September 6th Stage 37 Vienna to Hainburg

September 6^th Stage 37 Vienna to Hainburg 50 kms.

Yesterday was an enforced “rest day” caused by a lot of business and correspondence, and some problems, chief of which was the theft of our mobile phone and the necessity to buy another one. In the end we decided to drive round to Hainburg, nearly on the Slovakian border. Thus, I had the section from the Urania Strasse in Vienna to Hainburg still to do.

So I took the train with the bicycle back to Vienna Mitte station, which is only a very short distance from the Ring Strasse and a few hundred metres up from the Aspernbrucke. Across the Donau Kanal and turn right down the busy Praterstrasse. Crossing at Praterstern in front of the Bahnhof Nord I was surprised by an approaching tram and my journey nearly ended there! I was glad to escape the traffic in the long, completely straight Praterallee through the old trees and winding pathways of the erstwhile royal hunting grounds and I was moving so quickly down the wide, completely traffic-free avenue that, believe it or not, I missed the sharp left turn where the autoroute cuts across the park. Rectifying the error, I crossed the river on the long, metal cycle path hanging over the water with the sound of the heavy traffic thundering above me, and then it was utter tranquillity again on the Donauinsel which appeared, this Thursday morning to be completely deserted. A slight detour round the enormous oil terminal and I was in the Lobau Nature reserve, the beginning of the small national park that I was to cycle through all the way to Hainburg. The (mostly paved) cycle path follows the slight curve of the river to Schonau where Hermi’s Rad Café  provided a welcome coffee. Then the route follows the top of the embankment, the Marchfelddam in an utterly straight line for the best part of 20 kilometres. This might sound dull but for me it was anything but. The thick birch woods with idyllic clearings and mysterious creeks are very beautiful. Gliding along at a steady pace with a kindly tail wind, I watched the scenery roll past like a film sequence. I was tempted frequently to stop and peer into the woods and creeks for a sight of the animals and birds, some of them apparently rare, which enjoy this secluded habitat. At one point I could see no-one for either kilometres behind me or kilometres in front of me. (Having said that, though, I often find myself wondering about the old ladies that one sometimes meets in the most isolated of places, cycling calmly and with a purpose to somewhere….but where?)  A final crossing of the river by the very impressive bridge above Hainburg and I was back at the railway station built atop the embankment on the south side of the river where I had started earlier this morning.

All being well it will be a gallop through Slovakia tomorrow and into Hungary. I need to add more kilometres to catch up on the schedule.50 kms. 

Total from Schaffhausen 989 kms. Total from Galway 2897 kms.