Today could have wbeen a wonderful day. It started with beautiful blue sky and was not too hot. I didn’t set out until 11 a.m. as I had to clean and oil my bike and I knew that my hostess would not be home till 7 p.m. After slight difficulties finding the cycle root soon everything went smoothly. The Abensradweg was fairly hilly on quiet roads through small villages. After about half way it was sometimes a cycle track at the side of a main road and sometimes gravel tracks through the forest. I was getting close to my destination (or so I thought) when I noticed there was not much air in my front tyre. I found a tourist information and in addition to asking about a cycle shop (one was closed and the other too busy) I also checked on the ferry running across the Danube, as I had been told that it didn’t run when it was raining and the attached Biergsrten was closed. Today was good weather, but…it had broken down! I put air in at a filling station and took the roundabout way over the bridge. As my bike started to feel strange again and difficult to steer, I changed the inner tube – an easier task than yesterday on the rear one as I could leave most of the luggage on.

Wednesday 23rd August, Marzling-Hienhem, 80,07 km. 424 m. climb, 5:56 bike time (8:20 total)