June 26, 2018

A good start to the day (8:15 a.m.), it was a little cool with dew on the hills. We didn’t put our windbreakers on as we knew we were starting with hills to climb.

Although, as we cycled out of the village there was one old fella with a jacket and scarf on. The weather was good today, a little windy at times but very nice.

The route (after the climb) was lovely. We climbed 142 metres and then lost all the elevation gained. I hate it when that happens. The route was very rural we cycled through fields of wheat, barley and a second cutting of hay.

When we got to Villengen-Schwennigan the actual route took us around the old town. We knew today was going to be a short day, so we ventured through the Entrance Gate and tower and discovered a lovely historic downtown.

Ralf was taking photos of the Entrance gate while I “guarded” the bikes. A lady asked me where we were going so heavily laden. I responded in German telling her where we had started, where we had been and where we were headed. She nodded and smiled, then switched to English – I guess she figured her English was better than my German. She told me she was also a cyclist and her husband and her were going to cycle around Lake Constance this summer and then head to northern Germany for a trip in September.

We spent about an hour in V-S taking photos and enjoying the old town.

I loved the way these buildings were squished into place and rather higgledy piggledy.  Not the normal straight lines of Germany.

There were two routes to Donaueschingen. One route took you via Bad Durheim (another big hill to climb) the other route took us through the farm fields. It was a rolling hill kind of day, a short sharp hill and then down the other side and then long stretches of flat farming areas. It was a lovely day of cycling. We passed through one very rural area where we spotted a mill stone that commemorated the Bauern Kreig. We knew Bauern was farm or farmers and Kreig is war. After searching Google/Wikipedia in 1524 there was a revolt against the aristocracy by the peasants who worked the lands. It failed for a number of reasons, the prime one being lack of experience as an army and lack of equipment. The “noblemen” slaughtered up to 100,000 of the poorly armed peasants and farmers. The German Peasants war was Europe’s largest and most widespread uprising prior to the French Revolution in 1789.

We arrived in Donaueschingen at about 12:15, the Tourist Information office was open and very helpful. We got some supplies for dinner tonight and the directions to the Donaquelle (the source of the Donau). The amazing and most important thing today was that the public toilets were free. These things are very important to a touring cyclist – one that there are public toilets available and secondly that they are free and clean. The best public toilets are still the ones in New Zealand where they played music while you went. “What the World Needs Now is Love Sweet Love”

We took all the tourist photos of the start of the Donau Radweg, and the Donauquelle the source.  At the \”source\” there was a lift to take cyclists and their bicycles down to the source.  When you see the bubbles in the pond this represents the spring from the source of the Donau.

There is a poetic license here as the actual Danube starts where the two rivers meet the Breg and the Brigach which is about 1.5 kms outside of Donaueschingen.  The lady at the Tourist Office, explained that the water from the spring flows into the Breg and when the two rivers meet the waters mix.

We arrived at the campsite at 2:15. The tent was set up, albeit in two different spots. We set up the tent in the open and then realized we would not have any shade for hours. The sun was very warm. I found a spot underneath a tree and a good place to lock the bikes overnight. Ralf was busy pumping his air mattress. I suggested we move the tent. I gave him several good reasons why we should move the tent – and he agreed! We pulled out the stakes and carried the tent to its new spot. We were showered and clothes washed by 3:00. We set up our washing line attached to my rear rack and Ralf’s cross bar. Ralf then found a branch to use as a clothes-line prop to hold the clothes of the ground. He is very clever.

We headed up to the café for a beer. Ralf said this is the last camping trip we are going to do. When we get back he wants to sell the camping gear and only do credit card trips from now on. I do tend to agree with him, setting up the tent, and eating outside is not that much fun to be perfectly honest. Cheap, for sure and we can spend more time doing longer trips, but in the long run when you are not enjoying the sleeping arrangements, is it worth the economy. Maybe we will do shorter trips and stay in hotels. The hostels in Germany are not that much cheaper than hotels. The hotel last night cost us E88 with breakfast. The average stay at a hostel has been E68.00 with breakfast –pay extra for towels (E3.00 for two towels), wi-fi is usually free but not very good, you make your own bed and then take the sheets off the bed and bring them to reception in the morning. Ralf says pay the extra, get free towels and wi-fi – and let someone else make the bed.

We may break the budget on this trip, we are already over-budget, but we have slept well.

Today would have been my Dad\’s birthday.  Mum reminded us – my Dad\’s nickname for my Mum was squirrel.

Windmills. Still no more windmills. Running Total is Ralf 13 Jacky 6