Friday, June 6, 2014

Day 28: to Tuttlingen (60; 1612)

I suppose I should have known that crossing from the Rhine to the Danube would involve some hills, it being a major European watershed and all. And indeed  that doing it through the middle of a hot day would be hard work. But the thing about this trip is: if I thought about all the potential problems I would never have started!

My traitorous map also deserves some blame here. It allegedly marks any hill over 5% with arrows. The morning had a few of these but no more than expected. Though due to some kind yet misplaced unsolicited directions (from a post lady and then from some farm workers) I ended up taking those hills on rather busier roads than expected, and hence a bit faster than usual.

The unexpected part however was that immediately post-lunch there was a 10k section that was entirely uphill. Now I would possibly be willing to believe it wasn't all 5% (though frankly, 10k of 4.99% would also have nearly killed me). But the way down after the top was 15% according to the road signs. And none of it was arrowed on my map.

Anyway, I made it but really not in good style. The views along the top were magnificent. But I and a loaded Horace are REALLY not made for hill-climbing.

Ok, rant over.

When we got down, we hit the Danube! Which is tiny and sluggish here. I had planned to go further but the next camping is about 30k, the day is hot, and the Capulets are abroad. Ok, not that last one. But Tuttlingen has all the things I need tonight including a free municipal camping ground.

Last night was a strangely cold night between roasting days. Accuweather at one point was suggesting nighttime temperatures down to 7 deg and daytime up to 32. In fact it 'only' reached about 25 today but nonetheless I feel somewhat like I'm camping in a desert climate suddenly.

It was very hard to tear myself away from the Bodensee this morning, it is so beautiful and peaceful, though I'm sure it will get less so as the Whitsun holiday weekend starts tonight. The first 10k of the day was following lovely small paths close to the shore and I stopped for morning coffee on the lakeside at Radolfzell just so I could watch the water a bit longer before heading inland.

Inland of course also turned out to be beautiful, with a lot of market gardening and hay-cutting going on (one with a stork stalking along behind the mower).

I must have drunk about four litres of water today, but none of it seems to have made it through to my kidneys. So now I'm trying an iced cappuccino instead. And then maybe a few beers. 

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