Meanwhile, I have developed a morning routine with which I make myself and my bike ready for the journey. For the day, plenty of rain was announced and at the start it also started to rain a little. Accordingly prepared I got on my bike.

That with the rain has given itself then quite fast again. Instead, the climb to Bad Gastein was in front of me again. 200 meters of altitude on just under 1.8 km, which makes an average of 11% slope. After I had fought my way up the climb I could take off my rain gear - but I was wet from the inside.

After Bad Gastein it went more moderately uphill to Böckstein. Here you reach the "Tauernschleuse". This is a car train, which also transports bicycles, and tunnels under the main Alpine ridge in 12 minutes. Here, in front of the hourly train, a crowd of bike travelers of all kinds gathered: from retired e-bike couples to crazy urban Italians, who eloquently recited their intentions and exploits. In any case, it was entertaining.

Thanks to the "Tauernschleuse" I saved myself a good 1000 Hm and was already on the south side of the Alps before noon. Thus, the main altitude meters of the day were also done.

Here the weather was also immediately better. It followed a rushing downhill over a good 10km. After that it went first wavy then pretty flat through a wide valley. The last 40km were very relaxed along the river Drau to Villach. Here arrived the sky opened its rain floodgates and a powerful thunderstorm moved over Villach. There I was already in the hotel 😀.

And here the day summary with the route: