Anne-Marie & Reuben Cycle EuroVelo 7 & 9: Day 12 - Cycle Hartberg to Baden, Austria

Getting used to the crazy Germanic style breakfasts of dry bread, cheese and cold cuts we set off for our longest planned day so far 120km+ (if the maps were to be believed this time). The sun had beaten us up and was a punishing 26 degrees by the time we were on the road. It was a brutal start too, hill after rolling hill at over 10% and a lot on cobbles too. This culminated in one particularly long steep rough cobbled climb. Reuben finally reached the peak and begged an Austrian couple out washing their blinds to spray him down with their hose. Taking pity on us and despite the language barrier they gave us a big bottle of sparkling water and some crazy chocolate hazelnut wafers to eat while we petted their cat and dog and tried to communicate. They also managed to tell us we had another 5km of up then we would be downhill for the next 120km or so to Vienna. Bonus.

As we approached the peak a thunder storm rolled towards us bringing a welcome cool change and the threat of heavy rain. As our generous Austrian benefactors had promised we reached the peak after 5km and it turns out it was a ski resort and the highest point in the whole of EuroVelo 9.

The rest of the ride was a very pleasant downhill and flat roll into the spa resort town of Baden. We finished our 122km ride and headed straight for the hot pools.