Suzanne's Cycling Site
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      • Continuing on the Romantic Road >
        • Day 1 - Donauwörth to Raustetten
        • Day 2 - Raustetten to Dorfgütingen
        • Day 3 - Dorfgütingen to Creglingen
        • Day 4 - Creglingen to Hochhausen
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      • Alpe-Adria Tour 2018 >
        • 1. Alsace or the Alps?
        • 2. We're Off: Munich to Bruckmühl
        • 3. Mountains Aready? Bruckmühl to Übersee
        • 4. Almost Salzburg: Übersee to Freilassing
        • 5. On the Ciclovia Alpe-Adria: Freilassing to Golling
        • 6. A Short Ride: Golling to Werfen
        • 7. A Patch of Blue Sky: Werfen to Sankt Veit
        • 8. Holed up in Sankt Veit
        • 9. The Big Climb: Sankt Veit to Unterkolbnitz
        • 10. Inching Our Way: Kolbnitz to Spittal
        • 11. Flat and Dry: Spittal to Arnoldstein
        • 12. Buongiorno Bella Italia: Arnoldstein to Chiusaforte
        • 13. Best Bike Path Ever: Chiusaforte to Tavagnacco
        • 14. Closer to the Sea: Tavagnacco to Palmanova
        • 15. Last Day on the Road: Palmanova to Grado
        • 16. Grado and How We Got Home
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An Abbey and a Beer

30/3/2017

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Time to start getting in shape so we took advantage of some pleasant early spring weather for a short, two-day tour. Under a bright blue sky we headed for Scheyern, location of a monastery and beer brewery established in 1119, as well as a place to sleep, all located in pretty Bavarian countryside.
Picture
Our bags are packed and we're ready to roll
All went well although we had some challenging hills as we got closer to Scheyern, and we definitely were a little saddle sore after not having ridden a tour of any length for quite a while!
Picture
Bavarian countryside close to Munich - still flat
How good it was to be on the road again, to sit down on a park bench for a simple roadside picnic, to discover little towns we didn't know existed, to curse the climbs and gloat upon reaching the top with the best views, to be outdoors all day long and to experience the feeling of accomplishment upon reaching our destination at the end of the day.
Picture
When we reached Scheyern Abbey, the monastery beer was a welcome reward for our efforts. They brew a Helles (lager), Dunkles (dark beer), Weißbier (wheat beer), Doppelbock (double bock), Pils (pilsner), and a "Hopfazupfabier".
Picture
Scheyern Abbey founded in 1119 - its brewery claims to be the third-oldest-brewery in Germany.
For the return ride we chose a different route, which again treated us to a pretty and hilly bit of Bavaria. We marveled at - and were also thankful for - the number of excellent dedicated bike paths we encountered which took us off roads with no shoulder and too much traffic.
Picture
Poles for growing hops, one of the main ingredients for beer - and beer and the church are essential ingredients of Bavaria
In the two days we covered a little over 100 kilometers. A good start into the season. A few more days in the saddle and we'll be fit for the big tour.
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Fast Forward and Back in Munich

26/3/2017

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Our time in Andalusia came to an end and in mid-February we returned to Munich. The snow was gone and it looked like spring was just around the corner. Which meant one thing to me - time to get on my bike.

Picture
Spring was just around the corner
Since then I have had bike touring on my brain. Janos and I haven't been doing too much cycling for a while. Everyday cycling around town, yes, but we haven't gone on any extended tours. There was a short tour in the Czech Republic and another one north of Berlin, but neither of them was much more than a week. The passion was dormant, but it's still there and has now resurfaced.


Picture
Let's fill those bags and get those wheels rolling!
We have decided on a tour in Belgium, or more precisely Flanders, home of my maternal grandparents who immigrated to the US when they were in their teens. My mother spoke Flemish - or Dutch, it's the same language - as a child and yes, I'd like to have a closer look at the country where my grandparents came from.

Another reason for touring in Flanders is that there is an extensive network of bike paths. Not to forget the many varieties of good beer, the pommes frites, waffles, Belgian chocolate ... oh, so many reasons to go to Belgium. And last but not least - it's flat! At least Flanders is, and that is where we are headed.

I think I have the logistics worked out. It should be simple. There is a direct train from Munich (where we live) to Düsseldorf which takes bicycles. From there it will be about 100 km to the Belgian border. The return trip is still open. I like to picture us cycling all the way back - but let's first see how we feel on a longer tour after so many years. We're both closer to 80 than 70 and I want to remain realistic.
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    My blog...

    ... is up and running again. It is a space for notes on my daily doings - walks, bike rides, photo outings, travel. Thanks for reading.

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  • Home
  • Bicycle Tours
    • 2021 >
      • Autumn in the Allgäu
      • Austria Again
      • A Dip into Tyrol
      • Wertheim and Beyond
      • We got as far as Wertheim
      • Bavarian Getaways
    • 2020 >
      • Out and About in Bavaria >
        • Day 1: Gauting - Bad Tölz
        • Day 2: Bad Tölz - Bad Kohlgrub
        • Day 3: Bad Kohlgrub - Landsberg
        • Day 4: Landsberg - Gauting
    • 2019 >
      • The Season Has Begun
      • Pedaling and Shooting in Bavaria >
        • Day 1
        • Day 2
      • More Pedaling in Bavaria >
        • Day 1
        • Day 2
      • Cycling the Inn in Austria >
        • Day 1 Gautig to Tölz
        • Day 2 Tölz to Jenbach
        • Day 3 Jenbach to Innsbruck
        • Day 4 Innsbruck to Rietz
        • Day 5 Rietz to Landeck
        • Day 6 Landeck and Home
    • 2018 >
      • A Two Day Outing
      • A nine-day tour in Lower Bavaria >
        • Day 1
        • Day 2
        • Day 3
        • Day 4
        • Day 5
        • Day 6
        • Day 7
        • Day 8
        • Day 9
      • The Romantic Road >
        • Day 1 - Füssen to Peiting
        • Day 2 - Peiting to Klosterlechfeld
        • Day 3 - Kosterlechfeld to Gersthofen
        • Day 4 - Gersthofen to Donauwörth
        • Day 5 - Train Ride Home
      • Continuing on the Romantic Road >
        • Day 1 - Donauwörth to Raustetten
        • Day 2 - Raustetten to Dorfgütingen
        • Day 3 - Dorfgütingen to Creglingen
        • Day 4 - Creglingen to Hochhausen
        • Day 5: Hochhausen to Uettingen
        • Day 6 - Uettingen to Würzburg
      • Alpe-Adria Tour 2018 >
        • 1. Alsace or the Alps?
        • 2. We're Off: Munich to Bruckmühl
        • 3. Mountains Aready? Bruckmühl to Übersee
        • 4. Almost Salzburg: Übersee to Freilassing
        • 5. On the Ciclovia Alpe-Adria: Freilassing to Golling
        • 6. A Short Ride: Golling to Werfen
        • 7. A Patch of Blue Sky: Werfen to Sankt Veit
        • 8. Holed up in Sankt Veit
        • 9. The Big Climb: Sankt Veit to Unterkolbnitz
        • 10. Inching Our Way: Kolbnitz to Spittal
        • 11. Flat and Dry: Spittal to Arnoldstein
        • 12. Buongiorno Bella Italia: Arnoldstein to Chiusaforte
        • 13. Best Bike Path Ever: Chiusaforte to Tavagnacco
        • 14. Closer to the Sea: Tavagnacco to Palmanova
        • 15. Last Day on the Road: Palmanova to Grado
        • 16. Grado and How We Got Home
    • 2016 >
      • To Berlin and Beyond
    • 2013 >
      • Eight Wheels in Transit
    • 2011 >
      • From Passau to Vienna
    • 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006
  • Day Rides
    • Rides 2023
    • 2022 Rides
    • 2021 Walks and Rides
    • 2020 Bicycle Days
    • 2019 Rides >
      • Bicycle Days 2019
    • 2018 Rides >
      • Bicycle Days 2018
      • 2018 Monthly Challenges
      • Cycling in Circles
    • 2017 Rides and Challenges >
      • Late to the Party
      • The Munich Kaffeeklatsch
  • Bicycle Memories
    • 1981: Bicycling with Daniel
    • 1981 - Passau to Vienna
    • 1982 - Provence with Daniel
    • 1985: Believe It or Not
    • 1986 - Southwest France
  • About
  • Contact
  • My Blog
  • Miscellaneous
    • Hochbunkers in Munich