Headwind
N 48°44'387'' E 011°11'207''
Day: 24
Sunrise:
06:09 am
Sunset:
8:29 pm
As the crow flies:
30,70 Km
Daily kilometers:
40 Km
Total kilometers:
633.72 Km
Soil condition:
Asphalt, 20% gravel
Temperature – Day (maximum):
23 °C
Temperature – day (minimum):
19 °C
Temperature – Night:
10 °C
Latitude:
48°44’387”
Longitude:
011°11’207”
Maximum height:
460 m above sea level
Time of departure:
10.30 a.m.
Arrival time:
3.10 p.m.
Average speed:
12.32 Km/h
“Where you come from?” a man asks us in an American accent as we spoon up our muesli. Wayne, an American about 60 years old, has pitched his tent just a few meters away from us. He is also on his bike and tells us that he has been exploring Europe on his two-wheeler since the early nineties. “I’ve been to Spain, France and especially Germany,” he says and wants to know where we’re going. “We’ve never met an American exploring Europe by bike. Why Europe in particular?” I want to know. “Europe is full of culture, it’s safe, there are campsites almost everywhere and, above all, beautiful cycle paths. Here in America, many states don’t like cyclists. That’s something for the young. If you’re older, you should drive a car, at least that’s the general opinion of my fellow countrymen. When I’m out and about on my bike here, I’m asked if I have a problem. It’s different here. A lot is done for this sport in Germany,” he says. “How did you get into cycling in the first place? There must be a reason, right?” Tanja wants to know. “Oh, I had a nice sailing yacht. It sank in a storm and I lost everything I owned. There was nothing left. The insurance paid out, thank God, but I had lost all interest in sailing. I then visited my daughter in Alaska. She is a stewardess and had a longer stay there. I wanted to buy something in an outdoor store. That’s when I noticed the bike. It was on sale and I thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea. I spontaneously bought it and then cycled through Alaska for a few months. Yes, and now I cycle around here with you every year.” Before we set off, we swap a story or two. We learn that he is an opponent of Busch and that he very much regrets that his country is becoming more and more isolated from the rest of the world. “Isn’t it difficult to travel with an American passport?” I ask. Wayne shows us his secret. “I have two passports. I use my British passport when I’m traveling,” he explains with a grin.
The cycle path often leaves the Danube and takes us through small towns and villages. Again and again, the route climbs steep inclines. We are forced to push our load carriers. “I thought it always went straight along the Danube,” says Tanja. “I thought so too,” I reply, panting and looking forward to the descent after every hill. The headwind has been an additional brake since yesterday and so we are already tired after 20 kilometers. Although we now have over 600 kilometers behind us, we still feel a strong muscle mass in our thighs. The vicious burning sensation when pedaling fast uphill has reduced to a bearable level, but the general pain has remained. We are curious to see how long it will take for our muscles to get used to the movement sequence. Tanja’s knee pain has fortunately subsided, but unfortunately my left knee is still giving me problems. I hope that the cartilage damage doesn’t throw a spanner in the works.
At night I itch in the crook of my arm. I see a tiny black dot in the beam of my headlamp. I examine the stain, but can’t analyze what it is. “Did I get bitten by a tick?” It goes through my head.
