Mail from Steffen aka Captain Chaos, just received. Forget your basic block from February to May, CC can do that in just one week !! Very worth reading 🙂
…Without words…
(Original, unabridged)
Hey guys,
Unfortunately I couldn't get there the last week because I was cycling a bit. If you are interested here is the summary:
In addition to cycling shorts, cycling shoes and a sleeveless top, I put on a long undershirt, an old jacket, broken gloves and shoe covers. I tucked into my jersey. (What are handbags, bathing shoes? Editor's note)
In the small saddlebags I had cards, passport, EC / Visa card, lights, patchwork things, ... a shirt, bathing panties, shorts, a toothbrush and a few old samples of skin creams. (oha, I feel bad)
Saturday: Michelau-Budweis (Michelau is near Lichtenfels / Coburg, 430km !!)
When I drove off in the morning I wasn't in the mood. It was trickling here and in the Czech Republic it was really raining. I already had clammy fingers, wet feet, and I didn't want to go back. I drove back to the western side of the Bavarian Forest. But now it was raining here at 13 degrees and after just 200km I crawled into a hotel in Viechtach.
Damn rain!
Sunday: Viechtach-Vienna
Sunday morning I drove off again in the rain. I was moaning and crying inside. I wanted to hold out a little longer and then take the train back. At about 1 o'clock I reached Passau. Now I had a gap in the clouds. There was a thunderstorm behind me, but the road dried up in front of me. Tail wind !!! With a 40s cut I came to Linz. After a short sightseeing trip, up to 50 things continued along the Danube. If I hadn't missed exits every now and then, I would certainly have arrived long before dark. In the end, I hit Daniel's place around 9am. After a hot shower, good food and beer, I felt a little flat, but happy to have reached Vienna.
Monday: Vienna - Lake Balaton
Actually, I wanted to cycle to Romania via Budapest, only it was still raining in the east, while in the southwest supposedly the sun was already shining. The 40s cut from the previous day had left its mark. In Bratislava (Slovakia) it was enough for me. I drove past the Neusiedler See directly south. In the afternoon it got warmer and after the Hungarian border I got rid of my old jacket. In the evening I quickly jumped into Lake Balaton. Apart from an overpriced hotel, I unfortunately couldn't find any accommodation.
Tuesday: Lake Balaton - Ljubljana
I noticed my legs a bit, but since the weather was beautiful and I had disposed of my gloves and overcoats, I went quickly from supermarket to supermarket. It was very humid and after leaving Zagreb (horrible city) and Croatia behind me, I noticed the first sunburn. I couldn't get to the Slovenian capital and had to spend the night in a small town in the mountains in a terrible but not cheap guesthouse. But after a few beers I fall asleep everywhere.
Wednesday: Slovenia
Shortly after getting up, I passed girls on motorbikes downhill who almost lynched me. They just couldn't cope with the fact that they were overtaken by a half-naked cyclist with narrow tires in the serpentines, sometimes inside and outside. I made breakfast in Ljubljana (a very beautiful city). Although I had already smeared all the creams and always wrapped my long undershirt around my head as protection from the sun, I got red and redder. Fuck the sun. (First complain about rain and now about sun, wimp !! Editor's note 😉
I drove a round through Istria until evening, bathed in the Adriatic Sea and, as always, enjoyed a 5-star menu at Lidl.
Thursday: Venice Lagoon
At eight in the morning I hopped in the sea at Koper at 30 degrees, then drove past Trieste to Venice in the scorching sun. Since I only had a little more than 200km today, I was able to enjoy Venice (very beautiful city, only cyclists don't like it that much) in the evening and pluck my skin.
Friday, Saturday: Venice - Munich NONSTOP (what is the Tour de France?)
I had a leisurely breakfast and after 10 o'clock drove the bridge back to the mainland. Since the Italians are too stupid to put up signs, I now drove a number of detours. (he doesn't mean it so dear Italian readers) It was still very hot and it only got better when I drove up the Alps. Something was wrong with the gears and right now I couldn't go uphill any more. After a tunnel (which by the way are all closed to cyclists) (perfect preparation Steffen!) the weather changed. The temperature fell below 15 degrees at an altitude of 1000m and it was raining: finally normal weather! In Dobbiaco I had my broken chain repaired and had dinner in the supermarket (bananas, cola, cocoa, cookies, chocolate and gummy bears). (But that was now 6 stars, wasn't it?) I drove past the Drei Zinnen and wanted to look for a place to stay in the rain, but everything was occupied. The bike now rolled well again and my power menu gave me strength. So what the heck, after all, I wanted to use my light once in a while. (who doesn't want that in this situation?) At midnight I drove over the Brenner and around one o'clock through Innsbruck. I reached Munich at dawn. I noticed that I made it through 500 km without any problems, but for the remaining 300 to beautiful Michelau it was too far. Without a guilty conscience (since I had saved the last overnight accommodation costs) I could now treat myself to a train. Unfortunately I was so exhausted that I took the wrong train and fell asleep too. In the evening I was finally back.
Now I'm planning the next tour, but with a sleeping bag, a little better preparation and only about 200 km per day.
Black Sea or a trip around the Baltic Sea, who comes with?
(Was that a threat ??, Editor's note 😉 But honestly, if you really want to do something like that, I would be happy to put you in contact. Steffen is happy to have support, which should, however, have a certain basic level 😉
skin clean
krelli