To get from the camping back onto the path by the river was not really complicated. The basic principle was "go downhill". still there were a few twists and turns, and we quite legitimately stopped a time or two to check the map or GPS. The problem is, you can not stop or look like you need help here, because someone will immediately try guide you. That could be ok, but they will also want to know where we came from, and how we came to be casting around trying to find the largest river in the region, running in a valley between tall mountains.
We do enjoy talking to people most of the time, and this morning we met at least two that were very interesting. We did not get the name or a photo of the first, because we were mainly interested in his bike. It was a recumbent trike of the style with two wheels in front. But more than that, it had suspension on all three wheels. On top of that, the rear wheel had a motor hub. In a sense this was too far over the top in terms of making it easy on the rider. On the other hand, this rider was well over 70 and had back and knee problems. So with this rig he was speeding down the radweg with the rest of them.
Our next guide was Ernie. 79 years old, he had lived in Calgary. He used to spend a lot of time driving to Lake Louise for skiing. Back in the Tirol, skiing is much closer. This guide also had fancy gear - all Italian, with a Colnago bike and Campagnolo gloves. He did not have internet to look at the blog, though. Claimed to be too poor.
Our final lady seemed to pull over in her car to ask us the UQs, but eventually were on our way. It didn't last too long, really, because at Wattens Dodie noticed a large factory with the name of Swarovski. She recognized this as the maker of fine crystal. So when we came around to their Kristallwelten (Crystal World) attraction, we went in for a look. At 11 euros each, it was pricey. So what was it? What is was not was an explanation of what crystal is, why the factory is here, and how they do it. What it was was a highly "arty" series of installations that made use of crystal in some way, while delivering artful interpretations of life with elaborate use of light, sound, and costume design. It would take someone who really knew about modern art forms to better say what this all was. But just for one example, in a darkened room a female formed soet of robot walked mechanically but gracefully around a track, while overhead a male form comprised of a dozen parts on rods disassembles and then reassembles, shaking itself realistically once fully reassembled. Meanwhile brightly lit shirts on an overhead track dance and jiggle around the room.... and so forth.
More interesting (to me) what what they bill as their largest retail store, containing very glittery crystal figures or jewels, with very high price tags. Overall, and "interesting" experience.
A wuit different experience was waiting for us down the road,as we ran in to what at first looked like a market, but what turned out to be a giant meeting of the Eicher tractor fan club. So we began by just trying to get a shot of what looked like a few tractors - for Ken Graham - and we ended by joining in to the party. The party included an oompah band, food, and tables to sit at. While we were eating our kuchen, Elke and Michael came over - fellow cyclists, they were joining in too. They live in Frankfurt,but were cycling from Innsbruck to up in the Ziller river valley. We hit it off,in part, because they were pulling a Bob trailer.
While we were talking to Elke and Michael, I wandered over to a trailer where there were various Eicher souvenirs on sale. I had trouble communicating with the lady behind the counter, but a man standing beside me came to the rescue, with an ability to speak English. When he also handled my money for the little things I bought, I realized he was part of the group. We chatted for a while about tractors and also bike touring, and at the end he gave me his card, saying I should use the web address on it to check out the Eicher web site. I glanced at the card, but hurried back to where I assumed Dodie would be wondering what became of me. So then I showed her the card. Whaaa? The man's name was Egon Eicher - he was the head of the company, we presume, though he later only said he was the son of the founder.
We did get to talk to Egon a bit more, as he wandered over to where we were sitting. We learned that Eicher is no longer made, in Germany at least. However production continues in India, and this production makes it the third largest tractor name worldwide, he said.
The remainder of our day was filled with cycling among tall peaks on all sides, with meadows and houses reaching far up the flanks. There were iconic churches, whose onion shaped domes look so magical against a mountain background, and there were zillions of other cyclists on the paths.
We finally followed the GPS and the Bikeline map up to a camping at a little lake quite high above the river. The temperature had been in the vicinity of 40 for most of the day, so we were beat. Also since it was Sunday, we had not found enough to eat. The push up to the camping, then, really made us tired. Fortunately, as is common, there was a restaurant. So we decided not to cook our noodles, and instead got a terrific tasty and healthy meal. This we ate on a terrace looking out to the mountains.
It is late, and dark now, butI am typing this at a table lent by a neighbour in a trailer. The only cost - yes, answer the UQs and convince everyone that we really did cycle from Paris on these goofy little loaded bikes!
Watch for photos soon, and then much later, for the captions...
The Ziller river joins the Inn. Up this river are major towns like, we think, Krimml, but we know nothing of that area. Maybe we will explore it another time.
