//Day 79 /29-05-22 /Passau-Regensburg

It was a cold when I went to sleep but nothing my -12 sleeping bag couldn’t handle. Later in the night there was some light rain. I woke at 6…To early to break up camp (most campings expect one should not make noice between 22 and 7). At 7 I made breakfast and started breakup camp. Today would be a rather long ride of 140 K to Regensburg, luckily with no climbing along the road. Most of the day I would follow the Danube. When I left the camping , which had an operational phone cel…, it was grey and fleece-level cold….

As it was a Sunday there were no people in the street of the villages and all was closed. I had bought some lunch yesterday. The views were not to bad but nothing to get exited about. On the left sometimes the Danube on the right a country landscape with in the distance some hills….Most cyclists I met came again out of the opposite direction although at a lower volume then the previous days. Yesterday I had briefly spoken with a French cyclist which I met again today. Serge, from Brest and 65 years was heading to France. He had a lot gear with him, so much that he pulled a trailer. His tent was big enough to park his bike and the trailer besides himself, he had also a table with him, a luxury which is a step to far for me….We cycled some time together whilst he explained he used to be in the French Marine as a submarine officer…He said me a couple of  times that I should cycle along if he was going to slow, the 3rd time I took his cue and left Serge behind….

I was heading to camping in Regensburg. After cycling 25 against a strong headwind I was happy to arrive in Regensburg. Prior to head to the camping I cycled into the city. A lot of tourists…visiting the old and beautiful city center of Regensburg. The city has a reasonable size (150000 habitants) and is the fourth largest city of Bavarian. The center has maintained his medieval character : old restored buildings , fully pedestrian, nice hotels, restaurants, bars, designer shops…..Sleeping in my tent on a camping 5 kilometers out of the city suddenly didn’t look so inviting anymore…I checked booking and found a hotel at “reasonable”price nearby. The rate offered directly by the hotel was even more reasonable (including breakfast) , I checked in, did some laundry, showered and strolled the city…Regensburg is really a nice town and definitely “vaut le voyage” material…

The hotel I’m staying has a nice Bavarian restaurant where I plan to have dinner…It will be an early night as the 140 kilometres I cycled today, including headwind and some unexpected detours had made me tired. Tomorrow I will cycle to Nürnberg only 117 K away but some climbing to do….Nürnberg, the second largest Bavarian city, has a restored medieval center (re-done after WWII - as it was completely bombed away) and known for the trials after WWII….

Lessons learned :

• Austrians are the “Joop Zoetemelks” of the tourist cyclists - they do not take there turn to take the lead against headwind.
• Somewhere today I passed a Greek looking building - the Walhalla - a hall of fame.
• German headwind…pffff…

Song of today : Aloha Heja He - Achim Reichel