Tuesday, September 15--Salzburg, Austria

There are certain cities that are associated with certain songs. There is Frank Sinatra and New York, New York and there is Tony Bennett and I left my heart in San Francisco. And there is Salzburg, the city of Mozart and of Julie Andrews and The Sound of Music. Today I cycled from Burghausen, Germany to Salzburg, Austria, and try as I could it was impossible to stop the echo of songs from The Sound playing in my mind. I found myself humming Doe, a deer a female deer… and would say to myself—STOP! And I would—for about two minutes. Then the tune would reappear, intruding itself into whatever else I may have been thinking, or the nothingness of simply pedaling through beautiful countryside.

The trip to Salzburg was only a bit over 35 miles, and I arrived in the early afternoon. The day had begun with a solid cloud cover, but as it went along there was more and more sun until by the afternoon the skies were quite clear. And coming into Salzburg, following the Salzach River and rounding a bend to see the arc of buildings facing the river and the famous castle looming above the city, was quite a sight. The city of Mozart and Andrews showed itself very well.

There is a cycle path between where I spent last night and Salzburg, but I did not follow it. Instead I had my gps map a cycle route and I followed it. The reason is that while dedicated cycle paths are sometimes excellent routes, often following a river closer than one could by car, passing through solitary fields, and separated from the noise and danger of a street, yesterday’s experience with the path was one of wet sandy grit and I did not want more today. Plus I knew that the gps route would follow small roads, of which there are plenty in this part of the country. And an additional factor is that cycle paths try to avoid towns, making cycling easier and safer, but one of the reasons for cycling in a foreign place is to come to know the towns and see the people that live in them. All that is to say that the ride here was enjoyable and interesting.


We decided to try to find a place to stay in the old city, and were successful, probably because this is not the highest tourist time and rooms are available. So we settled in comfortably. Next was a walk around, enjoying the sunshine and admiring the human creations (buildings and bridges) and the God made creations (the river, cliffs, hills and mountains).

Salzburg is in the shadow of the Bavarian Alps, our destination tomorrow. We plan on following the Saalach River to Zell am See, at the foot of Grossglockner Pass. It should be an interesting day and is something to look forward to. But today is one to look back on with pleasure and thanksgiving—for the health and resources which God has given me so that I can enjoy a special part of his world.

Note: First two photos from Getty Images

On The Road Again...

This morning, Friday, October 6, began with a clanging of various sorts outside my hotel window. I assumed it was people collecting the trash, an assumption supported by the odor wafting through my window. But then the jackhammers began in earnest and I realized that construction of some major sort was my wake-up call.
I am in Ulm, a town in south-west Germany, near the Black Forest. I arrived here last night after a train ride from Simbach, Germany, a small town on the Inn River. I had never heard of Ulm, but when I arrived I was impressed by the l ong pedestrian mall, and then stunned by the lofty cathedral at its head. An amazing masterpiece that seems to pierce the heavens themselves. Unfortunately, photos of such grand edifices never convey their meaning--especially when taken by an amateur...Suffice it to say that as long as that cathedral has been in place I am sure that the eyes of countless onlookers have been moved heaven-ward, hopefully to the God who made the skies and seas!
Last Friday I began the completion of my planned cycle journey for the fall. I flew Malev Airlines from Tirana to Zurich, where I picked up my bicycle, which I had left at a hotel there, and on Saturday I began cycling eastward. My goal was the Alps to the confluence of the Inn and Salzach Rivers, about 30 miles north of Salzburg, Austria, and 30 miles south of Passau, Germany. I had heard of the cycle path along the River Inn, and wanted to try it, plus the Alps in the fall sounded fascinating.

SWISS COUNTRYSIDE
My first day was primarily through Switzerland, although it ended where the Alps really began, on the Rhine in Austria. The Swiss are noted for their organizational skills and their cycle-friendly roads and paths, but I had a bit of trouble. I think one needs a detailed map of the places traveling, as I found the signposts confusing, found myself lost at places, and ended up climbing some pretty long hills when a simple way around was at hand...Oh, well, of such things character is made--they tell me.
A HEFTY SWISS BARBEQUE


THE ALPS AWAIT

A SHELTER IN A STORM
The next day I climbed into the Austrian Alps proper. Up and up for a long time, and then, just as I crested the first pass, the rain came. And it came hard... Not being too much of a glutton for punishment, I ducked into the first inn I found, and enjoyed a leisurely light lunch. The inn had been serving since the 1600's, and had it down well--great ambiance and fine soup. When I had finished the rain had settled down, and I went on...Off and on getting wet, but in spectacular scenery, I ended up stopping in a wonderful Alpine Inn just short of the major pass I was to face. The view was spectacular, the food wonderful, and the room not very expensive--what else could you ask for??
A CHAPEL IN THE ALPS
The next day started with broken clouds and some sunshine. The climb up to the top of the pass was as expected--steep but not too long as I had done much of it the day before. Then the downhill...It went on and on and on--through beautiful Alpine forest...The Alps gave way to rolling hills and meadows of Bavaria, and the day ended in a Sports Hotel just a few miles shy of the German border...
ALPINE HEIGHTS
Tuesday was a day cycling through Bavarian rolling hills and farm lands. I passed through Bad Tolz, another of the many towns I had never heard of, but that many Germans (and others) obviously had. A spa resort with a beautiful river slicing through the middle--many pedestrian only streets, lined with flowers of all kinds. And the sun came out for a while, which always makes things seem a lot happier! That day ended in a town just short of the Inn River, where I found a nice hotel and where I could listen to the driving rain that hit just as I checked in...

BAVARIAN FARMLAND

INN RIVER
Wednesday was a day cycling along the Inn River. This river begins near St. Moritz, Switzerland, courses through much of Austria (Innsbruck is one of the many cities on the Inn), then crosses into Germany where it finally empties into the Danube at Passau, north of Vienna. One of the goals of this trip, as I mentioned, was to try this path, and while it was interesting at points, it was a bit of a disappointment. The surface was not smooth, and the miles (kilometers) jarring. Much of the time it was away from any towns, which sounds good but takes some of the interest out of a European cycling trip--you want to see people and towns, not just forest and a river. Also, at points the signage was lacking, and, again, as before, I ended up wandering...In the end I went back to the road, which was nearly empty, and ended the day in Markt--another town I had never heard of but which I quickly learned was the birthplace of the present Pope, and so is destined for some fame...
Thursday I finished this section of the trek at Simbach, and jumped on a train to retrace my steps and begin a route through Germany and France to the Channel and on to London, where I hope to end this journey. First Munich then here to Ulm, and on today to the headwaters of the Neckar River and a few days exploring it...
On the road it is difficult to keep the blog going daily. But I hope this gives you a quick flavor of what I am doing and where I am...All long the way I have met interesting people, seen fascinating places, and been kept safe in the arm of God...
In His Adventures, Will