Wow. You two amaze me and inspire me. Have a great time and be safe.

Please check in and post pictures as often as you can.

Your hair looks great.

So funny, I was going to do a shout out to you! Sounds like an exciting plan and great that to have your husband riding too.
Keep us updated along the way. Safe travels :)

This post was edited by ellendi on Wed, May 28, 14 at 13:17

Happy trails, trail!

Have a wonderful time...such a pretty part of the world. Enjoy!

Was thinking about you & your trip as I ran the 10k on Monday! So great to hear from you; y'all look GREAT! Have fun and be safe! Hope to hear from you again if you can keep us updated!

That is awesome. Have a fabulous time!

red..thank you !! We are getting more rested...9 PM here and just got Pete's stuff...his bags were all lost and Delta just delivered his bike etc ! He and DH are down in the lobby of the apt where we are staying for 3 nights and putting the bike together. ( this was the disaster...Pete my friend from the 3 previous bike tours we have done is here too and his stuff was all lost yesterday by Delta ! )

Thanks Ellen for thinking of me...we just finished pizza and wine and talk...it is so nice to have a few days to get used to the time zone and re-connect.

Thank you dee...:) trails for trail ...

Annie we are so looking forward to riding all the rivers on a paved bike path for over 1300 miles ! Lots of views and pics and sightseeing along the way. I know you and your DH had a great trip...look forward to sharing. Thank you !

Congratulations to you outsideplaying and your DD and DGD...great times ! Take care in the heat. It has been in the 90's for DH and I on all our rides the past week so we have suffered !! It is so pleasant over here in Vienna...60's ! I will definitely keep you all posted. Thank you !

Thank you legomom..will post back for sure. We are so looking forward to this. I have always missed DH so much...what a treat to have him and my best biking friend both together on the same trip and they are best of friends too....my dream come true . c

I too have been wondering how you are doing - now I know - you're being adventurous as usual.

Where are you going, what countries. Is there a map we can link to that shows us?

As usual your energy, spirit and joie de vivre leave me pretty much speechless! Have a wonderful - safe - trip.

Wow....what an inspiration you are! Have a fabulous trip!

I was wondering where you were! Sharing your photos and trip with DH...Something to aspire to!
Beth

I am so, so happy for you . . . what an incredible trip you have planned! As always, I'm looking forward to your travelogue and pics. I have a good friend who has biked with a group around Italy the last two summers. Such a great way to see the countryside and meet new people. Enjoy!

Lynn

Hi bl..yes I can link the maps one at a time. Not sure how to do them all together as clickable links. So I will just add them as we go along. Thank you for thinking of me too !

dlm...you are too generous with your compliments :) Thank you !!

thank you joanie,,, I think this will definitely be a great adventure and so different from all my previous trips.

thank you Beth...it has made it so much better...like frosting on the cake :) I am so glad DH wanted to try his wings..or legs LOL on this adventure.

lynn...thank you too...yes there is no better way to see a country or area than at 12 mph. And the people we meet are the very best part !!

Here is a link that might be useful: Map 1

what good news ! it will be amazing to follow you !!

Ditto dlm200's sentiments, and I'll add COURAGE to that description for good measure! C, I know you will have a wonderful experience; I also know that you will help make the experience wonderful for others, because that is the kind of caretaking person you are. All those people are lucky to be on a trip with you.

Take care, take lots of pictures, and have the time of your life!!

I have wondered how you were doing! Great to see your post! I am so in awe of you!
Have to tell you, DH and I bought bikes too......just beach cruisers.....so not in your biking class by any means , but I figured it is a start for this sedentary 64 year old!

looking forward to your updates. Safe travels!

I have wondered how you were doing! Great to see your post! I am so in awe of you!
Have to tell you, DH and I bought bikes too......just beach cruisers.....so not in your biking class by any means , but I figured it is a start for this sedentary 64 year old!

looking forward to your updates. Safe travels!

So glad you posted a map. Am just inspired by you and just thrilled you and your DH are able to do this together! How exciting and wonderful!!

How especially nice that DH is with you - is that a first for your trips? One of my favorite memories ever is biking with DH along the Danube, and boarding boats here and there as we chose. (for a day, though!)

Hope you have glorious weather, be sure to post pics for us!

mitch...wish you were riding along :) thank you ...

kswl...what a kind and caring note...you too are very generous in your praise...I will try and do justice to the sentiments invoked. thank you .

congratulations jenna ! I am so glad you will be riding . You must wave to me :) We are all in the same class...active ! Thank you .

outside...I am so glad to be ABLE to do this...as DH and I have said many times none of us knows how long we have ....his being along with me on this adventure is a gift I try never to take for granted. He is the very best in my life, and his direction sense today was a godsend LOL !

thank you mnt..and yes this is his 1st tour and my fourth. We will be on the Velo 6 route all the way for 45 days !! No boats except one ferry. I bet you had a great time with your DH. I will definitely post pics. It poured rain all day while we were out today on our bikes looking at Vienna...cold and wet..chilled to the bone. It is a holiday here so everything closed...we got back to our apt and took a nice warm shower and a nap. All is right with our world once again.

There will be two more parts to the map.

Here is a link that might be useful: Map 2

WOW, Trail! What an amazing experience, and I'm so glad you're doing this! It's great to "see" you, and to live vicariously through you for awhile! Have an absolutely wonderful time! :-)

Have a wonderful, wonderful, time! I look forward to seeing your pics and reading your travel tales!

Tell R to watch out for crazy drivers (lol)! :)

Hey Sunny...good to hear from you too ! We will definitely have a great time. Weather is supposed to start clearing up in a couple days...rainy today and cold ;( at least for us AL folks LOL ! Thanks for the good wishes .

Will do cat...we are paved bike trail for 45 days so not much chance of cars...then there is Holland...whole nother story but there are so many paths will likely be OK there too. Will keep you posted for sure > Thank you >>>>hug J :) c

Both of you have a wonderful trip!!! Looking forward to you updates.

Thanks for posting the maps.

It looks like a great area to bike through. Take care of yourselves.

I hope you have a fantastic time! I love your energy and sense of adventure.

You are.....still.....amazing! Safe and memorable journeys to you two.

Have a wonderful trek! Your legs must be in good enough shape to climb St, Stephen's in Vienna (if you aren't claustrophobic...we went there last summer and I had to really concentrate on my breathing, it was so narrow, but the view is worth it).

What fun you are going to have. Enjoy!

bf..I will post the rest of the maps one at a time. Had a good day but cold and headwind all day for 50k. Glad it was a short ride. Great Youthhostel in Tulln. Lovely town and DH and I got a private room :) Had a wonderful lunch picnic style when we got to town and then walked around and found a beautiful grocery store that puts US to shame as far as selections of cheeses and wines and fresh fruits ! Lovely and only a town of 15,000. I can't post pics yet as computer is SO slow here. Ah well...tomorrow is another day.

texan..thank you ! We are trying our best to have fun. A very congenial and interesting group of folks. Had a fun day.

Marti...you are sweet to say so..thank you !

bp..we didn't get to really do anything in Vienna...such a short amount of time and we were still so tired and weather was terrible. Will have to come back :) Thank you all for posting...I will get back to you with some great pics when the server cooperates . c

Loved reading this post! Good luck and have fun. What an inspiration you are! I'm going to live vicariously through you and your updates. :)

Wishing you safe and happy travels!

emerald..thank you for posting. I just read your thread...my goodness you have so much strength on your journey. I am wishing you the best of luck and will continue to follow your story as well.

Here are some pics from the past couple days. We just finished the second day of riding. Lovely weather today . Did 50K yesterday and today. DH was riding quite fast in front today and missed a turn. I didn't realize it till a bit had passed. We waited and waited in town and he finally showed up ! What a worry I had for a couple of hours ! All is well and he won't ride so far out in front and alone again .

start of the ride at the hostel in Vienna on the 30th:

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some of the many riders...we are 50 strong ! It includes 3 folks who are riding with their arms as the " wheel turners...a bras ...as the French say. A wheel chair like affair for one and the other two have their legs braced out in front of them...and use cranks to turn the tires..all 3 had polio as children.

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the center of Tulln, yesterday where we spent the night in another hoste..it is the rose city...I didn't get enough pics of the roses...they are astounding !! And the fragrance...

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DH all set to start his first tour !

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Tulln is also noted for their strawberry fields ...yum !!

new friends at dinner tonight.

the remains of one of the 2 Flammkuchen...it was fantastic ..arugula, pesto and prosciutto

the Danube path...Velo 6

picture from the dorm roon where we are staying tonight in Klems Austria.

the wide and beautiful Danube.

that's enough pics ;) WIll keep you posted as able. So different from my previous tours but really really fun !! And such great new folks...we have already been invited to stay with the couple on the right of the pic at their 30 acre vineyard in NZ...we get to pick grapes too. c

Thank you all for your truly lovely and encouraging notes. c

Great photos, thanks for posting. You are inspirational!

Keep 'em coming! Keep hubby close from now on :)

Looks like a great group of people.

Thank you so much for sharing this! You and your husband embody what living life is all about-- living it joyfully, fully . . .with gusto!

I am going to have my kids follow your journey. They will love to see your photos when technology makes it possible for you to share more!

You look beautiful as always. You and your husband make such a handsome pair!

thank you mnt...you are very kind to say so .
yes ellen..that I am doing ! But the speed he is able to ride now is truly astounding ! He has made HUGE progress and leaves me behind.

thank you anele..I am glad to share and you are very kind in your compliments !

I will link below to the photobucket album. I add to it daily...I need to put labels...:( ...I am so bad at that and always think I will remember ! We have been riding about 50 kilometers a day...short for what I am used to doing on a tour..I have always ridden at least 100 kilometers ( 60 miles) per day. But this is a wonderful change and it is on mostly paths and through small Austrian villages. Very beautiful. Lots to see and we stop often to have coffee and cake and just enjoy the weather and views. Most unusual for the pace I have always set. Good for the mind and body.

Today we rode 60 kilometers and the last 8 were straight up a mountain to Bad Kreutzer. Amazing views and we can see the Alps from the top of the castle . It is fantastic.

from the top of the castle at Burg Kreuzen in Grein Austria( 1000 yrs old !)

part of the original castle :

Alps in the background :

the sun is setting :

Here is a link that might be useful: link to Vienna to Nantes album