1 Von Bergen, Aufgeben und Wiedersehen mit der Verwandtschaft

Day 1: Wednesday, 10.7.2019

Route: Allgäu-Vorarlberg (Travel to Fischen, drive up a mountain pass, turn around and go to Sonthofen)

distance traveled: approx. 55 km

Early in the morning, my dad drove me and my bike to Ingolstadt train station. There I bought a Bayern ticket and a bike ticket and started my tour. At first everything was fine, but then the conductor said that the ticket was only valid from 9:00 and I had to buy another valid ticket. It cost 45€. In cash. I didn't have any more money with me. Angry, I continued my journey. In Augsburg I had to change trains and continued to Fischen. Along the way, I met a guy, around 30 years old, with whom I chatted for a long time. He also enjoyed cycling. And then a 17-year-old girl who told me about her half-life and was definitely unhappy. I listened to her. In Fischen, I got off the train and started cycling towards Oberstdorf.

From there I continued along the river, always uphill. I had chosen a pass where you had to climb about 1400 meters over 30 km, then a bit up and down over 20 km, and then 50 km downhill. At the beginning it was really nice. The weather was sunny and warm, lots of people, good paved roads. Once I took a wrong turn, but I didn't notice until I had cycled 5 km uphill. I didn't want to turn around and I saw a couple coming towards me who had carried their bikes a short distance and then found the right way again. I did the same.

The path was no longer paved, I walked downhill over steps, then I was on a narrow hiking trail, across a river and between cows. Then I was on the paved road. That was pretty funny! On the road, it continued uphill, it was exhausting. Eventually, the paved road ended, there were hardly any people around, and I had to push the bike. Progress was very slow. Eventually, I reached a point where I could see almost all the mountains and I only had 4 km to the summit. However, it was also 400 meters in altitude. And I would have to carry the bike.

I couldn't do it anymore. When I finally fell, I decided to turn around and not spend the night at Wolfgang's in Feldkirch. Within an hour, I was back down the 25 km I had traveled and called my Aunt Regina at the Oberstdorf train station, where I could stay. Eventually, around 5 pm, I arrived at Regina's with a few more detours, and she wasn't home yet, but my cousin Elisabeth was.

We got along so well, even though we hadn't seen each other in a long time! When Regina arrived, we went out for ice cream first, then Elisabeth had to take photos of trees for a school project. During all that, we talked a lot! Even during dinner, where my uncle Christian also briefly showed up. And afterwards. I got to sleep in the other apartment over there. It was very, very nice.