May 17, 2010 - Rheinspitz to Friedrichshafen

Estimated Mileage: 47 miles
Trip Route: http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=132330
Photo Album: http://picasaweb.google.com/benkrok/May172010RheinspitzToFriedrichshafen

Today I would describe as "the Best of Times, the Wurst of Times".  The first half of the day started with a Mile Zero milestone, trundling through some of most peaceful and idyllic roads I'd ever seen: in the Rhine Delta nature park.  I crossed into Austria via this crossing:

I guess if the Austrians don't like the looks of you, they can throw you into that fetid pool of marsh water to the right of the sign.  But, since there was nobody manning the border, I didn't have anything to worry about.

The Rhine delta was some of the most spectacular riding I've ever done.  Miles of well-maintained dirt roads, winding their ways through protected marshes, farmland and stands of forest:

And then I was in for a serious attitude adjustment.  I had forgotten to bring along a power adapter, so my plan was to stop in at Bregenz and buy one.  Easier said than done.  I was bounced around from Electronik Shop to a department store, back to a different Electronik shop where I ended up finally buying a 50 EUR laptop plug because there simply aren't any US-to-German power adapters in Bregenz, apparently.  Three hours of schlepping my unwieldy bike around an Austrian lakeside metropolis. Bregenz electronic suppliers = Thumbs Down!

Right after Bregenz, the German border looms:

The signage become a little less obvious in Germany, but still quite good.  Also, note that I'm entering the Free State of Bavaria.  Bavaria was pretty much it's own country until very recently (the late 1800's I believe).  Apparently, it's a very traditional and conservative region.  Also, many of the American attitudes and stereotypes (both positive and negative) stem from Bavaria due to the fact that the American Zone of occupation encompassed it.

I stopped in the town of Lindau, for a cup of coffee at the port:

The rest of the day's ride was very crowded and very annoying.  After spending 3 days riding through the most wonderfully marked trails through the Swiss and Austrian countryside, I spent the afternoon dodging swarms of tourists, riding on roads shared with cars and losing my way a few times.  Also, swarms of black flies plagued large parts of the route so that if you opened your mouth it was like someone threw a handful of chiclets at your teeth.  Unpleasant.  I arrived at a campground on the banks of Lake Constance and for the first time since my trip, little twinges of "exactly why am I doing this?!?!" started creeping into the back of my mind.

After a beer and a Wurst with some curry sauce pored on it, I told myself to cork it, and Do It.  Sleep came fast and easy...