Cycling am Bodensee Day 2

Day two of cycling, Sunday, I awoke at 05:37 and was on the road by 06:24. (Can you tell I'm in the army?) Which was good, because later in the day it was down-pouring. I got in four hours of bicycling in total dryness. I’d headed East, toward Fredrichshafen and Meersburg, then taking the car ferry across to Konstanz. I cycled over to Mainau, which is an island of flowers, but I heard on the way that all the flowers were covered up, so turned around and skipped it. It’s sort of a giant tourist trap anyway and I was irritated that I couldn’t bring my bike along.

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Returning to Konstanz, I came upon a Flohmarkt. (Didn’t buy anything, how would I haul it back!?) Meandered through town and caught a three hour boat back (19€) to Lindau, during which it started POURING and I arrived at the campground drenched. I hid out in my tent and managed to read the book I’d just finished for a second time. I was fearful that I would awaken in a flood, but I stayed dry through the night.

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Books read: 1, twice, Per Petterson, Out Stealing Horses, highly recommended

Total Biked: 128km/ 77 miles, about 30 the first day and 47 the second.

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Der Bodensee is easily biked without maps, if you’re not afraid to read signs and ask directions occasionally. Ships can be caught in many locations back to where you want to go. While I was riding, I saw ample open rooms and pensions, especially in the smaller towns. There are also campsites galore, which are more full of RVs, so tent camping is quite easy.

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(P.S. I AM NOT INSANE, but I AM HAVING MAJOR PUBLISHING ISSUES. Blogger upgraded a couple things and I want to kill it!)

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PS Down below picture info: (it would not let me put this in the right place). The top town is Konstanz and the bottom is Lindau, with the Germans sitting under the trees and the pretty buildings and strollers.

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In the tent

At a cafe in Lindau (not sure why this is here but the cafe is at the bottom, can't move this. Uuggghhh!!)

These two are called "Scared in the tent" because I was afraid I was going to wake up in a puddle. I didn't.

Bodensee Day 1 photos

After work last Friday, I hopped a train with bicycle, tent and backpack in tow, and headed southeast toward the Bodensee, also known as Lake Constance. The Bodensee borders Deutschland, Österreich and die Schweitz. It's quite a large lake with a mostly paved Radweg (bike path), or if you prefer, you could stay on the paved roads.

I undertook this as an American would (or so I was told by some Germans who I met along the way) by planning little but the train and the camping site.

The train from Vilseck (an hour from Nürnberg) took about 4.25 hours, with one change only. I was able to use the Bayern/Bavaria ticket (20€ each way) for the whole ride, paying an extra 4.5€ each way to take my bike.

The ride from Lindau train station to the tent site (Camping on der Bodensee) is about 4-5km, on paved side streets, found easily by asking locals. I rolled in on my orange bike and started pitching my tent, just about 10pm. A single girl arriving at that hour alone commands attention, so I didn't even have to pitch my tent myself. A couple friendly German motorbikers jumped at the chance to offer a hand and a glass of wine. But I went to bed. I was pooped!

After 10 hours of sleep, I set off for Bregenz, Austria, west and south of Lindau. After meandering through their Saturday street market, I pedaled onward toward Rorschach. The only reason I wanted to go there was because it was the namesake of the Ink Blot test. Along
the way, I saw another of Hunderwasser's works of architechture. He's a famous Austrian architect, but I find his works horrid and visually as appealing as circus made of insane people. But. I took a photo. Tell me what you think.

Saturday was full-on rain most of the day, but it was warm, so no complaints. I met a couple of bicyclists from Germany who were biking to Italy. One didn't have a rainproof coat, and the other was wearing sneakers. And they were giving me crap for going to the Bodensee
without a plan! I have photos of them under the bridge where we took cover during a downpour.

They headed off following the Danube, and I went onward toward Rorschach, where I caught a ferry home for 15€ and settled in for another nights' sleep.

Bregenz, Austria: market in town center

Note the age of this bridge. (It just looks damn old.)

Germans who were biking to Italy, helped me with my lack-of-map situation.

The Danube

Souped up campers in Austria

Hundertwasser building. Shoot me now... I would hate this in my town. I don't know why he's famous- I think he's just crazy.

I talked to this man quite a lot- he had children all over and in 1975, he made a huge cycling trip around Europe. (Unless I misunderstood his German.)