Chapter 10: How Could We Possibly Get Lost?

We never got lost. But not because of my impeccable map-reading skills.

People ride their bicycles everywhere in Germany. In Munich we saw people riding to work in suits and dresses, people carrying briefcases, groceries. Most people don't wear a helmet.

The bicycle racks are usually full so people just leave their bikes wherever, sometimes in the middle of the sidewalk, with the rear wheel locked to the frame.

Given the preponderance of bicycles, it shouldn't have surprised us that, in addition to the Danube path, there were many other bicycle routes in Germany. Sometimes we wondered if we were on the right one.

The sign we needed to follow was the green, yellow, and blue one that said, "Deutsche Donau." Donau is German for Danube.

When Rob and I ride together, I'm the map reader. My handlebar pack has a better way to hold a map so I can read it while I ride. And I like to study maps, to see where we are in the large picture and to confirm that we have not strayed from our path. My kids would make fun of me when we'd travel because I'd always say, "Let's take a look at the map." They're members of the GPS generation.

But it was Rob, who didn't have a map, who kept us from getting lost.

I rode in front, with my map. And at least once a day, sometimes twice or three times, Rob had to call me back for a turn I missed because I hadn't seen a bicycle sign. I'd have my head down looking at the map, or I was just plain oblivious to my surroundings. 

Rob has always been the wildlife spotter when we are on a hike. And on this trip he was invaluable as the bicycle sign spotter. 

Sometimes this was the only sign to follow. But with so many other bike paths out there, how did we know we were still on the Danube path? Rob was sure but I'd insist on stopping to check the map to verify that we weren't lost.

It could get confusing, some of the signs were just too busy. We'd stop and study them. Then I'd check my map. 

Mostly the route was very well marked, even when it took us through out-of-the way places.

We'd hit stretches without signs but a bench along the side of the road told us we were all right. 

We had some lovely stretches where we didn't have to worry about finding our way. We just got into a groove along a stretch of country road.

It was fun to note the great variety of the signs.