Day Four: Gmunden to Steyr
Sunday brought us perfect cycling weather in the form of sunny, blue skies and pleasant temperatures. It was a fantastic day to ride! Our journey would take us to Steyr after a 42-mile ride through the countryside and many small, quaint Austrian villages.
Again, the scenery was amazing. It is so much fun to journey off the beaten path, visiting villages and seeing sights that you would never have the opportunity to view on a typical vacation. We traveled a combination of country roads and bike paths which really gave us an opportunity to see a different side of Austria.
Our first stop was in Viechtwang, where we took a short break in a local cafe. A few of the locals were there enjoying some drinks, and they began to chat with people from our group. They even joined us in a sing along to one of the German songs about cycling that we learned a couple of nights ago. It was a memorable experience.
Part of our group in the cafe
We stopped in Adlwang and had a great lunch outside on the patio of one of the local restaurants. The ride today had a good number of climbs (hills), so it was nice to relax and take a long break during lunch. My legs were burning. We don’t have these types of climbs in Texas, so it was a huge challenge for me to make it over them.
Church in the middle of no where — took the opportunity to snap a photo and take a break during a steep, brutal climb
After lunch, we had about 12 miles to go until our final destination. This is what we saw when we got there. Our first view of Steyr — gorgeous!
Group photo with our new cycling buddies
Steyr, where two rivers — Steyr and Enns — meet in front of St. Michael church. This is the view from our hotel room. It’s stunning!
After dinner, we went on a night tour around the city with our guide who dressed in the part of the night watchmen who protected the city in days past. She took us to various parts of the city and pointed out highlights and interesting historical facts about the city. It was a great way to end a fabulous day.
