Quiet Roads Through the Allgäu

Daily miles: 30.88 | Total miles: 15,483.02

I got up, made myself a hot coffee, then quietly woke up the rest of the family, prepared some more coffee for them, and fresh water for Calli. Around 7 am, I was ready to leave. Romy and Papi walked the first few metres with me and then we hugged, waved goodbye, and I continued on my way west.

It was slightly foggy, with mist hanging over the river. A beautiful, almost mystical atmosphere. I quickly crossed through town, over the river, and then climbed back up onto the bicycle path that would guide me westwards for most of the day through countryside and small villages.

There is something emotional about continuing west now. Switzerland is getting closer again, and with every passing day I can feel more clearly that I’m entering the final phase of this journey. It still feels surreal at times.

After about nine miles, I officially left Bavaria behind and entered the Allgäu region. I stopped for a coffee in Buchloe and sat there quietly observing people around me. Many older people, mostly groups of women, meeting for breakfast, chatting, laughing, sharing stories. I always enjoy these ordinary little moments of life unfolding around me.

Outside the café, I met Chrissie and told him a bit about my journey. Encounters like these still feel special to me, even after all these miles.

The entire day looked as though it might rain at any moment, dark clouds drifting across the sky, but somehow it never actually started. Instead, I moved through peaceful country roads, flat land, fields in different shades of green and yellow, wide open spaces stretching into the distance.

Quiet. Vast. Beautiful.

Days like this remind me why I started — the simple privilege of moving through the world slowly enough to truly see it. Just me and the world around me.

At one point, I stopped to stretch when Gabi passed me on her bicycle. She stopped to ask if everything was alright. I appreciated that very much. Small gestures of kindness matter.

Today’s route was a classic bicycle path: sometimes paved, sometimes gravel, winding through places so quiet you wonder when the last person passed through there.

By the time I reached Erkheim, I stopped at a supermarket to buy some water and milk before navigating to my shepherd’s cart for the night. What a funny and beautiful little place — tiny houses spread around, peaceful and cosy.

Perfect.

Sometimes I think after sleeping in so many different places around the world, it’s funny that a tiny shepherd’s cart in the Allgäu can feel just as special as anywhere else.

I met Jochen, a truck driver who is also staying in one of the tiny houses. We chatted for a while before I settled in, took a nice hot shower, ate rice for dinner, and finished the evening with a coffee.

Simple things. Good things.

Thanks for checking in. Andrea