Zagreb – Krško
I’m leaving Zagreb, leaving Croatia. Not the brightest day of the year, but it is time. It’s been a few turbulent weeks, lots of goodbyes and letting goes, packing and planning. I’m ready. Ready for the new chapter, but first back to NL.
Krško – Celje
Most campsites are closed, but that’s actually a good thing, if you ask me. I feel less burdened when I pitch my tent somewhere in the woods, because well, there’s no other option. In Krško I found a hiking trail to a castle ruin. A few meters up, there was a flat space next to a bench. Perfect.
For the route I don’t really have a plan. I think I’m heading to Salzburg first and then to Munich, but if the mountains are gonna be too rough with snow and stuff, I might opt for a train. I’ll see. Day by day. The second day was dry, I even got a tiny bit of sun. Along the Sava and the Savinja river I made my way North.
In Celje I bumped into cyclist with a somewhat strange vibe. He turned around and started following me. Non stop talking and asking all sorts of questions. He wanted to learn from me. And hug me. Uhhhhm. No. It was getting dark and I tried to find a camp spot for the night, so I wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible. At a shopping mall, I again tried to make clear that our ways would part by wishing him a good journey. He also parked his bike at the mall. Are you kidding me? I took my bike inside and headed for the Decathlon, hoping the guy would give up. He did. After 15 minutes I left the mall on the opposite side and biked to a campsite. Wild camping is fun, but not when there’s a crazy cyclist around. At the campsite I got a cup of hot tea and a took a nice, warm shower. Better make the best of it.
Celje – Slovenj Gradec
What am I doing? And why? As usual, it seemed easier to go by bike than by train. Trains across Europe can be a lot of hassle, especially when you want to take your bike on it as well. I have time, but not the nerves. Well, autumn biking isn’t easy neither. When things get wet, they don’t dry. When you get cold, it’s hard to warm up again. But, I like this new experience. The challenge. It’s good to wonder about the why’s, if you ask me.
I think I wanted the slow transition from one place to the other. I wanted time alone and I wanted to be outside. To feel the weather, the Autumn. Also, I felt the need to get out of my comfort zone. Although cycling isn’t, cycling in these conditions it is. I notice myself worrying about the mountains, about my tent, my clothes, wet shoes. What if this and what if that? But so far, it’s all not that dramatic really. Just a new challenge.
Important is that good things are always around the corner. Ah well, I actually don’t know if that’s true, but it’s never only hard, difficult or bad. You never know how the day will end, where to sleep, where to find shelter, but I do not doubt that I will find a place. Most of the time a great place.
Last night, I found this roofed picknick table on the Štrekna cycling route. I asked at the house next to it, if I could put up my tent. No problem. Then the neighbor brought me hot tea, Napolitanke and soup. So sweet! Next morning the rain was gone.
Slovenj Gradec – St. Paul im Lavanttal
Austria! A great day on bike paths. Sometimes the next to a road, but still a path for cyclists only. And the sun, the sun makes the difference, even if it’s only for a short bit. On the Lavant Radweg, I stopped at a café to warm up with a cup of ht tea. Sulzer’s Radltreff, very cozy and very Austrian. A great place to put up my tent as well ☺️. I go slow, but yes, steady.
Lavanttal – Obdach
“You have a lot of time to think”, is something I often hear. It’s true. I’m alone on my bike, I’ve got a lot of time to think. Too much maybe. Or, perhaps not all of that time needs to be spend thinking. I wish I could just listen to the silence, even though it’s hardly ever really silence. Thinking nothing at all. Sometimes I just want to turn off my head. That’s when I put on a podcast. It seems strange maybe, to isolate myself from the surroundings. I’m not sure if that’s what I want and I’m also not sure if that’s what I do. Maybe, yes. When there’s a lot of traffic or ugly industrial zones, I don’t hesitate, I don’t mind blocking the noise with a podcast. But when the roads are empty or when I’m riding through a forest, I take the headphones off. It’s easier to get out of your in nature. Hmmm, the solution always seems to be nature. Spend more time in nature.
Hohentauern Paßhöhe
Made it to the highest point of this trip: Hohentauern Paßhöhe. I choose the easiest way to cross the mountains, because this time of the year there should be a lot of snow. There was not. Good for me, I got lucky, but I got to say, it is not a good sign climate wise. Winters in the Alps are shorter and warmer.
Obdach – Hohentauern
Waking up in a tiny forest tucked between the highway and the railway might not seem ideal, but it was honestly a peaceful night. I could hear the traffic, but nothing or nobody was bothering me. At night all street lights went out (I think to save energy) and the clouds disappeared. In the fields around me, I could see the frost, but I was warm, protected by the trees.
Next day I got sun. It couldn’t be a better day to tackle the mountains. Excited, I climbed up, gazing at the giants left and right. It went surprisingly smooth. On the way down, I had to find a place to camp. With the darkness coming quickly, I asked at a house on a side road if I could pitch my tent somewhere in the fields. The lovely lady offered me a spot in her garden. And then she invited me in for a cup of tea. Tea and cake .
Another peaceful night, even darker and more quiet. It must be special to actually live in such a place, surrounded by mountains. I really wonder what it would be like.
Hohentauern – Ennsradweg
Austria is great for cycling. Yes, there are mountains, lots of mountains, but there are also many cycling routes through the valleys. This time I came across the Ennsradweg. Easy cycling, low or no traffic and great views on the Dachstein mountains and the Totes Gebirge.
This is the time of the year when farmers fertilize their land with manure, a bit tricky when you try to find a field to put up your tent , but I managed to find a nice, not too smelly spot.
Ennsradweg – Bischofshofen
I aim for 50 kilometers a day, which means it will take me about 2 weeks to get from Zagreb to München and at least 3 more weeks to get all the way to NL. It sounds easy and very doable, but it’s not like I don’t have to work for those km’s. Sometimes 50 kilometer feels like 150 and another day I easily ride them before noon. But I know, it doesn’t matter how much you ride a day, as long as you get some distance in every (other) day, the progress will be there. And that’s fun.
I’m now reaching a place where I’ve been this summer as well. Bischofshofen, never thought I would come back here. I did like the Tauernradweg, now I’m riding it in opposite direction.
In Bischofshofen I pitched my tent on a playground. Although I was slightly worried that the police could come and send me away, I still got a good night sleep. It’s often hard to distinguish real worries from irrational fears, especially at night when thoughts and doubts can grow out of proportion. My way of dealing with it, is to learn from experience. What is the worse thing that can happen? I take that question very serious. The night was fine, no police. It doesn’t mean it will always be the case, but for sure it doesn’t help to lay awake worrying.
Bischofshofen – Salzburg
Last day through the mountains! I’m not sure if I’m sad or relieved. It’s been a challenge, mostly mentally. There was rain and snow and cold nights, but nothing too crazy. No need to worry all that much. To keep going and just try to get as far as I could, got me already to Salzburg. And I actually feel proud. I thought it would be madness and perhaps even dangerous, but in the Alps there’s always the option of taking a train. There’s room for trying and I’m glad I did. No trains needed.
In Salzburg, I booked a night in a hostel. That was not such a great move. Probably one of the worsts nights of my life. A terribly rude, grumpy and loud, old Italian man was in the bed above me. Drunken as well. Very uncomfortable. Argh. But I was extremely cold and soaked to the bone. It would rain non stop, day and night and wild camping with a not so water tight tent, close to a big city wasn’t very appealing neither. Pfff. It was great to wash my clothes, dry all the wet things and charge my batteries, literally speaking, because me myself felt totally drained after that night. Lesson learned.
On to the next stretch, only a few more days to Munich 🙂
SUN
Salzburg – Chiemsee
After a terrible night in Salzburg, I grabbed myself together and moved on. On to Germany. The route was so so, but when I arrived in a town called Traunstein, everything got better. A nice path along the river, cozy little towns and then the sun appeared. Finally sun! Without any expectations, I planned to find a camp spot at the Chiemsee. When I arrived at this lake, I couldn’t stop smiling. Such a nice place. And yes, so sunny! It’s probably very busy with tourists during the summer, but now it was a real gem. Mountains on the other side, lots and lots of birds and a beautiful walking path all around the lake. Very very nice.
Although there were many good places for my tent, there were also many people passing by and everything was private property. Better to ask then. And so I did. I asked at the first house where I saw two people with their dog. Instead of a camping spot at the lake, they offered me a room. A room with a couch and a desk and my own entrance. WoW. It’s funny how you can go from the a terribly bad experience into meeting super sweet people, sharing their holiday home with you. In less than 24 hours.
I was extra glad to sleep inside, because there was some rain and wind coming during the night. Yeah, unfortunately the clear skies didn’t last long. The next day was gray again, but it didn’t matter. I could stay another night and I gladly excepted the offer. This was exactly the rest I needed. And besides that, it was nice to chat, have coffee and tea with the couple. I’m not staying, when I’m not comfortable. Learned that lesson a while ago.
Chiemsee – Bruckmühl
Somehow it’s difficult to find a nice cycling route from Munich towards Heidelberg. There’s some beautiful paths, but only for short sections. This is when I takes photos, but to be honest, I’m constantly looking on my map where to go. Usually MAPS.me plots pretty great routes, but now in Germany I often end up on cycling lanes next to roads. Not sure what I do wrong. Maybe the longer cycling trails here aren’t that much signposted as in Austria. Or they’re absent. Anyhow, every day I do manage to find a few real nice sections which I’m thankful for. Most of my time I spend in my tent anyways, so it almost feels like this is more of a a camping trip, rather than a cycling adventure. That’s why I was super stoked when I found a little patch of forest with an huge tarp in it. Really, this couldn’t come at a better moment. It was going to be a rainy night and I was searching for a picnic area with some kind if shelter. This tarp-place was a gift from I don’t know where. And the view, wide open fields with the mountains in the background. Fantastic! And that’s how a mediocre cycling day turns into an awesome camping adventure. I couldn’t be happier.
Bruckmühl – München
I passed München, tried to get to the city centre, but my oh my it was crowded. Christmas market on Saturday afternoon, not my happy place. And so I quickly continued until I found a camp spot. A gardening company let me camp in their front yard. The coldest night so far! The high grass got very wet and froze as soon as the sun went away, but it was fine. Everything to avoid another night in an hostel. And my sleeping bag is still keeping me very very warm at night :).
München – Friedberg
In a way I like the mist, it has something promising. You can’t see it now, but wait. When you can see the sun trying to get through, it gives me hope. The sun did it’s best I believe, but didn’t succeed. Around twelve it was about 3 degrees above Celsius, but at four in the afternoon the temperature dropped below zero again. It’s cold, but no rain.
I found a superb camping spot, didn’t see or hear nobody. Every now and then a train passed by, but it was far away enough to not be bothered. The upcoming week is gonna be misty and grey, but I don’t really mind. It is what it is and somehow it’s actually kind of pretty.
Good day for a flat tire, no rain and it’s not that cold. I quickly found the hole, fixed it, but then the trouble started. I couldn’t get the tire back on the rim. I know you shouldn’t use that tool thingy to move the tire back, but I did. Result: two new holes. Argh. I changed the inner tube, left the holes to be fixed later.
Friedberg – Dillingen an der Donau
Second event (the first was a flat tire) of the day was setting up my supertarp. For weeks I’ve been trying to buy a new tent, because mine is not 100% waterproof and held together with ducttape. Turns out it’s impossible to find a trekking tent in November. No camping season. Luckily I did find a tarp. The Decathlon in München had some second use items, mostly very big family tents and tarps – items that were returned after the first attempt of building it up. (My guess).
With rain in the forecast, I decided to give my new tarp a go. First time putting up a tarp. Not easy. Another episode of campingTV, including reading the instructions . Yes, it took a while and I was clumsy, but I have to say, I’m quite pleased with the result. Ohh and to have a vestibule, such a luxury. I’m in love with my tarp, it gives me such a peace of mind and it’s so cozy!
Dillingen an der Donau – Köningsbronn
Finally found a nice cycling path, the Brenz Tour. All day I followed the Brenz river until Königsbronn where the spring of that river is. Very pretty. Shortly after that, I passed by a café bar / radlerhütte with lots of fields around. Although I had at least another hour and a half before dark, I asked if I could pitch my tent. No problem.
Usually I wait until it’s dark, but now I got permission to stay, I didn’t feel like waiting. It was hard to see me anyways. Well, then a farmer in his truck came by. He stopped, turned around and drove up the hill where I had my tent. An old man asking me what I was doing. I understand, it’s strange to see someone camping this time of the year, you check it out. But this conversation soon got very uncomfortable. He mentioned he was not married. Okay. Then he gave me kiss in the air. Argh. I told not to even try. He laughed. Some annoying questions and another air kiss. He was provoking me, I saw it in his eyes. I told him to stop with the kisses. He sad if I needed anything, I could come down to the farm. Thanks a lot, but I don’t need anything from you. I didn’t say that, because I of course am not in the position to provoke anyone. Especially not a unmarried farmer in his truck.
I felt uncomfortable. And angry. Little fear sneaked its way in. What if this man comes back at night? It was clear he was working with the animals at the farm next to the café bar, so I didn’t think he would take the risk of harming me. But yeah, you never know. He did come back, several times. Driving up and down the road (cycling path), but he only honked at me. Letting me know he was there. Or just saying hi. Whatever. This man ruined it for me.
Nothing happened, but I did feel intimidated. It was probably not even his intention, but well, I’m a woman alone, I am vulnerable. It’s hard to ignore that since there’s always an annoying man to remind me. Not a reason to give up or stop wild camping, but I do feel like I have to share this part of the adventure as well.
Königsbronn – Fichtenberg
How cool to have a beach in your garden?! Although I was looking for quiet place in the forest, the restaurant the Diebachsee offered me their backyard. It was surprisingly nice to camp on the sand, something else than wet grass. The restaurant closed at 17.00, after that it was dark en quiet. A great night.
Fichtenberg – Murrhardt – Kleingartach
Lots of forest, rocks and hills. The great picnic areas with shelters or huts make the long, rainy nights much much easier. ️Voor de Nederlandstaligen hier, heb ik een podcasttip: De Grote Podcastlas, leuke aflevering over Bosnië en Herzegovina.
Kleingartach – Neckargemündt
I’m very much a morning person, but I got to say it’s getting more difficult to get started. The foggy mornings are not all that inviting. Luckily I do know that once I’m packed, everything will be fine. It’s just the beginning which is hard. I do wish to see the sun though.
Neckargemünd – Hemsbach
In the town Neckargemündt, I followed the Neckar river for a bit. Then I choose to take a short cut, instead of the probably more scenic route. The rest of the day I’ve been cycling next to a busy road. In the rain. Just pedaling. Also nice in a way. I didn’t take photos, because rain. Oh, and I a had a two- hour coffee break 🙂
My new strategy for finding a camp spot worked again. (Search for “shelter” on MAPS.ME) I found a nice picnic site on a weinlehrpfad, an educational trail about wine. Lucky me, again I could pitch my tent under a roof. Super! Another quiet night .
Hemsbach – Trebur
I thought that when I reach the Rhine, I wouldn’t have to use my phone for navigation anymore. I managed to find the Rhine route (Rheinradweg) and lose it within a few kilometers. It did bring me to a campsite which was more or less open. The showers were closed, but the restaurant worked. I didn’t have to pay to put up my tent and they left the restaurant’s restroom open during the night. So kind. And I could finally do some laundry.
More than taking a shower, I was looking forward to wash my clothes. As long as I have water, I can wash myself. It’s cold and not all that easy to squeeze out the water from the bidon with one hand and wash yourself with the other, but I get clean. For clothes I need a sink and preferably warm water. My underwear I can wash when I’m in a café, but to do all my laundry in coffee bar toilet sink, I don’t know. So, I was very pleased to have the restroom all to myself and finally get everything clean. Now the next challenge is drying the clean clothes.
Trebur – Kempten
A sunny day!
It’s been almost two weeks since I last saw the sun. Can you imagine? Although there’s something pretty in the misty landscapes, it’s also very wet and depressing. This is my least favorite time of the year and strangely maybe that’s why I wanted to get on my bike. Not for the challenge, but to experience it fully. Often the weather looks terrible from your warm living room, but once you’re outside, it’s not all that bad. This is partly true for this trip. It’s not all that bad and surely it could have been much worse. On the other hand, when the sun shines everything gets more color. I feel more alive. I absolutely don’t regret biking back to the Netherlands, but I’m also looking very much forward to go to a warmer place.
I’m following the Rhine river now. Nice and flat and lots of green. Also many roads, but it’s alright. At the end of the day, I couldn’t find a shelter or other appropriate place for wild camping. It’s either protected nature or too many people around. But then there was a campsite. Initially I had to pay €15,50, but my shocked face made the owner lower the price to €10,- And he gave me a coin for the shower for free. In the bathroom I could dry all my clothes. Everything is clean and ready for the last week.
Kempten – Brey
Lots of castles on steep hills with vineyards. It reminded me of the video’s of @sailingmagiccarpet. This couple documented their trip on the Rhine river on YouTube. Excellent storytelling. I remember they visited one castle with a tiger. Unbelievable. Poor thing. I didn’t visit any castles, nor did I see a tiger. I’m just making miles and enjoy every bit of sun I can catch.
Brey – Remagen
Although the days are still getting shorter, my daily distances are getting longer. I don’t like cycling in the dark all that much, but I also try not to be afraid of it. It’s just darkness. When I lived in The Netherlands it never was a problem, why would it be now? Well, I still prefer to find a camp spot when there’s still a bit of day light, but I’m trying not to stress about it. Easier said then done.
At the shelter near Remagen, I arrived in dark. An okay place, but I have had better. While I was looking for stones to use instead of tent stakes, a little girl appeared out of nowhere. She ran towards me, smiled and disappeared in the forest. Very spooky. Then I heard a man screaming, he yelled at the little girl, probably his daughter. She was playing hide and seek, he was obviously not up for it. Wow, some parents scream a lot. When he caught her, they left. Leaving me with a strange feeling. Why were they walking there in the dark? I will never know. What I do know is that some people make me feel awkward and others don’t.
Remagen – Kasselberg
In this more populated area, the contrasts are getting bigger. Fancy riverside houses on one side, lots of homeless people on the other. From Koblenz to Köln I saw many tents from people who were obviously not on a fun trekking through Europe. In front of supermarkets there’s people begging, but also in the middle of towns I saw people sitting on the street, wrapped in blankets holding up a cup for coins. There’s people sleeping under bridges while others pass by on their ebike. “For heating” I saw on a cardboard sign a woman was holding. This is also Germany.
Then there’s large stretches with just industry. A lot of industry here. If there’s no factories, basically all riverbanks and patches of green are protected nature or water reserves. Poor nature, tucked in between factories.
I couldn’t find a shelter or picnic area or a forest or whatsoever, so I took the risk and pitched my tent in Naturschutzgebiet. A big tree made it impossible to see me from the river, some bushes on the other side gave me cover from the road. Not ideal, but I survived. Because of all the homeless people I saw during the day, I was mostly afraid that I was in someone’s spot. Afraid to get a visitor during the night. Nobody came. Next morning I woke up early and left in the dark. It just doesn’t feel good to hide.
Kasselberg – Schwafheim
When I started this trip, my plan was to get to München and take a train to Düsseldorf from there. I thought the train tickets within Germany were cheap, but the prices I saw, were a special deal, valid till the 15th of November. And so I kept on cycling. Today I passed Düsseldorf and realized it isn’t as close to Amsterdam as I thought. I’ll need a few more days for sure, but somehow it already feels like I made it.
Schwafheim – Emmerich
The hills disappeared, just as the clouds. Such a beautiful day. And as usual when sun shines, I shine. I wish the weather wouldn’t have such a big impact on my mood, but it’s something I’m trying not to fight or force anymore. Sun makes a difference and that’s okay.
The fact that I could charge my phone with my solar panel, made me so happy. Not having to sit in a café to charge. I could still go for a coffee, but I didn’t have to.
While I was charging in the sun, a woman walked by. I looked at her and thought ‘she’s one like me’. I don’t even know exactly what that means, but when she turned around and offered me a hot tea, we started talking. Yes, she was someone with a similar mindset. A similar approach to life. I could stay at her place or camp in the garden, but I decided to keep on going. It was tempting and nice to have good company for an evening, but it was only noon and too good weather not to be cycling. She went for her walk and I made my way towards the border. Almost in NL!
That evening I ended up on a closed caravan site near a harbor. I could stay, but had to leave before 7.00 AM, before the boss of that harbor would arrive. I pitched my tent in the dark and found out that my sleeping pad was seriously delaminating. Something that started a few days ago, but this night I had to deflate it in order to be able to lay down normally. That was cold. Packing up in dark with -6 degrees Celsius was also cold, but nothing that would kill my mood.
I got this.
Emmerich – Almere
At 7.00 AM I was on the road. Still dark, but in the first village I found a bakery with a super cosy living room kinda place to sit. Coffee and electricity. All charged up I got back on my bike. Another beautiful day. I went full speed, only stopping for pictures. Although it was over 100 kilometers to Almere, the town where I’ll have my home base for 3 weeks, I was determined to make it in one day. I did make a little detour via the Veluwe, one of the prettiest nature parks in NL. Nevertheless, I basically raced through the country. The last 20 km’s in dark, but that was a boring road anyways. Flevoland. I can’t say it feels like coming home, but everything is familiar here. Lots of memories as well.
And then it was done. I made it. Yay!
THE STATS:
When: Autumn / Winter 2022
Distance: +- 1650 km
Shortest day: 15,7 km
Longest day: 108,6 km
Days: 28 days on the bike
Zero’s: 2 days
Countries:
Flat tires: 1
Nights in a bed: 3
Nights on a campsite: 3 1/2
