May 3, 2013
Regensburg to Bogen 56 km, total 486 km ☁☁ 15C
Pension Schreiber €54 ($71) - double including breakfast


We exited Regensburg just before 9 am via the famous Stone Bridge. Another cloudy day but we're thrilled that we have largely skirted rain on our trip… so far. Dave in the lead, tried to keep a tight group, gaging the average comfortable speed, around 15 to 17 km on the flat..

 
 
Walhalla

About 11 km out of Regensburg, just beyond Donaustauf, we came to Walhalla perched high on the Bräunerg. It is another of Ludwig I's commissioned works containing busts and memorials. Had the weather made for better picture taking, we may have considered climbing to the top.


  
Small Towns and Marrage Poles and Rapeseed

Today took us through many small towns. The trail also snaked through agricultural land with fields and fields of bright yellow rapeseed now in full bloom.
 
We opted for the paved trail next to the dyke instead of the path on the dyke when we had the choice. Several protected bird areas were teeming with swan, geese, duck and many other varieties. For the last several days of riding I hear a cuckoo bird and, yes, it sounds just like the clock.

Several small groups of cyclist were on the same route and we kept passing each other. We stopped to take picture of a pole decorated with baby clothes, a baby carriage and a high-chair, displayed in yard. We had wrongly assumed that a baby had been born until one fellow cyclist called out to us that us is a marriage tree. Friends and family of the couple help put that tree up and decorated the pole.


Bypassing Straubing and onto the Small Town of Bogen
 
First our plan was to go as far as Straubing, with its great architecture. And when we got across from it on the Donau, it did look like an exceptionally picturesque town from distance, the former ducal palace, the 68 m city tower and several impressive churches made up its skyline. But we continued on for another 10 km to Bogen.

Bogen turned out to be a good choice.

I quizzed a local woman about good budged Gasthaus in town and she directed us to Pension Schreiber.
 
We have gotten into routine of getting together in whoever has most space in their room for glass of wine before dinner. Today it was our room. Dave had found 200 ml bottles he lugged with him, afraid that he would not be able to get our favorite

The pizza restaurant had great lasagna as well as perfect pizza. The owner's son (a nice young man) was sent over to take our order in English. We gave him high marks for English but 'F’ in math. He undercharged us by 3 euro. We didn’t correct him but we added the shortage back on top of the tip!

Bogen was an unremarkable town but great for us because of the quality restaurant and hotel!


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References: 

....1) The Danube Cycle Way; Donaueschingen to Budapest by John Higginson
... 2) Bikeline Maps & Guides; Donau-Radweg 1, (5 books in the series)

Our plan in a nutshell; 2900 total kilometers at 50 km per day - 2 days riding for 1 day off for a total of 58 riding days & 90 total days - April to July, 2013 :)