Back on the saddle

Where the Inn meets the Danube in Passau

After moving three households this year, we finally got settled in at our new place in Passau. We had a nice summer here exploring the area, finding great bike routes (and beer gardens!) And once my new bike was outfitted (with adapter for the bike trailer, etc.) and checked, we were ready for our bike tour at the end of August! Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate. The day/week we planned to leave we had so much rain that a lot of bike paths were flooded. Good thing our plan was to ride toward the Alps from home (no trains involved) so we could adjust our start date to the following week, still in early September.

Trees downed by the heavy rains

Flooding on the downtown bike path

Ready to roll!!

We were excited to be able to set off on our tour without having to take a train. And we could see the Alps on the second day! We planned a relatively short tour along the Tauern Radweg (Tauern bike route.) Passau, our town, is at one end of the route, which includes a circuit from Salzburg. Here's the route we took.

The first leg of the tour involved riding along the Inn river, about 80km to the first campsite. 80km is long for us. Even with e-bikes, the butt still hurts, especially when most of the ride is flat (and somewhat boring) along the riverside dam. Despite the distance and a flat tire on my trailer we made it to the campsite in Marktl by late afternoon. Marktl is known locally as the birthplace of Pope Benedict, which was highly celebrated the first time we were here about 15 years ago....not so much anymore.  The next day, we rode along the Salzach River to Laufen, where we stayed at a campsite on a farm that also family farm-stay vacations, complete with horseback rides, cow milking, campfires, etc. It was cute, and nice because no one else was on the camping pitch and only a couple of families were in the rooms, so we had the scant bathrooms to ourselves. On day three we rode along the Saalach river, buying a new tire for my trailer along the way, through touristy Bad Reichenhall to our first campsite in Austria, outside of Lofer. This was our first campsite in the Alps so we stayed for two nights to explore the area.

First campsite near Marktl

View from the Farm-stay campsite

Campsite near Lofer

The next day we took our un-laden bikes up a steep and beautiful trail to our first Alm (mountain hut, for those not following past posts) of the trip, the Litzlalm. As I've often experienced, as we were heading up the hill, I had the dreaded feeling either the alm wouldn't be there, or it would be closed for the season, as we didn't see too many other bike riders or hikers. But then we arrived and barely got a table in the shade. Apparently, most people reached the alm from another hiking trail from the national park in Germany (close by, but on the other side of the mountain.) The alm experience did not disappoint! The cows were there, the food was fantastic (cheese dumplings in soup for me) and the view was awesome. After lunch we went a bit further up the trail to another scenic view, and then started to head back down toward town. I had planned to visit a gorge on the way home, but Matthias' brakes started making some really strange noises on the way down, so we went right to the campsite so Matthias could change the brake pads. Fortunately, the campsite was beautiful, too, so we enjoyed a couple of happy hour-beers and then bread, cheese and soup at the campsite (our standard dinner) before bed. 

Litzlalm approach

Yummy food at Litzlalm

The hills are alive!

The next day we set off along the Tauern Radweg with plenty of other cyclists toward Zell am See in Austria. Unfortunately, Matthias' brake problem was not solved by the new brake pads, and we had to stop along the way to make more adjustments (and somehow almost couldn't get his wheel back in.) Despite a pretty disturbing noise, the brakes were functioning and we made it to our next campsite where we also stayed for two nights. The guy at reception gave us a few recommendations for the next day's outing and I identified a bike repair shop more or less along the way. He also showed us to a lovely spot for our tent - mainly reserved for bikers - which was a relief because as when saw the "tent field" on our way in, it looked a bit chaotic. Plus, our spot was right next to the bathroom - a big plus for me! Unfortunately, at about 8pm (Matthias's bedtime) some very LOUD techno music starting playing from somewhere outside the campsite. Fortunately, it ended at about 11pm. But I had concerns about what might happen the next night (Friday.) 

Campsite dinner

Morning coffee at the campsite

In the morning we rode to the bike repair shop and were relieved that the technician came out, made a couple of a adjustments to Matthias' brakes, and the problem was solved. We then started off on one of the campsite guy's recommended routes, but soon found that we were riding along the road that led over the pass of the Grossglockner (Austria's highest peak) and there was no bike lane. Despite Matthias' strong protests (i.e., whining) we kept on as we saw other cyclists doing the same - many without battery power (RESPEKT! as they say in Deutschland!) After about 8km we reached a point where we could follow a gravel path to the alms. First, we had a lovely meal at the Oberstadt Alm and then continued up the steep, but quiet way to the Trauneralm - the one recommended by the campsite guy. It was lovely, and the way down the main road was much quicker and less stressful than the way up. Had a nice dinner at the campsite and we were relieved that there was no techno music as we went to bed. Unfortunately, at about 2AM, an Italian camper van snuck into the campsite and set up not at all quietly right next to our tent - Matthias was less than pleased. 

Off of the busy road and onto the bike path

Yummy lunch at Oberstadt Alm

The Trauner Alm had a self-service beverage station

After telling off the Italians the next morning (ugh) and making me promise we wouldn't be staying at this campsite again on our way back, Matthias joined me on the trail and started to feel better relatively quickly. It was a an easy ride along the Salzach River valley to the campsite near Krimml, which marked the end (or beginning) of the Tauern Radweg/bike route. Fortunately, the campground was a small, family-run site so we were all but guaranteed a quiet night. There was also a restaurant nearby where we were able to snatch the last outdoor table for a nice evening meal out, our first and only. And the area was amazing! The next day we rode up past the Krimml waterfall into the Krimmler Achental, a gorgeous valley. After a steep climb, the route became more gentle as we rode toward the glaciers. We got pretty close (actually could have hiked to them, but....meh) and of course visited a couple of Alms for some great snacks along the way. We decided to stay an extra night so we could explore another valley, which was also beautiful in a more rugged way. I could have stayed up in that area for a week, but the forecast was calling for rain so we decided to head home. I was also keenly aware of the fall festival taking place back in Passau. If we hightailed it home, we'd be there in time to catch the end. Not that we wanted to cut our trip short for a festival, but it would have been a shame to arrive back home one or two days after it finished.

Nearing the glaciers

Beautiful River valley!!

Krimmler Waterfall

From Krimml, we back-tracked along the Salzach river to Kaprun, stayed overnight at a campsite right on the raging Kapruner Ache (a mountain river). It was lovely to hear the water rushing by but a bit nerve-wracking as it was supposed to rain hard that night (it didn't.) The next day we continued to close the loop toward Salzburg, making a short, but steep, trip to St. Johann in Pongau. It was good that we got there early because it started to rain just as we finished setting up the tent. The campsite turned out to be a great place for a rainy night, as it had a little hut with a covered porch and outlets for phones and bike batteries! It was also walking distance to town so we could don our rain gear and walk to the supermarkets to buy dinner. 

Our new friend and hitchhiker Schaffi joined us on the way home. She now lives in Baltimore with cousin Ione. 

Campsite in Sankt Johann

Fortunately, we were warned by a fellow cyclist that the middle part of the next day's journey included a significant portion along a busy and narrow road. Not that it made this portion of the ride any less harrowing, but at least I knew we were on the right route. Apparently, it was made worse because the highway was under construction, so a lot of trucks were diverted to our street. It was a white-knuckle-ride (literally!) but at least it wasn't raining and we (obviously) made it no worse for wear. It was also mostly downhill, which made me feel for our fellow cyclist at the campsite who made the trip in the opposite direction, and without an ebike! The last portion of the ride was more relaxing and our campsite outside of Salzburg was peaceful. The next day we rode straight through Salzburg and found a nice place for lunch on the river in Oberndorf, Austria, just across the river from Laufen, Germany (where we spent our second night at the farm campsite) and the town where the song "Silent Night" was composed. Taking a different--more direct--route home, we headed up to a campsite on a lake in a lovely but non-descript area. And finally, the next day we rode a butt-busting 90 km home back along the Inn River dam. We busted our butts so we would be home early enough to enjoy dinner at the Passauer Volksfest! And we did!!

Prost!

Link to bike tour photo album