I awoke today under grey clouds and a high probability of rain. Light rain was predicted for this morning, with perhaps an open window from late morning until mid-afternoon. It didn't sound horrid, so I decided to chance it and booked a room in Landsberg am Lech. I figured if it got too bad I could catch a train in Schongau, which was about 25 miles down the road.
Although the sun had abandoned me, the cold had not. I delayed my departure a bit, trying to balance between very cold vs cold and wet. Eventually, I layered up and headed out about 8:45 under dry skies. The route took me along the west side of Forggensee, offering a distant view of Neuschwanstein Castle before winding through a wonderful pastoral landscape of cows, green meadows, and emerging fall colors. I was loving it – stopping often for pictures even though I knew I should make tracks.
Grey skies but no rain when I started out from Fussen
It started raining about 9:30, a light rain at first that soon increased to a moderate but steady downfall. The temperature hovered around 40°C, and after two hours the combination of cold and rain had convinced me to catch a train from Schongau to Landsberg am Lech. I passed a McDonald’s on the outskirts of Schongau and stopped for a hot coffee and a route to the train station.
It took about 45 minutes of misery to get to the train station, with several stops to check GoogleMaps and/or ask for directions. When I finally got to the station, a nice attendant told me there was no direct train to Landsberg am Lech – I would have to make three changes! A bit of bad planning on my part. Instead, I bought a ticket to where the next train was going – Willhelm, or something like that, I couldn’t quite understand him. I bought my ticket in a booth that had tele-help from a live person, useful but a bit odd, and finished the transaction just as the train arrived. It was like no other train I’d ever seen – two cars, each decorated with cartoon figures. The feeling that I was on an amusement park ride was enhanced when the train filled with school children. As we left the station, I had no idea where I was going, but was thankful that I was no longer riding my bike in a chilling rain.
The school children got off at the first couple of stops and the train rolled slowly to Weilheim in Oberayern. I briefly thought of getting the next train to Munich, but really want to end the tour on two wheels. Also, I was chilled to the bone and desperate to find a hotel and take a long hot shower. I had a bit of trouble finding the first hotel on my google list, almost breaking down when I found it was not open. At the second hotel, I was elated to get the last single room. I quickly went to unload my panniers when the clerk came out to tell me she had the wrong date – no single available! My heart sank. But...she could offer me double at a higher rate – I’ll take anything, I replied.
And that is how I ended up the day in Weilheim in Oberayern, and not in Landsberg am Lech. The hotel had a nice restaurant and, embracing the season, I had an excellent pumpkin soup and pumpkin ravioli. A nice warm ending to a chilly wet day.
Susan CarpenterTo Rachael AndersonThanks Rachael. I really can't complain too much about one really bad weather day during the whole month.
It was the combination of cold and rain and poor planning on my part that really threw me. But all turned out fine in the end! Reply to this comment 2 years ago
