Distance cycled: 61km
Distance hitch hiked: 11km

Today we travelled from Linz to Grein, and what an adventure it was. We cycled mostly along the North Bank of the Danube today, which was fairly flat, mostly paved and with great signage. Very different from our previous days on much more rugged trails.

The first few km out of Linz were fairly industrial – passing a quarry & the hydroelectric power station. About 10km out it became much more picturesque – lots of little villages & freshly ploughed fields ready for spring planting.

Visited the Mauthausen Memorial – the concentration camp where Austrians were interned during the Nazi regime. Incredibly sobering experience and very eerie.

Although we were proud of ourselves that we managed the 1km climb at 14 degree (very steep) incline up to the memorial without having to get off the bike!

The afternoon was somewhat more eventful. About 10 km from our hotel the front dereiller jammed – David applied his best mechanical skills to no avail – I gave him lots of encouragement but was otherwise generally useless. Just as we were about to face the long walk a lovely old man who knew a man with a trailer stopped for us. He set the jungle drums going and before we knew it we (and our bike) were crammed into a pick up on our way to a bike mechanic in Grein. The mechanic had NO English, but our general understanding after much gesticulation is that he knows what the problem is and will have the bike ready for us at 9am tomorrow morning. We have another 70 k ride tomorrow, so are really hoping we haven’t got our wires crossed.

Finally arriving at our hotel at 6pm with sore bottoms, sunburn and seriously damaged pride, there was no choice but to roll out the big guns!