June 5, 2013
Solt to Kalocsa, 50km, total 1400 km
14C moderate windy
 
Alexandria Panzió Double ensuite 12000 HUF / $52.74 (excluding breakfast)

 
A Solt of Cholesterol

Our cholesterol fix for the month came in the form of 3 fried eggs over ham and a basket of thick sliced bread for breakfast today.

Today we never saw the Donau. Our route was on paved roads of varying quality. Some great stretches on bike paths and some parts we shared with traffic.
 
The route passed endless fields of corn, wheat and sunflowers. We made good time.

The people often greet us and children wave and call out to us. When we stop to look at our map, people offer to help. One guy slowly rode his car ahead of us to guide us. It is cherry season and many orchards are filled with trees full of cherries ready to be picked.


Paved Roads All Day

At 1:30 pm, we arrived in the good sized town of Kalocsa where we had reserved a Panzió. The town center had pedestrian area with bronze statues. There is a Paprika Museum in town, and a ceramics manufacturer. Junko and Hiro went to check it out while I showered and enjoyed some me time.  

 
Update Guidebook Hot Off the Press

Infrastructure for cyclists is the least developed in Bulgaria and Romania. There have been improvements and we are anxious to get the book with the latest and greatest information. Info on the internet is far to random. Today I received email from Verlag Esterbauer GmbH, the people who publish the "Bikeline map book" series. They wrote that they can send me the new edition of Donau Radweg #5, which will be hot off the press on Friday. They'll send it to hotel in Belgrade. We are relieved.



Junko and Hiro Add;
    
To Kalocsa at Kalocsa
あまりにも広く、どこまでも続く平原。走っても走ってもどこにも到達しない。
ハンガリーはすごい農業国である。その昔オスマントルコがこの国を欲しがった
わけが分かった、ハプスブルク家はこの畑で重宝しただろう、とかすべて勝手に
解釈して想像しながら進む。そうでもしないとやっていられない。こいでもこいでも
人っ子一人目に入らない。土手が舗装されている場合は良いが砂利だったり泥道
だったりすると逃げ出したくなる。
街に着いてからパプリカ博物館に行った。期待していたたくさんの種類のパプリカ
はなく、小さいペッパーパプリカしか飾ってなくちょっとがっかり。が、
街は数個の教会を持ち道が放射状に広がり中世の街そのもの。
この街はハンガリー刺繍でも有名らしい。


'
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References: 

....1) The Danube Cycle Way; Donaueschingen to Budapest by John Higginson
... 2) Bikeline Maps & Guides; Donau-Radweg 4, (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 :)