13.09.-16.09.2017 A short visit to Austria

After crossing the border that was right behind Lipno, we went to Austria and you could feel that you were entering a different country. Suddenly, the nature looked tidy, the streets and houses looked neat. And then there were these massive mountains. At first, we didn't really know what to make of it, everything somehow seemed unreal. After a short shopping stop in Linz (unspectacular city), we continued to Steinbach at the Attersee to a campsite to do the laundry. The Attersee and the mountain panorama are impressive, but in the evening, as expected, it started raining again. However, the next day was supposed to be a highlight. 25° and sunshine. So I set the alarm to 7 and went on a great bike tour. 2000m ascent, sunshine, and indescribable impressions of the country and the people remained. On the tour, I met several riders and we had a short chat. Along the way, I visited the Auersee and the Langbarthsee, which was the highlight of nature so far. In it, the entire landscape is reflected like in a mirror. The picture explains it more beautifully... 

After that, I continued with my road bike on a gravel track (where I broke a spoke) over the mountain pass and then back to the campsite. The sky was blue and we wanted to go on a short hike, but clouds started rising behind the mountains and the temperature dropped by 15° and there was continuous rain and wind. We just laughed and I was already blissful from my tour.

However, the next day was supposed to start sunny and we looked for a new wild campsite and found one in the next town. It was a beautiful hiking parking lot with a freshly cleaned luxury toilet and a bench. After an introductory tour to the Nixenfall, we also went to the Schoberstein (1035m). The path to the Schoberstein was a different story. The route, marked as medium difficulty, was initially okay even though you had to hold on occasionally. But near the top, it was a different story. This is where the climbing trail started. I suddenly remembered my fear of heights and was close to aborting. I pulled through and was ecstatic and looking forward to the next one. For now, extreme hiking doesn't have to happen. The captured moments always bring a smile to my face. It was amazing.

In the evening, we discussed and decided to move further south due to a weather forecast of 7 days of rain and daytime temperatures of up to 7° and night temperatures just above zero. We had the choice between Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, and Italy. Italy was chosen because we hope for sun in Slovenia on our later trip.

Austria summary: I was already in Austria for 8 days in July and I feel comfortable here. The nature and these massive mountains are incredibly fascinating for me and my affinity for cycling in the mountains. Almost every road for cycling is well-maintained and there are countless hiking trails. I find the rural population to be very approachable, you can't avoid a short chat at every corner. If you love mountains, lakes, and rivers, Austria is the right place.