Day One on the Donau

Although we are more familiar with its English name of the Danube, for the locals it is known as the Donau. The famous bike trail that we will be following for the final four days of our epic ride is officially known as the "Donau Radweg" (Danube Bike Path).

Yesterday we bade farewell to Czechia and were transported to Ardagger in Austria. This is the start point for the final leg of our journey.

Last night we were treated to one of the best meals of the trip so far. Most people chose the Wiener Schnitzel (we are in the home of the schnitzel after all), and I can personally vouch for its very generous size and deliciousness.

This morning we set out from Ardagger, with the goal of riding to the famous city of Melk, about 54 km away. The local weather bureau had promised us some light rain from about 9 to 10.30 am, and then dry for the rest of the day. They were pretty accurate in one respect, but they somehow got the forecast back to front. It was actually fine for the first couple of hours of the ride, and then the rain came, It lasted for the rest of the ride. Some days are just like that.

Since Ken and Pauline had ridden this route just twelve months ago, it seemed appropriate to use their up to date knowledge to take on the role of ride leaders.

The ride also gave us the first taste of the bike path, after the recent flooding. To our relief, although some sections were covered in slippery mud, it was generally quite suitable for safe riding. In this section, the path seldom deviates from the side of the river, so we could all see how impassable it would have been two weeks ago. There were also numerous signs of recent flood damage along the banks.

About 26 km from Ardagger we reached the historic city of Ybbs. In my memory it was memorable for two things - its unpronounceable name, and it bicycle museum. While the name is still impossible to wrap your tongue around, I found that the bike museum had been extended and modernised since my last visit.

We spent an hour or so wandering the fascinating collection of ancient bikes and then stopped for a coffee and cake, before resuming the ride. It was about then that the rain started. It was gentle at first and then got progressively heavier, making sure that we were all thoroughly soaked through by the time we reached Melk. It was just as well the hotel was equipped with heated towel rails, as they will certainly come in handy tonight.

The city of Melk is dominated by the sprawling Baroque Abbey, sitting on al elevated position above the city. There is no denying that it is an impressive building, but since I have visited it on three previous occasions, I chose to give it a miss this time. It is also a display of the excessive wealth and power of the Catholic Church, which I have to admit leaves me rather cold.

The famous Abbey certainly is a drawcard for the thousands of daily visitors who arrive by tourist bus and pyjama boats and then swarm all over the place like flies on roadkill.

Tomorrow, we continue our ride to Krems, however it might be a later than usual start as it also coincides with the AFL Grand Final.Read more