We continue to enjoy the outgoing friendliness of so many folks in Romania. Shouts of “hola!” and “hello!” follow us along the road. And in the small town of Suhaia, we stayed in one of the most welcoming guest houses we’ve ever experienced - where the proprietors went out of their way to ensure we were comfortable and well fed. The contrasts continued, as we cycled through towns sprinkled with gypsy mansions, while sharing the road with even more horse-drawn carts.

Romania is a land of contrasts. For several days, we seemed to be cycling on either unnervingly busy highways with high-speed traffic, or quiet rural backroads. Interestingly, the ubiquitous horse-drawn carts could be found on both types of road. Out on the highways, cars just whizzed past the carts, without a second thought. But once out of their cars, Romanians were some of the friendliest people we’ve met, waving and calling out, “hello!” or “hola!” as we rode by.

The bike ride to Belgrade served up more busy roads, with lots of fast moving traffic. A quieter section that passed through fields of corn, cabbage and carrots provided a pleasant break from the crowded throughways. Belgrade itself was a bustling, vibrant city with an iconic fortress and lots of classical architecture. We enjoyed strolling through the pedestrian-only walkways, between hotel-room planning sessions where we considered our options for travel once we reach the Black Sea.

We rode eastward from Bratislava, brushing past the northwestern Carpathian Mountains, and out onto the Great Hungarian Plain. The route alternated between excellent paved sections, deep wet gravel, and phenomenally potholed roads. But we eventually reached Budapest, the Pearl of the Danube, with its fascinating history and culture.

We cycled along the treeless levees that border the Danube River in gorgeous, cool-but-sunny conditions. It was the perfect way to arrive in Vienna, the sumptuous center of the Austro-Hungarian empire. We spent several days there, soaking up the Hapsburg legacy, and sampling the city’s amazing culture.

There’s a reason the Danube River route through Austria is so popular with cyclists. We rode through a string of picture-perfect, riverside villages via mostly quiet, dedicated bike paths. And by sheer luck, we found ourselves at the Regattaverein as the national teams were warming up for the 2019 World Rowing Championships. 

We’ve left Germany via the beautiful, baroque city of Passau. Our arrival in Austria brings our country-tally to seven for the trip. But Austria threw us a curve-ball, with three ferry crossings of the Danube River in one day. The route from Passau, Germany to Vienna, Austria is one of the most popular cycling trails in Europe, giving us lots of opportunities to meet other cyclists. One new friend from Holland let us try out his recumbent bicycle.

Out on a cycling tour, you eat whatever the villages along your way offer. Watermelons sold along the side of the road? Of course. An Italian cafe dinner in the heart of Bavarian Germany? Why not? Beer and cake for breakfast, in an ancient Benedictine monastery? Absolutely. It all tastes great when you’re traveling the world by bike.

Crossing western France, we cycled along a river valley and canal that cut through the Jura Mountains. Our route was bordered by rugged cliffs and lushly forested hills. As we bounced along cobblestones on the path around Besançon, its grand citadel beckoned us from the cliffs above. We decided to stay an extra day to visit the citadel, and appreciate the city’s old world charm.

Our route on EuroVelo 6 followed two iconic canals through western France. The Canal du Centre links Brittany with the Mediterranean via the Loire and Rhône Rivers. And the Rhône-to-Rhine Canal connects the Mediterranean to the North Sea. The kilometers flew by on the flat and well-surfaced trails. Along the way we were entertained by canal-side gardens, tropical-looking birds, and an old French city oozing Renaissance charm.

After 750 km of cycling through the Loire Valley, we’re leaving the river behind. In Digoin, the Loire River turns southward, towards its source in the Ardeche Mountains of south-central France. But we are staying on EuroVelo 6, which heads northeast towards Germany and the Rhine River. Bye-bye, Loire!

Continuing our bicycle journey along the levees of the scenic Loire River, we passed several monumental chateaus. The trail has taken us through more areas where caves honeycomb the cliffs, storing the region’s wines and lots of other stuff - including our bikes for a night.

With the temperatures rising to record levels, we’re heading for Tours, France, where we can hunker down for a few days. Along the way, we both had flat tires. But that didn’t keep us from enjoying the beautiful Loire Valley, with more glowing sunflowers and stately chateaus. Even the monster that lurks in Tours’s old town couldn’t keep us away.

We’re back on the eastward road, cycling up the mighty Loire - France’s last, great, free-flowing river. Our path takes us past iconic sights like the grand chateaus, vineyards that produce the regions fine wines, and acres of sunflowers in bloom. But we’ve also discovered a few secret gems, like the troglodyte cave homes of Samur. Every day brings new surprises.