The campground had a supermarket across the street, two floors with a conveyor between them. I spent almost an hour shopping for food, as how the Germans organize things doesn’t match the US. The supermarket also resembled a Super Target, with food and other items intermixed. I also bought more super glue, and a new 6 mm Allen wrench, as use has slowly started to strip the one I brought.
After careful evaluation, I committed to 30 km of cycling off EV6, to: a) save some 20 km of cycling; b) remind myself that I can navigate on my own; and c) spend some time on hills given I enter Switzerland tomorrow. A complete success, I reintercepted EV6, making good time.
EV6 overlaps with the Donau Radweg (the German name for the cycle path along the Donau). However, I didn’t realize until I arrived at the source of the Donau that the two cycle paths had split; EV6 headed south for the Rhine at some point earlier in the day, where the Donau Radweg followed the Donau to its source. Had I known, I still would have chosen the Donau Radweg; no idea how many kilometers I’ve followed the Donau, but by now I wanted to see it through to the spring that created the Donau headwater.
My plan to visit the spring, and then continue on EV6 foiled, I had a problem as I hadn’t given any serious thought to where to go next. The campground on the path I thought EV6, 20 km away to the west, now an unknown into the Black Forest up the sides of the mountains.
My guess for the route of EV6 invalidated, and major thunderstorms forecast for all of tomorrow, created a bit of a quandary. Not knowing the true elevation meant I couldn’t predict my speed and thus predict any further distance for the day. Local Tourist Information provided maps of the regional cycle paths, and I sat in the local library reviewing maps and identified a new, more direct route to Geneva, the closest campground 30 km away to the south. Another alternate path provided a campground maybe 25 km away, but not quite in the right direction (likely back towards EV6, south east). The wrong choice could leave me on the side of a mountain wild camping for a day or two.
I stayed at the campground in town. Best case my last minute choice would add 20 km, worst case cold and wet somewhere, pinned down by weather with no rail access. Now I’m ensconced in a campground, a train station nearby, Internet access, and a town to explore tomorrow. Been needing a day off anyway.
I’m starting to think I might actually make Geneva. My next full day of cycling should put me in Switzerland. Worst case a short train hop.