A soft and rainy 79 ks into Salzburg and more clearing predicted for tomorrow. The day made for some beautiful moments in my solo adventure. A quietly dripping deep green forest lunchstop. A sharp rocky precipiced valley and clouds so low they filled it like a vast white pillow. Alpine weather for the high mountains humbling me and my preference for dryness.
The dawn, clear skyed, arrived over enormous mountain sides prompting a impromptu sleep- in enclosed in my little tent. I walked barefoot past two docile hungarian hunting hounds, into the washroom, past floor to ceiling shoe cupboards (filled with flip flpps) and an incomprehensible injunction on a large yelliw board. I felt guilty then got over it, happily not suffering from mould infections. Touch me wooden leg. If only they'd been with me in municipal camping Toury....
Set off along a beautiful riverbank path with lots of sunday morning exercisers. By 11's the rain was wind bourne. I battened down. Ortliebs are reliably waterproof. My mapbook has its cover. Kitchen on the back, less rainproof but mostly stainless steel. And its great mudass prevention. I change into my raincoat and really with my new Stelvio cap I'm riding waterproof. I decide to try for Salzburg after tossing a coin in Hallein with 15ks to go. No sense in getting wet twice.
I misread the map and plough through 11ks of wet gravel. I arrive in the many gold topped zentrum of Salzburg a complete red faced mudball. And this is a well dressed city. Was pretty forest nonetheless and will become more so in memory.
In the rain induced early evening light, I seek out a hotel in which to clean up, prior to wifiing hullo to my friends who live nearby. I'm two days ahead of schedule and don't want to put them out.. It is going to be great to meet up with a work colleague of 20 years at the gallery. I'm beginning to understand the attraction of proud Austria, with its profound strong landscape and ancient grandeur.
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