17 August 2014 Lofer, Austria to Bergen, Germany (49 miles; Total = 774 miles) I didn’t mean to do it. I only looked away for a split second, but that was all it took. There he was, right smack in the middle of the path, and me with no time to swerve. SQUISH. I’m pretty …
16 August 2014 Lofer, Austria (0 miles; Total = 725 miles) It’s raining again. Have I typed that before? I think I have. Anyway, it’s raining again but I am snuggled deep beneath my down comforter, enjoying the thought that there’s no lycra in the plan for today, for this little Lofer is worthy of …
15 August 2014 Bruck to Lofer, Austria (33 miles; Total = 725 miles) We’re passing through the town of Saalfelden, about halfway through our planned ride for the day, when we start noticing that all of the stores are closed. It’s not Sunday, last I checked, so what is going on here? Stopping a gal …
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 …