Day 21. Sept 19

Inzell to Saxen (near Grein)

Distance: 108 km

Time: 5 hrs 1 min

Speed: 20.9km/hr

Distance so far: 2478km

AHR : 107 beats/min

Feet climbed today: 919 ft

Punctures so far: 1

Weather: Cool in the morning but warm and sunny afternoon. Wind...calm in morning, slight south-east wind in afternoon.

My host at Gasthaus Heilegen Nicklaus had asked me to be precise about time for breakfast so I had said “7.17 am please”. He was amused as I entered the breakfast room exactly on time. A good breakfast and a few rolls set aside for my lunch also.

From my balcony I had looked out on the still smooth Danube in the early hours and savoured my trip today further downstream and set off at 8 am to complete my passage  through the Schlogen Loop.

Although I was travelling at an average of 20 km/hr, it took me 2 hours to cover the first 20 km. I was constantly stopping looking forward and looking backward at the magnificent scenery.

It was stunning. At this hour all was so quiet, not a sinner on the cycle path, not a puff of air, cycling most of the time at the waters edge just inches above the water.

The morning sun was throwing beams across the river, always changing as my direction switched from South to east to north. It was 20 km of unforgettable beauty. I don’t remember this part of the river from the last time.....one of the benefits of travelling solo.

No traffic on the river apart from ducks and swans. The far bank reflected perfectly on the still surface. I don’t believe any camera could capture the full impact of the moment. Those 20 km I would willingly travel again, at the same hour of the morning.

All of today's cycling was on sealed surfaces, sometimes along the top of the dike, sometimes along by busy roads but separated from it by a barrier. Occasionally, I shared the road with the motorists who invariably give way. Most roads have cycle lanes and cycle crossings.

After 50 km and with the day warming up, I crossed over the river to the city of Linz on the south-side. The markt-platz was busy, but I made my way to McDonalds to upload yesterday's blog. In Inzell the proprietor had wi-fi but it came on the telephone line, was weak, he was just 5 km from town and was a headache for him. I know the feeling. Satellite would cost him around €3000 per year.

With blog uploaded and fuelled by a large black coffee I passed back over the Nibelungen Bridge and carried on by the waters edge eastwards.

At this stage the Danube must be 600 metres wide and even wider just before the barrages (dams) that accompany the locks for barges. Big change from that small gutsy river back up in Donaueschingen last Saturday.

My principal off-course visit today was to the Mauthausen Concentration Camp which operated from 1938 till 1945. At its peak it had 14,000 inmates from 40 different countries occupied in the armaments industry and digging out granite in the nearby quarries for monumental buildings in Nazi Germany.

Once inside the camp entrance there is a strange silence. Few people move about quietly listening to the audio guides provided. The huts contain various exhibits but the Infirmary block has been developed as a museum of the Crime Scenes of Mauthausen.

Death came to the inmates in various forms...... by everyday violence on the part of the SS, by executions through hanging or shooting, by death at the camp perimeter (“shot while attempting to escape” or “suicide by electricity”), by death over the edge of the quarry, by deadly medicine or by poison gas. Over 3,500 died in the gas chamber alone.  It is estimated that between 1938 and 1945, over 123,000 died in Mauthausen by all these various means.Then there was the ’problem’ of the disposal of corpses. 

The first crematorium oven was in use from 1942 and a double one was added in 1945 and used till liberation.

I spent just an hour here but it deserved more. Such a negatively moving place. I didn’t have time to go to the granite quarries. The camp is located high over the Danube valley and so ironic that such a horrible place could be located in such a beautiful location.

Today, I noticed two very dufferent types of vending machines on the streets. Cigarettes freely available even in the smallest quiet town. Also vending machines for tubes for cyclists caught out with a  puncture.

At this stage with over 70 km done, it was time for a bit of lunch. Generally, I don”t do a sit-down lunch, just buy a few rolls and drink. Today, I bought what I needed from a well-known trusted brand. And it didn’t disappoint.

This evening, I knew that my accommodation was about 6 km away from the Danube. This time there was no climb involved and I located it no problem. It is an old mill that has been renovated as a cultural centre. I arrived at 5pm and asked all the usual questions.....wi-fi in the rooms?, time for breakfast?, where can I store my bike? and possible to eat nearby? All my queries were answered satisfactorily and in addition they offered their washing machine to do all my cycling gear. So, I’ll bet set up and no more hand-washing from here to Vienna.

In their own restaurant, I had a glorious dinner of Kirschragout with venison, accompanied by a pint of local beer, complimentary (I think).

So, time to rest up in this mill and prepare for tomorrow’s cycle.

Thank God for the health and for the energy.