Day 7 (7. Tag) 7th September
Neuburg - Bad Goegging 51.5 kms (380 kms from start)
Neuburg - Weichering - Haunwoehr - Ingolstadt - Grossmehring - Vohburg - Wackerstein - Pfoerring - Neustadt - Bad Goegging
Click here for Day 8 - Bad Goegging - Regensburg
It rained during the night and in the morning. We woke very early and used the small kitchen to make breakfast and pack our things. It was cool and raining moderately as we set off for the day. The ride out of Neuburg was a straight run on the bike path along the side of the road. It follows the edge of the Englischer Garten and the town forest, runs past an industrial area and bends around Gruenau. We rode through fields and forests to Weichering and then again through fields and forests till we approached the river again at Haunwoehr. We made very good time despite the rain because much of the riding was on straight paths. We had decided not to follow the official path across the river but to stay on the right bank as there seemed to be a small road which ran alongside by-passing Ingolstadt. This was a good move as it was through parkland most of the way. We also saved a lot of time with this detour. We saw an amazing bridge at one point and buildings from the old town as we passed. On the other side of the town we crossed the river and picked up the cycleway on the left bank.
Towards Grossmehring we stayed on the left river bank following the green Radweg on the levee bank rather than taking the Donau Radweg through the town. There were some very strange crossings here with paved sections going down to the water, as though the river was used for military crossings. We couldn't work it out. I was getting quite cold so I found my arm warmers on one of our stops. We then crossed the river over a bridge and picked up the cycleway on the right bank again riding past Vohburg and crossing the river again to the left bank. We somehow managed to lose the track in Pfoerring and ended up doing a 10 km loop back to Wackerstein. This was very frustrating as it was cold and wet and we needed to get shelter. I asked for directions when we reached Pfoerring again and this time we found the right exit.
Once again we rode through open country and crossed to the right bank to make our approach into Neustadt a.d.Donau. The cyclepath skirts the edge of the town and we pushed on to Bad Goegging where we hoped to get a room for the night.
As we rode towards Bad Goegging, we saw some signs pointing to pensions and knocked on the door of Pension Schwaiger hoping to get a room. We were in luck. Not only that but it was superb and only cost 48 Euros. Bad Goegging is a spa town with some very pricey accommodation. Normally you would have to book months ahead to get a room but it was the start of autumn and getting quiet. The room was excellent and there was a kitchen and dining room down the hall. They sold beer and soft drinks as well. We showered and had an afternoon nap. It was so nice to be warm and dry again. The rain had eased by the early evening so we walked to the spa itself to have a look around. It is an amazing complex with several pools and a whole health/wellness industry. There were wall charts about the wells and even an aerial view of the place. After looking around we had a coffee and cake at one of the cafes. We still had some food left over so decided to eat that for the evening meal.
Back at the pension, Don had a beer, I made myself some tea, we watched a little television and chatted to an elderly couple who had been coming to the spa each year for a two week holiday. They were really surprised that we were able to walk in off the street without booking. Once again the day had been full of surprises and had ended well.
