Cycle The Parks, Touring

Lots of information out there about touring. Here is my take.

My Start.

Cycle touring has always interested me. My first bike after college was a Raleigh Alyeska, a touring bike. I just never did much more than a weekend trip. Never really had the money, vacation, or push to take it to the next level.

Friends, start this when you are young. Take the summer off during college or after high school and ride.

Many years ago I was skiing in Austria and met some locals. I later visited them in Vienna. We took an excursion to a small town (Maria Taferl) overlooking the Danube, west of Vienna. I noticed a paved path near the river that was too small for cars located in the middle of a field. Fritz informed me that that it was a bike path that went from Munchen to Budapest. The path now goes from the Atlantic to the Black Sea and is part of the Euro Veloway 6. The seed was planted. I had to do it. I needed pretty much everything, including a new bike.

My ride resume
Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming. Crazy Horse, Mt Rushmore, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and “Dances with Wolves”
Austria - Salz, Inn, and Danube rivers (465 miles). From the “Sound of Music” to “The Blue Danube”
Austria - Southern Wine country, centered on Graz. Austria’s cycling jewel.
Croatia - Dalmation coastal islands with Cycling Croatia France - Alps, Germany to Saint Nazaire (Atlantic), Normandy (1100 miles, 37,000 ft of climbing)
France – Bordeaux – Pyrenees (Col d’Tourmalet, Col d’Aspin, Hourquette Anzican, Sauternes)
France - Dijon to Vurdun. Following my grandfather's WW1 service. France - l'Alpe d'Huez, Col duGlandon, Then Lyon to Dijon (Burgundy) Germany - Basel to Passau following the Danube Italy - Florence and Bolzano (hub and spoke) including Stelvio Pass and the Chianti wine region
Texas - Hill Country (Kerrville – Bandera – Garner – Lost Maples – Kerrville). Serious ouch.
Texas – Central. Got a few extra days? Ride from home!

Observations on different countries (Austria, France, Italy)