Bob on BAC Trans Alps 2008

Please visit August 19 slideshow

We were up at 6:00 to finish packing. The breakfast buffet was at 7:00. We managed to eat plenty of protein, fat and carbohydrates to get us through most of the morning. After getting our support van loaded with luggage, we left our bicycle boxes for another van to take them to Venice. We were on the road around 8:30.

The first 5 kilometers getting out of Salzburg were on a bicycle path along the river. It was very flat and we saw many commuter bicyclists riding toward us. The flatness didn't last long when we had to climb a steep 12% 2 kilometer hill. I couldn't get into my lowest gear in my hub (similar to the small chainring on a triple) and I couldn't power over the hill in a high gear, so Jeff and I stopped at the halfway point and I made an adjustment to my hub cable. It worked and we were off again.

Isolated Country Road


Jeff at Wolfgansee Overlook


Bicycle Ferry

Our ride traveled through woodlands and lush farmlands. Everything was very green because of all of the abnormal rains the area had this summer. We had many beautiful scenes of the mountains surrounding the valleys that we were in. Because we were at altitude, we had views of the green valleys below us. We also had a fantastic view of Lake Wolfgangsee as we descended to it.

Lunch was in St Gilgen at a roadside cafe. We got there at 11:30 and we were tired enough and hungry enough to stop. Jeff had spaetzle with gorgonzola sauce. My stomach was acting up so I had a forgettable chef's salad.

After lunch we rode along side the lake on almost-abandoned roads and bicycle paths to Strobl. There were a lot of people vacationing here in RV's and tents. A few brave souls were swimming in the cold water. Fortunately for them, the weather was turning hot.

In Strobl, we caught up with several other cyclists on our trip and rode a bicycle ferry across the lake to St Wolfgang, a crowded tourist town that reminded me of a large Leavenworth except for the lake. Jeff and I wandered around the town for a while and visited its cathedral with its altar of all sorts of gold plated figures.

St Wolfgang

Pushing our bikes up the hill out of the town, we set off for Bad Ischl. Our route continued mostly on rural secondary roads. After we climbed our last short steep hill, we dropped down into Bad Ischl and rode along the river bicycle path to our hotel.

Austria Classic Hotel Goldenes Schiff**** is a nice hotel in a convenient area of town. After showering and washing our clothes, we went on a walking tour of the town. Trying to find a grocery store, we noticed several beauty and lingerie stores and realized that we were in a spa town. There are lots of outdoor cafes which is good with the very warm weather. Finally finding a grocery store right at the rear entrance of our hotel, we got some yogurt, peanuts and drinks to take back to our room. We sat in the lobby for awhile talking to some of the other members of our group before going up to our room. One of the members, Richard (Spoke) Oddy, has a company in New Zealand called Pedaltours. It runs cycling tours in New Zealand, Australia, India and Vietnam.

Our dinner tonight was in the hotel and was included in our tour cost. It was very good and filling. I started with salmon/trout very thinly sliced with a mustard/creme fresche sauce. Then I had a small mixed salad followed by wide noodles with olive oil, sheep cheese, tomato and parsley. Desert was lemon sorbet with a touch of vodka. Jeff had the same first two courses. His entree was beefsteak in wine sauce with rolled up mashed potatoes. His desert was ice cream with Bailey's and peaches.

Dinner was over at 9:30. We were ready for bed and it was too late to work off our food.