Thursday, May 22: Lindau - Immenstadt: The climbing starts now - Achtung Baby: Bavaria with a GPS & Some Great Canadian Gear (Tour 13) - 2014 🇩🇪 🇦🇹 🇨🇭

May 22, 2014

Thursday, May 22: Lindau - Immenstadt: The climbing starts now

GREAT way to start the day. I like to be up at 6 or 630 am to be on the road within 30 minutes. Well, when I came downstairs to get reception to open the garage for my bike I see they only open at 8 am. Things will obviously improve as time marches on.

But did they improve?

The very nice manager came along. He opened the garage and away I went into an already hot morning. Without breakfast. With limited supplies. Expecting to run into piles of refueling stations. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Mistake made by experienced cycle-tourer Brent: Recipe for dehydration and insufficient energy to meet anticipated climbing.

And oh, was there climbing. And descending, then more climbing. Sometimes on the bike and sometimes on foot. Until at the base of one very serious climb I finished the last of my supplies. Dried bun, can of tuna and seventeen drops of water. Even the dandelions were looking like a possible meal.

I struggled up that climb, then lo and behold, there was a store. A dairy. No juice, but milk and yogourt. Now, I know what you're thinking: "Is it wise when dehydrated, starved and heavily exerting to drink milk and eat yogourt? Won't your stomach argue with your muscles to do its job. And won't the stomach lose and be forced to 'return-to-sender'?"

The majority of the remainder was downhill. Majority the key word. Any slight rise made my stomach flip a little. At the entrance to Immenstadt I dropped onto a bench, somewhat delirious, and soon had to unceremoniously return to sender. Not a proud moment.

At least with the tuna-milk-yogourt smoothie gone I had the energy to get to my guesthouse where I dropped into bed, basically for the night from 2 pm on. I did watch a few videos on the tablet, but made sure to have a very calm evening.

It was a bit tricky finding my way here as I was not yet using the gps. To the left of this photo is a fairly steep climb. One of many today.

The sheep and cattle did not seem to concerned about my passing them today.

Typical of the bike paths all over the place.

Another 'typical' view. What you cannot see is that the 'wee' undulations in the picture are actually fairly tough climbs. Up and over and down again. Up and over and down again.

This bench was at an intersection of two paths. Two older women from France came along and chatted with me for a while. One of their family members is attending the abbey which is in a nearby village. This was a nice resting spot after a really tough climb. I enjoyed my Gala apple.

A screaming descent into the village. After a lot of climbing, so much of that potential energy stored in me and the bike is being dissipated as heat in the rim via the brakes. Darn!

I had NO energy to make it to my booked hotel. This one was close so I dragged myself in, had a gravol and dropped into bed in the afternoon. And stayed there the whole night.

Today's ride: 64 km (40 miles)
Total: 196 km (122 miles)

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