Thursday 16th October 2014 - Rain in the morning. Packed up wet tent, away 11.30am. Stopped at Spar, swirly baps, cheese and salami.
Cycled on past Linz. Stopped in a park and had lunch, also got on Linz WiFi. Sun out, sat for ages. Dogs came over looking share of my food. Their owners shouting at them. I didn't give them any.
Went on. Saw two swans sleeping with their heads on their backs and their noses under their wings, they'll have a crick in their necks when they wake up. Also saw a 1km conveyer belt of stones and a funny coloured duck, red and orange, lurking in the bushes at the side of the river.
Crossed power station bridge. Wasn't sure if I was allowed, as metal automatic security gates, CCTV, big signs. Another cyclist came past and went on through, as they opened automatically, so I just followed him.
Thought I'd go in to Enns, see the oldest town in Austria.
Through industrial areas, past railway lines and factories. No signs to the centre. Round town, then found way into the centre, up a hill. One old tower, that was it. Expected old buildings etc. Totally not worth the effort.
Route out of town was another road closed, due to being dug up. Went the other way to get the ferry over the river, but it had stopped on the 1st October, as I was kindly informed by a passing jogger, just as I read the sign saying the same thing.
Back into town, 4pm. Bakery stop, pretzel wasn't nice either. Wasted so much time in this (bleeping) town. Found road out and over the bridge, then the rain came on. Another trip down metal stairs off the bridge, in the wet, with a steep bike gutter, arrgghhh.
Campsite only 5km in Au an der Donau. Get there. It's actually shut until 2015 now. Looked at signs for hotels. What to do. Next campsite in Grein 30km away, it was now 6pm. Still raining.
Just decided to do it. Back cycling along river. 10km in, starting to get dark and see a guy on a bike on the grass. He came over to the path as I was coming by. Asked where the next camping was.
Vislof (actually spelt Wieslaw) from Poland. Works for a tool company and he designs the machines that make fizzy drink cans. Son lives in Scotland working for BP and is getting married next year. He drove to Passau and parked, is cycling to Vienna and then getting a special bike train back to Passau for only €25. Turns out he was at the campsite I stayed at last night too.
Dark now. He cycled with me. Lights on for a bit of road, then country roads back to riverside. He said I was very strong after the road section, lol, I just wanted off it.
Hard to see the edge of path, hoping I wouldn't miss a corner and take a swim. Very dark, lights from the waterways were bright green and red, very bright, hard to focus on the upcoming ground. Under a bridge and round a corner and eventually see lights of the town Grein in the distance. Still raining. Made it to campsite 8.30pm.
Pitched tents in the pouring rain. There was also a family of cyclists there too. Mum, dad and two girls of about 8 and 12. They are cycling round Europe. The kids were loving it.
Into sleeping bag to listen to the rain and wind all night.
Day 48 - 16.10.14
Ottensheim to Grein, Austria
11.30am to 8.30pm
5hr 03min cycling
89.1km
2344 calories
680 metres asc
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