Motorradtour "Bayerwald-Passau-Innviertel"

BAYERWALD - PASSAU - INNVIERTEL
"From Prague to Munich in 5 minutes - how is that supposed to work? You're taking the piss!" This is the kind of insinuation I hear when I share my ideas for today's route shortly before setting off. The fact that we also have the "Kessel von Loh" - the site of the famous elephant meeting - on the list is completely ignored in the face of this obviously moronic Prague-Munich claim ... "All right, you'll see," I say with fervour and conviction ...

Everyone realises, of course, that the places I have mentioned are not Prague and Munich. However, right at the beginning there is no doubt about our route from the KTM MOTOHALL to Braunau and over the Inn into the Lower Bavarian Rottal. Through the thermal spa and golf area around Bad Griesbach, we wind our way past Ortenburg towards the Danube.
In Sandbach, we embark on the adventure of crossing the Danube by cable ferry and remember that there was a story in the media about the sinking of a Danube ferry. "That was the one in Mariaposching, up the Danube from Deggendorf, so far away from us," the ferryman reassures us and brings us safely to the left bank with a smile on his face.
On winding, shady paths, we climb up the Danube with our bikes and are already at the gates to the Bavarian Forest. The names of towns such as Kirchberg vorm Wald and Aicha vorm Wald make it clear that we are not yet inside. At the latest at the entrance to Fürstenstein, we have considerable doubts about this: a monument modelled on Stonehenge has been erected at the edge of an extensive natural stone trade, so that we feel more like we've been transported to the "big island" than to the "Woid".
A little later, however, we are given certainty: we are at the "Bavarian Forest Museum Village" - now everything is clear! A little later, at the Wackelstein car park, it is not entirely clear whether we should take the direct route through the forest to our next destination, the Loh basin, or the slightly further option via Rettenbach. In the end, everyone decides according to their own preference: the direct route is unpaved and can be a little more challenging depending on the weather, but can normally also be travelled on road bikes without any problems.
Regardless of which option is chosen, the entrance to the "Kessel von Loh" awaits at the end of both alternatives. Most motorcyclists are familiar with this place, especially because of the Elephant Meeting, which has been held there for years in February and attracts hard-core bikers from almost all parts of the world, or at least from all over Europe.
However, we are now more attracted by the bends ahead of us and the prospect of riding fun, which we indulge in extensively on the route via Schönberg, Grafenau and Altschönau. A "few metres" further on, in Neuschönau, the treetop path offers an interesting and educational interruption to the bends; climbing the 44-metre-high tree tower in the shape of an egg is not just the highlight in terms of metres.
Ringelai, Eisenbernreut and Fürsteneck are on the rest of our route. And suddenly it's there! The yellow town sign with the black letters PRAGUE shines out at us. Aha, here is the first part of our route puzzle. And indeed: as we continue towards Kalteneck, we really do see the inconspicuous signpost for "Munich" after just a few minutes! Of course we turn off - and are amused by the "few houses" hidden behind the town sign. But it's kind of funny!
Amused and exhilarated, we continue through the rural ups and downs and reach a real gem via Hutthurm, Ruderting and Patriching: the Veste Oberhaus gives us a fantastic view over the three-river city of Passau. We are impressed by the city ensemble that stretches between and around the rivers Inn, Ilz and Danube. We can also clearly see how the rivers Inn and Danube, which are different in colour, mix with each other, incorporate the Ilz as a third splash of colour and from now on drift on as a mixture.
We also continue on our bikes - unmixed - cruising through the old town of Passau and the city centre of the Inn, crossing back into Austria and passing Schärding. Reichersberg Abbey, with its impressive monastery, is not only a visual highlight to visit, but the beer garden also tempts us to enjoy a more profane treat. If we haven't succumbed to this yet, we can do so a few kilometres further on in the beautiful market square of Oberndorf.
But no matter where we have our "final coffee", the next few kilometres via Mining, Weng im Innkreis, Mauerkirchen and Uttendorf will give us another really enjoyable ride. By the time we arrive at the MOTOHALL, we can be sure that we have had an eventful and enjoyable motorbike day!