Saturday, June 7, 2014

Day 29: to Riedlingen (91; 1703)

woke up singing Florence and the Machine (...'it's always darkest before the dawn..'). With a start like that, this was always going to be a good day. Though with a forecast of 32 deg it was also going to be a total scorcher.

Without any breakfast or other distractions I speedily got through the morning pack-up and was rolling by 8.15. Definitely a record, though by the time I had returned my key to the swimming baths, which keeps them, and been to Lidl for emergency supplies, it was after 9. Incidentally, if you should ever go to Tuttlingen the thermal baths look amazing. 

This section of Danube was simply stunning: limestone gorges and only bikes, walkers and tractors for miles. The path was through hay meadows and forests, and the sluggish-looking river had white flowers growing all over it and beaver living in it, apparently. The morning's countryside in general looked a lot like the bits of southern Bulgaria that Mum and I rode through a couple of years ago, including a towering monastery on the cliffs overhead.

After 35k the gorge began to widen and I passed the campsite I had vaguely hoped to reach yesterday. (No chance: plenty more hills this morning, one of which took my chain off as I crunched gears badly, though no permanent harm done).

The rest of the day was a mix of hilly woods and flat fields, merciful shade and hot breezes. Early afternoon I shot through Sigmaringen, a large-ish town where the population was walking around the riverside in bikinis, and then broke the golden rule with a large beer at a museum cafe around 3pm, with still 20k to go. It seemed to help though, and I powered through the remaining cornfields in a happy daze.

This seems a very religious part of the world, with crosses and shrines and crucified Jesuses liberally scattered around the landscape.

On a funny roll with low-key campsites. I shared my park last night with a bunch of French families, and an (unrelated) French boy who I had seen repeatedly yesterday. He is notable for having his lovely scruffy dog in a trailer behind him. 'So I'm not travelling alone' he told me. Very sweet, but I felt for him pulling the trailer up those hills!

Tonight is a small field in someone's farm. It's very nice however and, though nearly empty when I arrived, now filling up fast with other cyclocampers. I'm constantly amused by a) how much effort caravaners go to (lace tablecloths, flowers etc) and b) the need to plant a national flag wherever you go. I had been thinking it would actually be quite useful to show a British one, so people would stop speaking German to me and might be more inclined to English. But I am amused by hastily put-up tents with proud flags erect. Also by the need for old Dutch/Deutsch men to walk around in speedos... We're not near a bathing place you know!

Due to the proximity of a supermarket, my evening meal was delux: guacamole with crudités, spinach and ricotta pasta, and beer. There are more courses available but I'm too full for 'em. And the 'empty' gas cannister is still going strong!

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