Start: 03:57 on Tuesday, 23 July 2024, Bietigheim, Germany
Elapsed time: 17:48:09
Moving time: 13:55:14
Distance: 349.30 km
Elevation gain: 3353 m
Germany! It’s the country serious cyclists hates.
When chatting with other riders along the way, nearly everyone mentioned Germany as a bit of a pain point. The endless network of roads and bike paths, coupled with the constant need to switch lanes, stop, turn, and repeat, made it difficult to get into a steady rhythm. It was stop-and-go the entire way, which wasn’t the smoothest riding experience. I knew this in advance and had planned my route to minimize time in Germany, but I still had to cover around 380 km.
I typically avoid big cities, so I managed to bypass Stuttgart. However, for reasons I still don’t quite understand, my route took me straight through Ulm. Not as big as Stuttgart, but still large enough to cost me time that I could’ve saved by going around.
That was the story of my second day on the road. I made it south of Munich, falling about 10 km short of my goal for the day. I was starting to get tired, and just when I was preparing myself to sleep by the roadside, a hotel that wasn’t listed on Google Maps appeared. I seized the opportunity, went in, and scored a single room for 60€.
The first day had gone well, and I pushed myself hard, riding in a higher gear, which put a lot of strain on my knees. By the second day, I could feel the impact, so I eased off a bit. I knew I had the Grossglockner and other steep Alpine passes ahead of me, so keeping my knees in working order was essential.
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