Friday 31st. May. Aschach to Mauthausen. 57km.

The rain started soon after we set off and stayed with us for the whole ride. The Danube is wider now, and the surrounding country is more open and less striking. Mauthausen is near where one of Hitler's concentration camps was built. There is a memorial at the site, but Les thought that it would be too distressing to visit it. Stayed at Gasthof Maly.

Route: Aschach - Feldkirchen - Ottensheim - Linz - St. Georgen - Mauthausen.

Thursday 30th. May. Passau to Aschach. 67km.

I've always thought that Passau was an Austrian city, because it is mostly on the southern side of the Danube River, but in fact it is still part of Germany and the international border actually runs just East of the city, and then along the Danube. We had perfect cycling weather for most of the day, but for the last couple of hours the light rain came back.

We started off going down the left bank for about 40 km , as recommended, and then caught the ferry to the right bank at Schlogen. This is the best cycle route we've ever encountered. The Danube is so majestic, with the forested ridges accompanying it all the way,and the track is very tranquil. We still hear the very pleasant call of the cuckoo every day.

Route: Passau - Obernzell - Niederranna - Schlogen - Aschach.

Wednesday 29th. May. Zaundorf to Passau. 35km.

What a disappointment! We arrived in Passau to discover that it is the most beautiful city of all that we've visited, and we've only allocated one day to it. Passau is where the Danube meets the Inn river and the Ilz river. There are lots of beautiful buildings and parks and forests, and a very pleasant atmosphere. We had a bit of rain today which cleared up just before Passau. We bumped into a couple from Melbourne, who were planning a supported ride from Passau to Vienna next week. Stayed in Pension Vicus - very nice.

Route: Zaundorf - Hilgartsberg - Windorf - Maierhof - Passau.

Tuesday 28th May. Straubing to Zaundorf. 80km.

A bright sunny day and another great ride, except for a 5km retracement of our way to recover Les's visijacket which had fallen off the back of her bicycle. We came across a herd of sheep on the track, which were being expertly manoeuvred by two very clever sheep dogs. They really are very skilled! There are lots of mountains in the distance as we ride along, but the track is mostly as flat as a tack. On the track, cyclists always greet us, and you know when they are locals because they always say "Gruss Got!", which means "Gods greetings!".  In Deggendorf, once again, we were guided through the city by a kind German cyclist. Tomorrow, we should reach Passau in Austria. Stayed in Pension Stanek, Zaundorf, which was at the top of a big hill.

Route: Straubing - Bogen - Deggendorf - Niederalteich - Winzer - Hofkirchen - Zaundorf.

Monday 27th. May. Regensburg to Straubing. 44km.

Collectables for sale in a shop window.

Well, our luck with the weather finally ran out, with drizzle for most of the day. Thank goodness that we only had 44km. to ride today. The route took us to the south of the Bohemian Mountains.

We can't get over the friendly reception we are experiencing in Germany. Just about every time we stop to consult our map, someone stops and offers to help with directions. When we stopped on the outskirts of Regensburg to check our map, a man stopped his car to offer his help. When we told him which hotel we were trying to find, he insisted that we follow him to it "because it was a little complicated". It's really helpful too, that they all speak English fluently. Stayed at Hotel Heimer, Straubing - very nice.

Route: Regensburg - Donaustauf - Bach - Pondorf - Pittrich - Straubing.

Friday 24th. May. Bad Gogging to Regensburg. 64km.

This part of Germany is really beautiful. We cycled past a stork's nest, and lots of hop fields, and then through stunning scenery down to Weltenburg, where the Weltenburg Abbey was founded in the year 610. It is still a monastery and the inside of the church is quite incredible. From there we caught a ferry to take us about 6 km. through the Danube Gorge to Kelheim. Much better than cycling over the ridge. Just above Kelheim is the circular Hall of Liberation (1860), which was built in memory of those who contributed to Germany's liberation from Napoleon's rule.

The Danube is now big enough to handle the big barges and cruise boats. Regensburg is another lovely European city, which has the oldest functioning bridge in Germany. We are here for three nights for a rest. Stayed at Hotel von Heyden - very nice.

Route: Bad Gogging - Weltenburg - Kelheim - Bad Abbach - Regensburg.

Thursday. 23rd. May. Marxheim to Bad Gogging. 79km.

A long ride, but not challenging at all. There was no wind at all for 90 percent of the way, which is almost as good as a tailwind. There are lots of ducklings and goslings on the river, which is much wider now. There are still no barges or big boats to be seen yet. We did a quick exploration of Ingolstadt, and found it to be quite charming and busy. Most of the city centre is mostly car-free, which is a big plus.

Stayed at Pension Eichschmidt at Bad Gogging - very nice. Bad Gogging started out as a Roman Bath town, and now still attracts lots of visitors who come for the therapeutic effect of the water. There is a not unpleasant smell of sulphur in the village.

Route: Marxheim - Bertholdsheim - Stepperg - Neuburg - Ingolstadt - Grossmehring - Vohburg - Wackerstein - Pforring - Bad Gogging.

Wednesday. 22nd. May. Dillingen to Marxheim. 49km.

Another westerly tailwind which had us flying along and arriving in Marxheim early. We went past the MASSIVE Eurocopter factory in Donauworth. It must have a huge influence on the local economy. There were hundreds of cars in the staff car park. Stayed at Landhaus Steakhouse, which reminded us both of the Leopard Rock Hotel in the Vumba mountains in Zimbabwe. In fact this whole area is like a gigantic version of the Vumba.

Route: Dillingen - Hochstadt - Blindheim - Rettingen - Donauworth - Altisheim - Marxheim.

Tuesday 21st. May. Ulm to Dillingen. 64km.

Another good tailwind all day and no rain, long may it last. The Danube is getting bigger and stronger all the way, but we haven't yet seen any cruise boats or big barges on it. Everything in Germany seems to be neat and clean, and well-maintained. Even the ancient buildings have been kept in very good condition. We have now left the Wurtemburg region and are in Bavaria.

Speedo readings: Ash 4258km. (I've had to zero my speedo now, because I have put on a new fatter front tyre today)
                            Les 13515km.

Route: Ulm - Thalfingen - Unterelchingen - Gunzburg - Petersworth - Gundelfingen - Dillingen.