DAY 7 (MAY 8-TUES)  NIEDERRANNA TO LINZ, AUSTRIA

Up at 7:30–look out window at Danube–going to be another beautiful day.  At breakfast see Jean leaving tells us about hike she is doing. Eat & make sandwich.  No words to describe beauty of ride–don’t see many bikers on trail.  Take ferry across Danube to get to hiking trail.  Sign says 30 min–start my watch–at 7:00 min meet Jean coming down–steep climb–need walking stick.  At top man reading book–takes our Christmas picture–one of best views on river–26 min to top-18 min down.  Only comments from Armand are the 2 dead mice he sees on trail.  Very relaxing day–perfect.  Going to get on another ferry to cross back-driver sees my TX shirt-El Paso? No-Austin–capital of TX he says– Like Bandera too.  He had gone to TX w/hunting friend.  Decide not to take his ferry when he tells us we would just have to cross back again.  Eat lunch on bench–joined by a family of ducks–they have 4 little babies–give them some bread–not afraid–come up to my shoes. Next stop in little town for ice cream cone & another stop for ice cream sandwich–where Jean pulls up.  Even though we are close to Linz–we still don’t bike together.  We decide to see 1 more church–bike up steep hill–can’t find it.  See cemetery–unbelievable–each grave has a little flower garden in front of it.–take pictures.  Another couple bike up looking for the church too–turns out what I thought was a church was someones private residence.  Couple was from Munich-spoke perfect English.  Said it was common throughout Germany & Austria to have cemeteries like this–families planted new things 3 times a yr.  Back on trail to Linz–are seeing more people in biking clothes & road bikes racing along trails.  Lots of traffic going into & out-of-town–still have our own trails.  Town is big-now on road w/rail trains–construction-bikes, cars, people all over place.  Finally get to Motel–very fancy outside but room is smaller than last night.  Jean comes in just has we are sitting down for dinner & joins us.  Another perfect day.