Purposeful Wandering

Overview

We had heard of the Romantic Road before we moved to Germany and knew it would be a must on our to do list of adventures while living abroad. The Romantische Straße (as it is called in German) was a trade route in the Middle Ages and now serves as a 460 kilometer bike path that winds through forests and fields, alongside rivers, and through the smallest of villages between Füssen and Würzburg.

We decide to do the ride just a few weeks before. We tend to be last minute planners. Our preparations consisted of spending about 30 minutes on Amazon.de ordering rain gear and paniers. We ordered the only English guidebook we could find but found the map to be inadequate. Pete borrowed a German guidebook from a coworker that had a much more detailed map. And just like that we were ready to ride!

Most people opt to ride from north to south but we decided we would rather have the destination of home (Würzburg) dangling in front of us like a juicy carrot. Our plan was to "guerilla camp" (finding secluded public land and pitching our tent) along the way with the potential of staying in "Bed and Bikes" if we felt the need. We allowed ourselves 10 days but managed to make it home in just 7! Each night we took some time to write down our thoughts and the details of the days journey. The following was taken from my journal:

Day 1 ~ 16km

Würzburg to Füssen (5 hours by train) to Halblech

We woke up the morning just after 3am - Pete, because it was the Fantasy Football drafts with his buddies on the west coast of North America - me, because I had a fever and a horribly soar throat (so maybe going to Amsterdam for 4 days, staying in a hostel with 11 people, and returning 2 days before our trip wasn't the best idea!) Not quite the way I intended to start this epic adventure but I certainly wasn't going to cancel the trip over a scratchy throat and runny nose.

We finished packing and headed for the train station just after 8am. It was nice to ride there instead of our usual 'run'! We bought the Bayern pass and paid an extra €9 for our bikes to ride. The bike area was a little small but we weren't worried about space since it was a Thursday morning and not a busy weekend. After a few stops, however, our bikes were surrounded and we found ourselves wondering how we would get them untangled and off the train to make our 5 minute connection in Treuchlingen (we've had a horrible train experience in the past but that's a whole other story!). Luckily, the others got off one stop before us - crisis averted!

After two more train changes (one because we got off at the wrong station), we found ourselves at the base of the Alps in the beautiful town of Füssen. We quickly found lockers for our gear, locked up our bikes, and 7 minutes later were on the bus headed to the castles Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein. What a beautiful setting! The weather cleared just in time for us to see the Alps in all their splendor. The two castles were so fairy-tale like perched on the rocks nestled between the mountain peaks and lush valley below. The scene was breathtaking.
We first toured Hohenschwangau Castle, the former home of King Maximillian II and then made the short walk up to Disneyland. We had about 40 minutes before our tour so we headed up to the Marienbrücke for the panoramic view of the castle and valley below.


It was around 7pm when we got back to the train station. The sun was setting behind the majestic mountains and we headed north to find dinner and a campsite. With 16km behind us we are now full on Schweinebrauten, Spätzle, and König Lüdwig Dunkle Bier - cozied up in our tent along the river, listening to the bells of the Alpine cows and distant churches, waiting for sleep to lure us in.

Day 2 ~ 75km

Halblech to Landsberg am Lech

We started off this morning with an apple and lots of ambition. Luckily my cold is holding steady and I didn't cough too much through the night. We ate, packed and got our bearings before hitting the road around 9:15. The path took us through the foothills of the Alps and we rode by fields full of cows and goats, and farmsteads that too me back in time. The landscape was lush and a thousand shades of green! The massive Alps could still be seen in the distance but grew smaller with each passing kilometer.

Our first stop was Wieskirche - an elaborate and showy pilgrimage church in the middle of Alpine farmland. It seemed to be quite the tourist destination for retirees. We were hungry and in need of caffeine so we sat down at the cafe across from the church entrance. They were hand-making "Original "Wieskucherln" and we couldn't resist a fresh one and a cup of coffee. Perfect! (This immediately became our tradition, 2nd breakfast of pastries and coffee!)

From there we continued through the foothills - there seemed to be much more UP than I anticipated but to be honest, I didn't know what to anticipate. I had failed to do much (okay, essentially NO) research on the Romantic Road. I thought it would be a flat, paved, lovely path along a river valley. While the path is lovely, I wouldn't dare call it flat and there are many sections that are gravelly and rough. We didn't have too much trouble though, even with just 8 gears on our bikes.

The scenery continued through rolling hills, small farming communities and lush forests. We even saw a deer running through a field. We came upon a Ma and Pa cheese and cured meat shop in what I would consider to be the middle of nowhere. Naturally, we couldn't resist so we bought 200g of caraway cheese and 4 sticks of smoked sausage. We were still full from our second breakfast so we saved them for a picnic lunch.

We encountered rain and sun intermittently but overall the weather was great! We had purchased rain shoe-covers before the trip and they proved to be a fantastic investment!

This is the gummi bear rain dance (however, it did not rain gummi bears, only rain)

Next we found ourselves riding through Rottenbuch where a local festival was being held. The townspeople were dressed in Lederhosen and Dirndl. We decided to avoid the temptation of the festivities and push further on to find a place for lunch.
That brought us to Schongau. At first glimpse, it seemed to be an industrial city but we discovered the Aldstadt (old city) to be perched on the top of a hill and surrounded by a medieval wall. We enjoyed a beer, cheese, sausage, bread, and tomatoes from our garden near the fountain in the main square, Marienplatz.

Up until now, the path had been fairly clearly marked but when we tried to leave Schongau, we found ourselves riding aimlessly looking for the right road. It got worse when we arrived at the following town, Altenstadt. The signs seemed to point in opposite directions and we finally had to find our own way using the 2 maps we brought. Eventually we were back on track and cruising through the rolling hills. We coasted down to the quaint town of Epfach. We instantly realized that the glorious coast down would require a strenuous climb back out of the river valley, but neither of us anticipated the challenge ahead. It was nearly 2km of 13% grade straight up the hillside. It was without a doubt the most challenging 15 minutes on a bike I have ever experienced! Mostly the added weight of the gear was to blame but my cold certainly didn't help. Soon we plateaued and were able to look back at the Alps, now a grey-blue color on the horizon. It was a great accomplishment!

I am singing "I like to ride my bicycle, I like to ride my bike..." by Queen -it helps me to get up the hills.

[b

From there we cruised mostly leisurely along and came upon the Lech River. It was a beautiful ride nestled between the forest and the flowing water. by this time, we were starving. We cruised into Landsberg am Lech and first tried to find a discreet camping spot. The town was actually quite busy and we decided to eat and look for a campsite later. We stopped at the first place with open seating on the river and each ordered a local beer. Pete ate an amazing steak and I had a grilled turkey salad - lecker! It felt amazing to be relaxing in the sun watching the people stroll by but we needed to find a place to sleep within a few kilometers outside the city so off we went. Unfortunately, we encountered construction that blocked the path and we had to back track a ways. A nice man told us a way around and we hustled as the sun was setting quickly. Eventually we came upon the place we are sitting now. A quiet corner nestled between the river, the path, and the forest. We set up camp off the road and are enjoying a cool Becks while we recant the days adventures. It was a challenging yet extremely rewarding day![/b]

Day 3 ~ 70km

Landsberg am Lech to Gersthofen

This morning we were moving a bit slower as our muscles were feeling the intensity of yesterday's ride. I had a really rough sleep due to the coughing and congestion phase of my cold settling in (which means Pete also didn't sleep very well).

We woke up to a gloriously sunny morning and packed up so we could enjoy breakfast above the river with the sun on our faces. As usual, Pete couldn't resist a cool dip and he was in the river right away.

We made minor adjustments to Pete's back wheel and gear then set off in the sunshine just after 10am. Within a few hours we needed a water refill and a pick-me-up. After riding through several small towns we finally found a place to relax in Pittriching - it happened that the outdoor public swimming pool had the only concessions we could find. I had a cappuccino and Pete had some sparkling apple juice. The sky was still blue and the temperature in the upper 20's so we rode on along the cornfields on the gravel path.

Soon we found ourselves riding along the river in a shaded and marshy area. The path remained gravel which slowed our pace a bit but there were few hills so the riding was smooth! Next we found ourselves in a beautiful nature area that followed a canal for nearly an hour - our destination was Augsburg. When we arrived, we took a moment to watch the people enjoying the beautiful sunny day at the end of summer. It seemed the whole city was at the river or riding bikes along it!

We decided to continue on and avoid the temptation of a Biergarten in the sun. We rode up a hill and into the town of Friedburg. By this time our stomachs were growling and we stopped at a corner Italian Cafe for pizza and, naturally, beer.

We left around 2:30 and coasted the 9km to the central west part of Augsburg. Here we found the signage to be hard to find and confusing but we eventually found our way out of the city - after a quick stop for ice cream! We stopped at a grocery store to buy dinner and stock up supplies for Sunday since everything closes Sundays in Germany. We rode for about another hour along the river and decided to stop a bit early to enjoy a swim. We set up camp in a quiet place on the east bank and are happy to relax and write before the sunsets. Tomorrow we hope to ride another 65+ kilometers if the weather stays nice.

Writing in our journals after a refreshing dip in the cool river

Relaxing and eating dinner before we set the tent up

Day 4 ~ 75km

Gersthofen to Reimlingen

We woke up this morning to another beautiful day. I slept better last night than the 3 nights prior. We enjoyed breakfast of cheese, sausage, nectarines, banana, and gummis!

We backtracked until we crossed over to the side of the river where the path was. Within 20 minutes we arrived at the small town of Langwied am Lech. We noticed a couple walking by with a bag full of bakery treats. We were instantly intrigued. A bakery open in such a small town on a Sunday - could it be?!? We asked a woman and she pointed us around the corner to an Edeka. We enjoyed our second breakfast. Now we are ready to ride! The sky looked torn between rain and sun but eventually the blue sky pushed the clouds away. Most of the route was paved and flat so we rode steadily along (the S's are the key: slope, surface, sun, and speed!!) We entered the small town of Biberbach to find the usual Deutsch festival celebrated in traditional clothing. We rode on. Next we spotted an ancient castle wall and tower that we didn't expect to see as it was not mentioned in any of our guidebooks.

We continued along a gravel path that separated the forest from the fields. The sun was blazing and the sky was blue. We felt so lucky to encounter great weather after the terribly cold and rainy summer we experienced in Würzburg! We eventually made our way to Holzen and stopped at the top of the hill to visit a kloster from the 17th century. We stepped inside the church (to get out of the sun) and were taken aback by the intricacy of the interior. The walls, ceiling, and every pillar were covered in gold and rococo sculptures. It was worth the stop.

Between Holzen and Mertingen we encountered several 'wild' fruit trees and Pete picked plums and apples for us to enjoy later. Later he confessed to me that his dream for the trip was to do a "ride-by-picking". By this time we were getting hot, hungry, and tired so we kept our eyes peeled for a lunch spot. In the end we chose to push on to Donauwörth. We had read a bit about the city and looked forward to exploring it. We found a small and shaded Biergarten just off the main tourist area and enjoyed a cheap beer and FILLING lunch. I was ready to cozy up on the gravel and sleep a few hours but we opted to visit the "Heilig Kreuz Kirche", a church that claims to display a fragment of the true cross (like so many churches in Europe). We paid our homage and then decided it was time for Eiskaffee (ice cream in coffee)!

Here we refilled our waters, freshened up, and saddled up again. By this time it was 3pm and we were heading for Hardburg. It was about an hour to this quaint town and we stopped on the bridge for some pictures. We left our bikes there and hiked up to the castle - the best preserved walled castle in Bavaria. It was hot, humid, and our legs were burning as we hiked the short distance to the entrance. Unfortunately, we had to pay to see anything but the courtyard so we decided to press on towards Nordlingen.

Lederhosen and birkenstocks are not just for festivals - they are for fishing too

It was just before 5pm and we knew a campsite would be challenging to find due to the lack of river and wooded areas (it was mostly rolling hills and farmland). We could see thunderheads looming to the north but they seemed to stay ahead of us but it was time to find a place to crash before we got stuck in the storm or ended up in a populated area. As usual, we wanted to find the best place possible so we passed up site after site - always saying we could come back if we really needed to. An hour must have passed and by now the thunder really began to roll and we could see lightning in the distance. We were exhausted and getting hungry. I was ready to crash anywhere! We found some trees surrounded by acres of cornfields and detoured our way there. Unfortunately, the green space was very well fenced off and we didn't feel good about intruding.

The sky grew darker, the thunder clashed louder, and the lightning made my hair stand on end. It began to sprinkle and we knew the sky was ready to release all it had been brewing these last few hot, sunny days. Pete checked the map once more and saw a splash of green just beyond Remlingen. The previous 6-7km had been a steady climb with moments of downhill but my legs were screaming with soreness after every peddle. We were ready to set up camp now! We turned off the path towards what the map indicated to be forest. What the map did not indicate was that the road was a VERY steep incline for what felt like half an hour! We finally reached the top and immediately found a secluded patch of trees amongst the fields overlooking the valley below. With the storm growing louder, we quickly set up our tent, at dinner and hopped inside before the sky began dumping rain.


The storm continued for several hours while we played cards and appreciated our temporary home. We realized that it is time to reseal the seam in our tent as water began dripping and small puddles formed around the edges. Now the rain has become a sprinkle and we are daring to venture out into the fresh air to stretch our tired muscles.

Taking a "shower" and cooling down in the rain - very refreshing!

Tomorrow we will tour Nordlingen and see what adventure the day brings!

Continued on The Romantic Road (Part 2)

Day 5 ~ 55km

Reimlingen to Schopfloch

We knew this day would come. After every sunny day and 70km ride we reminded ourselves that it wouldn't all be this 'smooth'. It rained the entire night and our tent continued to leak. We woke up at 8am to more rain and threw on all our waterproof gear.

We took one last look east to the valley below and made the fast descent back to the main trail. We made our way to Nordlingen where we planned to have breakfast and see some of the sights this medieval town, located in the heart of the Ries Crater Valley, had to offer. After a hearty 2nd breakfast of our usual pastries and coffee, we headed towards St. Georg Kirche. We paid the 2.50EUR each to climb the 90 meter tower (because when we aren't cycling we like to climb stairs??) which had a view of the city below and the crater valley beyond. I took note that the wind was blowing strongly from the direction we needed to go.

Luckily we had waited out most of the rain in the bakery but when we started off towards Dinklesbühl we kept our gear on in anticipation of more bad weather. The rain died down but the wind picked up. We also had gear trouble, broke a wrench, and lost our way in Wallerstien (just 5km outside of Nordlingen). However, this 'detour' took us to the Plague Pillar so we weren't too upset
We could only laugh at the circumstances we found ourselves in. We were back on the path by Noon and soon found ourselves on gravely farm roads. Within an hour and a half we had lost the trail again and were at the bottom of a farmland funnel. We consulted a different map, ate a snack, and backtracked until we were on the Romantische Strasse again. This was a half hour detour but by now it was 1:45 and we knew we were still far from Dinkelsbühl. What we didn't realize was that the 25 or so kilometers ahead of us would be the most challenging of the journey. The scenery reminded us a lot of day 2 (our first full day). We were pedaling through fields and forests on mostly gravel roads. The difference was the strong headwind and the wet, sandy, gravel that seemed to pull our tires deep into the path. The hills were relentless - continuously up followed by some rewarding down to be instantly forgotten by the next painstaking crawl up. Despite our circumstances our spirits were high. I constantly had the melody "I like to ride my bicycle, I like to ride my bike" singing in my mind as the steep parts tore at my lungs and muscles. Pete is always a trooper and so encouraging. He is obviously stronger than me and carries the extra weight without question or hesitation and when he makes it to the top of a hill first, he lets me know I am almost there and I can make it. We make a great team! As we slogged up an endlessly steep gravel road I told him I thought they had misnamed the "Romantic Road". He curiously asked why and I explained that there was obviously nothing "romantic" about it. We were dripping in sweat, smelly, muddy, coughing, burping, peeing in the woods, and just down right dirty! What's so romantic about that? We both laughed out loud and soon we found ourselves coasting through a moss covered forest with beams of sunlight fighting there way through the trees.

Side Note #1 - My bike is now named Aphrodite, I call her Aphro for short. Pete's is named Driver, as in Donal Driver the Packer's receiver, because it has mad catching skills - it caught a plum that fell out of Pete's mouth.

Side Note #2 - We talk to all of the animals we encounter on the trail: cows, goats, sheep, chickens, cats, pigs, horses - we speak in their language but they don't seem to understand our "international accent"!

We somehow made our way to Dinkelsbühl after several detours, horrible wind, rain, hills, and bad surfaces. By this time it was 4pm and we had barely gone 40km. We were so tired, hungry, and exhausted! I had been singing songs about eating burgers to the hum of Christmas Carols but it quickly became apparent that I would not be eating one for lunch. After perusing 4 or 5 restaurants it was obvious we were touring during the low-season. The shop owners were all on holiday or had limited kitchen hours. We eventually found a restaurant in a small hotel serving a limited menu. Pete had the schnitzel and I had the chicken cord en blue. We were stuffed! Next we toured another St. Georg Kirche - this one with remains of a beheaded saint form AD 64! The town was really cute and we hope to return someday when the shops have better hours.

No matter how many churches we have visited, the enormity and lavishness of them still takes our breath away...

...and sometimes the down right horrid things inside does as well. This is the skeleton of a beheaded saint from AD 64 - now covered in jewels and gold

This is a common sign - posted outside most churches and public buildings. Germans eat ice cream everyday of the year, no matter how cold and wet it is.

We tried to find a wrench at a local bike shop to replace our broken one but we obviously misunderstood the directions given to us (all in German) by the helpful waiter at the coffee shop we refueled at. Instead, we came across a grocery store and bought water, cookies, wine, and fruit. We headed off towards a forested area just past Schopfloch and crossed our fingers that the sun would fight off the ominous clouds. We climbed the steady hill and made our way past a small but very attractive town until we found ourselves once again on a gravel path through a forest. we knew our tent and gear were wet from the night before and we anticipated rain based on the thunderheads in the distance; so we quickly found a quiet and secluded patch of moss under the evening sky just off the road. We unpacked the wet gear and gave it a good air dry. To our amazement, the clouds cleared and the rain held off.

We were so happy to set up camp in a beautiful, dry setting! We put on cozy clothes and drank the red wine Pete had carried from Dinkelsbuhl. Now the sun has set and we are writing as we lean against a sheltering and dry pine tree. The moon is nearly half and its bright light is glowing through the thicket of forest that we will call home for tonight. We have just over 150km to go! What will tomorrow bring?

Day 6 ~ 70km

Schopfloch to Creglingen

Yeah! We slept quite well and woke up dry with the sun shining on our tent. Pete put together an amazing breakfast of cheese, fruit (plums and apples from local trees), crackers, and caraway sausage. We felt great!

Morning #5 - my hair is absolutely gorgeous at this point. One river bath and 7 hours of sweating in a helmet every day.

Pete prepared breakfast and is taking down the tent while I run around with the camera - such a good hubby!

Within an hour or so we were in Feuchtwangen - just in time for second breakfast! We found a small bakery near the post office and saw post cards for sale around the corner so we each wrote one to our families back in Idaho and mailed them off. We next stopped at the Rathaus (town hall) and took turns "freshening up" in the clean washroom while the other stretched outside in the shaded garden.

It was a beautiful day and we felt so fortunate to have the sun back and paved roads beneath our tires. We also bought a wrench at a local bike shop and some extra pretzels at the bakery to take with us. Wunderbar!

Our next stop would be the famous and much touristed Rothenburg ob der Tauber. The road there was filled with the usual 'up to forest, down to field' and there was one long, steady climb just after Feuchtwangen that our map had failed to warn us of. We stopped in the town of Schillingsfürst at a Biergarten and chatted with an older German couple who were doing a smaller bike tour the opposite way. From here it was a nice coast into Rothenburg odT. Even though today is Tuesday, the city was pulsing with tourists. Fortunately we had spent some time here before with Pete's parents so we didn't feel the need to sight-see. We rode into the city center and immediately chose to picnic outside the walls and away from the crowds.

Around this time Pete came up with the brilliant idea of grilling for dinner so we searched outside the city walls for a "one-time" or "picnic" grill. Fortunately we found one at a gas station and bought it right away. I was already excited for dinner and we hadn't even had lunch yet! We rode down to the famous and scenic "Dopplebrücke" (double bridge) and the weather was perfect for pictures and a picnic. We had a fantastic view of the bridge, city, and outer wall.

After a relaxing lunch on the hillside we rode on towards Creglingen. The road there was through a tight river valley consisting of mostly ups and downs (I shouldn't be so surprised by now). We bought grilling food at a supermarket just before 6pm and were then faced with finding a camping spot. We crossed to the east side of the river and naturally found ourselves seeking higher ground - as in climbing completely out of the valley. The view was spectacular and we began our search for a guerrilla campsite. We finally settled on a wooded area with views of the fields and the valley to the west. Now we are sitting under a few apple, pear and plum trees tucked into a corner but outside of the thickness of the forest. We are tending to the grill and drooling over the meal to come - Schweinsteak, grilled paprika, and zucchini, all washed down with Spanish red wine graciously carried up the hill by my amazing and super-human husband. Guten Appetit!

Day 7 ~ 90km

Creglingen to Home!

Today is our 4 year wedding anniversary. We like to call it our anniversaries honeymoons because we have made a commitment to do something spectacular every year. Last year we celebrated with a trip to the Gorge in central Washington state to watch Dave Mathews Band play, the year before we took a trip to Spain, Morocco, and Portugal, and our first was spent on a weekend biking and camping trip through the Okanagan wine valley in British Colombia, Canada. This years celebration will not soon be forgotten!
Within an hour or so of snuggling into our sleeping bags last night the wind began to blow - I mean really blow. I could tell by the sound moving through the trees that it was blowing fiercely from the northwest - the direction we would be cycling in the morning. The wind howled through the night and I nervously wondered if there were any loose branches above our heads as I listed to the sound of leaves, twigs, and acorns crashing into the thin roof above our heads. Morning came and we forced ourselves to quickly pack up in the chilly breeze. We coasted down the steep road through the tiny town of Reinsbronn and back to the Romantic Road. The wind was pushing against us and at times it was hard to take a breath without choking on air!

We rode about 10km to Rottingen and stopped at a baker for the usual. While we were eating our pastries it started to pour. We grabbed our rain gear and dressed inside where it was warm and dry. We look absolutely hilarious in our waterproof outfits - especially me. I wear a blindingly neon yellow helmet cover that I like to call my magic mushroom cap. Pete thinks I look like a Mario Bro's character and likes to ask me if I'm ready to smash bricks with my head. At least it makes for a good laugh when we need one the most!

Happy 4th Anniversary to us!

We set off towards Bad Mergentheim feeling indestructible against the elements. The wind continued to give us a challenge and we were often in our lowest gear even going downhill! At one point we stopped to snack on gummi frogs and I said "Happy Anniversary Baby" and we thanked Mother Nature for her thoughtful gift. Soon enough we were in the beautiful town of Bad Mergentheim. Pete had read that this was once home to the Teutonic Knights and he was intrigued to visit the museum housed in their former castle. We paid 3.50EUR each and spent the next hour or so walking through the halls of the 900 year old building. While waiting for our food to grill last night we had decided we would try to push ourselves to make it home today. We thought we were about 80km away and knew the idea of a hot shower and soft bed would help us get through the extra distance - plus the thought of spending our 4th anniversary in the cold, dirty, damp tent just didn't seem right. Due to this time constraint, we didn't spend too much time in the museum or city (we'll come back!). We ate a quick snack and started towards our lunch destination of Tauberbischofsheim at 1:30. Not long into the ride, we stopped to take off our rain gear! The wind had died down and the sun was fighting through the clouds. Yippee! The 20km to lunch was flat, smooth, and fast. (The S's were working with us). We ate a quick Doner and enjoyed a local light beer. By 3:45 we were ready to peddle the last 40km home!

Side Note #3 - The one thing I'm really going to miss about this trip is the FOOD! We have not held back at all and are easily consuming 5,000 calories a day! This is possibly the most exercise I have ever done and there's a chance I will have gained weight. I'm going to have to remind myself when we get home that second breakfast and third lunches are no long justified.

The last three hours of riding I found myself on a bit of an internal roller coaster. Part of me was so excited to get home, feel clean, and relax! Yet I found myself feeling a bit sad to leave the freedom of the open road behind. There is something very soul-filling about living so simply and relying on your own muscles to carry you along. I enjoyed being completely 'unplugged' in an information-overload world. I loved spending so much time with my husband and relying solely on each other for safety, shelter, and encouragement to get through the adversity we were constantly faced with. It was amazing to see so many small towns and the people going about their daily lives, just as they have done for hundreds of years. I feel a deeper connection with this strange and foreign country that is our home for the next 2 years. We have exchanged sweat, pain, and challenges for a glimpse into the past that so clearly lends understanding to the present.

As we reached the top of the final hill, we could see the Würzburg towers in the distance and knew it was a downhill coast the rest of the way home. At this moment, I am overwhelmed with a sense of personal accomplishment. I did something I knew would be very challenging and we did it three days faster than planned - and while I was sick! In the end we achieved all we had hoped to from this adventure (all except Pete's ride-by-picking but he gave it a solid effort!). We pushed our physical and mental (and smell) limits beyond boundaries, we spent precious time in the outdoors connecting with the simple wonders of this Earth, and we connected on an extraordinary level with the people and countryside of Germany.

By 7pm we were home. unpacked and drying out our gear. We finished the evening with a long hot showered, some fresh fruits and veggies, a bottle of local wine - and cartoons. A perfect celebration of our anniversary and a romantic ending to the Romantic Road.