Guten Morgen friends! We’re back again! After a smooth sailing (cycling) stage 3 even including a motorbike escort to our wonderful guest house, Stage 4 was a disaster and we recorded a DNF (did not finish) due to a DOCTOR DETOUR!?!?

After collecting our bikes from the secure lock-up garage “fahradgarage”, at La Mamma Pension we venture off with Bev in the WHITE jersey today – Best Young Rider.. . . . under 60..!!

Beyond Aschach the valley widens as the Donau enters fertile farmland.

Day      Monday 23 July 2018 – Stage 3

Start    Aschach, Austria

Destination    Enns, Austria

Distance Travelled     60km

Accommodation        Backhendlstation Gasthaus 

(it means Fried Chicken Guesthouse )

Weather         Hot, 30 degrees

Interesting Discoveries:

Smooth flat cycling route crossing the bridge to the North Bank and the Hydro Electricity Station. Continuing through the woods to the attractive town of Ottenshiem for a late Austrian Frühstück (breakfast) of bread rolls, cheese & sliced sausage and ham washed down with black coffee.

We watch a motorhome navigate through the small main street and think of Bruce hopefully secure and enjoying a rest in Passau.

The Ottenshiem ferry is propelled accross the river by the force of the current alone.

Arriving in Linz, Austria’s 3rd largest city, we hop in the yellow tourist train for a quick overview of the centre of the old town. Hitler regarded Linz as his home and had plans to make it he cultural capital of the Third Reich and an industrial powerhouse. Not the most attractive of cities . . . at a glance anyway.!!

Cycling out of Linz under the large railway bridge with the city industrial zone & harbour on the opposite bank.

Pleasant riding, in 28 degrees, past sun-baking fishermen and beside the the many corn (mais) fields.

At a fork in the road we reach the sign board for Enns and our destination for the day.  We were trying to fathom the map and directions to our guest house when out of no-where, an Austrian man appeared on a motorbike / moped!!  He spoke very little English but wanted to help us! He couldn’t find our guest house on the map either, but knew where it was. Too many lefts and rights for us to remember so he gestured for us to follow him! . . . . Oh Boy, our own motorcycle escort, meandering along the many little streets until we arrive at  Backhendlstation Gasthaus. A big Danke schön to this kind Austrian who drove away with a wave before we could thank him!!

Backhendlstation Gasthaus translates to fried chicken and hence most of the menu has many delicious chicken options. Bev devoured a pumpkin chicken dish!

Enns is Austria’s oldest town & very beautiful. Out the front of the tourist info are large spinning tops for kids to play. Electric bike recharging stations are everywhere too.

 

Day      Tuesday 24 July 2018 – Stage 4 – Doctor Detour!!

Start and finish today in   Enns, Austria

Distance Traveled     45km

Accommodation        Backhendlstation Gasthaus (2nd night)

Weather         Hot, 30 degrees

Interesting Discoveries:

Enjoying our stay here, with its shade and peaceful setting, we decided to stay another night. A perfect place for Mark to catch up on some work under the acorn trees.
Our ride today was an adventure! It was supposed to be a short 6kms to the Fahre (ferry) - taking us from the south bank to the north bank - to visit the town of Mauthausen. We got lost twice trying to get to the ferry. The first time, it was in exactly the opposite direction and the second time it was in almost the opposite direction. We went through the same roundabout four times - just getting from Enns to Mauthausen - 6kms took us 26!! When we asked one person how to get to the Donau he said "Oh! That's a long way from here. Go back to Enns and ask someone there!!"....

In Mauthausen, the quiet and tidy landscape belies the horrors that occurred under the National Socialists (NAZI) dictatorship. Approximately 125,000 were murdered at the Mauthausen concentration camp during World War II! ....  Bev wasn't feeling very well so we decided not to visit the horrors of the past ...... this was a wise move as after a short cycle in the township she experienced severe breathlessness and pain and collapsed on the pavement. Luckily we were not far from a modern Doctors Clinic! After an examination and an ECG - a heart attack was ruled out, with the Doctor prescribing 2 inhalers and gentle cycling for a few days!!.... Guess she'll just have to turn up the power on the electric bike now!!