We got lucky!

We got a little bit lucky today, and we are very happy about it.

Despite the dismal weather predictions, we did our whole planned ride today, all 103km of it! Whoot woo!

Looking out the window before breakfast this was the view.

Yes umbrellas were up, but the rain was light.

We went to breakfast, packed our bikes, walked over the bridge to the bike path to make the call. Ride or train? We decided to ride as it was more nuisance level rain and it was not particularly cold (6 degrees). We also had the safety net of riding within cooee of the rail line.

Our first goal was Wörgl, some 67 km away. If we had taken the train, we needed to change lines at Wörgl.

There was water around, and the bike track we took for most of today was a mixture of sealed and unsealed, the latter ensuring our bikes were filthy! So much for me cleaning them yesterday 😂😂😂

There were continual low clouds that made the mountains look somewhat mystical.

We criss crossed the flooded River Inn multiple times, using these wonderful covered bridges, for cyclists and walkers.

Churches, statues and picturesque villages.

Great carving on this footbridge and I loved the positioning of the church! It looks so eerie.

At one village we rode past a railway station. Needing to use a loo I walked through the station, down the platform to the ladies. I went in and here was a very strange looking woman standing outside the cubicle door. I asked her was she waiting, and she indicated no. I went into the ‘vacant’ toilet and shut the door. As I did, lo and behold a creepy man was hiding behind the door!

Now I’m not normally a screamer but hell I screamed! He scared the living daylights out of me. I told him to ‘get out’ and he did! WT????

I went and spoke with someone who looked official and they told me security were on the way as he’d already been reported by another woman. He was still lurking when we departed. Not sure what his story was, why he was behind a toilet door..he was not using the loo…he was in there hiding. Creepy dude.

Riding along…..

The sign said Bike Stop. So we did. What a great installation, complete with charging connections for electric bikes and a tube station. There was a similar one at the other end of the village.

The next village was Rattenberg, and it looked really cute. We did not detour as we could see half a dozen tourist coaches down the far end.

Rain wise, it totally stopped at around the 50 km point. We knew Wörgl would be achieved.

Arriving in Wörgl, we discovered a busy town that slowed us down heaps as we hopped on and off footpaths. We were both fairly dirty, so needing toilets we stopped at McDonalds! We figured they might not mind quite as much. No men hiding there either.

One Wörgl picture. The roof impressed us.

We turned right and entered a different valley to ride towards St Johann. So many views looked like picture perfect jigsaw puzzles. Austria is just so neat and tidy everywhere. The ride was more up and down as we climbed to a maximum of around 800 m.a.s.l.

Aside from the cute sheep above, Tony took a fancy to these cows.

Some of the gravel paths I was pretty slow on. More brilliant views.

About 8 km short of our destination we climbed and I found a seat! Beautiful place!

Another dirt section, and this one we climbed up was steeper. I pushed my bike up the loose gravel for that!

A clever guy had these sculptures outside his house.

Then our destination St Johann in Tirol.

We were both delighted with today. It was a great cruiser ride on a day that proved the forecasters as wrong as the pre poll ballots for the recent Australian election. We are hoping that our luck continues!!

Super impressed with Austria’s efforts with cycling. The trails (sealed and unsealed) on the whole, are fabulous. I think that we need to explore more of this country!

Tomorrow we are due to ride to Salzburg. Fingers crossed 🤞🤞🤞

Thanks for reading

Ooroo

Looking for oompah loompahs

Today we bid farewell to the Dolomites. Very low clouds and light rain, 6 degrees…so what was new there?

We climbed, again nothing new for the Dolomites, but it was an easier climb to Passo Di Cimabanche at 1529 m.a.s.l. The pass witnessed much fighting during WWI, with a military cemetery nearby and a bunker established by Mussolini.

No photos at the Passo sign as it was raining and we were cold and keen to keep the legs spinning.

The following photos Tony took as he was riding. He gets the camera out, points and clicks! As I am behind him, I just he does not lose his balance, as I know I would!

Here I am climbing the hairpin bends shortly before the top of the Pass.

There is a lovely lake, Lago de Landro. My bathers have not yet made an appearance on this trip, and won’t be today either. Thanks look like a pretty cool spot for a hot summers day though. The water depth is quite shallow, and the clarity transparent.

Only a few km down the road is another quick stop.

As you can see, the road is wet…it is raining and the temperature has dropped to 4 degrees. Brrrr….moving on.

A few km before Dobbiaco, is Lago di Dobbiaco. I had ridden past this lake last year but had not stopped and ridden off the main road to check it out. Today we did the very slight detour and very glad we did

The lake is the most incredible green, with amazing transparency.

We went into over water cafe at the end to warm up and drink coffee!

At Dobbiaco we turned left (West) to follow a different valley, and the scenery was certainly different. Despite still being in Italy, the language also changed. Signs were now in German. The Tyrol.

The weather also dramatically improved. The rain stopped and the temperature increased dramatically. Clothes off! It was in the high teens!

Now I mentioned oompah loompahs! Last year I was highly ‘entertained’ by a ‘performance’ in the town of San Lorenzan by a group of Tyrolean ‘performers’. It was a Sunday and they ‘performed’ outside the local church.

By pure coincidence today was Sunday, but a few hours later in the day, but we would swing by just in case…..

I’m looking, but sadly no!

A view of the village from a slightly higher position with an old castle higher in the hills above the town.

The adjacent village also had some nice old structures.

We joined a sealed bike path, in great condition. Crossing a bridge, Tony found a replacement for the recently deceased ‘grumpy cat’.

There were numerous small Tyrolean villages.

Well sign posted, great paths.

More animals to pat.

Nice views.

This old castle is at the entrance to Muhlbach, our overnight stop.

I stayed in Muhlbach last year, en route from Zurich to Asolo. I booked the same overnight accomodation.

Last year, we arrived to great festivities with a band playing, dancing, drinking and lots of people wearing Tyrolean costumes. It was the annual Vespa party.

Today was much quieter, and I was told the Vespa party was a fortnight ago and washed out due to bad weather.

Today was a shorter day of 83 km. Tomorrow is Brenner Pass, a very busy mountain pass for all, as there are not that many in Europe. We need to cross to drop down into Innsbruck, Austria.

Todays route and chart.

Fg

I was sad to say goodbye to the Dolomites, but I did not look back. No point lingering as we are not headed that way. Great memories, but looking forward to what is ahead.

Thanks for reading,

Ooroo