An epic long day, long in the saddle with many trials closed roads, closed bicycle paths, ferries, no no ferry, backtrack, rock slide closed road… and finally after all that 122km , the last 4km up the steepest baddest hill I ever climbed,well walked and pushed is more like it.
It started off bad, my chain was twisted between the crank and the bottom bracket housing… well a great breakfast first, but as I packed to leave I guess backing up to store it last night the chain slipped off got wedged in between… I tried and tried, afraid to bust it on a Sunday in Austria when everything is closed…a guy I’d seen at breakfast who was hiking w his girl/wife said oh let me help you I know some tricks for that… well no they didn’t work the chain was trusted I said no let me take it apart pull the crank off and put it back without risking breaking the chain I don’t have a spare link. So I did that and loaded the bags well the chain was all rusty from the rain yesterday so I lubed it and all the mechanisms for brakes n cables got ready to go oh no I didn’t put the crank on exactly opposite the other it was a weird thing to pedal, so stopped, pulled the crank again put it back right this time, and off I went.
Pleasant ride all morning it threatened rain cloudy chilly 47 to start, but it warmed the wind calmed sun came out I peeled a layer top n bottom and rode past noon. Getting hungry yes Sunday in Austria…grocery stores nope not open, but some roadside restaurants cafes were, then I passed a soccer game, grown men of good skill, big crowd so I figured there may be food and yes they had fish fry or grilled polish and fries and wine or beer so I had the the latter and while watching the game booked a room 60 km down the line. Felt a little smug about doing that now this is how to relax, so I had a second beer sat on a bench by the field w the rabid older fans of both sides. Saw a goal first a free kick from 25 yards nicely struck hit the crossbar left, but the left wing got to the rebound and put it in the net opposite corner to where the goalie was moving. Yay big cheer for the home team. So I got going at 68’ figured the visitors hadn’t had a good chance yet, not even one shot on goal… away I went…
Came to a path closed sign, ok went a different way, but it turned to gravel by the river i thot if the paved path is closed surely the gravel path closer to the river can’t get through.. so there was a bridge I’ll go across the bridge go on the north side, the ev6 goes on both sides of the river most of the way… but looking at the map the north side would cross back over in a bit so I went south side said hell with it I’ll just ride the road. Got started and here comes a group of 4 e-bikers from behind the road closed sign?,! Hey the sign says path closed? Well did you try it? The lead guy says… well no it has a big red stop path closed sign but I guess you got thru ok, noticing no mud on their tires…so I went, and so on for about 4 such path closed ahead signs,
But then… there was one more with fencing pretty tight across the whole path, which someone had opened up 24” so I squeezed thru, when I get the pics posted this was the one the bridge and road were washed all away, there was one spot with a 36” gap about 6-8’ deep, where someone had put two Ix6 or 1x8s across the gap and carefully one could walk your bike across and get through, there were a couple workmen w a backhoe about to start putting large 24” boulders back into some of the gap to start restoring the road but they paid no mind.
Well all this eats up that extra time now it’s gonna get dark before I can get another 60kms unless I hustle, thot I was smart to book early but now I lose my chance to stop at dark somewhere sooner. So I hustle I’m flying well I’m going opposite what most do, going uphill upriver now it’s starting to get hilly here but I make good time, well here’s another path/road closed sign… it’s been good all day so I fly about 4 km and nope fence all across everything no way past, turn around go back, well there were signs just below there for a free ferry wait here 15 mins or so, which I did… no ferry, here comes a guy n wife I said yes road path closed wait here for ferry, a local happened to walk by he says no you have to call for the ferry, which I have no service the guy speaks German he calls… nope there isn’t anyferry, have to go back 5km there’s one at spitz, so we start there well it’s downhill this way with extra 60 pounds of load I fly past them get there just as the last car is going on I get on, €4.50 and fifteen minutes later o
I’m on the other side still 30 km to go it’s 5:00 oh shoot think about that extra time I took at the soccer game it’s gonna get dark on me… so I race and race and stop to email the guesthouse I’m gonna be 7:00 sorry… and I get to within 4km by 610 figure I’m good, usually 4 km is about 12-15 minutes. Then I turn off the main road and it’s straight up, switchbacks, like get off and push no way after 120km I have any chance… so I push and push and stop to rest 2-3-4 times get a drink, it’s falling full dark now put lights on, turning chilly can see my breath but I’m sweating like a dog, never got flat kept going up up maybe 200 meters climb… finall I can get on put it in lowest ring pedal a bit but then it’s up up again I’m pushing… 740 I get the 4km mark google maps says another 300 meters and yup it’s up up up… but then a lady yells out a window you! You got a reservation here! Lucky she was watching for me Haus Regina owner checks me in helps me carry my bags up shows me the room, helps me lock my bike in the garage, and now it’s 745 she says 100 meters up the road is a hotel kitchen is open til 8 you better go now..,
So I ran up there got in please something to eat, I know you are closing anything whatever you got, and a big beer… he says the schnitzel is fast, I see the cook not looking happy but… a short while later here is a hot plate of schnitzel I thought was hot dog no it was like pot roast swimming in gravy with some firm bread like biscuits and cranberries on the side, and a dish of hot I don’t know beets or red cabbage it was delicious I ate every bit and thanked the fellow give a nice tip man you made my day.., thanks to the cook too, he had long gone by then.
So got back took a shower great stay here, first place I’ve ever had a heated floor in the bathroom and shower… so now it’s bedtime I’ll upload pics in the morning the scenery as I go north has gotten so beautiful I keep stopping to take pics water which has been brown oh I guess I’ve come upstream 250 mikes or so,, now it’s more greenish brown, anyway, I’ll upload pics when I can and hope to do another 100 km to Linz tomorrow tho lol leg cramps but the leg cramp pills worked right away this time, getting low on them too. Ok it’s almost 11 alarm 740 breakfast at 8 gnats.
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