Randi
Posted: August 4th 2024
From Innsbruck to Berlin (mostly) on a Brompton
TL;DR - Randi did a bike trip for 12-days and successfully reunited with Tyler in Berlin.
As many know, I am a sucker for the idea of a solo-journey ¨home¨ (e.g., Colorado Trail Durango to Denver circa 2019). Tyler and I found ourselves the owners of a used (very orange) Brompton and Tyler had some plans of his own for the last bit of July; therefore, I had the opportunity to complete a little solo-adventure on said Brompton. I had planned a route that would lead me out of the Tyrolean Valley of Innsbruck to Salzburg, then Linz Austria. From there, I would cross the Czech border to the town of Český Krumlov then go up to Prague, before a return back to Germany via Dresden, Lutherstadt Wittenberg, and finally up to Berlin. Here is a bit of a recap of the journey.
In total the route was 720-miles. In the end, I completed just over 520-miles on the Brompton across 12-days (with two rest days). Taking advantage of the ease of travel with a Brompton, I also elected to use some trains and a bus to get me past some more mountainous/hilly regions (because I liked biking on the Brompton, but with the little wheels and only six gears I was not trying to destroy my body…or soul).
I had the romantic idea of biking out of the Innsbruck valley from the moment we arrived there in June. The mountains all around were stunning. So on our final morning, I packed up that little Brompton with my belongings, kissed Tyler goodbye, and set off to enjoy my overhyped mountain valley ride…naturally, the morning was rainy, cloudy, and the mountains were all but hidden…go figure.
After a lovely ride, I hopped on a train to drop me in Salzburg for the night. Where my hostel had a nightly showing of Sound of Music! I was delighted to arrive just in time for Julie Andrews to detail the list of her favorite things.
The next day turned out to be my favorite day. I biked out of Salzburg on a very hot, sunny morning. Temps were expected to reach up to 90 degrees on this day. I biked along the Mondsee and Attersee just east of Salzburg. These lakes were truly beautiful. I was sure to stop at a local swim spot for some ice cream and espresso to keep me going.
The next few days passed with ease as I got into the rhythm of the 40-50 mile rides and the washing of my bike shorts in the bathroom sink each night. I stayed at a mix of shared dorm hostels (typically around €20/night) and private-room simple hotels (averaging 50€/night) along my route. I had wonderful conversations with various (mostly older German) travelers. It was fun to continue to practice my German with so many various dialects. Though it did seem like nearly everyone wanted to know my thoughts on the upcoming US presidential election. Apparently Europe stays very up-to-date with American politics.
After biking to Linz, I hopped on a bus to help me over the mountains on the Czech border and into the charming town of Český Krumlov, where I enjoyed my first rest day, a small hike, and a very large pizza.
As my German was useless in Czechia, I was relieved the kind people I needed to interact with either spoke English or could easily gesture necessary information. I biked another two days before again grabbing a train up to Prague and immediately biking out of the city. For the next six days I would follow the Elbe River along a European bike route.
By this point, I thought it would be wise to plan a final three days of 50-plus-mile rides which would take me across the Czech/German border, past Dresden, and up to Berlin. In practice, this turned out to be very exhausting…my legs are still tired three days later…but I finished. Dresden was a fun town to visit and one I would recommend. It had the feel of a chill, hippy college town mixed with the graffiti-grunge of Berlin.
It was a delight to return to Berlin and rejoin Tyler. We have moved into our new apartment and look forward to enjoying the remainder of summer and fall in Berlin. I also have some exciting trips on the horizon, including a week trip to the mountains of Slovakia with Dylan and Lenka (and baby Lauren!!), as well as a weekend visit to Riga, Latvia at the end of August to visit some friends.
The fate of the Brompton remains unclear. We may sell it here in Berlin or get a second one or bring the folding bike back to Denver…TBD. Much like all of Tyler and my life together…your guess is as good as any…who knows what will happen!
