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Apr 23, 2008 at 12:54 PM
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Introduction added on the 23rd of April.
Have not had connectivity for three days so this is a combined post. There are many ( about 35-40 ) pictures on Flickr, too many to add to this post so only a few are added here - those interested should go to the Boog flickr page - referenced in the weekly note.

DHL, Lingere and Coffee, Touring Group, Blackforest

First order of the day was to send the Turducken ( our three nested bike and traveling suitcases) via DHL to Bobby. Prior to leaving had, with the help of Randy, gone to dhl.de and printed out the routing tag and an invoice. In theory, go to the front desk of the hotel and have the Concierge arrange for pickup. Five minutes, max. We left 30 minutes for the transaction; took 45.

The very helpful Concierge ( I will send a complimentary note to Starwood after the package is on its way ) called DHL. Took three internal transfers, many attempts at the billing or pakcing or other numbers for DHL to finally understand that this was an internet booking number and not their "normal" number. Then the fun started when it turns out we did not pay a pickup fee of 3 Euro, must have missed it - certainly did not expect it. Can only pay the fee online. Online has a minimum credit card payment of 20 Euro. More phone calls. Finally a solution was found to pay with paypal (site does not seem to indicate that smaller amounts can be paid with paypal). So, we departed with package in the hands of the hotel.

Strolled around town and noticed, more than once, the chain Tchibo which markets lingere and coffee. In the front is coffee and the back lingere. In the larger shops additional clothing. Germans seem to need a lot of lingere. One night stands?

Train to Donaueshingen, the start of the Danube and our cycling trip. On the road tomorrow. We are riding with reserved seats, ours has a table for which I expect we paid extra (usually they ask at the bahnhoff); sqeeze the Americans, they will not know or maybe they will want. .

On the train was a group of about 12 women of a certain age. All with their bikes; we are in a dedicated bike car with excellent seats and well designed racks for the bikes - spaces reserved and paid for of course. Heavy touring bikes with heavy panniers, very well organized, and not friendly to us. Sat next to us but I could not get a conversation started. Their loss.

GPS use to be tried for the first time when we get off the train.

------22nd of April in Donneschingin to Tutlingin ----
First official day of sacking, starting in Donaueschingen, allegedly the source of the Danube and with a fountain with water flowing out (only) to prove it. Excellent breakfast at Sinnhotel Carleton, and off into the wind and rain. Alt route to cycle way courtesy of Tourist Info because von Furstenburg, the local aristocrat, doesn't want cyclists messing up his private park.

Brought to you by Tip Top Tea (The Tea of Record). Try our Breakroom Blend!

Ride beautiful, but damp. A couple of covered bridges, a number of cute towns. Kaffee und kuchen at noon and again at 4:30 (plus cheese sandwiches).

Coffee was jus, in time. Cafe's seem to close, some of them in the smaller towns where there are only one or two, at 12:30 and reopen later around 14:30 Dry time for a bike break.

Internet access in the smaller towns is a problem. Not always available in the hotels in the smaller towns/ Tried to get a card at T-Mobile or O2 but need a contract for two years and Linux drivers not available for their hardware. Used the local library (small cost here, free in Denmark) to book a hotel for tomorrow.

Still no food pictures as, to expected, no food worth photographing, except the bread and pastries.

My blackberry is partially disabled, cannot scroll down, only up which makes much of the functionality, well non functional. QB's cell phone has died and the eeePC does not seem to be able to revive it. Viva technology!

The ride, as mentioned above, is just lovely with flowing water, asphalt almost all the way (so far), gentle grades, Nature Preserves, and zero traffic - neither bikes nor cars.

--------Tutlingin to Sigmaringin 23rd April--------------
2008-04-23 07:15 PDT

excessive charm, gorge-us, beef on weg (not on weck), perfect and schmutzig roads, attacking swan ( maybe), fabulous Danube

Great ride today to Sigmaringen today. That and back on the net again. Three star hotel with free net access via hrs.de deal.

Brought to you today by Tip-Top-Tea (The Tea of Record) : Have you tried our pillaging blend? Loved by sacking teams worldwide.

Riding slow due to frequent stops to look at charming, excessively, small towns and villages, each one more charming than the previous. Like the olafactory system one eventually saturates and can bike onwards.

Then the scenery changed and we were in a large gorge, lasted for about 20 miles. The Danube runs through a nature preserve with limestone cliffs with almost vertical walls. We stopped to admire the scenery but a (possibly too agressive)swan - maybe like the one that attacked Gidi approached in a not too friendly way with wings extended. We motored on.

Up the road a calf or young bull blocked the bike path; we walked behind it for a while but he kept just ahead of us. On a downhill section we chanced zipping by and the result is in the telling. The herding dog sat silent and excerted itself not.

The roads today were mostly good asphalt, with short sections of road perfection and other muddy gravel (bikes are filthy). Everyone is friendly and helpful, language fun to struggle with.

Food.
There has been much fussing about too much writing and too many pictures of food on trips past; so far little in the way of food pics or writing. However, dinner tonite worth mentioning. White asparagus, penne, pizza, decent wine and beer from tap. Restaurant overlooked the Danube. More charm.