Sue4Don

Isa accompanied me for about 10 kilometres to show me the way back to the route 5. She had hardly left me when I went wrong for the first time because of bad signpostng due to road works. Then it was excellent as far as Baden. There I had to get off my bike because of a small boy running in front of me. Of course I would have cycled all the way up the steep cobblestoned hill, wouldn’t I? However it is a beautiful old town. Once at the top I came out to a busy road, which had a cycle lane but was none the less a bit scary. When I saw the signs to leave the main road I turned right and went up the hill first cycling then pushing – 18% as I found out when I came back down – till I faced the fact that I was definitely wrong..After turning right I should have turmed immediately left and this small mistake added about 7 kilometers to te trip and cost a lot of substance.
According to my plan it should hae been 106 kilometers to my target Solothurn, where another warm showers host was expecting me, but after 100 I was still 40 away, so gave up and found a campsite. To make matters worse, after I had been told where to find a site en route I had to go through Olten, where there was an enormous festival going on. I don’t know how I managed to get through the crowds and find my way back to the cycle route!

Tourstats: 100,82 km. 461 metres climb, 7:13 bike time.

Today started badly as I followed the instructions of trhe warden and took the wrong cycle route, then spent some time searching in thre next town. This meant about 5 uneccesary kilometres. After I finallly got on the 5, I found it extremey well signposted and only lost it twice, fortunaly discovering my mistake pretty soon. Again it was a beautiful rum, this time parts on quiet roads through peaceful villages and other parts off-road. I just found out I didn’t take any photos, so here is another two from yesterday.
It was a pleasant suprise which I don’t really understand that the total distance was less than the planned 106 despite having gone wrong.Isa, my first warm showers host on this trip, came to meet me and she and Rebecca made me so welcome. After dinner we went for a walk and I took them out for a drink. Isa even did my washing for me – 2 days cycling gear after not washing in the youth hostel. Thanks Isa and Rebecca!
Tour stats 94,87 kilometres, 611 metres climb, 6:45 bike time.

The weather turned out to be just like the original forecast – dry and sunny all day. I finally got away from the Arlberg at 9:45 and reached Feldkirch at around 12:45 after a lovely run down from the Arlberg. It was nearly all on perfectly signposted cycle paths through the forest and next to a river. Obviously it was to early for an overnight stop so I decided to press on to Romanshorn
I cycled around Feldkirch trying to find the signs. When I finally did, I almost immediately lost them again and went about 2 kilometres in the wrong direction before turning round.
When I finally foumd the right route, it was badly signposted and on a dirt track through the woods, where lorries passed leaving a dust-cloud behind them. I think the cycle path had been diverted due to construction work along the Rhine, which would explain the bad signposting.
Then all at once I was in the open and there was a head on wind which despite the downhill tendency slowed my progress considerably. After passing several lovely campsites on the lake I finally reached the youth hostel around 7 p.m. and immediately regretted my decision not to camp. The reception was on the second floor as was my room, and the showers on the gound floor, which meant several jouurnies up and down for my tired legs. I feld like a prisoner as she handed my bedding and of course I had to make up my bed in the shared dorm before going out for a well earned meal!
Total distance 135 kilometres – bike time 7 hrs 33 mins. I’m not exactly sure of the climb as I had zeroed the computer at home instead of on the pass, so it had included the metres done in the car.

The start – Arlberg

I got up at 5 this morning, all excited. Peter is taking me to the Arlberg, where I am starting my trip. I already cycled from home to Landeck and from Landeck to St. Anton as training, so decided to start a little easier.

How far will I go? It largely depends on the weather. As it is mostly downhill to flat I am hoping to get as far as Romanshorn on Lake Constance – around 120 Kilometers, but the forecast for today has now changed to thunder storms (originally it was supposed to be dry and sunny all day), so I may just go as far as Feldkirch, which is only half the distance. There are youth hostels at both places. The one in between at Hard is unfortunately full.

Keep your fingers crossed for me please!