2011, Basel to Königssee via Bodensee

Caught train from Rotterdam to Basel as Wanted to ride to Königssee. Just after leaving Basel I broke a part of my trailer where it hangs onto the bike. I was in Bad Säckinger when it happened and there were no campsites close by. Found a hotel who was very nice and gave me a good rate on a daily basis as I didn’t known the part would get to me. I contacted the company in UK and told them the situations and told them I would pay extra to get it express. Yes, after 5 days I was still waiting as they sent it normal post from Uk to Germany. Bad Säckinger is a lovely small town but there wasn’t much to do for 5 days. On Sunday there was an oompah band in the park play Glen Miller, I thought it was so funny but quite entertaining just to hear the base sound of the Tubas. Up in the hills there is a spa where the waters are famous to help different ailments. Across the Rhine there is a wooden bridge that crossed over to Switzerland, but I understand they are taking it down to build a modern bridge.The ride to Bodensee was hilly but once you reach Bodensee the views open up over the lake. One side is Swiss and more expensive than the German side. I rode down to Lindau and camped up getting ready for the climb up the mountains to start the route over the Alps. After Lindau the hills got silly, so steep, towing a trailer with all my camping gear in it, even runners were overtaking me. Fantastic views, from Lindau I was cycling through clouds to reach the summit. It was amazing to see a golf course on the mountains, don't know how far the ball rolls to one side. Once you reached the summit the going wasn't that bad it flattened out, the air got thinner but it was so fresh all the time.The one crazy things was passing from Germany into Switzerland and then back again. I was asked each time if I was carrying any alcohol, but I was on a bike towing a trailer. They let cars just drive through.Being so high you could see the clouds butt up to the mountain faces and create wonderful shaped clouds. Finally I was going down when I got to Königssee, the views never diminished. When you are riding you don’t see many people but when you get to Königssee you realise there were so many riders. Other than wanting to ride over the Alps I wanted to see Hitlers summer residence, Eagles Nest. There is a cable car where you can put your bike on the outside of the car. It’s one of the oldest cable cars in Europe. It takes you to thecae park where you have to park up and take the coach to the next stop off area, here you take a lift up to the Eagles Nest. You’re not allowed to touch the walls of the lift as they are mirror finished and clean, made out of copper. Hitler didn’t like the route to the top, so the lift was installed. The views are awesome, Salzburg in one direction, Königssee and the alps in the other. You have to book the coach back as there are so many visitors and all the coaches leave together as there is no passing places. The ride down the final hill is so fast, it would wear your brakes out it’s so steep. Move into the centre of your lane and just go for it. The cars didn’t try and pass I was doing over 35mph on a touring bike.