Day 22 - Wedstag 1 Mai 2013

From - Konstanz
To - Tuttlingen
Distance - 70km
Time - 4.5 hours
Total - 1694km

Another good breakfast so I stoked up for the ride ahead. Today is a public holiday in Germany so the roads were quiet and there were very few people about. I started early knowing that whilst I didn't have to go very far I thought this would be my hilliest day so far. The good news was that I had a schnitzel, so no problems on that score!

Firstly, I had to retrace my steps to Rodofzell a distance of 22km before I rejoined the Eurovelo 6 route. I continued with my psychological study and worked on a possibility there may be a correlation between 'morgan's' rather than 'hallo's' but to no avail. On the plus side I did get two unsolicited 'hallo's' from lady dog walkers. I am considering extend my studies to greeting brick walls to see if there is a better response than German cyclists.

After a quiet start I noticed that groups of German cyclists were starting to form near to the cycle tracks around 10.30am. They were probably gathering in numbers before setting off because the word is out that a mad English cyclist is accosting the natives. It got quite busy with cyclists until I left a town called Singen and its nice river. When I started climbing hills I was definitely on my own. Even the signs dried up. The hills started as I entered the Black Forest. The route I believe is called the Hohenzollern Trail. I climbed for 10km but by the good planning of the German road builders the hill was a consistent gradient which helped me keep up some momentum. I was doing my very best to keep out of granny gear (not old fashioned ladies clothing, it's a cycling term for the easiest gear). Once at the top I stopped for lunch but little did I know there was another hill to follow. Granny was called into action after all! Never mind, the hill down to Tuttingen was much appreciated and I managed 65kph on the way down, my best speed so far. This was the day I knew would be tough but it wasn't too bad, no worse than some of our Lake District rides.

In Tuttlingen there was a concert taking place in the square and a few stalls were selling beer and food. The band were good and played stuff like Eric Clapton, Toto, Boston, Sade and Robbie Williams, quite a mix! I left the square and was delighted to see the River Danube for the first time. The Germans call it the Donau. This was a real milestone for me because I have been thinking of cycling on the Danube for a long time. The river here is fairly small as its source is only 35km away, as the sign on the photo says. The sign also says it is 2743km to the end of the Danube at the Black Sea.

I was pleasantly early to arrive at Tuttlingen so just for fun I had a little ride upstream to the next town. The sun had actually come out for the first time in a few days. It was wonderful. I came back to my Gasthaus which turned out to be a Greek restaurant. Very nice place in the town centre.

I have planned my accommodation for the next three nights, I think. It is one night in Riedlingen and two nights in Ulm. The phone call for accommodation at Riedlingen was completely in German so I hope that its OK when I turn up tomorrow. I tried the 'ein nacht, ein zimmer, ein person' routine but I'm not sure if it really worked! Hopefully I will be meeting one of Sue's cousins at Ulm on Saturday. He is called Matthew and he teaches music at Heidelberg University.

I haven't turned the TV's on in my rooms at night but for some reason I turned it on. I have been watching the World Snooker Championsips in German when Shaun Murphy was beaten by Judd Trump in.last frame nail biter. Anyway, I will go out for one beer before bed. Night night.

Photo 1, View from the top of the first hill, it's a bit misty!
Photo 2, View of Tuttlingen on the way down.
Photo 3, Concert in Tuttlingen Square.
Photo 4, Me at the Donau obelisk.
Photo 5, Donau obelisk (other side).
Photo 6, Sign for Angerpark (I went but no-one would fight) and I went to find friends at the Naturfreundhaus!
Photo 7, The Danube.