Klosterneuburg - Vienna: A hop, skip and a jump
Sunday April 10, 2011, 25 km - Total so far: 364 km
When we arrive in the evening we are usually more interested in finding a room, taking a shower and getting something to eat than looking at our surroundings. We put that off for the next day. And so it was today. Before we got on the road to Vienna, we had a look around at the town Klosterneuburg, the site of a wealthy Augustinian monastery (consecrated 1136), the oldest in Austria.
When we arrive in the evening we are usually more interested in finding a room, taking a shower and getting something to eat than looking at our surroundings. We put that off for the next day. And so it was today. Before we got on the road to Vienna, we had a look around at the town Klosterneuburg, the site of a wealthy Augustinian monastery (consecrated 1136), the oldest in Austria.
Departure in front of Hotel and Bakery Kranister
In Kloster Neuburg
Kloster Neuburg
Kloster Neuburg
Kloster Neuburg
We were propelled by the strong northwest wind that we had become familiar with over the past few days and were in Vienna in no time. The 25 km into the city were easy cycling. The bike path followed a canal into the heart of Vienna and was well signposted. We had no big-city stress whatsoever and had plenty of time before heading to the station for our 4:30 train.
Looking back to Kloster Neuburg from the bike path
We're on our way.
Bike path into Vienna
Along the way we rode by the heating plant designed by Hundertwasser. I had seen the building from a moving train when we were in Vienna two years ago and was glad to be able to stop and look this time.
Spittelau district heating plant designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser
Riding into Vienna
Once we were in Vienna, I put my camera away. I felt the trip was over, and so it was. We didn't have any plans for our short stay and spent our time cycling about to places we knew from our previous visit. The better part of the afternoon was spent in a sidewalk cafe: basking in the sun. We ate ice cream and watched the people as they walked by.
First impressions of the new e-bike
I love everything about me e-bike EXCEPT that it is HEAVY. That is no problem whatsoever when I am riding, but sometimes you have to lift or carry your bike. We were put to the test on the way home with lifting our bikes onto trains. We had to change trains twice and each time we had trains with steps up into the carriage, not the roll-on entries that make life so much easier. We always had enough time to take the panniers off first and then with Janos lifting from below and me pulling from above, we got the bikes on board. We were glad to see that this will not be an insurmountable problem. Changing trains is stress, that's all there is to it.
On our last few cycling tours, we had gotten used to setting goals that we then didn't achieve. One example was last summer when we came home early, blaming it on bicycle problems and the heat, but that was only half of the truth. We were tired and had lost our enthusiasm. Something similar happened the year before when we came home earlier than planned because we were worn out. This is to be my last eulogy of our e-bikes, but we arrived in Vienna just as enthusiastic as we were when we set out. Of course, this was a short journey of less than a week, but we never had that totally kaputt feeling at the end of the day.
First impressions of the new e-bike
I love everything about me e-bike EXCEPT that it is HEAVY. That is no problem whatsoever when I am riding, but sometimes you have to lift or carry your bike. We were put to the test on the way home with lifting our bikes onto trains. We had to change trains twice and each time we had trains with steps up into the carriage, not the roll-on entries that make life so much easier. We always had enough time to take the panniers off first and then with Janos lifting from below and me pulling from above, we got the bikes on board. We were glad to see that this will not be an insurmountable problem. Changing trains is stress, that's all there is to it.
On our last few cycling tours, we had gotten used to setting goals that we then didn't achieve. One example was last summer when we came home early, blaming it on bicycle problems and the heat, but that was only half of the truth. We were tired and had lost our enthusiasm. Something similar happened the year before when we came home earlier than planned because we were worn out. This is to be my last eulogy of our e-bikes, but we arrived in Vienna just as enthusiastic as we were when we set out. Of course, this was a short journey of less than a week, but we never had that totally kaputt feeling at the end of the day.
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