farms. There is evidence of new money with new houses being built, alongside of old shacks. Business class people walking alongside of peasant farmers.

We arrived at camp about 1pm. After setting up the tent we rode into the central city; a large number of Eastern European apartment blocks, late 19th century churches, and one of the biggest mosques in Eastern Europe. Saw a bride going to the Town Hall for her wedding - accompanied by blaring car horns. Returned to camp and went to the pool complex next door. Sat in a large group and enjoyed a beer. Watched the lovely young Hungarian girls and the large number of overweight ugly men. There are a couple of new people who have joined the trip - Alan and Mike, and a new staff member Randy.

After dinner (rice, pork chops and cabbage) we sat around talking in the very still, warm evening air. It was getting dark around 9 when people drifted off to bed. The temperature was in the low 30s, with a lovely cooling breeze. We travelled 99 ks today, at an average speed of 22.5, which took 4 hours 22 mins.

Budapest. Rest day. 27 June.

Slept in - breakfast at 8.30 in hotel. At ten am joined with Janice, Jos and Karen to go on the hop on hop off sightseeing bus. We went through over to Buda and right up the hill to the citadel, from where there were great views over Buda and Pest. There was a commentary all along the journey, and so all the interesting buildings and statues were pointed out. A number of souvenir stalls around the tourist places. Down back over the river into Pest we wandered around the shopping area, then visited the church (St. Stephens) - another Baroque cathedral. Lunch was a smorgasbord of Hungarian food. Then the boys returned to the hotel and the girls walked to the famous Gellert thermal baths. There we bathed for a while in the different temperature pools. Afterwards we walked back through the market, a very clean and tidy place with foodstuffs on the ground floor and souvenirs on the upper level.

We then headed back to the hotel, but were soon hit with heavy rain as a thunderstorm passed over. So we passed the time at a coffee shop until it passed, then caught the tram back to the hotel. Dined at a Lenanese restaurant with Janice, Karen, Stewart and Garis. Back to finish packing to be ready for an early start tomorrow. Budapest is a city undergoing many makeovers and in another ten years or so will be a beautiful city. There are many lovely buildings from the mid-late nineteenth century showing signs of wear after years of communist rule. There is quite a lot of graffiti around. Unfortunately we did not get to see any of the 233 museums!
It was 32 degrees until the rain fell, when it dropped to 27.

Esztergom to Budapest. 26 June.

The day dawned bright and sunny. We were up at 6 to pack the tent and have breakfast at 7. Phoned Matthew at home before breakfast, he is on holiday for a few days. It was great to talk to him after six weeks. Left camp about 7.30 and headed for the hills. The day started with a short (less than 1 k) trip through town and then a 15km hill climbing 500m. It was through open forest on a narrow sealed road and was followed by gradual but fast descent over 20ks through villages and crop fields.

Lunch was at 35ks, which we reached at 9.10am!! After lunch -at brunch time- we relaxed and waited on all the others to arrive. About 11am we headed off in two groups with a leader each. It was 24kms to the hotel from lunch, and we went with Olivier. There were a good number of potholes on the roads into Budapest - it has been quite noticeable since leaving Western Europe that the condition of the roads is much poorer.

We were on and off the bike path, through the traffic, and over the Danube into Pest. Budapest is comprised of Buda on one side of the Danube, and Pest on the other. We are staying in the Mecure Hotel, as tomorrow is a rest day. Once showered and organized, tent hung up to dry, we headed for the laundromat. It was a half hour walk, and once we dropped off the laundry we found others from our tour having a beer at a cafe around the corner so joined them. Well deserved with the temperature still at 35 degrees!

The laundromat charge was 2500HUFs, or $22NZ. Some things are not cheap! We usually do washing at camps or in the hotel and string a line across the room but decided the clothes needed a proper clean this time. We have reached the halfway stage of the trip. Almost 2000ks on the clock, and at the half way stage in days. On Saturday we leave the Danube. We returned to the hotel for a rest before meeting a group of others in the lobby at 7. Walked to a restaurant about 500m away for dinner. The menu was in both Hungarian and English, and the waiter was very helpful as he spoke English also. We had a selection of Hungarian foods, pork loin, steaks, goulash, and they were all very delicious. Payment could be made in Hungarian florins or Euros. It was a farewell dinner for Charles and Leslie, as they finish their ride now and return to South Africa.

Returned to the hotel at 10pm and ready for bed. We are all very early nighters due to being up so early in the mornings. It was still very warm outside. Travels today were only 56ks in 2 hours 52, ave. 19.4.

Györ to Esztergom. 25 June.

The morning dawned bright and clear. We breakfasted and left camp at 7.30am with Jos, Carl and Rita. The route was through the industrial area of the city, and Olivier, our mechanic, had been through the day previously and flagged the route with pink tape. After the taped route finished we carried on and at a roundabout turned left. There were no road signs anywhere. So we travelled on and crossed a new railway line and eventually hit the end of the tarseal. We asked the chaps doing the road works which way to go. One pointed ahead, the other back the way we had come. It was impossible to have any type of discussion with them. So we retraced the last 2.5ks to the roundabout and turned right instead of left. Eventually we found a sign which informed us we were on the correct route, so we carried on to lunch at Tata.

Once outside the city, the countryside opened out to rolling corn/wheat/barley fields and fields of sunflowers. About 9.30 we stopped for a drink at Babolna, coke being the best solution. From there it was on roads, increasingly picturesque. There were some rough patches on the roads, bit generally good and the traffic was very considerate. The country was becoming obviously drier and hotter. At morning tea time it was 25 degrees, rising to 37 this afternoon.

Lunch was at 55ks at Tata. The bread was stale, only tuna filling which did not appeal to John. From there we headed for Szomod, climbing a 200m hill towards a hilltop winery. At the bottom of the hill were two lots of army sentries, as there was obviously an army exercise in the nearby bush. We heard machine guns and small arms fire. We rode with another group to camp, and after a steep descent on a somewhat rough road stopped for an iced coffee at Labatlan. There appears to be some problems with the charging regime. Some paid 400HUFs (Hungarian florins) - about $1.60, for their iced coffees. John paid 450 for two- so they were really tasty. From there it was a quick ride on a well sealed bike path to camp at Esztergon.

The Danube runs by the camp and forms the border between Hungary and Slovakia. It is an open border. Once camp was set up we had a very refreshing swim in the free camp pool. Then a group of us walked into town. Had a stop at a supermarket, then at a cafe for a cold Austrian beer. The city is reasonably neat and tidy, there were flowers in the gardens and it was busy with shoppers. Later, we walked up a short hill to the castle and the Cathedral sitting at the top of the hill overlooking the Danube and the city, with views into Slovakia.

It is the main Catholic Cathedral in Hungary, and is a beautiful building dating from 1862. While we were there someone was playing the organ, a magnificent sound from a large organ. The sound filled the very large dome. There were frescoes on the walls of the church. Back to camp for dinner at 7.30. We were served a tasty pasta with plives and lots of veges. After dinner John cleaned the bikes. A very humid evening, not a breath of wind. Still 30 degrees at ten pm. Through our tent door we have a view of the Cathedral, all lit up with lights. Around 12.30am we woke up. There were a few flashes of lightning, then very strong wind. The storm came on very quckly, with the thunder and lightning intensifying before the wind dropped and the rain started. Thanks to John's diligence in banging in the tent pegs every night we were safe and snug.

Distance covered was 112ks in 5hr 20mins. Ave. 21.1km per hour. We are half way through our trip in days, and tomorrow will reach the half way point in miles.

Bratislava to Györ, Hungary. 24 June.

Up and packed for breakfast on the top deck of the botel. It was a cooked breakfast so we were well filled by the time we left. Departed 7.30am with Jos. Rode back over the Danube and turned left to head east. We were riding along the stopbank for most of the time. The Danube had been dammed in 1992 in this area and there were lovely wide well-paved stopbanks to ride on. There was evidence of the pre-flood trees, they poked out above the river. We rode past poplar and willow trees along the sides, no houses of places of note. Not a lot of houses when leaving the city and very few places along the way.

After 20ks we were joined by the tandem ridden by Rita and Karl, and Jaco, Jurg, Terry and Jim. We made great progress travellling down the river on flat, well-sealed track with a tail wind. There were very long straights of up to 10ks on length. . We reached the lunch stop at the 50k mark at 9.50am. Teresa had only just arrived to prepare lunch - it was more like morning tea time. After lunch we travelled the last few kms to the border. Again, crossing the border from Slovakia into Hungary was a non-event. We cycled through the posts but there was noone there to check anything.

After that we turned and followed a sign for Györ which led to a stopbanks and a few kilometers riding in thick gravel in the hot sun on top of a stopbank. After a while we turned off the stopbank and went into a town. We managed to get the young lady who was cycling past to show us where we were and so we could ascertain where we wanted to go. We headed off to Györ along roads through small towns. When we reached Györ we had a few stops while people sorted out directions. It was a bit of an adventure to find the camp but we finally arrived about 1pm. Tents up we braved the showers: the amenities look like they were built in Soviet style in the 1950s and nothing has been done since. So the doors do not close, tiles are cracked, wiring exposed, showers work if you hold the hose nozzle all the time ... But there was water and it was warm! In fact the campsite was appalling. We should not have to stay in such conditions, but we are told that it is an adventure trip.

There was a lovely swimming pool but they charged €4 ($8) for a swim. We sat in a big group and had a cold beer at the camp store. It was around 37 degrees. Watched others turn up- some up to 3 hours later. It had been lovely and sunny all day, but around 4.30 the clouds started to appear. At 5.15 there was thunder and lightening, then the rain started to fall. After about an hour it had all cleared up again, but the temperate had dropped to 24 degrees, so will be much more pleasant for sleeping. Instructions for tomorrow were given, then dinner time. After dinner we talked for a while, but by 8.30pm people were heading for bed.

We travelled 87ks in 3 hours 48, average speed was 22.8.

Vienna to Bratislavia. 23 June.

We were up and ready to go early but had to wait till the bike shop opened at 8.30 so we could get a couple of new tyres. John's new Armadillo on the front wheel had a bulge which started appearing 10ks out from Vienna. So we were late to leave Vienna waiting for the shop to open.We crossed back to the northern side of the Danube and headed east. We did not realize that the first few kms were through a FKK area - Austrian nudist area. So there were many specimens to see on the way, though we kept our eyes on the road. Many others in the group made the same mistake and travelled through the FKK area!

The major part of today was on straight paved canal sides. Some of the surfaces were a bit rough so Liz's bell started ringing spontaneously quite frequently. It rings whenever the surfaces get a bit rough so cobblestones and such uneven surfaces set it ringing! The long straight stretches were easy cycling but VERY long and straight. We were following the northern stopbank which in several places was up to two kms away from the actual river through scrubby forested areas. There was no-one else in sight for most of the way.

We stopped for a coffee at Stopfenreuth, just south of Hainberg, the last large town before the border in Austria. Soon after we crossed a bridge nearly two kms long over the Danube and rode the last 14ks to the border between Austria and Slovakia. There were no checks at all at the border and we cycled straight through. There was definitely a different -harsher - look to the buildings as we approached the border. Even the dogs seemed to be more aggressive! In the distance we could see Bratislava, lots of Soviet style apartment blocks.

Lunch was waiting just inside Slovakia. It was then a short 5km ride to the hotel in the capital Bratislavia. We crossed the Danube again on the special cycle lane on the bridge, then turned left for a short distance to reach our botel. A botel is a boat hotel, so we are tonight sleeping on the Danube. It was very warm - 37 degrees in the centre of town. After a shower we went into town with some of the others. Wandered around the streets looking at the old buildings, then stopped for a beer. So many tourist groups in town, and people sitting outside having a drink. The old part of town was late 18th century traditional. Romantic-style buildings. They were all in good repair and there were many expensive brand shops.

Returned to the botel, and we had briefing for tomorrow at 6.30 before all walking into the town to go to a local restaurant for dinner. The soup was beans, sausage and pasta, in a dark saucy brew. Mains were either crumbed chicken or crumbed schnitzel. We walked home and were in bed after a cold shower to cool down by 10 pm. It was still over 30 degrees outside.

Today was a short ride. We covered 73kms in 3hr 33 mins, ave. 20.5.

Vienna. Rest day. 22 June.

We woke to a lovely sunny day. We are in Vienna! After a hotel breakfast on coffee and croissants we left in a group of 15 to catch the underground to St Stephens Platz. There we attended the Mass at St Stephens Cathedral with the 42 person choir singing in Latin. It was a unusual church - a Gothic church with later Baroque additions, it had some large white modern sails hanging all around the altar, presumably for acoustic purposes. There was a priest celebrating the Mass, with one assistant priest. Lots of incense, the priest chanted the normally spoken Eucharistic prayer.

After Mass we went along the main pedestrian street towards town. The city was full of thousands of football supporters dressed in Spanish or Italian colours for the forthcoming match at night. Great whistle blowing, singing, chanting and processing. Police teams were at every corner.

We had lunch at a Cade with lovely big umbrellas under which we could all sit. Lunch in France, Germany and Austria is not our usual light snack of a panini or similar but a full course main. There is no such thing as free water on the table, you have to pay for everything! At tourist prices!

After lunch we all went our separate ways. The temperature was 28 degrees and climbing. It was busy atmosphere, and many of the shops had opened in the afternoon especially because the soccer fans were on town. So it was much busier than usual. We caught the underground unit back to the hotel mid- afternoon to have a rest and change into our best gear - which for campers with limited luggage capacity was not high society garb! Together with Maureen and Glenn, Fred, George, and Monique we caught the underground again and went to dinner at the Johann Strauss Restaurant. It was a lovely three course meal; white asparagus soup or beef broth, salmon or steak, and a desert.

Then we all crossed the road to the concert hall for a concert of Strauss and Mozart music. There were galloping gallops, prancing polkas, many waltzes and a selection of arias by Mozart and dancing to Strauss music. It was performed by at 13 person orchestra, and was a very pleasant, enjoyable concert. Afterwards we caught the two subway lines back to our hotel and wrote up the days instructions for tomorrow. It was well past our usual bedtime when we went to bed at 11pm.

Emmersdorf to Vienna. 21 June.

An early start as there was open breakfast and lunch so we could eat whenever we wanted to instead of waiting for 7.30am. People left camp from 6am, we were up and away at 6.45. Breakfast was muesli, lunch ingredients were out unrefrigerated all night - so being shrimp salad and such most people did not take any.

The first 30ks of the trip was through little villages. It was fairly quiet as was Saturday morning. The villages were really quaint; cobblestone roads which are not the easiest to ride on. There were lots of vineyards on the hillsides. Many religious memorials all along the route. Houses were well-kept with lovely shrub gardens. It was getting warmer as the day went on with the temperature at 32 degrees when we arrived in Vienna.

We stopped at 35ks in Korneuburg, where we had morning tea with Jim, Don, Terry and Jako. We had a delicious apple strudel with our coffee. John and I set off while Terry mended another puncture. It was a little tricky getting out of Korneuburg as some signs had been covered up by road work signs. We rode along the river stop bank for 57ks from camp where we crossed the river to the south side over a large hydroelectric dam. Lunch was at Tulln, 20ks further on. We wandered into the town and brought some pastries which we ate under a tree beside the river. There was a big screen set up on the edge of the river and lots of tiered seating on the riverbank for the soccer games this weekend. Saturday is Holland playing Russia and tomorrow is Italy and Spain - both games in Vienna!

After lunch we carried on along the side of the river right into the centre of Vienna. We crossed the river again to the north side at Tulln and from there the route was mostly flat, straight, wide and lovely to ride on. There were some interesting sights to see, including fishers, in-line skaters and many nude sunbathers. There is an island in the Danube for the last 10km the which we crossed and rode. It was very warm by this time.

We finally found the bridge we needed to cross over on and rode off the island, straight down the road to the hotel. When we arrived we heard that Don, the Canadian with whom we had had morning tea, had fallen off his bike around lunchtime and broken his collarbone. We had been wondering why his cycling group had not caught us up. So Don is no. 3 to be going home, hopefully the last.

The hotel rooms are built like a ship cabin with a separate room for the toilet, a sink for the electric jug, and a separate shower and bath. There are a number of strange design flaws, such as the shower doors hanging round holes for handles and not closing together - so the water gets out! However it was a large room and very quiet. There is a washing machine available so a queue formed very quickly. Drying was a bit tricky but we had the overnight shift on the clothes aired and so the clothes were dry by morning.

It continued to get warmer through the afternoon. At around seven pm a large group of us (16) went a 100 metres down the road to an Italian beer garden where we had a lovely Italian meal. Pizza, pasta, etc. We were back in the hotel at ten, though a few stayed to watch the surprise 3-1 victory by Russia over Holland.

So we have cycled into Vienna! We covered 117kms in 5 hours 57 - nearly 6 hours. Ave 19.6.

Linz to Emmersdorf. Friday 20th June.

A lovely warm start to the day. We left camp just before eight and travelled the twenty kilometers to Mauthausen with Terry, Jim, Jaco, Don and Jurg. At Mauthausen we climbed the steep hill to the old concentration camp. It was a sobering place to visit. From there we were joined by Garis and stopped after a short ride for our usual coffee and cake. We usually share a piece of cake as they are large and very delicious!

The fast bunch caught up with us shortly after morning tea and we rode with them along the north bank of the river on the stopbank and through cornfields and forest. Liz lead the bunch at a great pace with a very helpful strong tail wind. Lunch was at Grein which was a very picturesque spot. It has a schloss on the hill and is right beside the river. After that we headed off with Garis and rode the cycleway hugging the north bank of the river for 40ks. We had an afternoon stop at Gottsdorf near Persenburg for an icecream and coffee.

Then it was a fast twenty kilometers to camp with a great tail wind again. It was lovely and warm (30 degrees) when we arrived in Emmersdorf. Arrived about three pm and set up camp before sitting in the shade to have a cold Austrian beer.

Today we rode 107kms in 4hr 42mins with an average speed of 23. We have now travelled 1500 kilometers!

Passau to Linz. 19 June.

Dawn chorus starting at 4.30 as usual, up at 6.30, breakfast at 7.30 and left at 8am. We headed into the city to use a free wifi connection, then crossed the Inn River and joined the cycle trail. Almost as soon as we left the city we passed the border into Austria. The cycleway was well-formed and about two metres wide. It made for very easy riding. The route was through steep forested valleys with the track hugging the south side of the river. We saw some squirrel and white swans on the way. There were a few cruise boats on the river. At Pyrawang we stopped to see the little church beside the river. Morning tea was at Engelhartszell. We passed three large hydro dams at various points along the river.

Lunch was at Schlogen. We then carried along all beside the river on the lovely cycleway. There were a number of other tourists cycling the Danube - mostly older couples. At one stage we had an inline skater tailing us at 25kmh. We had an icebream at Aschach where there were lots of tourists sitting at the many cafes in the sun. It was a lovely sunny day, 25 degrees. We arrived at camp at 2.30. It is a beautiful site beside a lake. Tents up, washing done, riders showered, relaxing in the shade. There is wireless Internet available so can catch up on emails. Dinner was pasta and turkey in a sauce. Bought an ice cream from the camp store for desert. Sat around talking in the beautiful summer evening. Bed at 9. Still very light out.

Travelled 99.46kms in 4hr 52 mins. Ave. 20.4. We climbed 350 m.

Straubing to Passau. 18 June.

Dawn chorus began at 4am following on from all night snoring from a number of tents! It was a warm start to the day. We made a packed lunch up after breakfast. We packed up and left camp around 8.15. Headed back to the Danube cycleway heading for Passau. Again the route was through grain fields either on the stopbank or right beside the stopbank. First stop was Deggendorf at 40ks for coffee. The cakes at €10 each were too expensive! We spent nearly 45 mins while the man in the photoshop tried to download our photos to cd. After two false starts he changed computer and was successful.

Saw our second mole today, albiet another dead one - victim of road kill on a cycleway! They are small little black things, fatter and not as big as a rat, with no tail. Lunch stop was after 50kms at Niederalteich beside the river. There was a little river ferry there carrying bikes and people across the river.

After lunch we meandered along the cycleway through and past many little villages. At Windorf we came through the village to see police and an ambulance on the road. Our fellow tour participant, 82 year old Neil from the US, had had an accident in an altercation with a farm vehicle, and was being put on a stretcher to go to hospital. At this stage he has a broken pelvis and minor internal injuries. After he left in the ambulance we carried on the last 20ks to camp.

The camp is a tent site beside the Ilz River which along with the Inn River joins the Danube about 500 meters downstream. After the usual tent setting up and a lovely warm shower we walked into town. We saw the cruise boats taking the tourists down the river. While we have seen barges taking goods further upstream through locks, this is the furtherest upstream we have seen the cruise boats. The church of St. Stephens in the centre of Passau dates from the sixteenth century and replaces a number of previous churches which were all destroyed. It boasts the largest church pipe organ in the world, and is a beautiful baroque church. After wandering around the streets we had an icecream in brilliant sunshine. Later we stopped at a coffee shop which allowed us to get free wireless Internet access so we received all our emails.

Then it was starting to rain so we headed back to camp. Dinner was a delicious pasta with roast beef and red cabbage. It was a very pleasant evening - one of the best we have had. We watched endless airplane flight trails heading westwards, probably to London, so Passau must be below a main flight route. Most people were heading off to bed just after 9.30. There was mist appearing on the river as the evening progressed. This was our last night in Germany, as tomorrow we cross over into Austria.

Distance ridden today was 99 kms in 4 hours 50 mins, ave. 20.5 kms per hour.

Regensburg to Straubing. 17June.

Another noisy night with our snoring neighbour, thankfully we had earplugs. Breakfast was again an elaborate spread in the hotel. We left the hotel about nine, and biked round until we found a wireless hotspot to send our emails before we left town.

We rode over the stone bridge and picked up the cyclepath. First stop was about 10ks from town at Walhalla. This was at the top of a hill near Donaustauf. It is a replica of the Parthenon in Greece and was built by King Ludwig I to honour famous Germans. It contains the marble busts of people such as Bach, Goethe etc. The ride was alongside the river through grainfields. Some was on coarse gravel. It threatened rain but remained cloudy and was a very pleasant cycling day. We stopped for coffee at Worth, again overrunning the little shop. Arrived at campsite on the outskirts of town about 1pm.

After putting up the tent and having lunch we joined many of our fellow travellers in walking to the nearby bike store. It was an enormous store with everything possible for sale. We purchased covers for our panniers - now it won't rain! - and a few other items. Then we went to the town center on our bikes to have a look around. Back to camp at 5pm to wait for dinner.

Today was only 56kms, ave. 18.4, in 3 hours.

Regensburg rest day. 16th June.

Having become used to early waking we were up at 6.30 and headed for the Laundromat. €8 or $nz16 later our clothes were clean and dry. There is always a full set of cycling clothes used every day to be laundered as well as our day clothes. Then it was back to the hotel for breakfast as this was included in the room rate. It was a real feast of cereals, fruit, meats, cheeses, boiled eggs (very German) and a variety of buns and breads- as well as tea and coffee. After breakfast we wandered around the town. The hotel was right in the centre of the old town. The day was cloudy and threatened rain every so often.

At 11am we joined a large group of fellow tour cyclists for a guided tour of the city which Jos organized. Regensburg is the best preserved Medieval city in Europe. The old town was not damaged at all in the war, and there are the remains of a Roman garrison fort, the oldest bridge over the Danube - a stone one from the twelth century, and a Gothic cathedral started in the eighth century. A highlight was going into the stone masons workshop - there are 30 stone masons permanently employed to restore the church. We saw examples of the damage caused by pollution to the church, and the work being done to replace the eroded blocks and statues. It is all done by hand, and recarving a full sized statue can take one person almost a year.

We heard fascinating tales of the towers built by the Italian Patrician merchants who developed the city as a vital trading port city. These stone towers were built to show ones wealth, the higher the better, though most had only the first few floors actually in use - the rest above was just a hollow shell. For many centuries it was a very wealthy city but fell into a decline which lasted until the mid 19th century. In 1975 the city began to be restored and is now a major tourist attraction and listed with the United Nations as a World Heritage site. It is also a university town with 25,000 students, and big employment provided by BMW and Seimens.

Lunch was at a bier garten with Jos, Garris and Jurg. We had traditional foods, Liz's small portion size was a full plate of noodles, fried ham and eggs, and a salad. We walked around town again and across the river to a cycle store. We always meet fellow cyclists at such places. Back in town bought a new pair of sandals for John, and returned to the hotel for a rest. At 5pm we went walking around the shops again. There are a number of antique shops and beautiful clothing shops. All tiny little shops with beautiful displays. Saw a pair of shoes for €485 (nearly $1000) - didn't like them anyway.

For dinner we went with a large group to a very pretty bier garten. We sat inside as it was cool, the building was very ornately decorated. The young waitress was dressed on traditional Bavarian style with a very low cut bodice! A delicious meal, all local specialities. After we wandered around toen eith Janice and Stuart watching all the places where people were watching tv screens to see Germany playing Austria in the soccer. There were groups gathered in all the cafes and bars around town. We returned to the hotel around 10pm and headed for bed. There was a bit of celebration at the end of the game as Germany won 1-0 but not for too long. Mostly just fans walking home through the small alleyway past our hotel. Our room was on the first floor overlooking the alleyway. Again we slept all night with earplugs in due to the loud, consistent snoring from the neighbour's room. Incredible, he kept it up all night.

Kippenfenburg to Regensburg. 15 June.

Awake to the dawn chorus at 4.30am. Always a lot of birds when camped near bush! Dead calm and slightly cloudy and cool. There was a hot air balloon drifting by above the camp. Packed up before breakfast at 7.30. Headed off at 8am. Rode through more grain fields and little villages following the Altmuhl canal, which eventually rejoins the Danube. Being a Sunday the streets were very quiet as almost everything is closed in Germany for the day of rest. We stopped for coffee and cake after about 30kms at Deitfurt. The locals were just leaving Mass in the nearby church. We were riding on gravel paths down a narrow valley. Came across our first canal boat, a freight barge. During the day we crossed the canal several times, usually at small towns. Some of the houses were coloured light pinks, yellows, and blues and were right beside the canal.

There was a huge memorial - a circular Pantheon-like design - on the top of a cliff at Kelheim. It was built around 1840 to celebrate an earlier victory over Napoleon, and is called the Hall of Liberation. Lunch was at 65kms beside the road. Buns, German sausage and sauerkraut. We stopped again at Bad Abbach for coffee and an icecream. The sun had come out and it was around 20 degrees. We rode most of the day with Charles and Leslie and Jurg. As Jurg had ridden the Danube trail previously with his family he detoured with us into some of the villages to show us the sights. The last 30kms were along gravel paths alongside the Danube, the paths filled with families on Sunday walks and rides. There were quite a number of beer gardens along the way and these filled up as the afternoon went on - most people travelling there by cycle.

We arrived in Regensburg around 3.00pm and weaved our way round through the narrow streets of the old medieval city to find our hotel. Our room is like one you would expect to find in a castle, with wooden doors and floors and a twelve foot stud, gothic archways and stone walls!

At night the European soccer cup game was between Russia and Czechoslovakia. Afterwards there were cars with horns blaring driving around celebrating the Russian victory. We had to put earplugs in in order to sleep as despite the walls being solid stone the man in the next room snored very loud and constantly all night. In the evening we went to a German restaurant for a traditional type dinner with Jos, Jurg, Jaco and Fred. The large waitress was not impressed with her non-German speaking customers who were not deliberately trying to be difficult! The food was very nice though.

Distance travelled was 105 kms.

Egglestetten to Kipfenberg. 14th June.

It was a cold night, the coldest we have had yet. Egglestetten is south of Donauworth and 15kms off the Danube trail. It was a well located sheltered camp ground beside a lake. Breakfast was a delicious porridge and fresh strawberries to add to it. John and I were first out of camp. We were joined after 5ks by Jos, Rita and Carl on their tandem "Bluebell", and Charles and Leslie. The route was through open fields skirting the river. The sky was clear but it was cool. After 25kms we stopped at Marxheim for coffee and at least a dozen others joined us there. There were two young Dutch children there aged 7 & 9 who had ridden there from Holland on their way to Hungary. The cycle path was predominantly down a long valley. On places it was gravel but very easy riding.

All day we passed through the usual small villages with a church on the centre. The church bells ring on the hour and often on the quarter hour also. There were several forts along the way including a reconstructed Roman fort at Pfunz. To view this we had to go up a 20% gradient for 400 metres! From morning tea we travelled the rest of the day with Maureen and Glen from Canada. We stopped briefly in Wellheim to take photos of the local church, the fort on the hill, and a German war memorial. After Wellheim we passed some rock formations where a couple of young chaps were climbling up a vertical limestone cliff. At Eichstatt we came across the celebrations of the 1100 year anniversary of the founding of the city. There were a large number of folk dressed in period costume with all manner of activities taking place.

We arrived at camp about 4pm having travelled 103kms in 5hours 20. We set up camp - a well serviced camp on the outskirts of town - and at about 5pm our friends Rene and Birgit from Munich came to collect us. Jos also came with us for the evening. The highlight for John was us going to Gollersreuth, about 20kms north, to where his ancestors originated from. That was where the family first came from in the early 1600s. We took photos of the few houses and the magnificent views out over the valley. Afterwards Rene drove us south to Ingolstadt on the Autobahn - Johns first fast land travel experience! We had dinner of bratwurst and beer at a handcraft museum. There were crafted goods for sale and a display of olden days logging techniques.

We then went into the centre of town where people were watching European Cup soccer on a large screen in the town centre. Ingolstadt is the centre for Audi car manufacturing in Germany. After coffee and cake we were returned to camp at 10pm. We look forward to staying in Munich with Rene and Birgit at the end of our cycling tour.

Ulm to Egglestetten. 13th June.

We packed our bags and gathered for breakfast in the hotel carpark. We had muesli and youghurt and bread with peanut butter or nutella. After breakfast was briefing for the day, the we went and bade farewell to Marilyn and Murray.

Leaving the hotel at 8 am we headed back to the Danube cycleway. The first twenty kilometers we rode by ourselves through the city then alongside the river on a 4wheel drive track. Some of it was on stopbanks, just like going down the Hutt River - not! The route was through forest beside the river and through small towns. We saw a rabbit, a fox and were threatened by a large swan protecting it's cygnets.

At Leiphem we were joined by Jos, Carl and Rita, and Leslie and Charles, with whom we travelled for the rest of the day. We made a detour to Gunzburg for coffee and cake. The town had a nice market place with old 5 storey timber houses right on the street. Then we rode on the detour through Offingen for about 11kms begins rejoining the track on the northern side of the river. We cycled through a number of towns over the next 20 kms to reach lunch at Steinheim. Just before lunch at Petersworth we passed a nuclear power station. Lunch we had the usual French stick, meat , cheese and lettuce. Unfortunately no fruit.

At Dundelfingen we had a comfort stop at the automatic toilets. We talked to some young girls there about where we were from and where we are heading. In fact our group was comprised of South Africans and New Zealanders. The town had two old towers through which traffic entered and left the centre of town. After lunch it was a consistent rode through farmland and villages to the camp. Some of the villages had a real smell to them coming from the animals in the barns. Not particularly enticing! Jos led us to the campsite using his GPS so it was a detour from the recommended route.

We arrived about 3pm and enjoyed setting up camp in glorious sunshine. The riding was in cloudy conditions all day which was very comfortable once it warmed up but it was great to set up in fine conditions. We are staying at the Donau-lech Camping ground in Eggelstetten. Dinner was very tasty - potatoes, green asparagus, broccoli, and fish casserole. We collapsed into bed at 9pm.

Distance covered today was 105 kms in just over five hours. Average was 20kms.

Rest day. Ulm. 12June.

Was very nice to wake in a comfortable hotel bed. It gets light about 5am though so the dawn chorus starts about 4.30. We got up and at 9am went down to the hotel carpark building to clean our bikes. They need to be cleaned every rest day and were particularly dirty this time as on Wednesday there had been so much rain around all the dirt came up from the roads. At 10 we walked across the Danube river from New Ulm into the centre of Ulm. There we had breakfast with Stewart and Janice and Glen. Bagels for breakfast this time. We spent a while walking around looking at the old shops and buildings and the lovely church in the centre. Like many of the churches we have seen it was partially covered in scaffolding and undergoing repairs. Ulm is the birthplace of Albert Einstein and there is a memorial to him in the centre of town.

We found the Internet shop and checked out our emails. After about an hour we left as had had enough of other clients there smoking. This will become more common as we head east. Walled around a bit more, it was cloudy and not particularly warm. Then we returned to the hotel for a rest and to repack our bags again. About 5.30 we joined Murray and Marilyn for a drink before going to dinner with them and Roger in the hotel restaurant. The meal was delicious. The outlook was over the river and there were plenty of people to watch strolling along the river and canoeing up and down.

The people in Germany have been very friendly and helpful. We enjoyed our time in Ulm.

Signmaringen to Ulm. 11 June.

We slept reasonably well with ear plugs in. The teenagers in the next camp site quietened down about midnight - they looked rather tired tired when they began to emerge as we were leaving camp! There was also a long thunderstorm during the night, but fortunately not too much rain. Breakfast at 7.30 as usual was just rice cereal, bacon and 2 hard boiled eggs each. We had to make up sandwiches for the day's lunch also. Set out at 8.10am with 110 kms to go. It was cloudy but a pleasant temperature, and with a westerly tail wind of about 30km per hour it made for very pleasant, easy riding. Quite a lot of the riding was on crushed limestone cyclepaths, but all the paths were in good condition, very smooth and wide, and well signposted. There were lots of other cyclists with panniers on riding the Danube trail. The river widened as the day went on, and the riding was through an increasingly widening valley on a very flat trail.

Disaster struck at 15kms on the outskirts of the town of Ennetach. Marilyn, our Canadian friend with whom we had been riding since Paris, fell and broke her ankle. Tour staff were very helpfull and arranged hospital and all other details. The previous day Amandine, our nurse, had taken Neil, aged 82, to the same hospital when he fell in a ditch and hit his head. Regretfully Marilyn and Murray will be leaving the tour to fly home to Montreal tomorrow, and it was a sad day for all tour members to be losing such a lovely couple. We have enjoyed riding with them as had similiar pace and enjoyed the same sights. Then John and I carried on riding but had to walk through the market day at Mengen. A Turkish lady saw the Paris to Istanbul sign on our bikes and made it clear she wanted to send her regards to Istanbul. We stopped at Riedlingen for our daily coffee and pastry. We over-ran the little shop with about a dozen cyclists and the lady was heard on the phone urgently ordering more cakes. The town was first established in 837AD.

From there we travelled through little towns and villages. There is a town about every 3-4kms so plenty to see. About 11am we detatched ourselves from the main group and went up the hill into Obermarchtal to visit a 17th century abbey church. It is a particularly beautiful Baroque church, one of the best examples of this style in Germany. Being on the top of the hill and being very large it is visible for miles. The abbey buildings and grounds were surrounded by a high stone wall, and overlook the Danube. A few kilometers on we stopped and sat on a seat at the outskirts of Untermarchtal to have our picnic lunch. At the next town of Munderkingen we stopped at a cafe where we had an icecream. Philip, Maureen and Glen, Charles and Leslie were at the same cafe. The cafe owner said that last year a group doing the same tour as us also stopped at his cafe! Mid afternoon we stopped in the larger town of Ehingen where we had a pastry and also managed to get a wi-fi connection to send our last blog and also receive emails. It was threatening rain again with thunderstorms all around us but we managed to stay dry. Others who were ahead and behind us did get rather wet.

The last thirty kilometers was riding through crops at shoulder height. It was flat, easy riding with a tail wind. We came into Ulm alongside the Danube, and after crossing the river found our hotel. There was space outside the hotel to put up our tents to dry. It was a fine evening. We dined in the hotel restaurant with Marilyn, Murray, Maureen and Glen. It was a very enjoyable meal, the final tour night for Marilyn and Murray. Then we went to their room for a delicious piece of Black Forest gateaux. Marilyn had wanted a piece for her birthday the previous day but we had not had it then. Ulm is the birthplace of Albert Eindtein. It also has a beautiful church. We will go exploring tomorrow.

We did 105 kms in 5 hours 26 mins, ave. 19.4 kms per hour.

Donaueschingen to Sigmaringen. 10th June.

The morning dawned clear though hazy. Up at 6.30am to pack up tents. We set off after breakfast riding through grassy meadows. We took some photos of the girls in the group standing in the flowers in the meadows. We passed through a number of small villages. At Tuttlingen we went to look for ruins of a castle up on a hill. John found them and photographed them for us! The rest of us did not make the climb up. There were lots of covered wooden bridges along the way, and many statues of Jesus, erected as a memorial to various deceased people. Every hour we could hear church bells ringing. Outside every village was a sign telling of the various churches and service/mass times.

We stopped for coffee at Immendigen, and lunch was at Mulheim. We saw the Wildenstein castle at Beuron. The Danube is not very wide at this stage. About 3/4 of the cycleway is sealed, the rest is fine gravel. There are a lot of flat sections but also quite a few hills. The trail goes through lots of forest and towards the end to the day we rode through high limestone cliffs. The track and the railroad both follow the river pretty closely.

About 8kms from camp we stopped for an icecream, as we needed to refuel before climbing the last 1.5km hill to Sigmaringen. Camp setting up and showers was next before we wandered into the town with Marilyn and Murray. We visited the local Catholic church, a magnificent example of a Baroque church. There is a castle beside the church, but unfortunately it was closed. Dinner was polenta and vegetables. As it was Marilyn's birthday today some of us also had a piece of cake. There was a school group of teenagers in the adjacent campsite who were making a lot of noise when we went to bed - yes, it was only 9pm - so we resorted to earplugs. There was also a lot of thunder in the distance so we hoped for a dry night!

Today distance was 96kms, on 5 hours 15 of riding.

Freiburg to Donaueschingen. 9th June.

The day dawned with clear blue skies for the first time, with the promise of a lovely day. We breakfasted in the hotel then packed up and had our briefing for the day. Jos led a group of seven of us out of town leaving at 7.50. It took 7 kms to get into the countryside, avoiding trams and pedestrians and other cyclists as we rode on the cycle paths. We stopped at a bike shop in Kirchzarten where a few bought replacement parts.

We climbed all the way from Freiburg, passing through a number of small villages. The climb from Thurner to Urach where we had lunch was 800 metres on 9 kilometers. There was one very steep hill on the way. At the top it was like Sound of Music country! There were lots of
alpine farmhouses with attached barns. There were grassy meadows, every little town had a church, there were steep hills in the distance. The roads were fairly quiet and good to ride on. It was a little like riding over Arthurs Pass.

After lunch it was downhill all the way to Donaueschingen, the source of the Danube. We took photos at the source of the river, and at the gates of the Danube cycleway. The day was about 22 degrees, sunny and warm. Finest day we have had. Our camp is at Pfohren, about 7 kms from the start of the Danube cycleway.

It is a lovely spot -helped by the very warm evening. As usual everyone was in bed early. Fellow campers must have thought they were in for a noisy night when our big group turned up but we make good neighbours - except for starting the day around 6.15am.

Daily mileage was 71.9 km at an average of 15.8. Time riding was 4 hours 33 mins.

Day eight. Freiburg rest day. 8th June.

It was a relaxed start to the morning. Breakfast was provided as part of the hotel charge so it was cereal and fruit, meats, cheeses, bacon and eggs, pastries, and so on. Murray, Marilyn, Jos, John and Liz wandered into Freiburg city centre. Freiburg is a city dominated by the Cathedral which dates from the twelfth century, and many of the buildings have dates from the 1200's and 1300's on the walls. The city centre has little water channels running through it.

Being a Sunday the shops were closed- many things in Germany including some ATM machines do not work on Sundays. We had lunch at a cafe - pastries and coffee and gateaux. There was an orchestra playing at a beer hall that we found beside a canal. On the outskirts of the old city centre were two medieval tower gatehouses built between 1250 and 1270, with modern tram lines running through the towers. On the footpaths of the central town were some small brass plaques, about 75mm square - memorials to Jews who were deported to Auschwitz in 1940 who lived in the various houses the plaques were outside.

We visited the city Augustiner Museum. It contains exhibits from the Upper Rhine; sculptures from the Freiburg Cathedral, tapestries, paintings, gold work and wooden carvings from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Some of the gold work was from the eighth and tenth centuries. All the works were Catholic.

We wandered back the few kilometers to the hotel. The temperature had risen to the mid twenties and the sky was blue. First blue sky since Paris! Within an hour of being back in the hotel there was thunder and lightening. From our fifth floor it was quite spectacular to watch. There was torrential rain for about an hour before the sky cleared and the sun returned.
We dined at the hotel with 8 others from the tour. John had finely sliced salmon and salad. Liz had spaghetti bolognaise. The house German white wine left a lot to be desired - it was not as good as the €2.50 a bottle of French wine from the Aldi supermarket. We passed on desert as there will be a lovely breakfast again tomorrow.

Writing this at 9pm we are all packed for tomorrow's early start. The rain has stopped and the forecast is for warm weather for the next few days. Tomorrow's ride includes a steep 9km ride to the source of the Danube. From there it is all downhill for the next few weeks down the river.

Day seven. Munster to Freiburg. 7June.

It rained frequently during the night but stopped at 6.30 to allow for the dismantling of tents in the dry. Munster is at the base of a long mountain pass from where you drop down to Colmar. We headed back into Munster to have a look around. Took photos of the storks nesting on the roof of the church. There was a market in the town square where there were stalls selling cheeses and sausages, fruit and veges. We were with Murray, Marilyn and Philip.

After a coffee and delicious croissant we got back on the bikes to ride out of town to Turckheim. It was gently downhill all the way and into the valley of the Rhine. Turckheim had a canal running along the side of the D10 and we went into the town through a stone archway. The buildings were very old, from the 1600's. The little butcher and bakery shops have the most delectable goods on display. Then back on our bikes again for the ride to Colmar. This is a much larger city - again with many old buildings in the town centre. It was a quite convuleted ride through the centre of town. We stopped to look at signs for the way when an elderly man on a bike asked if he could help. We were pleased to have Philip in our group as he said in French that we were heading to Freiburg. The man looked at his watch and said he had time so we should follow him. He led us through many different streets filled with Saturday morning shoppers to the main road. We thanked him, then headed back for a look around, knowing where we had to go to leave town.

We came across a wedding party leaving the Marie after their official wedding. There were many well dressed people waiting outside to greet them and throw large rose-shaped paper confetti.
From Colmar it was a flat ride through crop land and a few vineyards - Alsace wine region of course - towards lunch at Ihringenen. We crossed the Rhine into Germany. It is a very wide river with a large hydro station on it. There were houseboats on the northern side of the bridge.
Our group of five was last in to lunch because we had stopped so often to see the sights along the way. Lunch was French sticks, local cheeses, salami and lettuce and there was fresh fruit - plums, apricots, nectarines.

From there we we rode through a couple of little German towns and stopped at a lookout tower to get some photos of the valley and Freiburg in the distance about 11 kilometers away. Most of the cycling from there to Freiburg was on lovely wide smooth cycling paths. We arrived at the hotel about three pm and collected all our gear. Because it is a rest day tomorrow we get to stay in a hotel. Luxury - it is a lovely 4 star hotel. We have proper beds and an ensuite. We hung out our tent to dry and all our other damp gear to air. Not usual behaviour in a nice hotel, but all the riders rooms looked like Chinese laundries!

After cleaning ourselves up we met up with Murray and Marilyn, Jos, Mike and Bernice and Garis and walked along the road to a German restaurant. The meal was lovely, wild garlic soup, a salad and chicken with asparagus sauce. John and Jos had pork steaks. The waitress was delightful and went out of her way to help us. We were back in the hotel about 9.30 and off to bed.

Day six. Xertigny to Munster. 6th June

The day dawned mistily. The campers sleeping on the stage in the gymnasium woke from 6am and began morning rituals. Everyone was very pleased not to have to pack up wet tents. Breakfast was much appreciated bacon and eggs. Then when we were all packed up we headed
off.

The ride started with a hill climb for the first four kilometers as a warm up then we dropped down into Remiremont at 19 kms. Yesterday we had ridden the last twentyfive kms before Xertigny in the hilly country, leaving behind the rolling wheat/canola/hemp fields. Now we
were moving into mountain country. We passed through forest, past a car being loaded onto a truck after an accident, and through a few little towns. It was very foggy but a pleasant riding temperature. We stopped in Remiremont for a delicious hot chocolate and an almond croissant.
From Remiremont we turned onto the D417 and carried on climbing steadily past houses and little villages. The mist had cleared and conditions were rather pleasant.

Lunch was at 45 kms and the lady over the road came over to take photos. She rang the local newspaper to come and take photos also and brought over some flowers to put on the ladder flagging the stop. She also gave Theresa a cd of French music for us to dance to! Not much dancing at camp in the evenings after riding all day - it is always early to bed.

After lunch it was onwards and most definitely upwards. We continued up and up and up through Cornimont and La Bresse. There was a ten kilometer climb to the summit at Col de la Schlucht at 1139m. It was through forest but became more and more misty as we climbed higher.

The climb was quite manageable! Unfortunately there was no view at the top as it was so misty. In fact you could only see 10 metres ahead as we approached the top. So we believe that there would have been a fantastic view if there was no fog. It was a great feeling to have ridden to the top of a French alpine pass -there were lots of ski fields in the vicinity and a number of groups of cyclists also.

Then from the summit it was a very steep fast descent for 18 Kms into Munster. It was a great ride downhill in the fog. Traffic was light. We could not see over the sides of the pass - probably a good thing as could not see the steep drop beside the road. Occasionally we had to slow because of the lack of visibility. It was a long road down but a great ride! Towards the bottom the fog cleared and we could see all the houses in the valley. There were lots of houses perched on the sides of the hills. We passed farms selling Munster cheese and lots of cows with bells on. Rode through Munster to the camp site. Munster is a very picturesque town with lovely little shops - we have not seen shopping malls in any towns or cities! It was a bit bumpy riding over the cobblestone streets though. It was great to put up the tent on fine weather.

Showered and clean we rode down to the local McDonalds to tap into their free wifi and send off the emails to update our blog site. Then it was camp happy hour while waiting for dinner at 7pm.
Distance travelled today was 90 km in 5 hours 15 mins. Average 17. Lots of uphill! Thank goodness we trained on the hills in Wellington.

Day five. Chaumont to Xertigny. 5th June.

It was very misty when we emerged from our tent. Everyone was ready early for the big day's ride ahead. We left at 8am in heavy mist. We were riding through forest and it was slightly undulating. A deer ran across the road in front of Liz. We had a hot chocolate at Bourg-St-Maria, along with many other riders. It was about 17 degrees during the day.

Around 11am it started to rain. Lunch was at Bulgneville, in the rain. We passed through many small villages during the day. The villages all had war memorials, some had very large churches. Many houses had flowers in window boxes.

We stopped also at a lookout at the Col du Poirier, alt. 430m, on a busy road. It was certainly high up, with crop fields all around. The day's ride was all on undulating roads, but they were mostly quiet backroads. The French people are all very friendly and say "Bonjour".
The rain was very heavy through the afternoon. We stopped to eat our nibbles and only a few times for photos. Unfortunately because of the rain the views and photo opportunities were not great.

It was about 5 pm when we arrived at camp very wet and cold. The site was very exposed and with the rain falling was not at all pleasant. In fact it would not have been pleasant anyway as it was on a recently mown field with the abulition blocks about 200 metres away. Eventually alternative arrangements were made with accommodation available in a nearby school gymnasium. So we came over and unpacked our wet bags and set up for the night. There were people sleeping on the stage and in the foyer. At least we did not have to put up our tents in the pouring rain and could eat in the dry also. After checking maps for the next days ride over the Alps it was an early lights out.

Mileage for the day was 133 kms, average 19.1. Total climbing for the day was 1460 metres.

Day four. Rest day. 4th June.

Today was a much appreciated rest day. After breakfast we gathered our laundry and, along with many of our fellow riders headed to the laundromat. The camp had only one washing machine, and as it was overcast, cool and threatening rain everyone decided that a washing machine and clothes drier were the necessary appliances to use to get our clothes dry.

On the way we walked to the dungeon tower at the edge of town perched on the top of the cliff. The ramparts were 15-20 meters high with the dungeon tower on top. It was built on the twelth century, with the modern police station next door. Along the road was the local church. This was called St Jean-Baptiste Bouchardon and dates from the thirteenth century.

We met many fellow riders at the laundromat. While the washing was on we went to the supermarket for food for dinner, as food is not provided on rest days. Once the washing was dry we went to McDonalds just to utilize their Wi-Fi connection! Then John, Jos and I went to a little restaurant for lunch. We had a very nice meal. The boys returned to camp to clean the bikes while I waited for the Internet shop to open after the noon to two pm lunch break that all the shops close for. I caught up with emails and returned to camp. French keyboards are very confusing with q being where a is for is, and all other sorts of differences. So typing takes a while!

The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing and re-sorting and re-packing yet again. It was quite cool - certainly no need of sunscreen today.

Early to bed, accompanied all night by the relentless sound of big trucks passing by. Amazing how well one can sleep when tired!

Day three. Toynes to Chaumont. 3rd June.

It was a fine morning when we packed up our tent and had breakfast. We were looking forward to our ride. Everyone left camp at 8.15 in convoy lead by Duncan, one of our tour guides who is from Christchurch, in order to negotiate leaving town. We travelled through a few sets of traffic lights and roundabouts and after seven kilometers we were on the bike path at the outskirts of town. From there it was very pleasant, easy cycling on the flat. One of the riders came off her bike when she slid on a snail; the snails were rather large! The track
was wide and the views lovely. We skirted the Lac d'Orient and continued through a lovely forest area. Around 10am we stopped at Geraudot (30 kms) for coffee, with many of the riders there at once the cafe was overrun. It was a lovely spot to sit and rest for a while.
Back on the bikes we headed towards Vendeurve-Sur-Barse with Murray, Marilyn and Philip in our little group. The route was firstly through forest on the cycle path, them turned onto the D78 where we were in open farmland. It was a delightfully scenic ride with little villages in the distance. We stopped often to take photos. At Vendeurve s Barse we detoured into the town to look around and found the local church - a large fifteenth century stone building on the Gothic style.

From there we rejoined the N19 and rode through rolling countryside to Bar-sur-aube. There was a canal running through the town, which had stone walls. The houses were very narrow and built right on the canal. On the outskirts of the town we turned off onto the D13 heading to Voigny, champagne country.
Riding past lots of little vineyards in rolling country we climbed steadily up a long hill to a vista with wonderful panaromic views over lovely rural French landscape. This is the route for tourists through Champagne region- alas, it was not tasting season. Then it was on to
the D74 through Reuves-Les-Vignes, to rejoin the N19 again at La Boysserie. There is a huge cross on the top of the hill there as a memorial to Charles de Gaul.

The final 30 kms was a relatively undulating ride into Chaumont with a steep descent about 5 kms out, which was about 3 kms long. We rolled into camp around 4pm. The day's ride was 110 kms and 5 hours 50 mins of riding, averaging 19 kms per hour. The camp is beside a busy entrance road to the A5 and there was a continuous stream of large trucks going along the road all night.

In the evening we walked up the steep climb to the centre of town to look around and have dinner.

Day Two

There was thunder and lightening during the night, as well as rain. But tent was wonderfully rainproof. The roosters were crowing from 4.30am and the dawn chorus at 5.30. The donkey started braying soon after. So much for quiet rural life!
We left the campsite at 8am, heading back along yesterday's route. Due to making a wrong turn we headed west instead of east. After about 5 kms we became suspicious and stopped to check the map. So it was a matter of backtracking to the turnoff- unfortunately it was raining by this time so not so pleasant out.

First stop was Provins, a medieval town with amazing old buildings. We met up with some fellow riders and continued on to the N19. The rain was quite heavy by this time.
Lunch stop was at 50 ks for most, 65 for us. It was a pleasant spot under trees at the top of a hill.
Most of the day we were travelling along the D442, a relatively quiet roads through wheat and other crop fields. The edges of the fields are lined with wild poppies, and there are no fences between them and the roads. Very Monet-like!

At the top of hills you could look out over miles of crop fields, and occasionally spot a nuclear reactor chimney (at Nogent St. Seine) or windmills on the horizon.
Five kilometers further on we stopped at a semi-derelict Abbey from the 17th century, at St. Aubin, to take some photos, with Marilyn and Murray, whom we cycled with for most of the day.
We stopped at Marigny-le-Chatel for coffee. Further along the road there were road workers - we were very impressed when they said "Bonjour Madam/Monsieur" to us. All the French people we have met have been very polite, even coming up to ask if we need directions. Maybe
we do look really lost!

The rain fell quite often during the day. Dinner was had sitting under canopies, then it cleared for a short while before falling again. By 9pm the riders were all pretty well tucked up in their tents.
Today we covered 105 kilometers.

Day one

We were up early for breakfast at 6.30. Amy left at 7 for the train back to London. At 7.30 the riders were all assembled outside the hotel for photos, then headed into the centre of Paris to begin our tour. It was a large group of nervously excited cyclists who headed out under overcast skies. Paris traffic was very light, even so the logistics of chaperoning 40 cyclists of unknown ability through the city was a challenge, especially when we seemed to strike every red light that we could on the way. We went in a large convoy to Notre Dame Cathedral for a photo shoot there with the 'Paris to Istanbul' banner.

There was a young chap there dressed in a rabbit suit, with a sign around his neck "I love her" - he is getting married this weekend and so wanted our group to witness his declaration of love!

Next stop was the Eiffel Tower for another photo shoot then on to the highlight of the day. We all did a lap of the Arc de Truimph, negotiating the traffic at what is a huge roundabout before riding down the Champs Elysee. There was a real respect formed for the Tour of France riders who race over the cobblestones at great speed! It was a very slow 20ks round the city.

Then we headed out of Paris in convoy on the N19. There were so many red light stops that the group was soon fragmented, but every so often those in front stopped for catchup.
Lunch stop was at 52 ks. By then the riders were beginning to spread out. The route was through fields of wheat and other crops, once we had cleared the city; there were no livestock to be seen. It was a busy road, but motorists were very obliging and waited patiently at lights behind cyclists, or gave us wide berth on the narrow road. We passed through a number of small towns, with many more villages to be seen in the distance. John and Jos were excellent "leaders" allowing me to draft behind them into the headwind.

At a coffee stop at a little shop at Maison Rouge tour staff caught up with us and said we were heading to a different campsite - fortunately we were right at the turnoff so unlike others did not need to double back. The intended campsite which had confirmed the Tour booking was closed until 1 July, according to the sign on the gate, so the staff had to very quickly find another site for 45 people! Therefore we continued on to the new camp at Chenoise. The last ten ks were on a smaller back road, through very scenic wheat fields. First night we are staying at a farm camp.
There are a lot of animals around, and the fascinating sound of a cuckoo in the distance! Sounds just like a cuckoo clock!

All riders are checked in and tents erected. Showered and clean we all feel human again. Dinner is a bit late due to change of venue. It is a little windy, we are just hoping the rain stays away. No doubt everyone will sleep well tonight after 100 kilometers on the bike. Our time was 5 hours 23 mins, a slow time due to the very slow trip round Paris. There is certainly a great sense of achievement that everyone has completed day one.

Last tango in Paris!

A photo in front of the Louvre on Friday evening.

After waking at a somewhat more reasonable time on Saturday (7.30am) we packed up
everything and went to the tour briefing at the next hotel where we
met the tour organisers and fellow riders. We had a rider briefing
where we got the rules for the tour and were told about our luggage
situation (which meant we had to repack yet again!). This basically
means that for the next 3 days we only have one set of clothes to wear
at the end of each day of riding.

Let's hope we can cope!
After waiting for hours to get checked into the hotel, we gave up and
went for lunch and then came back to do a final check that our luggage
was all ok! We will soon find out if we've mispacked anything!
Suddenly it was time to go and eat dinner (Amy says it seems like all
she's done in Paris is eat!) so after yet another lovely meal we went
back to the hotel (which we had finally managed to check into) and had
to take our bags to get weighed...which of course were perfectly fine.
More discussion followed tonight, debating on the best ways to do
certain things and what not to do-but this will all be much easier
when we get underway!
Tommorow is an early start; so definitely no tangoing in Paris by us
tonight. We leave at 7.30am on the road which means brekky at 6.30.
The first two hours are cycling round Paris and sightseeing then
heading out for Provins. It will be good to finally get on the road.