Day 27 – Vienna to Poysdorf and 28 Poysdorf to Brno (czech)

Day 27 – Vienna Austria to Poysdorf Austria

Km – 82

Saddle Time – 4:40Min

Avg Speed – 17.6

Today was one of those days that just went along without a hitch – no plans apart from get to Brno in Czech and have a look there to find some info on a bicycle route I googled that goes from Brno Czech to KrakowPoland. It is 350km out of my initial route planned because apart from the experiences, open road, coffees, little towns etc v- I really want to do a big loop and finish back in Italy where I started. So I’ll try to take that bicycle route to Krakow and then cycle from Krakow to Wroclaw (Poland still) and then train it to the borderline of Germany to make up that 350odd k’s to allow myself to complete the loop still.

The day started late because I sprawled my things everywhere over the two nights and also spent an hour talking to my sis and wife on Skype….Plus I had to go to docs to get a new prescription for my anti inflams for my back. That was an episode and a half. They were going to charge me $120 aud (normal charge in Austria) to see the doc just for a prescription – I asked with my hardship face on if they could just write the script but they said no. I was pretty sure my travel insurance company would cover me anyway but thought the chemist was just around the corner so i’d try to get some without a prescription anyway (Slovenia wouldn’t let me) – The chemist was closed – what is it with Europe – everything closes for two around lunch time – the busiest time of the day – I don’t get that – anyway – i saw a buzzer and read (in German ‘something something something emergency press this’) so I did – enough times to be really annoying – the lady didn’t like me very much as she had food in her mouth still so I obviously interrupted her eating time bwahahaha. Anyway I pulled the sad story out and she assisted and I received my dosages woot woot – 50mg too which is a dosage you need a prescription for so I was very lucky and tipped her a little.

After that it was 1pm and it was time to leave Vienna – took about an hour to fully get out of the city and on to open roads – I chose a route that looked a little hilly but off main roads and kind of following it – about 20km out of the way from the direct route but boy am I glad I did. I knew I was on the right roads because I saw all local cyclists in there gear so it must’ve been a nice route and to me it definitely was. Perfect for cycling – 27-28degrees, sun and clouds off and on, rolling hills, beautiful little town, apple trees that I plucked whilst still on the bike – that was cool – a few came in handy and so many were juicy – such great fun and it’s what I was dreaming about when I was planning this trip – it’s amazing that it’s actually happening.

I think I am buying more food than cooking at the moment and that’s partially because I am spending a lot more time on the bike than I had imagined and also watching life go by and sight seeing – I think that’s ok though because most (not Vienna) places are really cheap and Czech and Poland will be cheap too. Most of the time before I buy everything I need for a salad, snacks, bread bla bla it’s almost the same – I always keep one or two meals in my bag though just in case – it’s come in handy many times.

Lunch today – bread with jam, bread with nutella, coffee (ye ol bend 43), Pringles, 2 apples, mars bar. Fun y thing is whilst touring I haven’t felt like chocolate at all – that’s the first chocolate bar i’ve had on tour.

For the tourers reading this – Trailer Vs Panniers – I’ll make it quick – Trailer is awesome to store much more gear in than panniers and also a good table at night time when you flip it around. It’s nice sometimes to have everything in your one stop shop bag  – BUT for me – it was an anchor in the hills (on my previous tours) and became too hard on me when trying to climb out of towns etc and this was enough to get racks and panniers. Don’t get me wrong – i know people that love trailers and also tour with 4 panniers, a handlebar bag, and a trailer – now that is keen – so whatever works for you so you need to get out on the road and do some hills and test it out – see how go with it

I chose Panniers on this trip and although I can’t store as much gear (found out by doing this I don’t need that much gear anyway) the Panniers are way better. I like having individual ones for different types of gear (i’ll do a photo of my bike with explanation sometime soon). It’s also better to have all the weight more central which panniers give you when a trailer has all the weight alllllll the way at the back. I will still tour with trailers in the future and for commuting etc BUT it will be horses for courses depending on terrain but panniers for tours like this. Mine area German brand and 100% waterproof – a lot of tourers i’ve seen on the road here use Ortlieb also and Tubus racks.

Back to my story – Oh yeah picking apples off the tree – every corner was a new landscape and it was magnificent. I wish I had a better camera but it would be massive and hard to take on trips like this so many of my photos suck – that’s ok though – enough to remember by. The sun was setting so I thought about looking for a place to camp wild style – I felt like it actually – i’m getting used to this touring thing now and wanted to be alone and in peace – just as I was climbing out of the lovely town of Poysdorf Austria I saw a camping sign and thought to myself – if there’s less then ten people i’ll do it (don’t ask me why 10) and I rocked up this little old man stepped out of his 2×2 box and had a massive smile on his face and started talking engligh and said – don’t pay now – just find a spot – it’s 7euros but sort yourself out, have a shower and then come see me – I looked around I saw a lake, 4 caravans and that’s it – SOLD!!! The day ended perfectly. The showers here are the cleanest i’ve seen  so far on my trip and that lil old Austrian man keeps a tight ship here – it’s beautiful – so one night here then off to Brno tomorrow.

As I said – a dream day today – obviously no Slovenia BUT a perfect ride in the perfect day and a perfect mindset all day that jut flowed and ended well – Can’t ask for anymore than that – I’m one happy man that’s for sure.

SIDE NOTE: When I am riding along I can’t bloody get the thoughts of my diary outta my head – it’s getting bad – I start thinking ‘ok, i am going to write what happened like this and this and then don’t forget to say that – it’s getting bad – I wish I had a switch for that sometimes ha ha.

Night peeps – see you tomorrow hopefully.

PS – CARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRN THE CROWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today’s Route

Day 28 – Poysdorf (Austria) to Brno (Czech)

KM – 85

Saddle Time – 4:43

Avg – 18

WOOT WOOT another country – Czech Republic

Today was a hard day mentally for me – It was slow – well it felt slow – I took many stops but thought I still wanted to make it to Brno so I can check out the bicycle route from Brno to Krakow – I still have an issue with the mornings – I get up about 7:30-8am and slowly eat breakky and slowly get ready and on the road by about 10 – then ride the whole day but today took sooooo long. I know when summer completely dissapears the days will be shorter so I eirhter have to get up earlier and get my gear together OR have shorter days.

Headwinds for the whole day didn’t help. I find headwinds so hard – A good headwind for hours on end would break anyone and it broke me today. I was getting close to Brno (hr and a half away) and thought should I or shouldn’t I – I shouldn’t have when I look back at it – getting into a biggish town looking for accom late at night is not a good idea. But I didn’t know the wind was going to get stronger and once you’re almost in a big city there’s no camping available as it’s all industrial so I pushed on anyway and found a hostel. I made it CZECH THOUGH WOOT WOOT – That’s a milestone.

But it was a very hard day with not many things to boost me up – I did meet a few Germans (grey nomads) on their electrical assisted bikes zooming past me – I wasn’t going to let that happen no way – especially not a grey haired german in leather leiderhausen wearing old man (i kid you not hehe)

Not so fast HANS!!

So i stepped it up a gear and caught up to them on a hill which was good hahaha…Had a chat with them for about 20 minutes and I was huffing and puffing and they just revved the motors a little more and said ‘seeya’ (bastards)….Hey I tried.

Upon leaving this morning I could smell bacon and eggs – ooohhhhhh my god it smelt good – that’s ok – I had three day old yoghurt that was sitting in my panniers and dry muesli – I added some water to pretend it was milk mmmmmmmmmmm they would be jealous of me.

Stopped for lunch in a really nice town and just sat on a park bench and enjoyed my sangas and coffee – that was nice

The last 10km to get to town felt like 100 – I was beaten today – man Vs Wind and Wind won – that’s ok – i’m going to bounce back tomorrow

Oh yeah I did stop at a tourist information centre in one of the towns – I asked for any bicycle information and she didn’t have any – I then said do you have ANY information I could use – she said ‘no sorry’ hahah what kind of office is this – just an office where she sits in hahaha.

My first day in Czech has been nice though – I know this post seems negative but it’s not – it’s just part of travelling – you get great days and you get normal days – this was a normal day – not a bad one – just normal nothing interesting but great to be in Czech though – the roads are a bit worse than Austria and not as bicycle friendly but the towns seem really lovely and i’m looking forward to cycling through it for a few days.

The drivers here are a little more daring than the Austrians – The Austrians seem to go a bit slower around you and give you too much space – the Czechs just zoom past you – to be honest though i’d rather that – know where you want to go and just do it – don’t pussyfoot around me – you cause confusion – just go.

Anyway – I found a wireless signal and googled hostels (as I wasn’t going to find camping in this city and no way was I going to cycle more than what I did already hehe I was beat) – it’s a lets just say OOOOLLLLLLD eclectic little place with a pub next it – it’s nice, a bed and shower $12eur – can’t complain – or should I say 300 karona’s…sweeet. something like that anyway

Czech on first opinion seems really nice – nice country side – and nice towns – not too much to report yet – stay tuned

I’m beat – another day – another pedal. Seeya tomorrow

Today’s Route

Not so fast HANS!!

WOOT WOOT another country – Czech Republic

Bolt photo gone wrong – border sign was up the road you idiot

Everyone has toilet paper around them

Some street party I rode through today

Beautiful lakes – rode over it a few times today

Some of route today

Nice little town called Valtice – Lunch in the park – Pity tourist info was not help at all

Lunch time

Brno from a distance – little did I know just how much longer it would take to actually GET THERE!!!

First road sign in Czech

Scenes from today

Nice countryside I cycled through today

Cycling through vineyards all day sweeet

Some views

Lunch time stop