Austria: Day 19

04 August 2014 Traunkirchen to Bad Ischl, Austria (15 miles; Total = 511 miles) This beauty adorns our bathroom here in Bad Ischl, a nicely vibed town on the Traun River south of Traunkirchen. What I like about this artistic toilet is that it fills the cultural hole left behind from us not being able …

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Austria: Day 18

03 August 2014 Traunkirchen, Austria (8 miles; Total = 496 miles) He’s tall and scruffy with his 3-day old growth, he smells like beer and sweat, and he seems to be taking a particular glee in standing next to me and loudly declaring “EEEWWWWWWEEEEEEE” every time our cable car glides down through a tower, causing …

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Austria: Day 17

02 August 2014 Schwanenstadt to Traunkirchen, Austria (30 miles; Total = 488 miles) We have reached the mountains! From the Danube to the Salzkammergut to the two beers on the table (well, one Bier for me and a Radler for Gina and make them both Big ones), we have officially entered the second stage of …

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Austria: Day 16

01 August 2014 Enns to Schwanenstadt, Austria (49 miles; Total = 458 miles) I have just shaken hands with the town drunk. It’s nice he wanted to welcome me to this town of Schwanenstadt, barely believing that I was from America and having quite a bit more to say, about which I’m not sure what …

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Austria: Day 15

31 July 2014 Durnstein to Melk / Melk to St. Valentin / St. Valentin to Enns, Austria (30 miles; Total = 409 miles) I’m fairly certain that was a waft of cat pee I just smelled, but I’m going to keep that thought to myself and hope instead that it’s my bike shoes. I’ve sat …

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Austria: Day 14

30 July 2014 Vienna to Durnstein, Austria (55 miles; Total = 379 miles) I see them coming in my mirror but really, I heard them coming first – their American voices loud enough to raise the dead and I think to myself Oh Brother. And then they are passing us on the trail at a …

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Austria: Day 13

29 July 2014 Vienna, Austria (0 miles; Total = 324 miles) We are following Dominique up a steep trail, through the vineyards and forests that stand watch over western Vienna. It’s a good thing she’s playing tour guide for us today or we would no doubt be back in the old city, wandering about indecisively …

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Austria: Day 12

28 July 2014 Vienna, Austria (0 miles; Total = 324 miles) This Vienna is overwhelming. There are huge buildings everywhere, there are imposing churches everywhere, there are museums everywhere, there are trams everywhere, there are people everywhere, and luckily for us, there’s a beer garden over here in front of the Rathaus (City Hall). I …

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Austria: Day 11

27 July 2014 Krems to Vienna, Austria (52 miles; Total = 324 miles) Gina has us speeding along the Danube on our way to Vienna. My Tortoise is having trouble keeping up with her Hare. I can only hope she stops to take a nap. I’m not sure why we’re in such a hurry but …

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Austria: Day 10

26 July 2014 Melk to Krems, Austria (24 miles; Total = 272 miles) How many times have I started a blog telling about Gina yelling “I can’t stand it!”? Well, add one more to the list. We are cycling high above the Danube through one small cute town after another, vineyards and apricot orchards providing …

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