14 August 2014 Schwarzach to Bruck, Austria (20 miles; Total = 692 miles) I’m just gonna say it so I can get on with it: today’s route was terrible (too steep, too many criss-crossings of intersections and big roads, too much off and on the bike trying to find our way or simply standing, dumbfounded, …
13 August 2014 Kuchl to Schwarzach, Austria (35 miles; Total = 672 miles) There’s a group of about 20 cyclists stopped on the other side of the intersection we are passing through and they are looking at us, smiling, and clapping. Clapping? This is concerning. What do they know that we don’t? Is the route …
12 August 2014 Eugendorf to Kuchl, Austria (25 miles; Total = 637 miles) As we cycle through this peaceful farm, I’m practicing my counting like a pre-schooler: 2 pigs, 5 cats, 9 sheep, 12 goats, and oh-oh, 1 dog that’s now chasing after Gina. “Dog! Stop! Stop! Stop!” I shout, which she does and so …
11 August 2014 Kostendorf to Eugendorf, Austria (17 miles; Total = 612 miles) Today we’re singing Happy Birthday in the rain because it’s my birthday and it’s raining. This isn’t typically the case, my birthday being in August and all and us being in the Northern Hemisphere, but clearly we have hit Austria during an …
10 August 2014 St. Wolfgang to Kostendorf, Austria (39 miles; Total = 595 miles) It’s my birthday eve so we are serving up a 4 course meal tonight. Our first course consists of a delightful fruit salad, made with the pineapple, peach, kiwi, and blackberries that we bought two days ago and carried in our …
09 August 2014 St. Wolfgang, Austria (0 miles; Total = 556 miles) One of our fellow breakfasters has just walked into the room carrying a lovely glass dish of fruit. Fruit? Where did she get that fruit? The only thing on the counter in our breakfast room is cold cuts and cheese. Gina leaps out …
08 August 2014 Hallstatt to St. Wolfgang, Austria (30 miles; Total = 556 miles) I’m dinging my bike bell but there is no Gina around to hear my SOS. Somehow, despite being the official map-reader on the bike tour, I have gotten myself lost. Lost in Austria. It has a nice ring to it and …
07 August 2014 Hallstatt, Austria (0 miles; Total = 526 miles) Today’s blog is dedicated to our good friend Nancy, with whom I share a special bond: Claustrophobia. He’s grabbing my jacket in the pitch dark, calling me Papa, Papa. He’s only grabbing me because as soon as the lights went out, I wasn’t able …
06 August 2014 Hallstatt, Austria (0 miles; Total = 526 miles) We’re using Gina’s how-to-hike-with-cows approach (“don’t look them in the eye”) on the horses that are standing atop the viewpoint, around whose backsides we must tread in order to keep hiking. I’m not sure if this approach will work for horses, but then again, …
05 August 2014 Bad Ischl to Hallstatt, Austria (15 miles; Total = 526 miles) My sister recently shared a post on Facebook that stated “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” I think that perfectly sums up one of the life lessons for us around …