So Doris gets to see Danube cycling which is idyllic and would make a good holiday in its own right. Distance today is just 36 kms with 146 metres of climb. The path is so smooth in places that our lightly treaded tyres give the sound of forest tyres on tarmac.
Last night’s pension is just about on the route and we are soon in among the swarms of happy riders progressing gently on their big and often electrified bikes. Sid and Doris on form could get into Vienna today but will be stopping 80ish kms short which will make for a happy Monday if the miraculous knee is still articulate (but not crying with pain).
There was just enough climb, taken in low gear with light pedal twiddling, to give us this lovely sign showing a cyclist pulling a stoppy but with the implication that they are not going to get it back.
You will know that among our cadre of mascots we have two beavers so we were thrilled to see this sign as we rode through woods along a smaller tributary. However they are nocturnal creatures and we saw no damming activity. There were signs for Golden Orioles, and we have seen those.
In the Czech Technical Museum there were references to exhibits having been renovated after the floods of 2002. Here on a wall are the flood heights from years back. PIC. The river is full now but not that full.We love different forms of transport and were pleased to see what we call a C-raft. PIC. This one carries cars and bikes. For the sailors out there these ferries spend all their lives in full on ferry glide and come in sideways. Mooring these across the current would introduce huge strains into the system, so sideways it is. If we were car touring we would be sure to find an excuse to cross this way.
There is also a cable crossing but for goods only, maybe most useful in time of flood.
At two hours in we stopped at a cafe to assess the Knee of Wonder. We toasted it in local apricot fruit cordial, a new recipe that will be available like Schweinshaxe around here.
Pressing on (ooh yes, vairy busy day) and just coming into Krems we found these plaques commemorating the destruction of the bridge by the Fascist Army on 8th May 1945 (now that was a busy day in Europe) and its replacement by the gallant Red Army engineers between July and September. The authors had a point of view. It is a fine example of Meccano engineering and the boards rattle cheerily as we cross. Spasi Bog, Tovarich.
We have had an afternoon of intensive poolside idling and are now at beer-terrace-blog-central overlooking the river and vineyards. It’s a good life. We may yet be on the train to Vienna, cliffhanger, so tune in for tomorrow’s thrilling installment of Sid and Doris’s epic adventure.
Signed,
Sid Dickens