(Wallgau, Germany to Scharnitz, Austria by bike; to Innsbruck via train; to Weer by bike)
View 2008-06-19a Wallgau, Germany to Scharnitz, Austria in a larger map
View 2008-06-19b Innsbruck to Weer, Austria in a larger map
Highlights: good weather again, feeling refreshed, beautiful alpine scenery, highest point of 6-week bike trip (3200' elevation), train to Innsbruck, swimming pool break
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Journal: This morning I was surrounded by beautiful Bavarian alpine scenery as I gently climbed the remaining 300-400 feet in elevation to the Austrian border. At times the scenery was so spectacular it was hard not to have a smile on my face. I stopped at the picturesque town of Mittenwald along the way, then proceeded into Austria (for the 4th time on this trip). Upon reaching Scharnitz (just a few kilometers across the border) I was now finished with my ride along the entire River Isar from end to end. There is an optional 12 km route that goes to the actual source of the Isar, but since this river holds no particular affection for me I decided to pass. From Scharnitz to Innsbruck is only 20 km as the crow flies, but one must cross some impressive 7000'+ mountains that way. So I boarded the next train to Innsbruck and enjoyed the great views as we climbed over the pass (with the aid of tunnels) and descended into the valley towards Innsbruck.
My original plan was to take a day off today in Innsbruck. However, the delayed start yesterday morning kept me from reaching Innsbruck until afternoon today. That ended up being a good thing since the final round-robin match of the Eurocup 2008 soccer tournament was in Innsbruck last night, so accommodations may have been had to find or expensive. Also, for whatever reason, Innsbruck did not appeal to me upon arrival. Perhaps I have been to one too many nice European cities on this trip. It probably didn't help that I had no idea what to do or where to go in the city either. Or that the youth hostel I had planned on staying in doesn't open until summer (since when is June 19 not part of the summer season?). Or that the other hostels didn't allow check-in until 5 pm. Or that I could have "camped" at the Eurocup FanCamp for 15-25 Euros with a bunch of noisy soccer fans. So, after walking around the city center for an hour or so and resting at a riverside cafe for another hour, I reluctantly decided to move on. Mentally I had prepared myself for a day off in Innsbruck, but I wasn't thrilled with the overnight options and wanted to ride a few more kilometers anyways to give myself enough time to reach Berchtesgaden before the 23rd.
As I headed down the valley next to the River Inn my forward progress was hampered by strong headwinds. It was also quite noisy (due to the headwinds & nearby freeway traffic) so it wasn't anywhere near as enjoyable as this morning. What I really wanted was to find a place to do my laundry & check the internet. When I passed a local swimming pool I decided to take a break from the wind & heat. I did feel refreshed afterward, but decided to call it a day when I found a nearby campground with a washing machine. Happy to have clean clothes again!
1 comment:
Hello John,
It sounds like you've had quite a journey. Your pictures are absolutely breath taking. When are you headed home? We'd loved to see you and hear all about your new adventures.
I'm sure you've heard that Grandpa Art passed away the first week of June. We went down south for the furneral for several days and happened to meet your dad and grandmother. We had a nice long chat with them. He was very excited about your newest trip and wanted to make sure we checked out your site.
We've all been pretty busy here. Our largest drafting job ever has just been submited for review by the city. Meanwhile, my book has finaly gone through the editing and design stages. I will get the first hard copy this week for one last review before it goes to printing. Is there an e-mail address I can send a copy of the cover desing to? I'd love to hear what you think of it.
Keep us updated on your progress. We'd love to see you again. Can you believe it's been six months all ready?
Emily
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