On August 8th we realized that we would not have not enough time to finish the trail to reach Munich on the eleventh .So we decided to ride to the finish of the second section of the trail to Donauwoerth. There we reached the Danube . Somewhere on this trail we lost track of one another but found each other again in the town. We had stayed there before when we rode the Danube River trail.

We stayed at the Golden Hirschen and had Dinner at an Italian Restaurant.e ' We met the dog Felix and his  family and said good by We rode to the Railway Station and bought a ticket to Landsberg am Lech that would take us to the last and 4th section of the trail. It was nice to ride the train for awhile because we missed a lot of hills and it was really, really hot again. We arrived in Landsberg a little after noon, the town was packed, took some photos and got on the trail. Nice shady trail through a nature preserve along the river Lech.But than a pretty long stretch through farmland without any biergarten  Had reserved a room in the little village of Epfach, once a Roman stronghold. The woman warned me about some bridge being out, but Mac did not believe it . We reached a barricade which advised that  people could get as far as the construction zone. There was a round sign with a red border and a bike pic in the middle, which means bikes can not get through. Of course Mac does not know those signs and he barreled down the  loooong steep hill. Reaching the bottom there it was the fence across  bridge closed.

There was no way we could make it back up the looong steep hill. So took off the panniers and  hoisted the  bikes and all over the metal barrier. There was a big hole in the bridge, but we could get around it. Had to do the whole thing on the other side again. But we made it to our Gasthaus in Epflach,very small village, lots of Roman artifacts.  We found out the next day that if we hadn't gone thru the barricades it would have been a long trip around.

Left there this morning  after breakfast and soon the Alps came into view. Rode through beautiful 

pastureland through the foothills and arrived in Steingaden early afternoon. Visited the church here also called the Welfen Muenster. It was founded by the Duke Welf of Bavaria in 1147.The Architecture is in romanic form and stayed this way  to today. only the inside was changed with fancy decorations in the Barock and Roccoco Style. Some of the Frescos from the 13th century have been preserved.
Tomorrow we will finish this Biketrail via another famous Church called the Wies in Fuessen.
From there by train to Munich to visit with the nephews.

Gate at Landsberg am Lech

The market square and a gate leaving Landsberg

Rathaus at Landsberg

Deer in the wildpark along the trail

River Lech from the bridge that was closed

History of the area around Epfach.  Lots of Roman ruins were found here

History of the Via Claudia Augusta

Map of the Via Claudia Augusta which went from Verona to Augsburg across the Alps used by the Romans

MariaHimmelfahrt Kirche in Schongau with carved signs of the different trades

trade of wagon builders

Rathaus Schongau

trail toward Alps

First view of the Alps in the  dstance

Church in Steingaden

Frescos in Church in steingaden dating to 12th century

 Arcades of the former Cloister in Steingaden

Door handle depicting Bavarian Lion