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Christel and Emmanuel heartily say goodbye to me. The weather forecast is for light rain in the afternoon.
After a short time I enter the rush hour traffic at Salzburg, but there are bike lanes everywhere.
I follow the Salzach river a long time and pass the castle of Hohensalzburg. It is dry and not too cold. The strong tailwind helps me to go on.
At Bischofshofen I have to leave the Salzach river, now it goes non stop uphill. Additionally it begins to rain. I try to drive with the wind jacket , but I get too hot so I have to take it off even though Ill get wet. But at this point it is only light rain.
Radstadt seems to be very quiet, all Cafes are empty. I find an open one and enjoy some icecream.
Then I go on to Untertauern. The Tauern bike trail is recommended, so I take it. It has a lot of scenic variety but the ride is exhausting. Partially it is gravel, sometimes I have to cross small ditches, always along the roaring river Taurach. It is so loud that after a while I almost wish to have stayed on the main road.
The rain increases, the temperature decreases. Now there are 11 km to the highest point, the Tauernpasshöhe. I had planned to take a break every km. This doesn't work because I immediately get cold when I stop. So I have a short break after 6 km for drinking something and eating a piece of chocolate. The miles seem to be very long. My speed is only 3.8 km/h because it is so steep. But I don't get off and push the bike.
In spite of heavy muscle work I get cold and am looking forward to drinking a hot tee at the Hotel Wagner at the highest point. There is still a lot of snow, temperature 5°C (41°F), heavy rain.
All cafes and hotels are closed. I have never seen Obertauern so bleak.
I quickly put on two jackets, gloves and headband. Now it goes down to Tweng with very high speed.
I don't want to sleep in my tent tonight. The next campground is in Mauterndorf, 10 km away.
I find a small hotel in Tweng where I can take a hot shower and get something to eat: goulash soup with bread. There is nothing else.
But I become full, I am warm and dry. What more do I want? |
| Goodbye |
| Only 7 km to Salzburg |
| A biker just in front of me in rush-hour traffic |
| The Salzach river in Salzburg |
| Very beautiful bike trails close to the Salzach river |
| One of the many signs at the Tauern bike trail |
| In some places it is far away from the main road |
| The first (small) mountain pass |
| River, railway, road, and above all of it the Tauern-autobahn |
| I meet the first long distance bikers. They are going from Salzburg to the Adriatic Sea |
| The castle of Hohenwerfen is just being renovated. |
| Radstadt looks much like a ghost town |
| There is a beautiful but exhausting bike trail to Untertauern |
| You can hear the goats from far away |
| The Taurach river is very full. The roar is really loud
(video -> click on the picture) |
| Finally in Untertauern. From now on it really goes uphill |
| Long before I get to Obertauern there is still a lot of snow |
| In Obertauern everything is closed |
| Finally: the famous goulash soup |
