To Reutee: 1000km across Germany and into Austria

August 20, 2014

It is amazing how even travelling at the very slow rate we do on our bikes how quickly the landscape changes. I think that at the speed of a bicycle you notice it even more than in a car. It was only a couple of days ago that we were in the middle of a huge plane and no matter which direction we looked in we couldn't see any hills. Now we are in the middle of magnificent mountains. The ride today was I think the best yet. It started off through forest then into pastures with lots of little wooden huts that Ken thinks are used for storing hay though now days with so much silage being used they are probably little used. We heard the first cow bells of the trip and saw our first real mountain houses.

Fussen really was holiday central. We were glad we were on bikes and could ride straight past traffic jams. There were cyclists everywhere but none touring like us. There are cycle tracks everywhere and to be on holiday here you seem to bring your bike (or hire one from a hotel) and explore all the wonderful cycle routes there are. On steepish hills I kept being passed by people zooming along on electric assist bikes. Fussen is probably best known as the city of the royal Bavarian castles. These were not for us however, we decided that there were just too many people around and we would push on. As we were near the border of Germany and Austria this wasn't particularly easy as none of the German signs showed any places over the border. However once over the border it all come right and we are in the magnificent Tyrol. The mountains were getting higher and steeper. I was surprised I didn't see Heidi. We continued on to Reutee were we have an extremely comfortable guest house and have made a reservation to have us and our bikes transported over the Fern Pass from a place about 30km further on tomorrow.

Collecting grass and taking it home to his animals

Notice the cows sleep in the back part of the house and the people in the front

A family getting ready for their ride near Fussen

They take a great pride in their small herds

A single cylinder fairly early Styre going out to mow

Another single cylinder Styre but this one is living in pampered retirement

Today's ride: 59 km (37 miles)
Total: 1,052 km (653 miles)

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