Biding time until I catch bus #4 to the Konstanz Bahnhof, take the train to Zurich Airport and fly home via Montreal. There are two TV shopping channels in this hotel and one of them sells food items online!
Another wet day. The man at Radweg-Reisen told me I should come back in September when the weather is perfect and the wine festival is on.
Excellent service by Radweg-Reisen and Mac's Adventures made this a great cycling vacation.
A few PS Photos and Video:
This time I'm in the new wing of the Volapuk
The stream and grounds
View from my balcony
Tres chic
Waiting for the Thurbo to Weinfelden transfer point
On the Thurbo - keeping you informed
The cool inter-terminal train complete with Alpenhorn, mooing and cowbells.
Also the high-tech blinds which are prevalent on many buildings.
I treated myself to a huge paella in the hotel cafe yesterday evening and was stuffed when I got back to my room.
Checked out of the Mozart Hotel after breakfast (a bit smaller than the big German ones but still substantial) this morning after having a tiny chat with an English couple who were on the same route. Then it was back to the Migros for some snacks for the ride.
Nothing too much of note on this side of the lake, a lot of farmland, lakeside restaurants, huge camping grounds (often permanent residents) and long runs beside the railroad (the commuter train passed me over and over again).
The clouds darkened and gathered in a similar fashion to what they did yesterday and, right on cue, about 13k East of Konstanz, it started to come down. I was out in an open area but I got all my gear on before the brunt of it hit. It cleared somewhat before I arrived back at Radweg-Reisen and returned the bike. They are so gracious. There's a seating area and they make you coffee while you unwind and get all your gear off the bike. Great company. They gave me a bag to hold all the stuff that was in the pannier and directed me to the nearest bus stop.
Of course, I was way early (just after 11) so checking in was out of the question and I did have a few errands I wanted to run.
First I bussed to the train station and used a machine to buy my ticket to Zurich Airport. I still had a voucher as part of the tour for entry to the Rosgarten Museum so I made a visit, then, using the GPS, I searched for a bicycle store to buy some souvenirs. My gloves had worn through so they were on the list and I've started a habit of buying a cycle jersey on each tour so that was also included.
The bike store was closed for lunch until 14:30 so I had to kill time. So what happened? The clouds darkened and the rain poured down. A quick snack in a hamburger joint, a few minutes hiding under various awnings and church entries, and finally I made it into the store and got some really nice gloves and jersey.
Then out into the rain again and over to a bus stop to wait for 15 minutes for the #4. It arrived packed to the gills with rowdy students who fortunately got off a few stops before mine. Now checked in, drying out, arranging packing and planning tomorrow morning's bus trip to the train station.
Side note: I had to learn a new greeting. I had encountered guten Morgen, Morgen, Grüß Gott and guten Tag, but people kept saying something new to me. Turns out it was Grüezi which I adopted as quickly as possible. It's a Swiss thing.
THE STATS
Total Distance on Bicycle: 324Km
Total Time Pedalling: 18 Hours
Average Speed: 16Kph
Maximum Speed: 36Kph
Estimated Calories Burned: 7700
Again I was the first down to breakfast but followed closely behind by two young guys who were also travelling on a Radweg-Reisen tour (their luggage had arrived with mine in Langenargen and I see that it also arrived with mine here in Rorschach).
I got an early start in a steady wind and a bit of occasional drizzle. There were clearing periods so it was quite pleasant. I diverted over the causeway to have a walk around the Island of Lindau.
It wasn't long before I noticed that the sign designs had changed somewhat and the Austrian crest was on some warning posts. Went through Bregenz with its amazing harbour and on through Hard and Höchst.
About 13k East of Rorschach the skies darkened, the rain pelted down driven by a strong wind. I had just passed a cyclist who was checking a map at a crossroads and I quickly doubled back to where he and some other non-cyclists were huddling behind tree trunks in a small sheltered area with a bench.
Out came all my rain gear, pants, booties and pogies and I donned them all before braving it again and pushing on.
Of course, it lasted only a few minutes more at that intensity and then diminished to a steady drizzle. There was a section of wet gravel and dirt that didn't make for the greatest ease of travel. Then that was over and I was once again on pavement.
The path into Rorschach parallels the railway tracks and I was soon within a few meters of my hotel. It was much too soon to check in (12:08) so I parked the bike and sat down in the Marktplätzli Cafébar where I had a beer, the daily soup (cabbage and potato), a slice of beef with potatoes and carrots.
My GPS can provide directions to points of interest so I asked it to find a grocery store. It showed a Migros a short distance west so I went and got a drink and tuna sandwich.
After a little sit by the lakeside I went to the hotel and as I was passing the receptionist ran out and asked if I was looking for it. I said I was but was just trying to find a place to park my bike. She took me under her wing and directed me to the garage and checked me in.
Luggage hadn't arrived so no shower but I had a great nap.
A phone call, luggage pickup, shower, WIFI connection later and here we are.
So, the photos (not so many because of the weather):
The Marina at Yachthotel
Consider each mast represents about €100,000
The Beach at Yachthotel
My Navigation Aid
A Talent Train
Crazy Futuristic Ship in Bregenz
(It's the Sonnen Königin)
I didn't have a very good sleep last night, partly because, in my enjoyment of my balcony and its glorious view I had allowed a sole mosquito to take up residence. Finally my body closed down so I don't know if the little bugger had a meal or not.
This morning's view from the balcony was that of windblown leaves, dark clouds and a choppy lake. The wind was from the West so it was going to be of some benefit.
It being Sunday, breakfast at the dot of 7:00 only seemed to appeal to me so I had the whole dining area to myself for a few minutes. Eggs, bacon, cold cuts, muesli, fruit salad, roll, coffee and cheese hit the spots.
Dropped my luggage at the front desk, got myself all geared up, checked that the bike hadn't been stolen and that it was in good operating condition and I was off. It was a little tricky finding a route down to the bikeway from my lofty perch but the GPS helped me out.
After 44k with a tailwind and a few stops along the way including a visit to the Zeppelin Museum in Friedrichshafen I arrived at the Yachthotel Schattmaier.
I had hoped to be able to give myself an extravagant birthday gift of a Zeppelin ride but they require prior booking and are weather dependent so a rain check wouldn't have been acceptable. I did ride up to the Zeppelin field but it was not something one just dropped in on.
Had a spaghetti, salad (REALLY GOOD) and a beer before I checked in. I don't have a lakeside view here and the place is a watersport haven with a boat show going on now so it's a hive of activity.
The photos:
The St. Leonhard Hotel Restaurant
The Alps Before Sundown
Meersburg Vineyard
Grapes, grapes, grapes...
The Zeppelin Museum
Sunday Morning in Friedrichshafen
The Movie
Next entry will be from Rorschach, Switzerland (what will I see in it?).
Now settled in my wonderful hotel room in Überlingen and the view was worth the crazy climbs up from the ferry dock.
Yesterday evening I treated myself to a very, very expensive (fortunately also very good) pizza in Diessenhofen and had to part with most of my CHF because they didn't take VISA. The very helpful reception in the Unterhof Hotel gave me a map to the local ATMs so I could refill my coffers.
After a great breakfast this morning (cereal, pineapple, strawberries, coffee, scrambled eggs, sausages) I dropped off my luggage for pickup and got on my way.
Following the wonderful signage (although getting a tiny bit off track for brief periods in a few places) I made my way to the ferry dock in Wallhausen about an hour and a half before the next trip. About 55km in a bit over 3 hours.
I treated myself to an Apfelstrudel mit Vanilleeis und Schlag (Apple Strudel with Vanilla Ice Cream and Whipped Cream to you) and a coffee at a bustling food stand in the marina.
The ferry allowed early boarding so on went the bike and me. On board I met a German couple who were travelling shorter distances on a tandem. Then we were off across the lake to the bustling dock in Überlingen. Pushed the bike through the crowds and up one of the foothills of the Alps before riding the last of it to my hotel.
The Photos:
Even the Hydrants are Stylish
Hot Beef
I Want One of These
They are sooooooo comfortable
The walk back from breakfast
A Vista
Selfie
Had to watch out for these but I squashed one
as I walked back to the bike. Ugh, poor wee beast.
Rest stop with fireplace and wood
Apfelstrudel Stop
Ferry Dock in Wallhausen
Piece de resistance, yes those are the Alps
The Movie (Bovine Band Included)
Just had a Veal Schnitzel and beer in the outdoor balcony of the restaurant, then I walked down the cliff and back to get some cash at Deutsche Bank and some snacks for tomorrow's ride at a health food store.
I've just returned from my jaunt to the Rheinfall boat trip. About 30k round-trip. The day started out pretty drizzly but there were glorious sunny patches on the way back.
Like most of the routes the top-down hierarchy is as follows; paved paths, paved segregated lanes, dirt paths, designated on-road lanes and finally, on-road with no lane markings. But bikes are so popular that we're treated well anywhere.
First the photos;
Bike in the drizzle
Cyclists are treated like kings (as far as signposts are concerned)
Schaffhausen
Rheinfall View
We disembark on the rock island between falls
and climb a narrow wet staircase to the top
Above Rheinfall
Common Wooden Boat called a Zille
I ended up traversing the interesting place called Büsingen, which is German territory completely enclosed within Switzerland. So I crossed two Bundesrepublik Deutschland frontiers in a matter of minutes.
Just had breakfast in the burg (castle). This is a seminar hotel and the breakfast room was populated with, almost exclusively male, business people with their jacket logos, satchels etc.
The weather for today is forecast to be up to a 30% chance of rain. It's currently a little drizzly but not uncomfortable.
The ride to the Rheinfall is about 14k and I'll be coming back the same route. We'll be boating under the mist of the falls so a might as well get used to it.
Here's the castle where breakfast is served.
I took a little walk yesterday looking for cheap eats (beer and sausage it turned out)
Steps down to the Rhine
Town Centre
Pastoral Grazing
A Castle Enclave
Hotel Grounds as seen from the Castle
A bit of technical info. I found that the pins on my German adapter (the grey deal in the middle of this arrangement), although fitting into the Swiss socket, do not convey electricity the way the Swiss intended. Reception dug up an adapter from German to Swiss and I was on my way. Only way I can figure it is that the middle prong is not Ground but Neutral on the Swiss system. Something to look up.
The Hodgepodge
More from this day when I return from Schaffhausen,
