Back in the saddle again

 We're beginning to struggle a bit with bread rolls and ham and cheese for breakfast. We were reared on cereal for breakfast. Kate has the added quandary of the egg problem. She likes eggs, just not every morning. We suspect thet Gertrude will be serving an identical breakfast each morning despite the fact that each morning so far, she lifts the lid off the breakfast on our table as if performing a conjuring trick, not even sure herself what she might find.

Our cunning plan is this. We have bought muesli, which we have in our room before breakfast, then construct ham and cheese rolls to eat at lunch time. This only leaves Kate's 'egg problem' left to solve.

We both knew that today had to be a cycle ride day. We have been in the car for two days and we're itching to turn our legs and taste the fresh air. 

We followed a route that was almost all cycle paths. If not, then quiet roads. 

We were surrounded by snow covered peaks as we cycled, but today we were content to look at them as we cycled in flat, verdant valleys, surrounded by meadows of wild flowers, goats, fields of crops and the cacophony of cow bells. When there were several cows donging away, it sounded pretty similar to a Gamelan Orchestra. (Although Indonesians might take exception to that observation)

The sun was out but not too hot and everything looked stunning. It's an odd feeling, wearing a summer cycling top and looking up at snow on the surrounding mountains. 

Sometimes in the UK, the clouds look like huge mountains. Here, the huge mountains look like clouds.

There were several other cyclists. We reckon about 90% of them were on electric bikes. I have mixed feelings about electric bikes. There are doubtless those for whom the option of riding an electric bike makes the difference between cycling and not cycling. It's wonderful to see this impacting such people, whether it's age, a physical issue or something I haven't thought of. However... we saw so many young, fit and able bodied people on them today. (As we always do)

I just wonder if it would be wise to ride an 'unassisted' bike if you can? I should probably leave this topic right there...

We stopped for a coffee at the small town of Mittersill and, in reckless mood, lashed out and shared a particularly naughty looking cake as well. In Austria, fancy cakes are cheaper than the coffees.

Another aspect of Austrian life that has struck us, is how smoking is still cool. You see young women smoking with a sophistication reminiscent of the Sean Connery era of James Bond. People smoke in the outside areas of cafés and restaurants. We rather like the smell. We smell it so rarely these days that it's quite a novelty. Perhaps we should take it up?

After a ride round the lake, taking us to 45 miles, we came back for a cup of tea. We have been into Zell am See this evening but with views like we get from our balcony, to be honest, we'd rather sit here and have another cup of tea. Is that an age thing?

                   Beautiful Austrian views 

Some of the time, our route went alongside a narrow gauge railway.  There were stations in the middle of nowhere with bikes left under a shelter waiting to be picked up when their owners returned.

                  By the lake at Zell am See

                                Likewise