We took a shortcut, on stony tracks, through corn fields, and were soaked twice by giant crop sprinklers.
To celebrate 1000miles up and reaching the Rhine we booked into a lovely Gasthaus in the village of Feldkirch and indulged in Rumpsteaks the size of large dinner plates. During a walk around the village after dinner, we discovered it consisted entirely of potato farms!
There was a well marked cycle route through Freiburg with commuters coming into work on bikes. After 20miles the valley route disappeared and we were forced to climb a very steep road that soon deteriorated into a very rough track. To make matters worse our way was then blocked and rather than return, we took an even higher mountain track.
We had eaten breakfast at 200m and had lunch at 1300m! Eventually we were the top and then in a hurry as we had rather rashly arranged to meet our Swiss friend Martin between 4 and 5 at Donauschingen. We arrived, worn out, with 5 mins to spare. It was great to catch up with his news over a local noodle dish and enormous ice creams. Later in the evening we went to the local Warm Showers host. We knew Sabine was on her hols, but she had invited us to camp on her lawn anyway, and her sister, who lives nearby, looked after us, including providing a most welcome pot of Tetleys tea.
The cycle route down the Danube is very popular so we meet lots of other cyclists and walkers as we proceed down the easy track. A couple of times storms amble across in front of us. In places the gorge gets very narrow and we pass under sheer limestone cliffs. The Danube disappears for a large section (known as the sinks) as it is swallowed by the permeable limestone.
As we approach Sigmaringen we have to take cover in a cafe as the heavens open and thunder and lightening follow. It doesn't last long. We camp along side other touring cyclists including an American and a German family.
Miles to date 1,174
Location:Bussang to Sigmaringen
