Part 1

The Danube in Germany

The last days before my departure were very stressful. There were of course still so many things in the office that I wanted to make before my holiday. After all, my project is on the finish line and I do not want to have major problems during my absence. That meant spending long days at the office.
At the same time I wanted to finish a small project at the THW. So the evenings were always quite late and the packing of the luggage was a little bit on the line.
Well, not really.
I know from previous tours already quite well what I must pack and what is unnecessary. I have always before the tours a packing list created and these after my return aligned with what was missing or unnecessary. To be honest, there has never been anything important missing. And if something is missing, you can either buy it on the road or do not need it at the trip.
So I had the things I wanted to take along too quickly. Everything was then packed according to categories in fabric bags. On Sunday morning, all these bags had to be placed in the BOB bag. That was easier than expected, because I had to pack for the journey not quite warm clothes. It went south this time!

It is already a special feeling to start a big cycle trip directly at the own entrance. Along the paths I've traveled so often. Only this time I will not be back home in the evening.
From Calw I went on through the beautiful Nagold Valley to the Neckar and its source in Schwenningen. From here it is just a small part to Donaueschingen, where Brigach and Breg bring the Danube on the way.
At this point just turn left and go through the beautiful Danube Valley towards the Black Sea. At the time, however, Budapest was my official goal. I did not want to take my mouth too full.
Even if before my trip some people called the Donauradweg as boring, so I really have to say that is not true. It is certainly not a big physical challenge to drive this part of the way, but you can take the trip just because of the beautiful nature. And nature is really impressive in many places.
I had a bit bad weather.
The rainstorm from Beuron and some floods on the trails have not made the journey much easier. With the right clothes went well. Overnight I did not in the rainstorm and in the tent, but I was looking for cheap accommodation along the way. This has worked well. Only occasionally the first pension was already full, or the receptionists simply did not want a completely wet cyclist in the house (because of the dirt ...)
After a detour in the Weltenburg Monastery, I headed towards Kehlheim quite steeply uphill, before I then discovered a nice camping site near Hermsaal. In Regensburg, I almost got stuck in a guided tour. Here was really much going on and with a team of bike plus trailer I did not want to push through the crowd. So I drove quite early to Straubing. Deggendorf. Then came Passau within reach. In any case, a visit to the Hackelberger Brewery was due. The beer there is wonderful, but at over 30 ° C in the shade it also powerful. So I had only one beer and afterwards I made me the further way to Inzell in Austria. A bit behind Inzell I find again a very nice campsite and look forward to a pleasant night in my hotel Hilleberg.
The first part of the Donaureise would have been made. The Danube in Germany is behind me. Before me still many kilometers to Budapest and even more to the Black Sea. Would I be able to do it at all?

Part 2

The Danube in Austria and Slovakia

In Austria the summer is still very variable. In the night at the campsite behind Inzell, a strong thunderstorm led to flooded streets and a proper leak test at my tent. Other cities have hitten worse during the night, just as the campsite where some tents were under water.
The route between Inzell and Aschach is very beautiful. The nature is wonderful and the way along the Danube is very good to drive. Pass the industrial city Linz and continue to Willersbach. Passing Ybbs and Pochlarn, I continue through beautiful countryside to Melk.
The weather is also quite good. It is often quite cloudy in the morning and only clears up for lunch or afternoon. Unfortunately, in the morning I often missed to use the sun cream, because everything is thickly cloudy. And when driving, the sun is not so noticeable because of the driving wind. Only in the evening is a decent sunburn felt on my shoulders and knees. Unfortunately. Sunburn on sunburn is damn unpleasant. That's why I ride a couple of days with a long-sleeved shirt and long cycling pants, which is somehow not quite the right clothes at over 30 ° C. But it is perfect against the sunburn.
On the river kilometer in 1975, I pass the Zewtendorf nuclear power station, which has never been put into operation. Shortly after the commissioning, a heated dispute arose in politics and the population, whether Austria really needed a nuclear power plant or not. The opponents then held the upper hand and the power plant now serves as a spare parts donor and training reactor for identical German nuclear power plants. It is not far to Vienna and I can not avoid a trip to the Prater. At the foot of the Ferris wheel, I take lunch and strengthen myself with my provisions. There is not much to see from the Danube. The ride goes along the flood protection dams. These are some kilometers from the Danube, as the area is used as an overflow area. This is the national park "Donauauen". Soon Bratislava will be in sight. However, the Donauradweg crosses the capital of Slovakia only marginally. And as soon as I came to Slovakia, I was through again. I honestly did not even notice that I went somewhere across the border to Hungary.

Part 3

The Danube in Hungary and Croatia

Through many small Hungarian villages, the Donauradweg continues to Gyor. In the city, unfortunately, the path is lost. There are signposts which indicate the direction, but they run at the next cremation in nothingness. With the help of the Navi, I quickly find the way out of the city and it does not take long until suddenly again signs of the Eurovelo 6 / Donauradweg emerge. The trail, which starts on the best asphalt, soon becomes a trail adventure behind Böny. Huge puddles and mud holes require a lot of skill to avoid these obstacles. Soon, the road runs again on asphalt, but it is fully penetrated with small holes. These can not be circumvented, so the route to Komarom has its very own challenges.
Arriving in Komarom, both a beautiful campsite and a thermal bath await you. The bathroom was a very welcome relaxation after the first stages of my tour.
Until Budapest it is still a stage. The highlight on this stage is the "Donauknie". Here the Danube, which actually flows from west to east, makes a bend to the south. Here, too, all those who denounce the Donauradweg as long-term denies lies. The landscape is wonderful and it is really much pleasure to drive here. With these beautiful impressions in the head, the kilometers on a main road to Budapest can be borne. Just a little more, I'm at the entrance to the Sziget Festival. This would achieve my (first and (official)) goal. Until here I wanted to go to at least. It would have surprised me very much if it had not worked out.
I'm standing in front of the entrance to the festival grounds and I see nothing of the festival except for wheel loaders, forklift trucks and many hardworking people. It will not start until tomorrow. Today there is nothing going on and camping will probably not be there. Somehow frustrated, I'm looking for a campground in the city. Not far away I'll find it. There I will have a rest day. I use the day to wash my clothes, check the bike and the trailer and do nothing else. In the evening, I can no longer really pull myself to go to the Sziget. I've been there twice, so the festival will have to do without me this year.
I'll leave tomorrow morning to go to the Black Sea!

Driving a bike through Budapest was something special. Probably because I have visited the city twice and was on the road or by public transport. Today I am quite independently on the road. I pass Parliament, the city center and the many bridges across the Danube. Behind the last bridge the image of the city changes quickly. The noble houses are quickly disappeared and industrial ruins dominate the picture. The streets have partly not deserved this designation and pot hole trails make the journey really strenuous.
A day later, I am sitting in the evening with friends from Leonberg in their summer domicile. I am a guest there and can enjoy the hospitality. The next morning's break is really hard. This was not due to the wine and not on the flatfoot in the rear wheel, but simply because it was really very nice there. But the east is calling and I still have a great way ahead of me.
After a hot day, I continue to Vukovar. The Croatian city has been heavily contested during the war. Partially you can see the buildings. The watchtower of Vukovar still stands as a memorial. On a fairly hilly stretch we continue to Ilok. The border with Serbia is not far away. The first big city I go through in Serbia is Novi Sad. With its ugly high-rise buildings (I'm sorry if I say so hard ...) the city is not inviting. I continue the day a little further to Beska, where I stay in a guesthouse. The day was stressful. Everything has happened ...

Part 4

The Danube in Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria

In the meantime, the weather has chosen pure sun. It is hot in the afternoon. The temperatures are certainly at 35 ° C or more. I can not say that exactly, because the thermometer in the bike tachometer shows 43.8 ° C, because it is just in the blazing sun. In the meantime I do not go with long clothes, because it is just too hot. I cream thick with sun protection, which helps half way.
Soon I reach Belgrade. The city is very interesting with its partly quite old town districts and houses. The river Sava flows into the Danube. I find the way out of the city well. There are signs that show the way. It goes over a multi-lane road from the city. I'm gonna give the right gas to not be too slow in heavy traffic. At one point, however, I am not alert and miss the branch. My attempt with the help of the navi to correct this error a few kilometers later ends in mud and dense scrub. I actually have to return the entire wrongly traveled route again. At the missed signpost I take the right path and quickly get off the main road. It goes on quiet paths over floodwaters further through some villages. In the Hungarian village "Skorenovac" I spend the night and dig my frustration over the lost path and the march through mud and dirt at a sumptuous dinner and a few beers.
Romania receives me first with many altitudes. In the noon, the climb is very exhausting, as the cool driving wind is missing. This effort is rewarded with a beautiful view. I approach the "Iron Gate" kilometer by kilometer. At this point, the Danube is forced by steep rocks into a fairly narrow riverbed. The landscape of the Danube River is really incredibly beautiful. Just to see this incredibly beautiful scenery has paid off so far every effort. It is wonderful!
I camp on the banks of the Danube and take a dip in the river. But the water did not really clean my body. There was a slight lubrication film on the skin. A third eye is not growing for me (although I have something comical on the back, such a hubbel ...)
After passing the "big" and the "small boiler", I cross the border to Serbia. It is easier to find accommodation in Serbia. Only one day later I reached the border with Bulgaria. The country receives me with huge sunflower fields which are already bright in bright yellow. The area is very rural. Unfortunately, there are also villages that are almost extinct now. This is a pity.
The path runs over numerous hills. The ascents are partly very tiring. Often, however, the embankments are overgrown to form a few beautiful pictures of the Danube and the surrounding landscape. The Cyrillic scriptures give me some sorrow. Because I absolutely do not understand what the signs tell you. The signposts along the major roads are bilingual. There are also few branches where you can go wrong, so there is no problem because of the Cyrillic script.
Meanwhile, my odometer shows 2600 km.
Despite the good training, the constant slopes and descents are very forceful in the long run. In Bulgaria the course of the route does not change. For this reason, I decide to return to the Serbian side of the Danube. Here the course of the route is much flatter.

Part 5

The Danube in Romania

Romania is also very agricultural in this area. While I am still amazed at every horse-drawn carriage I see, this sight soon becomes self-evident. The people on the wagons salute with a friendly "Salute!". A greeting, which I took over soon.
In the villages the children often play in front of the house. When they see me, many of them run to the street. They call aloud, waving and stretching out the arm to "hit". In the meantime, I know that cycling gloves do not only protect you from the pain of a bicycle crash. Partially, the kids give me five so hard, that it almost hurts.
The possibilities to find a pension are partly very poor. That is why I have the tent. I am always looking for places where I do not notice if possible. I think this is the best method: if you are not seen, you do not arouse the interest of some people who may not necessarily be in good shape. But if you stay completely in the Pampa it may be just that maybe a wild animal comes near the tent. Even if the horror was initially great, it is probably that a wild boar usually has more fear of humans than vice versa.
In the cities, however, it is no problem to find accommodation. There is actually always everything that people need. While there are almost always one or more "Tante Emma" shops in the villages, there are also Kaufland, Penny and Co. in the cities. There are also numerous markets in the cities where there are daily fresh fruit and vegetables.
On the main roads in front of and behind the big cities is partly quite dense traffic. The truck drivers are really very ruthless. Only one of them pulls dangerously close to me with his trailer. He also used half the road for himself because he drove snake lines. Well, 40-ton driving makes sure on these narrow streets really much fun. I just hope he does not even drive someone to death.
With the ferry it goes again over the Danube, one remains however in Romania. Bulgaria separates an old rusty fence from Romania. The city Silistra is located in Bulgaria. Gradually the first signposts will show up the kilometers to Constanta. The kilometers are still three digits, but it is no longer far to the Black Sea. The landscape is unfortunately also not so flat. In the meantime there are also some strong ascents in Romania.
The area seems very "suitable" for the wind power. There are huge wind parks, the windmills turning quickly. Unfortunately, this is a strong headwind for me. This makes the journey very strenuous. As if the constant ascents were not already exhausting enough. The trip is sometimes almost an obstacle. It is glowing hot and the opposite wind can reach a maximum of 10 ... 15 km / h. I just can not do more. My legs are burning and my water is running up. I have counted and come to 15 liters a day. Well, it's already 8 o'clock in the morning and temperature has already exceeted 24°C. In the afternoon it is over 35 ° C. In addition, the blazing sun and the wind.
On my way to the north I decided to change the route. I do not go to Braila and Galati, but take the direct route to Tulcea.
Tulcea is the largest city on the Donaudelta. Here, the Danube branches into three arms, which ultimately lead into the Black Sea. The Donaudelta is a World Cultural Heritage and deserved it.

Part 6

Donaudelta and the Black Sea

It is no longer possible to ride a bike on the spot. I book a day trip with an excursion boat to the Donaudelta. The weather is very pleasant and the ride with the boat very relaxed. To get to the zero kilometer you have to race with the speedboat across the Danube. It's been a few kilometers to get there. The ride in such a speedboat looks anything but relaxed. The people cling to the seat or elsewhere, the boats bounce over the waves and spray spills repeatedly into the boats. No, I just prefere to watch the birds and fish along the Danube. There is very much to see and off the main arms it is very quiet. I sleep in between, but I am immediately awakened by the passengers on the boat.
After a relaxing day in the Donaudelta I will then drive the last leg up to Constanta.
The streets had been running very little this Sunday. With a small carriage I ride the bet, who is faster. An exciting competition is developing. Unfortunately, the success soon comes to a strong cooling: On the way I am in a violent thunderstorm. Unfortunately, there was no way to get under the umbrella of trees. Because I was within a few minutes already completely wet, it did not bother me then also to drive the next two hours in the pouring rain. I did not think a thunderstorm could have such a long breath. The water was on the streets, and thunder and lightning were still stronger than I had happily found a shelter in a small town.
A little later the spook is over and I can continue to Constanta.

Finally I arrived at the Black Sea!
Bathing in the sea was wonderful.

For me, the dream of the bike ride to the Black Sea has been fulfilled. This makes me really very happy.
I'm glad to have done it without something happening. I am just as glad that I had the courage to go off just four weeks ago and I am grateful that I got the time for this trip.

Now it is about organizing my journey home.
I do not know how easy it will be to get home again. There are different possibilities. Bus or train. I have not booked or reserved in advance of my trip, since I really had no idea if and if so, when I arrive at all in Constanta. In addition, the journey to the North Cape also showed that there is always a way home.

Part 7

Return journey

I decided against the return journey by bus. The ride starts around midnight in Constanta and it is just not sure that on board is a place for the bike. So I go to the station and inquire about a ticket to Bucharest. I make my trailer a bit better transportable in which I remove the fencing and put a tensioning strap around the trailer with the luggage bag. The trailer can be worn much better now in order to be able to transport the bicycle and trailer at once.
From Constanta to Bucharest the trip takes about two hours. There is a car where bicycles can be taken. Everything runs smoothly.

Because the first part of the return journey by train was so easy, I decided to continue by train. In Bucharest, I buy a ticket for a trip to Budapest at a very "motivated" service lady.
In the train I attach the bike to the front of the first car at the passage to the locomotive, because there no one must / can pass through. There the bike should at least disturb. The conductor is not really happy when I tell him that I have not received a bicycle card and was told to "settle" with him on the train. But he did not bother on my bike. The trip to Budapest went a little longer than I had expected. The information in Bucharest was unfortunately not quite clear. Quarter to Nine, can mean both 21:15 clock, and 09:15 clock the next morning. Since the last time was meant, the issue of accommodation in Budapest was settled as well.
On the next morning I went on to Gyor via Vienna. There was then a break. I just had no desire to go on the train. I just wanted to get out. In a nice youth hostel I spent one night and went the next day by train over Salzburg to Munich. The weather was horrible. And when changing trains, I noticed that I am a bit too summery for the Austrian and German summer weather.
Towards evening I reach Stuttgart.

The last kilometers from Stuttgart to Leonberg, of course, I drive by bicycle. After three days on the train, I really need some exercise. The slope from the Westbahnhof to the Birkenkopf I do myself with the trailer quite fast. Well, the 3500 km you notice nevertheless.

With a good friend I meet in the evening in Leonberg for a beer (or two). I'll tell you about my experiences until I get tired of sleep. The next morning I am also happy to tell my mother about my trip.

This would end the Donauradtour 2014.

I hope that I can go on a big tour again!

Black Sea Tour 2014

Summary Black Sea Tour 2014