FOOD

Food and drinks are often a big deal when I travel. I remember Hoyt and I once spent an entire day in Paris checking out potential restaurants for dinner that night. Or the pilgrimage we undertook to Belgium, just to visit Westvleteren's brewery. And the never ending list of must-visit restaurant on our kitchen wall in Amsterdam. Plus the crumbled up little notes with scribbles of traditional dishes I wanted to try in Southeast Asia in every pocket.

It is not like that on this trip. There are wineries all along the route but wine tasting is not that much fun by myself. Besides, I can't exactly drink and ride: even one glass before day's end is enough to completely drain my energy reserves. Instead I am making mental notes on the best areas for future wine tasting tours and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the vineyards. Food is somewhat of a similar story. To feel good enough to bike long days I need to eat nutritious food but the average Austrian or German restaurant menu is not following any healthy food guidelines. Breaded fried cheese with cream sauce, anyone? Honestly, my travel budget is not much for restaurant meals anyway. I love scrambling together a few things along the way and eating at my tent. The markets in Austria and Germany have been bio wholesomeness all around. The bread. The muesli. Handmade jams and cheeses. Fresh berry juice and elderflower infusions. Nut bread and honey. But sometimes there is canned tuna and crackers for dinner, eaten inside the tent while it pours outside...