Latest From Our Europe Bike Tour

by Jonathan, October 22nd, 2009 | No Comments

We made it to Vienna!  On the way to Vienna, we got rained on, we got hailed on, and we even got snowed on, but we made it!   Cassie uploaded some more photos.  Check them out http://www.grinnellgallery.com/photos/schmitzc/

Danube Bike Tour

by Cassie, October 8th, 2009 | No Comments

We’re having a great time biking along the Danube River! Currently, we’re in Regensburg, Germany, and we only have a few more days in Germany before we cross the border into Austria. The bike route along the Danube is great! We spend most of our time riding along bike paths or along quiet country lanes. We’re managing to get by with our minimal German – our best German is ‘Sprechen sie English?’ (Do you speak English?). Most people reply by saying, ‘A little bit’, but then, they speak very good English. We know enough to get a campsite at night with: ein Zeld, zwei Erwachsene, und ein Nacht (one tent, two adults, and one night) 🙂

Some notes on Germany:

  • There are solar panels on lots of the roofs here! The German government has done a great job developing solar energy here, and it is really shows. We met a father and daughter that were biking along the Danube, and they said they had a solar water heater at their house.
  • People drink lots of Beer! There are Biergartens everywhere (especially in Bavaria) and we’ve seen people having beer at 10 or 11 in the morning while reading the morning newspaper at the cafe/bakery
  • Meat is very popular here, too. When we were in Freiburg, there were lots of sausage stands set up in front of the Münster where you could get any type of sausage you want.