Oct 9 - Krems, Austria

Awoke and had four rolls and milk at the bakery nearby. Set out about 8:30. Cycled through the Danube valley all day. Had lunch on the river bank. Arrived in Krems at 4:30. Went downtown for a short while. Two boys from Vienna here at this hostel on their way home tomorrow. Had dinner and talked with them for awhile.

Mileage: Linz to Krems ad Donau 140km

Breakfast .35
Lunch .60
Hostel .60

Met Fumihiko Tokita
17 Kitame-machi Sendai City, Miyagi, Japan
Tel 23-9409

Oct 8 - Linz, Austria

Awoke and had breakfast. Left Vocklabruck at 8:30. A very thick fog obscured all vision unitl it lifted at Wels. The cycling was easy, but the mist froze to the hair on my legs and my eyelashes, making it very uncomfortable. It turned out to be a beautiful day. Arrived in Linz at 11:30. Left my baggage at the Youth Hostel and went strolling around downtown. Cycled about 4 km north of town in the hills. At this time of the year the mountains are splashed with gold and green trees wiating for the snow to whiten them. Bought some food, had dinner in my room. There's another cyclings from Egypt here and a young man from Prague, Czechoslovakia.

[On August 20, 1968, Warsaw Pact forces--including troops from Bulgaria, the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), Hungary, Poland, and the Soviet Union--invaded Czechoslovakia. Approximately 500,000 troops, mostly from the Soviet Union, poured across the borders in a blitzkrieg-like advance. At this time I was in Stockholm, Sweden. As I approached Vienna, I met more students and vacationers from Czechoslovakia who had been vacationing in the West prior to the invastion. Many of them were uncertain if they should return home.]

Mileage: Voclabruck to Linz 68 km

Breakfast .15
Hostel .35
Lunch .50
Donuts .15
Supper 1.15

Oct 7 - Vocklabruck, Austria

Awoke at 6:30, left in the chilly mistiness of the valley. Cycled through 30 km of Germany, the last and most beautiful trip. I could see the country in a different way, cycling at 7 in the morning. Children on their way to school, knapsacks on their backs. Women milking the cows, men off to an early start in the fields.

Arrived in Salzburg at 9 am. While the bike was in repair I walked through the city and had some food and took off again. Arrived in Vocklabruck at 3 pm after four hours of ups and downs. Went downtown for a stroll. Ate dinner and wrote.

Mileage: Traunstein to Vocklabruck 93 km

Bike 1.70
Aerograms 1.20
Lunch 1.00
Dinner .20
Hostel .35

I am in Austria now, and it is autumn. The autumn is the time when the royal trees turn their leaves into fountains of color, in preparation for their death as the white of winter comes. The Danau river is in such a state. Mountains of green and gold carpeting rise sharply from the swift river's banks to tower in the cloud's heights. I cycle through the vine-covered terraces of stone and soil. Autumn is the time of the grape harvest. I taste the sweet green grape and let its juices linger in my mouth. I can smell the souring grapes whose fermented juices will someday grace an expensive dinner. The old farmer drives his load of grapes into town while his heavy wife continues pulling the fruit and tossing it over her shoulder into the basket she carries on her back.

Early thoughts from a novice rider

[This was undated, but it was probably written early in my trip in Denmark or Northern Germany]

I have grown quite accustomed to sitting on the narrow, unsprung, stiff, leather saddle, with back hunched over, toes under straps, arms stiff, legs tight, the wind ruffling through my hair, for four or five hours a day. To anyone first attempting this position, myself included, it is an extremely uncomfortable position. I am unable to stand up and use the weight of my body on the pedals. All power must come from the upper calves. When the road is wet, the water and mud sling onto my face from the front tire, there being no fender. The rear wheel slings it onto my back.

I removed my socks, there being no use for them, with simply my jogging shoes covering my feet. Within an hour my leg was covered with mud up to my knees, dried mud with a sprinkling of sand. In this position I ride for hours without stopping, through forest and fields of wheat, past little old ladies and age-old men on antique bicycles, past children with full knapsacks on their way to school. Up hills and mountains, down into valleys I coast for miles without pedaling, watching the splashing hues merge into a kaleidoscope of color. I smell the burned wheat fields after they have been harvested, the cow manure from a friendly farm. The fresh air is sweetened by a million pines. Cars honk at me as they pass. A train runs clickety-clack over miles of track.

A song comes to mind...

This land is mine, God gave this land to me.
This brave, and ancient land to me.
And when the morning sun reveals her hills and plains,
Then I see a land where all men can run free.

Oct 6 - Traunstein, Germany

Awoke bright and early. Had breakfast in the youth hostel and set out. A fog had set in and it was cool this morning. I pulled the hood of my sweatshirt over my h ead and put on my gloves. As I lazily cycled through the path of leaves through town, the city of Munich awoke on this warm Sunday morning. I cycled through easy forests in the morning. I stopped for lunch in Wasserburg on the edge of the river. Church bells tolled my movement throughout the day. Arrived in Traunstein at 2:30 pm. Went to a soccer game right behind the youth hostel. Wrote letters on returning and retired. Tomorrow, Austria!

Mileage: Munich to Traunstein 103 km

Breakfast .30
Lunch .75
Football .50
Hostel .30

With the new lower gears I can go uphill sitting down. It's great!

Oct 5 - Munich, Germany

Awoke early and promptly dressed and went downtown. Wandered around for awhile, and when I found a bicycle shop I went back for the bike and had the gears exchanged for mountain use. Bought some ski pants and shoes. Went back to the youth hostel. Got some food just before the stores closed at 1 pm. Ate and wrote some letters. Read some more of "A Search for the Truth." After dinner of brotchen, salami and coffee, I went to bed.

Bike gear 6.20
Ski Pants 17.50
Lunch 1.15
Shoes 7.50
Dinner 1.15

$33.45

Oct 4 - Munich, Germany

Left Hawkey's residence after a good sleep and good breakfast. After four hours of mooth cycling I arrived in Augsburg at 1:30 pm. Went on to Munich. Checked out the address Alice gave me. THey were out of town so at 6 pm I ate and then started for the youth hostel. Arried and checked in at 7:30. This hostel can hold 600, and since I'm on the fifth floor, it must be full tonight. I'll stay here two nights and see the town.

Mileage: Ulm to Munich 150 km, 93 miles.

Wrench 2.50
Snacks .55
Hostel .40
Dinner 1.10

Oct 3 - Ulm, Germany

After breakfast left again in the mist and rain. After another grueling grind up and fun ride down arrived in GEislingen. Had a sandwich and started off again. Beautiful mountain country. Stopped for some lunch just before Ulm. In Ulm I wandered around for three hours looking for Hawkey's flat. At 4:30 found it. Ate dinner of brotchen and brockwurst. Wrote letters and retired.

Mileage: Scwabisch Gmund to Ulm 64 km

Lunch .25

Oct 2 - Schwabish Gmund, Germany

Awoke late, had french fries at the castle food shop and left Schwabisch Hall in the rain. Arrived in Schwabisch Gmund after four hours of grueling up and down cycling. Lazied around Brantley's (My friend from Ft Sill, Oklahoma, who's family was assigned to Germany) all afternoon. When I arrived the door was open but no one answered the bell. I went snooping in the rooms. I found Charles sleeping in bed. When I found him he looked like he had seen a ghost. After dinner we drove to Stuggart to pick up his sister Carolyne who missed her bus home from school. Looked over the maps before retiring.

Mileage: Schwabisch Hall to Schwabisch Gmund 47 km, 30 mi

French Fires .25
Snacks .30

Oct 1 - Schwabisch Hall, Germany

Awoke late. Had breakfast and left at 9:30. Fast, smooth riding into Heidelburg and Heilbronn. Then it started. The devil turned day into night. While climbing the steep road up to Lowenstein, the rain started. My toes and hands became numb with cold. My body was wet to the bones. The endless sucession of movoing my lges up and down turned into an automatic, non-thinking action. Five km outside of Michelsfeld--good news! A nine percent downhill run! For almost three miles in semi-darkness I became a hurtling form of flesh and steel on a wet road. I had to keep to the middle of the lane, since I didn't know what potholes the road might have on the edge. Rain, driving in my eyes, blinded me. Only my bright yellow raincoat protected me in the wet darkness.

I arrived in Schwabisch Hall at 6:10 pm. Tired, wet, cold, hungry, had a brockwurst and french fries right under the youth hostel. It's an extremely old castle. It was dark inside. No lights, no heat, no one in sight. Unloaded and took my stuff up. Found a room lighted on the 3rd floor. Two male bodies lay silent in bed, so I picked out a bunk and washed up. Read, retired.

Mileage: Weinheim to Schwabisch Hall 151 km

Breakfast .25
Maps .60
Hostel .30
Snacks .30
Dinner .60