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Across the border

Up to the present this was my longest tour with the penny farthing: From my hometown Gleisdorf to Szentgotthard in Hungary. I started at 10 in the morning (had to visit the local fleamarket first to find and buy a very nice 30ties tri-ang tricycle 🙂 ), weather was fine, only a little bid windy. After the first 10 kms the wind got stronger and always blew from south-east, so it got much harder to pedal. I never thought about that before, but sitting on top of a penny farthing you are much more exposed to the wind than riding a modern bicycle.
The first kilometers i knew very well from my former journeys, they are easy to ride, good roads, mostly asphalt and less cars. I reached Feldbach – 28 kms – after 2 hours and 10 minutes, took a brake at a nice little pond and checked all screws on my penny farthing. The bicycle worked very well as always 🙂
At this point i thought that i had reached the middle of my journey, silly me, i should have looked more exactly at the map at home.
The wind got stronger as i jumped on my bike again. From here on the streets, which are 75% only allowed for bicycles, got more bad, mostly small stones and earth, sometimes asphalt too. Otherwise the view is much more beautiful, you always ride along the river Raab, only meters away from the water.
Reaching Fehring i decided to have lunch at a restaurant. For that i had to leave my route and go east to the center of the town, exactly against the wind, which was even stronger than before… very unusual for the east of styria. After a few hundred meters i turned and changed my plans. The wind was much stronger than my hunger and my cap was blown away…
My rear started to hurt in Burgenland. You should know that the seat of my penny farthing is made of 5 mm leather, which is far too strong, it doesnt bend. I got it from a friend and im thankful for that, to make a leather seat for a bicycle is not that easy. But i must change it one day.
In Jennersdorf i finally stopped for lunch – or more precisely shopping. I bought a bun at the local supermarket – my first time going shopping with the penny farthing – for the people of Jennersdorf it seemed to be as funny as for me 🙂
Leaving Jennerdorf i got the wind in my back, which was great to ride, the last 15 kms very easy again. I reached Szentgotthard after 71 kilometers and 7 hours of riding, including some brakes. Here i took a rest at the main square and then used the train back to Gleisdorf.

Near Studenzen, Styria, 15 kms

Break at Feldbach, Styria, 28 kms

Through the fields at Fehring, Styria, 35 kms

Along the river Raab, near Welten, Burgenland, 40 kms

Near Welten, Burgenland, 40 kms

Stop at Doiber, Burgenland 45 kms

Flat Burgenland. Near St. Martin, 50 kms

Break at St. Martin, Burgenland, 50 kms

Crossing the boarder to Hungary, 65 kms

Szentgotthard, Hungary, 71 kms

Szentgotthard, Hungary, 71 kms