A bunch of bikepackers came into camp yesterday. All of them pairs, and most of them couples. Get it? Anyway, the American in me wants to chat them up, but they kinda stick to themselves, so interactions are a bit limited. I‘m just gonna go for it next time, to hell with German customs.

The ride

Today‘s ride was definitely the most fun thus far, though I can‘t say it was my favorite. Despite sleeping like poo and having sore quads and calves, as soon as I got my morning *ahem* ritual out of the way (it‘s crucial to lighten the load before you ride, trust me), I felt amped up and ready to go. And my goodness what was waiting for me!

The first 25km or so were mostly through forest interspersed with meadow which I didn‘t photograph until I got out and looked back:

It was also either paved cycle way or graded gravel forest service road, but both had no cars and were fast, which made for tons of fun.

Then the next 25km or so went around & through the largest wetlands in central Europe. This was also a graded gravel road, though a little twisty, so not quite as fast. Still, a helluva lot of fun, and around every curve a different view of the marsh or mountains:

So bloody cool. Another forest section followed, after which I emerged to more classic Bavarian ranchland scenery:

I‘m beginning to think I have an object permanence problem. I know where I am. I know the mountains are still there. But still, every time I pop out of a forest or town and into the countryside, I giggle at the view. Amazing.

The rest

I got into town early, so after having a sandwich, checking in, and doing laundry, I was off to find a lake. Because I was just picking points at random on a map, I failed to realize that today‘s town (Füssen) is the launching pad for tourism to the Neuschwanstein castle, the fairytale castle after which Disney modeled its logo. So it was hopping. And it was hot. I asked my hotel folks if they had an insider tip on which of the 10 lakes within 10km would give the best balance of pretty and not overrun, and the answer was Alatsee:

Bavaria is really the land of big mountains and beautiful lakes. I‘m excited for what I‘ll discover on the rest of my country tour, but I will absolutely miss the dramatic scenery and seemingly endless swimming opportunities I‘ve had thus far.