This was a tough route to plot. Lots of things to see! So after another fantastic German breakfast (even bigger favorite roll, yum!) I set off. Today’s route: Au-Wallsee-Ardaggen Stift-Ardaggen Markt-Ybbs-Persenbeug-Marbach.
Before I left, I tried to pump up my rear tire. Note: all tubes/valves are NOT alike. This dang valve was like no American valve I had seen. So of course, I let ALL of the air out. Then I pumped it back up. That was hot work. As I climbed the hill into Wallsee, I was really huffing. It was hard! At last I realized the rear tire was FLAT. Damn. I called the tour company and they said sit tight, we’ll call you back. They did and directed me to a repair shop down the street – a jewelry/gardening/auto/bike shop with a little old man who was waiting for me. He chatted at me in German and told me the tire was so bad I’d get another flat in 10 km. So he replaced the tire and the tube. As I paid (*to be reimbursed by tour company), I said “Wie ein neues Rad, ja?” and he agreed: like new. And it was! Much much easier riding now.
Thank goodness, as the climb to Ardaggen Stift was arduous. The church was nice, but the Most (cider) cellar was closed on Mondays, and that was what I had really wanted to go to. Boo! SO I cruised downhill to Ardaggen Markt. The restaurants didn’t thrill me, so I pushed on even though I was hungry, until I came to Wiesen and the ferry to Grein. I love these ferries! The old guy running it chatted at me in German I could barely understand; I told him I was going to eat and come back and he happily told me the roundtrip ticket was cheaper than two one-ways (that, I got, obviously!). What a stroke of luck – I loved Grein. I had read about the theater in the old Rathaus – it’s crazy! Built in 1751 or so, it holds just over 100 people. The original toilet had only a curtain between it and the theater! The first 3 rows of seats locked in an up position so season ticket holders could keep others from sitting in them! And, the prison was in the next room, so they cut a window so prisoners could watch too! Seeing it was nuts in the best way. The rest of Grein was just adorable, and I wandered happily after lunch for some time.
Then back to the ferry, where the old guy welcomed me back. As I got off the ferry in Wiesen, he shook my hand and wished me a good ride. Super nice. Onward to Ybbs…. Which I LOVED!!! The bike route goes through the medieval town, which was so much fun to ride around. I stopped at the Bike Museum, and the girl working was happy to give me a guided tour in English. I got to sit on a “walking bike” replica, as well as climb up on a penny farthing – holy crap that was high!!! It was a really well curated collection, and I was pleased to have stopped there.
Off on the last leg to the hotel. When I got to Marbach, I called the hotel per my instructions – it’s in Maria Taferl, way up on the hill, so they come get you. The guy appears and has this cool trailer with bike racks, and as we drive up I am sooooo grateful I did not have to ride up. We arrive at the hotel and it is beautiful. The town is beautiful. The church, perched above the Danube, is beautiful. I can’t think of a better time of day to have arrived here but sunset – to see the pink sun over the Danube and hills was gorgeous. As I ate dinner on the terrace and watched the last of the pink light fade, I thought that there could be no better time to be here…. Although maybe I will change my mind when I eat breakfast on the terrace in the morning.
Before I left, I tried to pump up my rear tire. Note: all tubes/valves are NOT alike. This dang valve was like no American valve I had seen. So of course, I let ALL of the air out. Then I pumped it back up. That was hot work. As I climbed the hill into Wallsee, I was really huffing. It was hard! At last I realized the rear tire was FLAT. Damn. I called the tour company and they said sit tight, we’ll call you back. They did and directed me to a repair shop down the street – a jewelry/gardening/auto/bike shop with a little old man who was waiting for me. He chatted at me in German and told me the tire was so bad I’d get another flat in 10 km. So he replaced the tire and the tube. As I paid (*to be reimbursed by tour company), I said “Wie ein neues Rad, ja?” and he agreed: like new. And it was! Much much easier riding now.
Thank goodness, as the climb to Ardaggen Stift was arduous. The church was nice, but the Most (cider) cellar was closed on Mondays, and that was what I had really wanted to go to. Boo! SO I cruised downhill to Ardaggen Markt. The restaurants didn’t thrill me, so I pushed on even though I was hungry, until I came to Wiesen and the ferry to Grein. I love these ferries! The old guy running it chatted at me in German I could barely understand; I told him I was going to eat and come back and he happily told me the roundtrip ticket was cheaper than two one-ways (that, I got, obviously!). What a stroke of luck – I loved Grein. I had read about the theater in the old Rathaus – it’s crazy! Built in 1751 or so, it holds just over 100 people. The original toilet had only a curtain between it and the theater! The first 3 rows of seats locked in an up position so season ticket holders could keep others from sitting in them! And, the prison was in the next room, so they cut a window so prisoners could watch too! Seeing it was nuts in the best way. The rest of Grein was just adorable, and I wandered happily after lunch for some time.
Then back to the ferry, where the old guy welcomed me back. As I got off the ferry in Wiesen, he shook my hand and wished me a good ride. Super nice. Onward to Ybbs…. Which I LOVED!!! The bike route goes through the medieval town, which was so much fun to ride around. I stopped at the Bike Museum, and the girl working was happy to give me a guided tour in English. I got to sit on a “walking bike” replica, as well as climb up on a penny farthing – holy crap that was high!!! It was a really well curated collection, and I was pleased to have stopped there.
Off on the last leg to the hotel. When I got to Marbach, I called the hotel per my instructions – it’s in Maria Taferl, way up on the hill, so they come get you. The guy appears and has this cool trailer with bike racks, and as we drive up I am sooooo grateful I did not have to ride up. We arrive at the hotel and it is beautiful. The town is beautiful. The church, perched above the Danube, is beautiful. I can’t think of a better time of day to have arrived here but sunset – to see the pink sun over the Danube and hills was gorgeous. As I ate dinner on the terrace and watched the last of the pink light fade, I thought that there could be no better time to be here…. Although maybe I will change my mind when I eat breakfast on the terrace in the morning.
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