Pforen to Mulheim Sunday May 14th

 The night at Ride See camping was fine. I slept well but I had half my clothes on because it was COLD as in 6 deg. I didn't set an alarm I thought I would get up when I heard voices. It was 09.00 and a further half an hour before I could persuade myself to get up and walk a hundred cold metres for a shower.

The source of the Danube 

The camping was about 5 kms from the centre of Donaueshingen, the source of the Danube. but in trying for a shortcut I made it into 10kms. Donaueshingen is a pretty town with a historic centre and a railway line which lay in my way with no obvious bridges. Plucking up courage I tried my non existent German on an old lady who couldn't understand why I didn't just take my bike to the bike lift and use the underpass and another lift to get across the train tracks. Smple when you know how. 

I crossed over, then applying my newfound confidence, I asked a cyclist how to reach the source of the Danube. By now my guide book was laid aside. Ask a local.The centre of Donaueschingen is beautiful in contrast to the source which is underwhelming. 

The fountain, for that is the source, is at the foot of a steep flight of stairs but again there was a bike lift with room for two bikes at a time. In the queue were Mark, Wayne, Helen and one other whose name escapes me. Sorry. We got chatting and swapping pictures and it turns out they are going to Budapest as well. Travelling light and staying in Hotels. We thought we are sure to cross paths again. (Although we never did)

They were making for Tuttlingen as was I but I thought that four was company and five would be a crowd so I set off without lunch to cover the 35kms to Tuttlingen. The Donauradveg, (Danubecycleway) was well surfaced and really well way marked with the result that my guidebook never left its bag and was never opened. Tuttlingen was reached without incident and I made my way to the Stelplatz (tent camping) only to find it was a little area hedged off from a huge park. It was unmanned and had no services. I was free to camp there but I wondered what it might be like at night with no neighbours. So I decided to carry on. It was mid afternoon and the next site was only a further 30kms.

Bad decision. The black clouds followed me through the outskirts of Tuttlingen into Nendinger where I met a team of Hungarians who were running the 3900 kms  of the Danube from the source to the sea. There were eight runners running in two hour shifts of 20kms 24/7. And they wanted to know if I had a blog. Gobsmacked.

It started to rain and I was 20kms short of a campsite so I started to look for a guest house or pension for the night. As luck would have it there was a festival on this weekend and all accommodation was fully booked.

Krone Gasthouse

Help! I went on and the rain turned to a cloudburst just as I entered Mulheim which is at the top of a VERY steep hill. The first gasthouse I tried the lady shook het head but pointed me across the square to gasthouse Krone where I reveived a warm welcome and the last room - a small but perfectly appointed single room.

After a hot shower and the ubiquitous weiner schnitzel things were looking up. I am sweating because I have the heating turned up to dry all of my wet things but that apart all is well in my world. 

After a few photos when the rain had stopped I plucked up my courage and went back for a pint and a smile

distance cycled so far:    197kms