Friday October 11 - Passau Germany to Reisbach Germany

 Up early and the big breakfast was great, but it was raining steady and forecast not to stop til 100 ish. So ok get ready full rain gear, check out, the route to Vilshofen goes right past the train station so lets see how it feels when we get there. 

OK fine as I cross the Danube bridge get on the path here’s another touring couple behind me, maybe I’ll get some company today? Nope they turn off at the train station, hm am I making a mistake? It’s only 39 km or so to Vilshofen and the train goes there too, so i say try it… Born to be wild s my song…lol looking for adventure… and whatever comes my way. Well about 7 kms after clearing town here comes adventure, gravel path steep slope up to the road, i click down a couple gears and snap up that hill, halfway, then crunch crunch stop the chain, that new chain with the pin failed. Push up the hill, lucky i did save the old one and quick connect link, didn’t take too long to put it on and now i;m really questioning not getting on the train. 

But the rain slows to a light drizzle and the clouds split and show some pretty blue sky, so maybe it will be OK if I stick with it. Wasn’t too bad of a path, some gravel but it was packed good, no mud, got to Vilshofen where i cross the Danube for the last time and leave it behind…. Now I’m going to follow the Vils river up stream, yup up hill and now we’ve turned south it’s a stiff west southwest wind… and as i walk through old town there, it starts raining again, pretty good… i went to a couple shops where i could park the bike out of the rain to see if i could get a new set of rain boots, really they are just covers for my shoes, nope, but one place had those neck/head gaiters on deal for 5 euro so i got one. One shop had rubber boots i thought about it but 39 euro and they were heavy and bulky and i only have one more rain day Sunday so just try to get by with the ones i got, they are doing OK tho getting holes in them and getting pretty well worn out. 

Now it’s raining good, so I have to find a place to eat where i can park the bike out of the rain, i covered the bar bag and trunk bag with plastic bags so everything will stay dry inside. 

I go past the turn off for the path, up a hill and finally spot a bakery cafe with an awning. Park and go in, the cafe is closing in 15 minutes so i order a veggie sandwich to go, and they had a table and chair outside under the awning so i sit and eat and look at the weather radar it supposed to stop soon, this last band of clouds is it for a while. So I finish the sandwich and go back get on the bike trail, along the Vils river, its a much smaller river and the bike trail is gravel, but not muddy, it’s a light rain i am covered with rain coat and pants and shoe covers so not bad, then it goes into a nature preserve and it gets very nice, lots of birdsong, no big road nearby it’s quiet, and some puddles but not much mud, and the rain slows and then stops and the sun comes out a little. So looks like I’ll be able to ride out the day, won’t get so far to Vilsbiburg as i hoped, but I’ll ride til 3-330 and then look for a place to stop.about 5 or so. It was slow going though, into that stiff headwind took a lot of effort to go 6 mph usually i average about 10. Oh i passed a Christmas tree farm rag pickers dream was in my head… and three pics of a beer stop, there was a sign saying beer stop 3km, well it’s hacklberg beer which is one of those beers from 1600 or something, owned by the Catholic Church ! But yet there it was a beer stop, and the one square has empty cases for to put your empty bottles in…. All the beer in the stores well almost all of it comes in bottles you buy a case like in the old days…. Anyway, thought that was odd why i took 3 pics. 

All went great til i climbed a huge hill, and not paying attention, was supposed to turn off before it got to it… i whooshed down the other side… and stopped in a grocery store for a snack pretzel and protein drink and seltzer water. It was a discount joint with only one cashier and it took about 15 minutes, so then i came out and all the road signs were for towns i didn’t recognize, then i looked hard on the map and saw my mistake, had to backtrack up that hill… so i killed 45 minutes with that now I’m racing darkness. 

I did book a place in Reisbach and get in just before dark 610 or so. And my room on the 2nd fl which they count ground as zero here so up the stairs 2 trips for the bags but they have a storeroom to lock up my bike inside so all is good. 

Quick shower unpack some clothes go down for dinner… it’s all in German of course and about all meat, but they had some salads and a veg page of 3 items spatzle and something else.. and grilled vegetables and roast potato wedges, which i got and it was great, one of the best meals I’ve had all these 7 weeks of travel. 

So now it’s bedtime tomorrow being Sarurday breakfast isn’t til 800 so i can sleep in til 730 still get out by 930 and ride like hell cuz it’s supposed to rain again Sunday…. Song One more night goes thru my head, I’ve already booked my 3 nights in Munich, so one more night tomorrow is the end of the adventure… Munich i go cheap have holiday inn express points and cash out in the suburbs (Olching) everything in Munich is high price cuz Oktoberfest is on. It’s OK i have just to rest and pack my bike one trip into town for the bags maybe one trip to a beerhall to see what it’s like.