We fish the bikes out of the carport they are in, but dawdle in Sontfhofen to shop. We’ve found a trachtenmode shop and it opens at 0930. As we are in the heart of Tirol and close to Bayern, it seems we should be able to get some deals. I score with some short black ladies’ Lederhosen with edelweiss embroidery and a pink dirndle. My riding partner picks up a new leather wallet. I have my goods shipped and we head out.
First stop is fuel. This adds 289.8kms for a total of 1799.0. Much to our dismay, a valve stem on my riding partner’s bike disintegrates as she checks her tyre pressure. Quite a bit of phone calling ensues, along with a wait. In the absence of rain, this is not so bad. Eventually, it’s Euromasters to the rescue. They pick up the bike with their TireTruck – with a full wheel shop inside – and we head over to the workshop where it is a bit easier to work on bike tyres. The tech and I banter about the superiority of shaft drive while he works. He has a new stem in and the wheel balanced very quickly, and at 1300 we are finally on the road.
We head north on the B19 and join the A7 north to points Stuttgart. It’s a day of a lot of distance, and not much real excitement. We’ve finished the passes in unexpectedly short time, completing all of our “long” loops and extensions aside from the closed Faschinajoch and the inaccessible-due-to-said-closure Hochtannenberg Pass. Having previously discussed the possibility of some Eifel riding, we head north and west, picking up the A8 east,the A5 north, and the A61 north. The A61 is the backbone of the Rheinland and is the scenic alternative to the east A3 route. We stop for fuel at Dannstadt, tacking 347.8kms on, for a total of 2146,8kms so far.
Exiting the A61 at 43, we take the L215 and L214 to the B327, which we follow while looking for a place to stay. We land in Ehr, slightly south of Boppard, at the Landgasthaus Alter Post. We are directed to the guest house across the street with the instructions that it can be used as a double room or two singles as we see fit, all for 35€ per person. It’s lovely, and we are very happy with the quiet. The bikes are stowed in a private parking area near a large barn, and we unpack. Dinner in the main house is very pleasant with a nice wine and spirits selection. We recommend Alter Post if you are travelling and want to get off the main road. You won’t be disappointed.