The 411 - 2WDs Riding Chronicles

Just went and saw the palace and cathedral in Madrid and walked back to the youth hostel where some college age people start talking to me when they find out Im from the states.  They ask about the economy and I tell them I dunno, Ive been sleeping on the side of the road for three months but its fun to get to speak English........

it was the plan we had made the evening before.  Jen stays in Spain 11 days longer than me and has the oppertunity to check out the north coast while I have a flight to catch from Madrid....and on the way it was my turn to struggle....

Oracle Jen was kinda right when she would joke to people that we would "come to a screeching halt when we hit he Alps".  Unforunately its because she got a sore throat.  However, we have still progressed towards Madrid (over big terrain I might add) where I need to be for my flight on October 9th...  

"We'll get there when we get there" is what Oracle Jen says when I'm all anxiuos to hit the throttle as if we're late for something.  Well, today we barely made it......

Our weekend in the Dolimites with two of the three Straßer brothers was great.  Hansi and Martin competed in a pro-am televised relay, sortof like a huge Josh Billings event......

Yesterday we crossed into SE Germany for our first real rest of the tour.  Our other "days off" were really spent sightseeing by foot in cities which can be quite tiring.  So after 5300k's in 52 days including our "days off" we are ready to just chill out.  Fortunately Jen's boy Kyle knows people in Germany and we are enjoying what racers refer to as "host housing"....

Just spent the day pedaling around the bike lanes of Vienna with none other than Oracle Jen.  Definately a bike friendly city with lanes all over to seperate us from the traffic. 

Fortunately after all that walking I had a good sleep and was recovered to continue south.  In fact I feel great and am riding strong all day and every day.  We thought it would take seven days to reach Vienna, it took us five.........

Finally some time off the bike but Jen still seems to walk at least 10k on a day off and my feet are tired......

Even though we really like Poland I can't mention anything it before describing the traffic......