Day Six: Steyr to Freistadt
On Tuesday, we left Steyr and began to travel northward to Freistadt, a small town in the state of Upper Austria. The town has approximately 7,500 residents and is a trade center for local villages. It was an old medieval town founded around 1220 and was a crossroad of the salt and iron trade route during the Middle Ages.
Our ride to Freistadt took us away from the mountains and into the countryside of Austria. We also crossed the famous river, the Danube. Highlights from the day are below.
Austrian countryside, cycling in the middle of nowhere. It’s such a neat experience!
Gary playing in the Danube after crossing over the bridge. The Danube is the longest river in the European Union and it flows through, or forms part of, the borders of 10 countries.
Spot of our second regroup in St. George.
At our first regroup, I started getting a migraine, but I was determined to make it across the Danube and to our lunch stop. It was a tough ride, but I made it in spite of the blurred vision, nausea, and pain. Thankfully, it didn’t turn into a full migraine or I would have been off my bike (and my feet) for the rest of the day!
Town church in St. George
Gary getting ready for his post-lunch ride
View of St. Catherine parish church in Freistadt. You can see the church immediately as you enter through the remains of the medieval town gate.
Old medieval walls, moat area, and watch tower of the old city.
Hauptplatz, the main town square
Before dinner, we joined a tour guide for a brief walking tour of the old town. It was a quick way to get our bearings in the city and learn more about the history of this interesting town. You can find more pictures in my Austria II and Czech Republic album.
