Donaueschingen and the source of the Danube river

After a nights rest we set out to explore Donaueschingen to locate the source of the mighty Danube river and the start of the Danube Radweg (cycle path).

Like most pilgrimage’s, they typically begin or pass by the local church. And that is exactly where we found the start of the cycle path, across the street from the Church Saint John the Baptist.

Coincidental, on the other side of the church is the source of the Danube river. The source at this point is a spring and is enshrined with a small park.

After locating the starting point we walked the radweg into Fürstenberg park which is located in front of the Furstenberg Palace.

We stopped for lunch at the Furstenberg restaurant and brewery which has been in business for over 730 years. Lori and I split the menu or the day special which was turkey picatta with pasta and tomato sauce. The food was excellent!

After lunch and a short nap to catch up on some jet lag, we decided to test out our bikes. Our goal was to get the seat height set and identify any issues. The bikes look pretty new and are in excellent condition. We opted for e-bikes on this adventure, mostly to ensure we had the extra power to handle any large hills and to help on those days where the distance is long. The e-bikes are mid-drive where the motor is integrated with the pedals.

We took the bikes out for a short 6 mile test on the path that we will follow tomorrow. The views and scenery were stunning!

We wrapped up the day by visiting the supermarket to pick up a few things for dinner. We chose some fresh German bread rolls, cheese and fruit for the princely sum of 3.92 euros! (about $4.74).

We spent the evening re-organizing our gear to sort out what will bring with us each day, and what will stay in our luggage and be transported each day to our next hotel.

Lastly I wanted to share that we met a German couple at breakfast who have family in the region, and come to Donaueschingen to visit and do daily cycling trips. After hearing about our trip they told us about a tour they have done in the Mediterranean where you island hop and cycle while spending the night on small cruise boat. Who knows, if we survive this trip we may have another option for next year.

After months of research and planning, tomorrow the real adventure begins!