Danube Cycle Tour Day 7

September 26, 2017
Rennertshofen to Ingolstadt
39 km
Cloudy and cool in morning with sunny afternoon

A planned shortish ride today so we could get into Ingolstadt around midday, take our early check in at hotel near the train station, clean up and hop train for the one hour ride to Munich and Okoberfest!

Early start

Danube Cycle Tour Day 6

September 25, 2017
Hochstadt an der Donau to Rennertshofen
60 km
Cool and foggy in morning, sunny afternoon

• Stopped at Doauworth train station to purchase tickets for tomorrow's trip from Ingolstadt to Munich (Euro 40 for four, return)
• Some rolling hills for a nice change and  offered views
• Lynne lost her jacket from her rack but picked up by following cyclists and returned
• Rennertshofen is very small farming town with very nice hotel.  After 5 pm all staff had left and we were given a key to front door.  Trusting

Donauworth

Turnip harvest time

Danube Cycle Tour Day 5

September 24, 2017
Ulm to Hochstadt
69 km
Sunny but not warm

• Left Ulm via the old fisherman's quarter 
• Pretty ride out of Ulm along the river
• Cake stop in Gunzburg
• Large public market at Dillingen

Ulm Cathedral

Tilty buildings in the old fisherman's quarter, Ulm

Leaving Ulm

Nuclear plant

Cycle routes - take your pick

Roman Apollo-Grannus Temple, Faimingen

 

Pictures from our great German feast at Hotel Berg, Hochstadt...

Shnitzel

Hungarian Gourlauash

Kaiserschmarran

Swiene Hochsen

Danube Cycle Tour Day 4

September 23, 2017
Ehingen to Ulm
44 km
Cool morning but sunny

• Pleasant surprise of farmer's market in Ehingen square where we spread out and purchased picnic supplies
• Visited  Blaubeuren museum of pre-history 
• Picniced beside the Blaubeuren Blautopf - pool that is the terminus of an extensive underwater waterway
• Bike paths to the centre of Ulm with our hotel in the shadow of Ulm Cathedral
• Shopping in Ulm and then found Chinese restaurant which was welcome change to our trend of German cuisine

Blautopf, Blaubeuren

Ulm Catherdral (tallest in Europe)

Clint on outskirts of Ulm

Ulm from the tower

Danube Cycle Tour Day 3

September 22, 2017
Mengen to Ehingen
60 km
Cool morning but sunny

• Lots of riding through cornfields
• Set up our (now traditional) Plaid photo shoot
• Lunch stop Blank Brewery and Gasthof Rossle
• Clint buys an awesome Blank Brewery cycling jersey
• Ehingen is home to several breweries so we sample a few starting at our hotel Ochsen
• Fun time in the tiny beerhall singing 99 Red Balloons and Coming Home (two German based tunes that had airplay in Canada) with some locals

Cool cyclists

Stork's nest

Dyke top trail

Lunch stop at Blank Brewery and Gasthoff Rossle

The doctor anyone?

Rechtenstein and ruins of Hohwart castle

Obermarchtal Abbey church

Munderkingen

Kms of corn fields

The Plaids

Danube Cycle Tour Day 2

September 21, 2017
Fridingen to Mengen
57 km
Cool morning but warming afternoon

• Foggy and chilly morning as we headed out but warmed up later
• Fridengen to Beuron through beautiful  narrow valley with rocky outcrops, pretty farms and dotted with castles. Some hilly bits. One of the most beautiful sections of the route.
• Tried the traditional Swabian soup for lunch 
• Sigmaringen royal Hohenzollern palace - Lisa, Lynne and Clint did one hour guided tour while Randy visited the armory museum.
• Most awesome cake at Sigmaringen - the original recipe Hohenzollern cake
• Pizza dinner at Zur Alten Poste, where we were befriended by a kind local couple who gave us some tips, including to look out for stewed lentils with spaetzle on menus. The proprietor comped us a fruit brandy. Friendly, good value and delicious food. Just the type of place you hope to find in your travels. 
• Hotel Rebstock, Mengen - chilly room, nice folks, good bike lock up in garage, good breakfast.

Cool morning

Fidingen half timbered barn/homes

Foggy 

Firewood stack

Danube canyon

Werenwag Palace

Swabian soup with meaty ravioli-like slabs of goodness.

Sigmaringen's Hohenzollern Palace

Waiting for the cake

Billed as "original Hohenzollern cake: layers of cherry confit, marzipan, white and chocolate cake, and possible a mild mocha or milk chocolate frosting. Life changing, says Lisa.

Shame we missed patio weather at this hotel.