Yet again the forecast was for sun, but the reality was thick cloud and temperatures in the low teens. Oh well! The 10 miles of cycling along the lake shore to Fredrichshaven were pleasant, flat and fast.

Here we caught the fast catamaran across the Bodensee to Konstanz. I love to work a good ferry into a bike ride! Despite the grey skies, the views were great, but the photos suffered. The mountains above St Gallen looked superb and I hankered to be riding back to Zurich the harder way …..

We wandered around Konstanz for a while, and then set off on the final leg of riding. The hill leading away from the lake seemed so easy, secure in the knowledge that there aren’t many left!

Some pleasant countryside led to a bizarre lunch stop. This was a very smart cafe – pale upholstered chairs, walnut tables – where, before admission, we were quizzed in hostile fashion about the state of our lederhosen (was it oily?). Strangely, by the time we left we were being treated like royalty and were given freebies to take with us. It’s the effect we have on people!
Just one day’s riding to go. I can’t believe it’s nearly over.

Helen’s track of the day:
Retrograde by James Blake
The single track I have listened to the most on this trip. It’s beautiful. Not even the cafe woman could ease my chilled out mood and of course using the killer smile and plenty of compliments about the delicious lunch she provided we came away with free cakes and many good wishes for the rest of our trip. Though choir restarts tonight and I think I should be humming Mozart, though that does not arrive so readily in my brain as those of you who sit close to me at previous rehearsals can testify.