In the 2 hours I’ve spent in Vienna so far, I’m going to say it looks like a city where Very Important Things happen, but getting here was tougher than expected.
The morning started easy enough. Packed up quick and got out of last nights campground. It was weird to be surrounded by 5 big RVs. The path wandered from the river through some nice little villages and one extremely touristy, wine centric little village. The variation was really nice. So nice I rode for 3.5 hours / 60 km without stopping except to take these pictures. Its rare I go more than 30 km without a break of some sort.
The afternoon was wind, oh the wind, heat and this picture. Flat, long and windy. Did I mention the wind? The weather app said just over 20 kph, I’d say at least that, and it was a direct headwind. What should have been 3 hours became 4.5.
The solution was a swim. I took a few plunges into the river to maintain sanity and regulate heat. Swimming is like reset button.
And then suddenly I’m at Venice beach. Not really, but entering Vienna had some strangely California vibes. As mentioned, it’s a holiday here, and also, as mentioned, it’s hot. The ride into Vienna was on an island – Donauinsel – between the Danube and a man made channel called the New Danube. Its basically a large park with bike/walking paths, beaches, topless older woman, kite surfers, drink and ice cream stands, young people playing spike ball, and sun seekers galore.
Got to camp around 4:30, set up my tent (which blew away) and talked myself into the 20 km round trip into the city center to have a look. My initial impression: stately. My other initial impression: second only to Amsterdam for cycling infrastructure.
Plus dedicated bike lanes in both directions on both side of some streets, cycling traffic signals, etc.
AND, 50% of Vienna is green space, making it the greenest large city in the world. That’s something. I’m pretty excited to explore this place tomorrow.
Campground tonight is by far the largest I’ve stayed it. €40 for 2 nights in Vienna is nothing to complain about. Plus I got to pet a cat. And I became the first *real Chad* my Dutch neighbors have ever met 🤣
P.S. no flat tire again today. I’m beginning to think Philipp was sticking needles in my tire in the middle of the night 😉
Your adventures are so entertaining although I could do without the vision of “topless older women” . You said your tent blew away, did you get it back? I assume so. Very cool bike structures/paths. Can’t wait to see tomorrow’s photo. Looks like a beautiful city. Sleep well. Hopefully it cools off at night.
I just report what I see! The evenings are beautiful.
And yes I caught my tent. That would have been bad if not.
Lol at “Wind not shown”
Love the bike path up to the bridge. Never would have imagined something like that existing.
Enjoy Vienna!
I’m glad you caught your tent, and hope the poles weren’t damaged (happened to me once down on the Erie shore, but I used a secret weapon* to keep going. I’ve also had to help get someone else’s out of a tree once. I love self-supporting tents, but they *do* make great kites, unfortunately.
Also very cool spiral bike ramp to that bridge. I really detest the ‘two block detour’ one down at the Front/Fort York Bridge. In Longueuil once I was routed over one across a highway (probably by a posted route) that turned out to be a “tire channel” and 5 flights of stairs. Had to unload and make two trips, which made me nervous as heck!
Enjoy Vienna! Don’t eat too many pastries! Or do – you’ll wear them off!
(* Duct tape.)
There have been some stairs in the trip. Not pleasant
This post made me giggle. “Wind not shown” made me LOL. And of course thinking of you chasing your tent down a Viennese street with only your farmer tan on, hilarious.
Hope you enjoy Vienna (the most liveable city in the world?!) and all the cool cycling infrastructure (bike bridge under a car bridge, 4 lanes of pedestrian-only lanes – puts that horrific 2-lane stretch near the Island ferry to absolute shame).
Also all the gorgeous buildings and history and….food! Please eat some pastries for us. Perhaps a Kaiserschmarrn – known as a “dessert out of heaven”, or a Sachertorte – a dense chocolate cake with a thin layer of apricot jam in the middle and coated in dark chocolate icing. It even has its own celebration day! Or Punch Cake; gorgeous hot pink crumb cake filled with, apricot jam, and nougat chocolate. And your fave, apple strudel with a Viennese coffee.
Lastly, did you say wine-centric little village?
I have ridden through many wine regions. Yesterdays town was Krems I think.
Hey Chad:
I bet your calves are having babies with all that wind resistance you’re peddling though! The route looks so beautiful, so thanks for the pictures. As for your interactions with Danubians, I’m so glad you didn’t have to see any bottomless older men! Vacation on!
Iain
Hahahaha. I saw more old European man chest hair than I needed to they all ride with their cycling shirts half unzipped