By mid morning we are at the large town of DEGGENDORF, where lots of other tourers appear including a young family with 4 children (mum with trailer for baby, dad on tandem with energetic small boy and 2 other youngsters on their own bikes with panniers piled high!). At VILSHOFEN we don't know whether to choose the route on the north or south bank as both apparently end up on the only busy roads we have had to encounter so far. We feed the ducks and watch passing barges as we determine which path most others follow; it's the North bank. What luck! After a couple of miles following this we realise a new cycle path has been built, by-passing all the traffic, taking us along the river edge or through wheat fields. The heat is energy sapping by mid afternoon, so at every biergarten there are bikes hurled to one side as thirsty tourers seek shade under big umbrellas. At one such spot we pick up an email from Don, who is apparently ready to pack his panniers and join us! He'd be very welcome.
Into PASSAU over a large lock that a commercial barge is negotiating then a narrow foot bridge at the power plant. Here a well endowed young "lady" is posing topless for a glamour shoot. Mike does well not to fall off his bike.
It's a public holiday, Corpus Christi, so the streets are blissfully empty of traffic. As we arrive at the Cathedral, a religious procession emerges of churchgoers and all the local dignitaries who parade through the city, stopping every so often to pray, and fire a cannon (?).
Lining the river are at least 10 river cruise boats, the posh ones with views of the colourful ceremony in the town centre, the less expensive ones moored looking at Lidl's. As we leave the city, we notice the confluence of the Inn with the Donau. The Inn has flowed NE from the alps, and brings with it that typical alpine river colour of sage green. This dominates the water for the next few miles.
When I threw myself off my bike the other day I bent a chain link, which has caused the chain to jump off a few times, so out of the city we find a quiet spot for Mike to replace the link - a filthy job - thank goodness for wetwipes.
Soon after Passau we enter AUSTRIA, passing a disused concrete sentry box. We are now entering the gorge, where the widened river takes up all the room, so we have to take a 20 minute bicycle ferry ride around a bend, where the river doubles back on itself through steeply wooded sides - the Schlongen Loop.
Our next major city is LINZ which is a very busy place with frequent trams and trolley buses replacing cars in the cobbled centre, and boasting 2 Cathedrals. We loved the really old quarter where narrow alleys are lined by tall old houses, many with faded murals. Apparently Mozart and Kepler lived here. At a large bike shop the busy owner found time to fix our loosening pedals straight away.
Now the GPS takes us a direct route south through the suburbs and to Warm Showers hosts Greti and Peter who live in a lovely large restored village farm house at RUTZING.
(Map & miles on next blog)
Location:WALTENDORF to RUTZING
