Join ExperiencePlus! this summer to Bicycle Bavaria’s Back Roads and discover a wonderful mixture of
history, and the fairy tale landscapes of the brothers Grimm. Today some of the best-preserved towns and villages from the 15th through the 18th century are strung out like pearls throughout Bavaria and are connected by quite roads and bike paths making it a perfect destination for bicycling.
Jane and Rod Harris kept a superb blog of their Bavaria trip in August 2012 and we’ve used a few of their photos here to tempt you.
And ExperiencePlus! travelers Sonny Lange, Irwin Fefergrad and Dave Forester were kind enough to reflect on their ride through Bavaria
1. Each of you has done numerous ExperiencePlus! trips throughout the world – what made this trip so special?
Irwin: Fabulous bike paths, gorgeous scenery, historic sites, wonderful villages and towns
Dave: Green countryside—pastures resembled a golf course—no fences, no telephone/electric poles; picturesque villages which were tidy, uncluttered, clean.
Sonny: I think the route planned for us was outstanding; I was impressed with the quality of the roads and the numerous bike paths. Of course the scenery was outstanding.
2. What were some of your favorite highlights from the trip?
Irwin: Worry free, scenic cycling, historic towns, preserved or restored areas in the Baroque tradition.
Dave: Staying in medieval cities—even those re-built after WWII—in their previous architecture
Sonny: The market at Rothenburg, medieval Dinkelsbühl, the fortified town of Landsberg, and the castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau.
3. How was the riding and the roads?
Irwin: Best yet for me. Roads and paths were wonderfully manicured, smooth.
Dave: Road surfaces smooth, even on secondary and tertiary roads; bike paths, maybe 25 to 30% of the ride, allowed us to avoid traffic
Sonny: See my answer in #1 the roads and route were great
4. The tour is rated 201 difficulty on a scale of 101 to 401– do you prefer 201 level tours to others?
Irwin: My range is 201 or 301; I might try a 401 one day, but in Ontario Canada, the main 6 lane highway is called the 401. The very thought of being on the 401 is scary.
Dave: I prefer either 201 or 301—some hills okay, so you can enjoy downhill runs.
Sonny: I like the 201 it is very relaxing, some of the 301’s are good also, 401s are too much work for this old guy.
6. How were the accommodations?
Irwin: The accommodations were clean, adequate.
Dave: Good, always clean and neat. Last hotel in Fussen was great.
Sonny: Excellent hotel selections, nicely located very enjoyable.
7. Were the people along the route friendly – any funny encounters?
Irwin: People were great. There were many encounters but in the interest of preserving my relationship with the others on the trip, I cannot talk. What happens on the trip stays on the trip.
Dave: All I can say is that it’s a good thing I was the responsible one. It was nice that many Germans speak English and were helpful with directions, meal explanations, purchases.
Sonny: People were German, reserved and respectful. Talk to Dave about the girls we had our picture taken with…
9. How would you describe Bavaria?
Irwin: Beautiful; spectacular pride in the gardening and appearances of each village and each house in the village; picturesque, scenery varied from forested to rolling to pastures.
Dave: Bucolic—flatter than my mental image of hills, mountains and forests
Sonny: It was like riding in Minnesota and Wisconsin, the scenery was quite similar. I was really impressed by the neatness of the homes, farms, and towns.
For further inspiration check out the trip reviews and itinerary and let us know if you prefer the June 23 – July 2, or August 4 – 13, 2013 departure!