![\"Hans](\"https:\/\/www.jmcw.blog\/swissblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2012\/06\/DSCF8001.jpg\" "\\"Hans")
<\/a>Hans on the Balcony<\/p><\/div>\n
BODENSEE DAY 1 Mostly the path takes us by farmlands, orchards, small towns, and a number of typically German permanent campgrounds filled tightly with tiny trailers.\u00a0 It\u2019s a bit cold with the constant breeze across the water, but as Jon said, it\u2019s great to be finally really comfortable because we\u2019re on the bike and for us, this is what Europe is. Almost always we have a view of the huge lake and an unusually clear view of the Alps, so rare in summer, with sail boats dotting the water in the foreground.\u00a0 Then our first major hill: we walked beside the old fortress\/castle, up the steep narrow lane lined with tiny shops, touristy but not kitschy.\u00a0 Following Google\u2019s directions to our friends\u2019 home, we climb another very steep hill, wondering if we\u2019ve lost the path.\u00a0 And then we are in their town, and face yet another, fortunately somewhat shorter, hill to our rest for the night.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Bodensee with Alps<\/p><\/div>\n
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BODENSEE DAY 2 At our hosts\u2019 suggestion, we ride back to Meersburg, ferry to Konstanz, and visit the garden isle of Reichenau, rather than the garden isle of Mainau which is expensive and requires a full day to visit, better when they are at the height of their flowering season.\u00a0 Reichenau is peaceful, lovely, and free.\u00a0 We go through Stein am Rhein,\u00a0which is\u00a0famous for it’s painted houses.\u00a0 We end our ride at Radolfzell and train back to Bermatingen.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Stein am Rhein much photographed painted houses<\/p><\/div>\n
BODENSEE DAY 3 With better instructions for avoiding the monster hill between Bermatingen and the lake, we slid down to Friedrichshafen to see the Zeppelin Museum.\u00a0 We were surprised to learn how very many of these airships had been built, how there were regular flights across the Atlantic (only four days to Brazil!), and how many were produced for military purposes.\u00a0 Then up along the coast to the cherry-sundae Birnau Cathedral, after pausing at a Middle Ages fair in Uhldingen.<\/p>\n
<\/a>The Path Less Traveled--Jon wanted to see if this path would get us to the Lake sooner<\/p><\/div>\n
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<\/a>Reconstruction of Bronze Age Village at Uhldingen<\/p><\/div>\n
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<\/a>Medieval Fair at Uhldingen<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Too perfect to be true, but it is.\u00a0 The plan (the dream?) was 4 days biking by the Bodensee with 3 nights camping.\u00a0 The reality was 4\u00a0glorious days biking by the Bodensee with 3 nights spent being completely coddled by … Continue reading