Day 5--Ulm to Ingolstadt in Bavaria, Germany

Judy’s packing up and going home

Sunday, June 29, 2008
Ulm to Ingolstadt in Bavaria, Germany
Distance: 150 km (93 miles)

X+: As we pedal today we are tracing the northern border of the Roman empire in Germany. Gunzburg, for example, still preserves the straight streets of a Roman military outpost dating to 70 BC. Ingolstadt, too, is an historic center with its 12th century Medieval wall well preserved.

A long day. I think that one kilometer on these tracks and varied surfaces probably equals about 2 miles (or more) in time spent on the bike.

We rode a beautiful paved track for quite a way but it turned into a winding trail through the woods that was gravel, deep gravel, and eventually dirt. Finally we came out and then rode two-lane, unshouldered roads for most of the rest of the day. We cannot figure how Philipp or Stefania knows to lay down their arrows on the myriad trails in the woods. They must have GPS.

Judy, Carolyn, Harold and I got lost so paid an unscheduled visit to Eltheim. I am finding that my pace and theirs is not at all compatible. Harold & Carolyn are in their early 70s I would guess and are riding upright on big-tired, flat–handlebar bikes. Judy is a very slow and timid rider, and with reason. She doesn't speak the language, is on a bike that is a too big  for her, and most of all, she has no sense of direction and must ride with those who do. On the trails, the pace difference is not so noticeable, but when we have road riding, these three poke along. Getting lost only added to our time on the road in the heat and sun.

Today we crossed the River 8 times and cycled uphill and down. We had been given a packed lunch at the Hotel zum Baumle and stopped to eat it in the shade. One sandwich was delicious cheeses but the other was fatty meat and not very good. There was also an apple, banana, and three small sesame seed cookies, so we had plenty to fuel us on our way.

We passed through several walled medieval towns today. We’d enter through a gate (sometimes over a moat) and then exit through another gate. One gate even sported a family of storks. 

Bicycle at left says "Vacancy Bicyclists Welcome"

In a little walled town that was celebrating the World Cup, we caught up with Barbara. Because of her St Pete’s to Istanbul ride with X+, she was experienced in hunting down WCs. That she did. When we got back on route after the WC, we found Harold and Carolyn.

Soon Judy, Harold, and Carolyn were far behind Barbara and me. We’d stop to wait. Eventually Judy would catch up to us and then we’d go a bit and wait until she’d catch up again. Finally, at 5 o’clock after waiting near a pile of logs seemingly forever, we decided to ride at our own speed into Ingolstadt. We knew that Rick was sweeping and that Harold and Carolyn were there to ride with Judy.

Barbara and I got in at  5:30 pm; a furious Judy got in a 7:00 pm. How could we have left her? She got lost, couldn’t find the arrows, had to ride into the city by herself, could have been mugged or worse. If this is the way it’s going to be she was packing up and going home. Yadda! Yadda! Yadda!

I let her vent and then explained that we’d left her with Carolyn and Harold and Rick, who was sweeping. She said that she and Carolyn & Harold had gotten separated and claimed that Rick was in the square having a beer when she got in. She was going to talk to him. What kind of a tour leader was he? Yadda, yadda, yadda again.

I told her that if leaving was what she wanted to do, go for it. I explained that our paces were vastly different and that sticking with her put me in the saddle and in the heat far too long each day. Today’s near century length had tired me, and neither Barbara or I wanted to spend another two hours on the road. I simply wanted to get in so that I’d have time each day to cool down and to enjoy our overnight city. I also explained that, yes, we’d agreed to be roommates, but we were not “joined at the hip.” I would help lead her out of our overnight cities, but then if I knew that she had someone to ride with and the sweep was behind her, I was going to ride at my own pace each day.

Our hotel this evening, Altstadt Hotel, was quite pleasant and modern. To appease Judy, I let her have two beds while I slept on the cot. (Frequently our room would be a “family” room with two beds pushed together to provide a large bed for the parents and a small, narrow bed for a child—this because Judy joined so late and they’d had to switch me from a single room to one that would accommodate two.)

Below our window was a beer garden. Despite the fact that Germany lost to Spain (1-zip), some celebrated boisterously all night long. It rained in the night and rained in the window and onto my cot. Rick complained in the morning that he’d been kept awake most of the night. Wasn't the most restful night of the ride.