Danube - Triberg to Tuttilingen

Triberg to Martinskappelle to Donaueschingen to Tuttlingen.  First ‘real’ day of the trip!

54 miles with the first 7 up and (theoretically) 47 down.  It was pedal and push, pedal and push for that first 7 - it took us two hours to do that 7 miles!  The most challenging part was a stony path, that we (again) pushed the bike uphill.  Steve says he’s sore tonight, not from pedalling, but from pushing the bike uphill.

It was lovely though, once we got up into the hills.  Alpine meadows and Bavarian architecture - and some of the tidiest farms ever!  Once we made it over the top, we went through Martinskappelle which is the source of the Donau (Danube) and then dropped quickly into a valley that we followed for the rest of the day.  We watched the Danube grow from a stream that you could step over, to something you could wade through to something you could swim across.  We’re almost at the point where it’s navigable.

The bigger tires worked really well on the gravel tracks and through the mud.  There is a need for a mud guard, as we were both pretty dirty by the end of the day and were both in total agreement about the need for a lower gear and a drag break.  It was a bit ‘interesting’ to get to a fantastic downhill and not be able to scream along because we had to be so careful about the brakes.  Did manage to find a very nice wee coffee after that though!

We had lunch in Donauschingen which was 20-odd miles after Martinskappelle and then did the next 23 to Tuttlingen, dodging a nasty looking rainstorm almost all of the way.  The valley trails went on for miles and miles and were great for riding - nice treat after the stones, gravel and mud!

Tuttlingen didn’t involve any major climbs to get here.  When we arrived, the hotel seemed to be in an iffy part of town.  Steve said, ‘We’re not staying if we can’t lock the bike up’.  I refused to check in until we had access to a lock up. Finally managed it.

Dinner was at a very traditional restaurant which we found after walking back and forth several times around and around the pedestrian street and all its side streets.

Managed to find a Romanian style meat platter - such a treat after a long pedal!

Things that worked really well today:

Carrying the bike down the staircase from the hotel.  It worked!

Komoot gpx files - we would have been so lost trying to follow the book, but the stony track was a disappointment.

Google Translate - first time we’ve used this ‘in anger’ and it is really stepping up to the mark. We’ve used it to help with things we have wanted to say and for things like menus, both have been brilliant!

Comments:

1. Stephen HodgsonJune 5, 2025 at 7:39 PM

   Tough start to the day, bike does crushed gravel pretty well but not stone forest tracks, hopefully there are no more of them!! Rest of the day was fine. Bike is working well, will check tension of fasteners and make a couple of tweaks in the morning. Great navigating and pedalling from the back, didn’t get “temp uncertain of our present position” once despite a few diversions around roadworks. Trails are pretty well marked. Another 50 odd miles tomorrow, bring it on !!
2. 
   LizJune 5, 2025 at 10:13 PM

   Did you see a lot of other cyclists? 

   Replies

   

   KatherineJune 6, 2025 at 4:45 AM

   We periodically ran into other cyclists, a few an hour. Mountain bikes on the tracks and some e-b bikes on the trails. Ran into a tandem pulling a trailer. Many people older than us obviously out on multi day trips all loaded up with their panniers

   
   

    BrianJune 6, 2025 at 3:11 PM  Looks like an awesome start to the adventure. I think I could convince myself to get on the bike every day if I have a dinner like that to look forward to! It's all about the food. ;-)