Stages 2 and 3: Lienz-Greifenburg-Spittal/Drau

The next two stages can be summarized well and they include several highlights. First, the weather was predicted to be pretty lousy, so we prepared for the worst - but it turned out differently. Second, the Drau Cycle Path has been practically ours since Lienz. But let's start from the beginning...

Waking up in Lienz with pouring rain is the perfect start to a cycling stage. Thanks to modern technology, we always have access to the precipitation radar, and today the forecast was accurate. By 10:00 a.m. the rain was over and we started a rather short 39 km route, primarily with the goal of not getting completely soaked. After a rather uninspiring sightseeing tour through an industrial area, thanks to construction detours (they exist even outside of Switzerland), we finally found the cycle path. The first section between the railway and the Drau River was straight and rather monotonous. But then, right after crossing the border to Carinthia, the scenery changes. The path now often leads on very well-maintained dirt roads, sometimes along the river through jungle-like meadows, then again slightly uphill through alpine vegetation. A larger part also leads along almost deserted secondary roads, which has the advantage of passing picturesque villages with onion-domed churches. All in all, yesterday was similar to today, which was by no means boring but rather stunningly beautiful. Additionally, unlike on Day 1, we had to pedal quite a bit at times because there were numerous inclines, which were always rewarded with longer descents.

Yesterday we stayed in Greifenburg, a smaller village. The weather was so good that we even had the opportunity to take a swim in a fabulous swimming lake. And the simple guest room in the town center provided an idyllic view of the valley, fields, and cows, after three nights with a view of a hotel parking lot.

Today, as mentioned, a similar pattern for the 35 km to Spittal on the Drau River. The fact that it started to rain lightly again towards the end didn't bother us much. It was really just light rain. So now we are both in Spittal and thankfully not in the hospital. After having a hearty snack at the well-known local pastry shop Moser, which boasts a selection of 40 types of cakes, we decided, due to the improving weather, to ride the remaining 5 km to the nearby Millstätter See and immediately regretted not having found accommodation there. It is truly a gem. It was rather odd, though, that there are several private beach resorts, all of which were closed (July, high season, summer holidays, warm???). We were lucky at the 3rd beach and were reluctantly allowed in, even though it was 'supposedly closed,' and after about an hour the nice gentleman came to us and said it was time to leave... It seems that we don't have a complete monopoly on homemade customer service deserts after all. So now we are staying in Spittal until tomorrow, which, with all due respect, doesn't offer much besides the 40 types of cakes, a beautiful castle, and the associated beautiful park. We are looking forward to tomorrow's stage, hopefully with sunny weather, to Villach.