Amazing ride … until …

Moving on … waking to a thick fog but it has lifted by end of breakfast when we secure accommodation … we have opted for a mountain change for a night. 

We leave the Drau to head into a valley, a bit of water overflow, we see evidence of how the flooding is treated with use of gravel to redirect the water flow. 

The Drau is tranquil, reflections from the cliff top mountains to our left. Nice to be on the bikes and seeing other cyclists.

Passing through darling little towns … gelato coloured houses, manicured green green lawns, beautiful flowers.  Even the washing on lines is emaculate.  Today we are with nature, no big towns, corn, potatoes and sunflowers in the paddocks, then areas of forest, nice and shaded from the warm sun it’s heading to 30C.

A coffee stop, the church bells go mad … it’s midday, great coffee and we get a baguette madecup for lunch later … we are learning about these little villages.

We are following the Vellach River. Parallel to the road. Lovely path … until a road/path block … someone has broken the tape, ‘I  don’t mind having a look’, I can see that we only need to go back a short way over a bridge to go on the road if need be.  So on we go … a few rocks, then further up trees and mud.  ‘I can push you through’, he says, ‘it’s too soft’, I say, but Johnny insists … bad choice.  The bike tyres are covered in mud, not to mention John with mud covering his ankles, shoes and all.  Water is oozing out of the hillside so there is no trouble getting it to scrape off the mud … 45 minutes later of cleaning, it’s time to eat, then off we go.  I’m hoping that is the end of it … no such luck … a path slide with sandbags, we stick to the good edge … then a few more obstacles. I’m a little angry by this stage, so I can’t take a photo … this doesn’t get a mention in the blog … it’s total stupidity … what happens on tour … stays on tour!!!

Finally we are able get on the road. My rules in future!!!

Our accommodation at a Gasthaus is lovely, we once again wash the bikes with onlookers from the bar. A lovely balcony overlooking a mountain, the sound of the river close by ,,, what a wonderful day.

… and it got better … evening meal, do you want vegetarian, or snitzel or the menu? Menu please.  Expecting to be given a menu to choose from, instead, we were given bowls, a turine of some amazing pumpkin soup followed by pork medallions with roasted vegetables, help yourself to the salad.  Best meal out … on leaving we are given a dessert … take to your room if you like, the publican says.   We do and decide to go for a walk … wonderful walk amongst farming areas, a farmer still out raking grass with his tractor, the river bubbling away, pines reaching up the mountain … this is heaven as the sun is slowly sinking.  Back to have our dessert with some schnapps.

Not to mention meeting a couple doing a morning ride, on the Drau, their daughter in law is from Orange, NSW. They now live in Sydney.

The couple and extended family who are from Holland; he is from Portugal, they have been coming to this area for years for holidays.