Day 1

The Ride - day 1

What will it be like - how will the inexperienced go - christine and sam worried - apprehension all round - chilly - will it rain - what should we carry - how will we carry it - experienced try to cheer up the inexperienced - the inexperienced not sure to beleive them - are they just trying to make us feel better - what will these bikes be like - will the path be rough -

Bernie confesses her overnight dream - she rides past the boat - gets lost - the wiggles send out a search party - they find her - chastise her for being a naughty girl - demand that she grab hold of the cardboard door handles on the wiggles car and chugga chugga back to the boat.


Breakfast - make up your own lunch from the breakfast table - line up to find a bike - find it and set it up - make sure you know the number - label it with your cabin number - back to the boat - register your bike - insure it - Get your panniers and bike lock - seek out your preferred traveling companions.

We team up with the Royals - Ok which way - down to the ferry - pay your euros - over to the left bank - on our way - still chilly - some sunshine - sam takes the lead - nice bitumen 'track - bet it gets worst from here - track continues to be good - past some small hamlets - amazed at the intricate woodpiles - green - green - forest - forest - wide river - wide river - another hamlet - look at that minature schrine - another hamlet - sun emerges - still chilly - but - but - but this is great - path continues to be perfect - trees get greener - river look better - occasionally another biker passes us - oh there is a serious rider out training - very few cars - ah now no cars at all - off on to a dedicated bike path - great sights - what are those poor people back in albury doing.

Ah here is the first decision point - do we continue along the left bank and ride some more up to the next ferry or do we cross here - that pub on the other side looks pretty good - pay the ferryman - off to the pub.

Sit up on the balcony overlooking the Danube to the steep forests of the left bank - coffee pretty good but the swans, the ducks and scenery much better - sam proud of herself - she has already earned the title of "domestique" for her leadership of our small pack - she confesses that she just wanted to ride alone to gain confidence - we all worry how fast she will be when she has her "confidence"

Sun now shining brightly but the air cool, clean and pleasant - can life be better than this- could the path get any smoother - the scenery any better - those huge white swans - more little schrines - more tiny, tiny hamlets -

Who was that - Chris and Christine - the little travel group expands

Around the Danube horseshoe - look at those rock climbers on the left bank - ah here comes our boat on its way to our pickup point - wave to Margaret and Cate who remained on board - we should start to think about lunch - Chris argues for lunch with a beer - consensus follows almost without discussion.

10 ks to the boat - beer on the terrace - down to the water for lunch - more swans - plenty of on-site encampments - others join us - we push on into Ashach - there is the boat - no sign of the wiggles - bernie relieved - now that was fantastic - amazing - could it be any better.

Bernie rests - out for an ice cream - Peter and Anne and Keith and Meg line up behind - the ice creams have been earned by all - back for a sleep - rise for dinner - food average - wine very average.

Everyone raves - back for a briefing about tomorrow's ride - not sure - doesn 't sound great - seems like there are time pressures - what to expect? - what the hell today was so good that tomorrow will be good too! - nevertheless we better start early - better stay back and make sure the stragglers are ok just in case.

Just in case we don't survive tomorrow better try the bar - chris adams, Peter Reilly and Brian Royal are there - this is a dangerous bunch - stay long enough to understand why hot air balloonists are wary of unfertilized lemon trees.

Off to sleep as boat heads off for Vienna.