Passeau to Vienna

8-day / 7-night bike tour.Self-guided or guided biking trip.Length: 326 km / 204 milesTrip rating: Easy

Loved by many this cycle trail is the most famous in Europe. Experience smooth cycling on dedicated cycle paths on this flat route. On this bicycle tour, navigate your way with ease through towns with bike friendly services. From Passau, at the Danube, Inn and Ilz river confluence, you cycle right by the Danube, in a deep river valley with castles and churches perched overlooking the river. See the romantic river meanders near the town of Schlögen and the vineyards, meadows and orchards of the Wachau wine region. Cycle through small towns with rich cultural heritage, Melk with its beautiful monastery, Grein, Krems and finally to Vienna.

We have been planning a trip to Europe to cycle, and it looks like it really is going to happen. I keep waiting for something to stop us going but we leave on Sunday (four more sleeps!). Thanks to the worlds best Grandma and Grandpop we have near two weeks away. We are traveling to Passau Germany, and from there cycle down to Vienna, Austria.

We decided to go with a company on a self guided tour. Figured that we won’t get the opportunity to go away again for such an extended time until the kids are teens! So we wanted it all to go smoothly and without the added stress of accommodation and luggage.

We decided on Passau to Vienna, it’s a very popular easy ride following the Danube river.

Can’t wait.

Memory lane via Bobbin Head

Date: Fri 18 June
Distance:62km
Time: 3:28hrs
Max Speed: 54.24 km
Av Speed: 18 km


Browns Waterhole


Wahroonga Park
 
Memory Lane


Dylan and Asquith


Bobbin Head


Access to M2 East bound


Rode to Bobbin Head again today. My route was to Turramurra, Hornsby, Asquith, Bobbin head, Turramurra and home again. It was a trip down memory lane really. I rode past Hornsby Girls, where Snap used to be, past corner shops.
Dropped in to Dylans on the off chance he was there, he was, and so was Rob. Dylan has taken three weeks off work to help his dad take kitchens, windows and other building things up to Glen. Had a cup of coffee, chatted for about an hour and then headed off.
House looks great, it was really nice to see it again. Dylan scared me with when school hols start and made me think that we were out a week which would’ve seriously messed up our holiday plans. But all’s ok, you’d think a teacher would know lol.
It’s a steeper trip to Bobbin Head via Asquith so I definitely went the right way. I didn’t think it was a good idea to try and recreate the ‘red blanket’ experience. So I went to the Bobbin Head Inn which was nice to. Had a chat to a cycle ‘brother’ who was waiting to have coffee with his daughter and 3mth old grandson, He suggested a few routes. Checked out my bike when I started talking about my phobia of hills and said I could get a better gear ratio on the back.
I discovered on the way back that you can actually get onto the M2 which gets rid of the necessity to go through Macquarie Park which was great. I saw the gate last time but just assumed it was locked. So this time I opened it and was zipping along the M2.
This will probably be the last decent ride before our trip. Can’t wait. Denube here we come!

Here’s my route

Photos on MobileMe

Family ride at Homebush

Date: Sun 13 June
Distance: 10km

Olympic Park Map
Another great day. Met Kristy and Co. just next to Silverwater Bridge, Wilson Park in Homebush. We set up my bike with the bike seat for Kaelie so I could see what it was like - hated it. It just felt so erratic and felt like at any moment the front wheel could fly up.
Once we were all set set up, kids with helmets off we went. The boys had to be in front and on the wrong side of the pathway of course. One was always trying to pass the other. Kaelie was yelling out to wait for her — no way that was going to happen. We had out picnic at Newington Armery. It was just great weather. The kids were on and off their bikes. It was nice to see my nephew Jaidyn and Mikaela ride together.


Unfortunately this was just the beginning of Kaelies mishaps. I lost sight of her and Graeme saw her purple bike tassles fluttering just off a small bridge. He bolted over and she’d fallen over the edge and was lying face down in the mud! A young boy was trying to help her and she was yelling in between sobs “I don’t (sob sob) want (sob sob) your help (sobbbbbb). Graeme always says she’s gonna make some mans life miserable :) Anyhow, lucky her cousin was there and she gave up one of her tops and handed over her spare pants so a very muddy and wet girl could be dry. Thanks Tiana.
That was the funny mishap the other not so funny and was all her mothers fault, and boy has it worried her. When we were leaving, Kaelie behind me on the Tail Gaittor we’d been riding so well together and she’s was saying faster, faster etc. We were behind the boys who were trying to pass each other, they were coming up to the exit gates and I was really nervous that they were going to try and go through the same gap. They were fine of course, guess I wasn’t concentrating which is no excuse and I was too close on one side, I think I tried to correct it and maybe I made it worse, maybe theres justification in my ex always getting angry when I tried to park the boat trailer. I went through and Mikaelas bike handle bar clipped the pole and she came off. It was awful, just awful. I felt the clip and then the thud and she was off. She cried of course, and asked me why I did that and never do that again...wow she’s good at guilt. She was thankfully unhurt, no blood, no scratches, nothing. It has however made me rethink. Is it fair that I put her at risk by doing something that I want to do, it’s my choice to be out on the bike, if I plan to ride up to the shops thats my choice and my risk. Maybe I shouldn’t make that that same risk for her too. I still feel too that it’s a healthy way of life to expose her to. G. says not to think about it tonight when I’m still emotional.
Apart from the end of the day, it was a huge success. It was nice riding with my sister — don’t think I’ve ever done that actually. The kids seemed to really enjoy it. When I told Jaidyn that he and Tam had ridden 10kms he said “wow, 10,000 metres”

Olympic Park

Date: Sat 12 June
Distance: 51km
Time: 2:57hrs
Max Speed: 48.91 km
Av Speed: 17.2 km




We got a babysitter to look after the kids, Little Miss Chatterbox was so excited, and we headed off down Epping Road towards Homebush.
We had a leisurely lunch. Saw a wedding. Played chicken with kamikaze crow, glad to say he swerved at last second.


 

Legs handled it ok, even on the infamous Melville Hill. However, my sore knee came back after it, so for a lot of the trip home I was riding with right leg and left leg was ‘just along for the ride’.
It was great to have company and great to go for a ride with Graeme. We ate at the Armory. We had a little patch of sunlight on our table so by the end of lunch I was thawed out. Graeme however had lost all his heat so now he was cold.

Proud to say, I navigated us through Olympic Park without getting lost.

Lovely day. Thanks Graeme and thanks Melinda for babysitting the chatterboxes.

Bobbin Head

Date: Fri 11 June
Distance:58km
Time: 3:17hrs
Max Speed: 51.68 km
Av Speed: 18 km






For many years I regularly visited Bobbin Head and Apple tree Bay, for picnics or simply for a drive at night time. I used to think that the cyclists there were crazy climbing the hills...and now I’m proud to say “I’m one of those crazy’s”
I decided to start confronting my fears....…HILLS.
I’ve read about a cycleway that goes from end of Viemera Rd in Marsfield under M2 and joins Kissing Point Rd in Turramurra. The kids and I found it yesterday and went for a bush walk down to Browns Waterhole. Tam fighting baddies with his light saber and Kaelie with her guns all decked out in her faerie finery. They really enjoyed it, I expected them to whinge the whole way — you can never tell whats going to be a hit
There’s a short but oh so steep hill up to Pacific Hwy. I took a photo to show just how steep...or was that an excuse just to stop?
From there it was really down hill the whole way to Bobbin Head. The road down bumps you around a fare bit and I tried to make sure my grip on the right hand was loose, so it didn’t jar my hand too much.
I went to Galley foods in the Marina and had a large coffee and croissant to try and thaw out. The wonderful, wonderful man asked if I was cold, disappeared, then reappeared in front of me with a red blanket to wrap around me. So there I was, snug as a bug in my red blanket overlooking the marina, sipping my coffee in the sunshine. Isn’t that nice, made my day. Oh, another thing as I was walking my bike a car behind beeped to let me know that my glove had dropped out of my helmet. When I went to thank them they said they were cyclists too. A lot of people dislike cyclists but a lot certainly like them. It seems to be a friendly community to be apart of.
Had a little cycle around, couldn’t put it off any longer and headed back up the hill. It’s not a long hill but it is 4 kms of constant “hill” all the same. I took it easy as I really didn’t know how I was going to handle it, and it was fine. I only averaged between 11 and 15 kms but I was surprised when I saw the entry gate. So next time I know I can push myself more. I struggled a lot more with the hill back up to Viemera Rd. It’s steeper and I guess I was already a bit fatigued.
I hit 1000 kms on my bike computer on this ride, woo hoo. So don’t know how far i’ve ridden in total but I reckon it would be another few hundred on top of that.
So, another destination reached. I’ll do it again....as long as there’s a red blanket waiting.

Windsor for lunch

Date: Sunday 06 June
Distance:38km
Time: 1:44hrs
Max Speed: 42km
Av Speed: 22km
My sister wanted to borrow the kids for a photographic assignment, which was just perfect as hubby’s away. The weather was sunny, again perfect.
I took both wheels off bike, and oh did I struggle to get it into the boot of my car. I thought I was going to have to give a wheel each to the kids to hold onto! You’d think that a 4WD ought to fit a bike frame comfortably .
The ride out was really lovely, it was sunny and quite warm. There were Markets in the malled area of Windsor. I think they have these monthly. I found a scarf that I squeezed into my Topeak, and a couple of bags of home made biscuits followed shortly after. I would of loved the beautiful looking strawberries, but alas no room.
Had some pumpkin soup for lunch and watched Elvis singing in front of a shop. Later on he was handing out brochures for his new ‘all things male’ gift shop. There was this stall that sold baby dolls that looked so realistic, they were both beautiful and incredibly freaky at the same time. But if anyone wants the perfect baby doll, you must visit Windsor markets one Sunday.
Trip back was not as pleasant, the sky had clouded over and the wind had picked up and it was a headwind like last time and it was harder work then on the way to Windsor. I made it back just as it started to rain down again. I managed to pull apart and fit the bike in my huge boot and go inside the house to child mayhem.
Now at home and its once more bucketing down.

Back on my bike

Took advantage of break in this wet wet weather we're experiencing and went for a small ride. Feel all better now!

When will this rain stop

Rain go away please! I'm missing my riding. I've been cranky and taking it out my beautiful children. We need sun.

Liverpool Trip

Date: Fri 28 May
Distance:        108km
Time: 6hrs
Max Speed: 48.5km
Av Speed: 18km

More photos on MobileMe
I started out at 7.30am and headed towards Meadowbank. I’m quite comfortable with this route having down in a fair bit now. I was disappointed when arriving at Meadowbank wharf and the coffee man wasn’t there. After crossing Silverwater Bridge the signage isn’t great but luckily it’s quite easy to navigate through the industrial areas towards the M4. I stopped at a little cafe and had a coffee and muffin before getting onto M4. If it was easy to navigate to the M4 it certainly wasn’t to get onto the M4 cycleway. Thank goodness for the openmaps maps on the iphone is all I’ve got to say.