Grand Canyon Bound!

My old friend Ken has been doing an annual backpacking trip to the Grand Canyon for several years.  I have always thought this would be an awesome thing to do and a great segway from from our damp PNW winter to summer.  The perfect should season getaway.

We chatted about this a month or so ago and I with my new retirement status looming I asked if he was going this year... 

Fast forward and our backcountry permit has arrived for a six day hike that is start March 14th. 

Our friend Dale will also be joining us so this really gives me something to look forward to and prepare for.  How grand!
 

Post Cycle Tour trip to Prague

October 1-4, 2017
Prague
On foot
Cool with some showers

Fun time playing tourist in this great city.

Lisa had been here before and was happy to return.  We visited the castle on the hill, took the walking tour, walked over the Charles bridge a few times, sampled the Czech beers and food, did some shopping, rode around on the trams, tracked down some of the oddball sights (Lisa found a list), saw a bunch of Kafka stuff...etc.

Castle - Charles bridge combo pic

Main square

Astrological clock

Franz Kafka dream statue 

Tramming around

Castle grounds

Lunch stop

Lunch

Automated Franz Kafka sculpture  

The church some careless king built house in front of

The deer tunnel (allowed deer to pass between sides of the moat) at castle

Yup

Another brandy Sir?  Why yes please, thank you Lufthansa.

Danube Cycle Tour Day 9

September 28, 2017
Kelheim to Worth an der Donau
73 km
Cool foggy morning with warmer afternoon

Foggy and cool morning ride to Regensberg where we stopped for a bite and look around
A quiet afternoon ride to pretty Worth an der Donau.

Pedestrian and cycle bridge at Kelheim

Mid bridge 'Groupie'

Chilly morning fog

Calm waters outside of Regensburg

Regensburg

Regensburg's bridges

Absolutely fab cyclist's rest stop - a new standard!

Lisa checks out the lounger

A pedal powered bar - a stag party (?)

Schloss overlooking Worth an der Donau

Danube Cycle Tour Day 11

September 29, 2017
Deggendorf to Passau
64 km
Sunny and warm

Our last day.  What a great ride - 640 km.

Today we cycling into Passau and it was really hoping with the riverboat tourists.  We followed the river directly to the square where our bike shop is located.  Our backpacks were waiting for us and is was a simple matter to empty our panniers and hand over the bikes.

We had reservations at the Hotel Wilder Mann (where we stayed two years ago) so we booked in then spent the remainder of the day independently exploring before reconvening for our last big German beer hall dinner.

The next day Lynne and Clint returned by train to Munich for another day there before heading home while Lisa and I took the train to Regensburg where we just missed our connection to Prague.  We wandered around Regensburg for four hours until the next train and arrived at Prague just after dark.

An archway of beer cases!

Our final hydration stop before the end of the road

Giant hydro-electric dam just upstream from Passau

Passau - north shore

Official drop off photo

Danube Cycle Tour Day 10

September 29, 2017
Worth an der Donau to Deggendorf
65 km
Cool and sunny

• Yet another fair weather day.   
• Pleasant corn fields and riverside riding 
• Refreshment stop in Straubing 
• Late lunch roadside picnic at Pfelling.  
• Lisa and I did a walk around Deggendorf in the evening where I found a delish currywurst.

Beautiful formation cycling!  10/10!

A Dunkel and a Hellas

Straubing

Straubing

Roadside feast!

Night cheese - Currywurst and chips

Danube Cycle Tour Day 8

September 27, 2017

Ingolstadt to Kelheim
52 km
Cool morning and sunny afternoon

• Started day with a spin around the old town of Ingolstadt
• Followed the Radweg to Weltenburg Abbey and brewery for a pleasant lunch
• Enjoyed a short boat ride downstream through the Danube gorge to of overnight stop at Kelheim

Leaving Ingolstadt

Weltenburg Abbey

All aboard!

Looking back upstream at Weltenburg Abbey

Docking at Kelheim

Kelheim

Clint's souvenir from Weltenburg Abbey and brewery

Breaking into the mini keg