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Destination: Vienna, Austria
Daily Cycle Distance: 0 km.
I met Bob and Kathy at the Austrian Air gate in Dulles. We chatted while waiting for
Austrian Airlines to start boarding the big Airbus A330-200. Eventually, boarding began
and so did our great adventure. As Bob and Kathy were saying ‘Good-byes‘, my mind of
course reminded me of Becky. I haven‘t been gone 24-hours and already I miss her and her
cheerful support for me and this trip. Later this was again brought home to me as I listened
to the in-flight Music: Willie Nelson "You were always on my mind." Since we met nearly
20 years ago in Country and Western dance classes, Willie Nelson has been bringing us closer.
Destination:nbsp; Fischamend
Daily Cycle Distance: 5.8km. (3.64 mi.)
On board the Airbus was the most unusual feature that I have ever encountered
on an airplane. Each seatback was equipped with a TV Monitor. Not so unusual
these days, but in addition to showing the usual in-flight movie, games,
and shopping, it also presented two video camera views of the outside.
One looking ahead from the cockpit and the other down to the ground. With
GPS, it also provided a minute by minute estimate of our position, groundspeed,
flight time and estimated time of arrival.
We arrived in Wien to a light drizzle. Managing to secure transport for our big bike cases to the
more remote (and cheaper hotel), we opted to stay at the ‘Stop and Sleep‘. I had also reserved
a room at the Sofitel located on the Airport grounds. This was now not necessary.
At the ‘Stop and Sleep‘, the grumpy hotel manager initially balked at storing
our bike cases. The desk clerk wordlessly said to us to ignore him and showed
us an unused conference room in which to store our bike cases. It also
had several dusty suitcases and band equipment in it. We unpacked the bikes
outside under the fire escape stairs since it was still drizzling. Both bikes
went together without a problem.
On our bikes at the first opportunity during a break in
the drizzle, we searched Fischamend for lunch. We finally settled on a
Bratwurst at a Hot Dog stand called the Schlemmer Hütte (Schlemmer means
gourmet in German). After lunch, we rode back to the hotel and crashed,
catching up on some sleep since it was now about 7AM at home and I had
been mostly awake for the last 25 hours.
Later, we walked (1,5km) in a moderate drizzle to a Gasthaus for a schweinflesch
(pork) medallion dinner. It rained heavily during dinner. Looking out the
restaurant window at the heavy rain, we saw a Stork on a chimney nest in
the rain. That evening, I called Becky and mailed her a post card. Heavy
rain started again about 10:00PM and continued until about 3:00AM. I know
this because my internal clock was very much off and I did not get much sleep
my first night in Austria.
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