Pappenheim to Ludwigsmoos

July 27, 2012

Yesterday our host asked us when we wanted to have breakfast, and added quickly, but not earlier than 8:15! So 8:15 it was, but we had packed and carried our bags down before breakfast. It was going to be another hot day and we wanted to take advantage of the cool morning.

We ran into an insurmountable detour on the bike path and the continuation for cyclists wasn't obvious. It seemed we had to follow the main road to the next point where we could get back onto the bike path which was definitely more enjoyable. In Solnhofen we stopped for another coffee and a croissant - our hotel breakfast had been quite meager - and in Dollnstein we left the meandering course of the Altmühl and headed for the next river, the Danube.

Pappenheim's Weidenkirche, Willow Church, started in 2007, and every year the branches are a little taller and greener.

Riding past the Zwölf Apostel, or Twelve Apostles, as these stone formations are called

After leaving the Altmühl, we were no longer on a major bicycle route but we did see several bicycle signs for Neuburg on the Danube and decided to follow them instead of the route we had planned to Neuburg - same goal, new roads. This was a good decision since the route was lovely, much nicer than what we had ridden the year before. It stayed on small roads used mainly for farm traffic, no cars most of the way. It was also longer as it skirted several hills and that was alright with us, too.

Our lovely path had no traffic and skirted the hills.

We not only drank the water in our bottles but also frequently poured it over our heads.

We reached the Danube and were soon in Neuburg. Now it was time to make a decision, how far did we want to ride? It was very hot, but we saw that if we put in a few more kilometers, we would be close enough to Munich to have a comfortable ride home the next day. We took a break in Neuburg and telephoned ahead for a room in the small town of Ludwigsmoos.

We pedalled a short distance along the Danube.

Iced tea with frozen berries - I could have consumed ten of them.

Ludwigsmoos was hardly a village, just houses scattered along the road, and our hotel was hardly a hotel, more a restaurant, but the rooms were newly furnished and comfortable. The best part was the restaurant, though. It was Friday and every Friday they had an all-you-can-eat buffet in their beer garden. It was fantastic, and for a price that would be inconceivable in Munich.

We were enjoying our spare ribs when I saw the cases - suitcases? No, instrument cases. And they kept coming. I think there were at least ten accordian players, or maybe more. First the less accomplished played, later on the better musicians took over and they played south German folk music way into the night. It was lovely. Too bad we were so tired. But we could listen from our room, or rather from our beds which were much more comfortable at that point than a bench in the beer garden. I only regret that I didn't take any pictures.

Today's ride: 68 km (42 miles)
Total: 1,130 km (702 miles)

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