Preparing at home

Practising packing the bike to to meet airline requirements. Got down to about 30 minutes by the 4th attempt.
Trip starts for real on Monday 9th May. Ryanair Manchester to Stuttgart, then 3 trains toMeer informatie
Huddersfield to Triberg

The journey started proper at 8.11 from Huddersfield to Manchester airport. The practice breaking the bike down paid off and it was delivered promptly at Stuttgart airport apparently unharmed.Meer informatie
Tuttlingen outskirts

A hard day's cycling. 80 km may not sound a lot but the first 12 km was mostly uphill - patches of snow still around. Half the distance has been on gravel paths so the bike, panniers and presumably meMeer informatie
To Riedlingen

88 km into a head wind today,feeling the weather is on the turn. More gravel paths - like cyclocross with luggage.
Delightful lunchtime stop at Sigmarinen and final stop in Riedlingen. Small butMeer informatie
Riedlingen - Ulm - Gunzburg

A disappointing breakfast (how do they think I can cycle 90 km on Cornflakes?) so had brunch in Ehingen. Cheese and tomato omelette with a roll and coffee for €5.40 - bargain.
Then the rainMeer informatie
Gunzburg to Donauworth

After 18 hours of rain it finally abated at around 11am today and I even rode without any waterproofs this afternoon. I had a slow start due to getting hopelessly lost for the first hour.
BreakfastMeer informatie
Donauworth - Ingolstadt - Kelheim

Today was about as packed as I can handle, in a good way.
Target of 110 km meant an early start and keeping pedalling.
Coffee break was taken from a small village shop (a cyclist gave meMeer informatie
Kelheim - Metten

After a good breakfast at the youth hostel (choice of muesli ) I was quickly onto the route (22% downhill). Weather has been very cool but dry all day. I've been wearing my merino wool top plusMeer informatie
Kelheim - Passau

After the worst breakfast to date, things didn't get easier as it was freezing cold and wet. In 30 minutes my hands were so cold I couldn't brake (travelling light - no gloves).
All shops shut -Meer informatie
Passau (Germany) to Linz (Austria)

A cool but dry day with an almost flat route on good surfaces.
Austrian border was reached in 4 km and it differs from Germany in many ways. Sparsely populated initially but with many gasthauses enMeer informatie
Day off - Linz

It makes a change to be foot sore rather than saddle sore but I'll be glad to get back on the bike tomorrow.
It has been hot and with walking there is no cooling breeze.
Adolf Hitler came from LinzMeer informatie
Linz - Melk

An early start meant that I reached the Mauthausen concentration camp memorial and exhibitions early. The presentation and explanations were excellent, but even grimmer for that.
Outside the mainMeer informatie
Melk - Krems

I had as much of a look at the benedictine Abbey of Melk as I could for free. It is very photogenic and also happens to house a girls' secondary school.
Then there was a long stretch cycling throughMeer informatie
Krems - Vienna (1)

It's hotting up and a short sleeved top and shades have been necessary since starting at 8.30. In earlier stages I could ride for an hour or more without seeing anyone, let alone another cyclist, nowMeer informatie
Vienna (2)

A good 4 hours spent in the Kunsthistorisches museum seeing fine paintings by Reubens, Rembrandt, and my favourite Pieter Breugel the Elder.
Pic 1 - Rembrandt self portrait R, one of 60 with hisMeer informatie
Bratislava

Sitting outside a café at the end of Novy Most bridge. I was approached by Mike who I had met a few days earlier. His 60th birthday today! Happy Birthday!
Vienna - Bratislava - Mosonmagyarovar

Hot - up to 30'C this p.m with a headwind all day. Like being blow dried.
Good directions got me out of Vienna without mishaps and I enjoyed the spiral descent off the Donau bridge (pic 1), memoriesMeer informatie
to Komarom via Gyor

The temperature dropped 20 degrees C overnight announced by huge peals of thunder. First two hours of cycling were damp but with a tailwind on good cycle tracks.
Weathered a shower in a bakery inMeer informatie
to Szentendre via Slovakia

Warm ✅, dry ✅, tailwind ✅. Initially there was a lumpy cycle path beside communist era flats and defunct industrial sites. Pic 1 shows the entrance to a former aluminium factory with theMeer informatie
Budapest (finally)

A pleasant ride along the Danube into Obuda and the outskirts of Budapest. Plenty to observe and with no hurry.
Centrally in Budapest, cycling has been carefully planned and cycle paths clearlyMeer informatie