Grein to Melk

50km

31°C

I finally managed to get my GPS working on the phone so I was able to map our ride. It can be viewed in Google maps here: http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/0001/0be1/4b71/24cb/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20100710-1037.kml

I’m watching the Tour de France live on TV, their on the mountain section today, it makes my Bobbin Head achievment pretty lame doesn’t it. Bit hard to follow as it’s in German but occasionally I pick up a name like Rob McEwan or Caddel Evens. We thought we’d be able to follow it more, but we haven’t been able to pick up it in English. Even if we can’t understand it though it seems so apt given our holiday.

Our ride was uneventful and not as interesting as the past few days riding. We did pass through a beautiful town called Ybbs. All the towns have cobblestones which again reminds me how hard the Tour de France is. After riding through the various Markts I feel all buzzy and I’m only going 10kms hr approx. How in the world do they do it. Our ride today followed the Denube with no detours and we stayed on the South Bank the whole way.

There’s been heaps of bugs on this trip and you can see them flying towards you constantly. Quite a few need to be spat out, ughhhh. Some hit you and really hurt. Today however I was stung on the lip, it felt like I was walloped by something. I panicked as there are lots of bees around. Never being bitten by a bee I’ve become paranoid as I worry that I’d react badly given how I am with Mozzies and fleas. All I could think of was...”I’m in the middle of nowhere, it’s on my lip...I’m gonna die” Obviously not, I’m here typing. My lip is still a little swollen and sore though.

Speaking to the maitre de this morning at Grein. She had a ornate old grand piano and I was talking to her about it. She told me how it was a pain to move when it floods. She went on to tell how in 2002 the Denube flooded and rose to the windows of the2nd floor (where we were staying). I find it hard to comprehend how much extra water must be flowing down the Denube for this to happen.

I felt really good on the ride today ... felt in the zone. :) Tomorrow will sort me out as it’s our long day - around 90kms I think.

We plan to leave around 7.30 - 8am to try and beat the heat tomorrow. It seems to get hotter here in the afternoon around 3-4. It got hotter this afternoon then around midday. It rose from 30 to 32°C at 5.30 today.

Beautiful Ybbs

Denube view from Ybbs

A short break to take in Ybbs. Our trusty bikes.

Monastry towers above the village of Melk