On today's 21km #kickbike #ride I reached Landsberg on @the_conqueror_challenges Romantic Road virtual #challenge . I'm now completed over 80% of the challenge.

The picturesque town of Landsberg located on the River Lech was once a major salt route in the middle ages. In the same fashion as Friedberg it collected salt duties as a source of income and later added river taxes.

The town is a collection of pastel coloured buildings but the most impressive is the ornately decorated old town hall. Built in the 1700’s the building is three storeys high with a richly detailed stucco façade. The windows increase in size with each floor indicating the importance of the rooms behind them. The first two floors display significant paintings by Herkomer whilst the third floor is a ballroom with frescoes depicting the town’s history.

#romanticroadgermany #germany #europe #footbike #kickbiking #footbiking #exercise #cycling #virtualchallenges

On today's 18km #kickbike #ride I reached Friedberg on @the_conqueror_challenges Romantic Road virtual #challenge .

Only 8km from Augsburg is the town of Friedberg. It was founded in the mid-13th century by the Bavarian Duke Ludwig II to protect the salt route and the borders against the powerful neighbouring Augsburgers who at the time wanted their territory across the River Lech.

#exercise #footbike #kickbiking #footbiking #cycling #romanticroadgermany #germany #europe #virtualchallenges

On today's 10.3km #kickbike #ride I reached Augsburg on The Conqueror Challenges Romantic Road virtual #challenge .

Augsburg is one of the oldest cities in Germany, it is the third biggest city in Bavaria with a population of 300,000 residents (885,000 if you include the metro area) and a university town. Founded in 15BC by the Romans, it was named August Vindelicorum after Emperor Augustus. The city was home to the noble families Fugger and Welser who controlled European banking in the 16th century. The Water Management System of Augsburg became a UNESCO site in 2019.

#exercise #footbike #kickbiking #footbiking #virtualchallenges #romanticroadgermany #germany #europe

On today's 14.4km #kickbike #ride I reached Rain on The Conqueror Challenges Romantic Road virtual #challenge .

Rain is a small town of 8,800 residents located near the River Lech. It was founded in the mid-13th century for strategic purposes. Protecting Bavaria from the northwest, Rain was also a collection point for customs from those crossing the bridge over the river.

The Battle of Rain took place in 1632 during the Thirty Years’ War. The battle was between the Swedish Protestant army and the Catholic League (a Holy Roman Empire coalition) commanded by the Count of Tilly. During the battle Tilly and his second in command were severely injured, leaving the army leaderless. The army withdrew and shortly after Tilly died from his wound. A monument commemorating Tilly was erected in 1914 in front of the Town Hall.

#romanticroad #germany #europe #virtualchallenges #footbike #kickbiking #footbiking #cycling #exercise

On today's 29km #kickbike #ride I reached Harburg & Donauwörth on The Conqueror Challenges Romantic Road virtual #challenge .

The small medieval village of Harburg is located in the Bavarian region of Swabia. It has a population of 5,500 residents and it sits between the banks of Wörnitz River and the castle hill with Harburg Castle rising above it. Its origins date back to the 12th century when it was owned by the Hohenstaufen family, a noble dynasty that rose to rule the Holy Roman Empire during the Middle Ages (1138-1254).

Donauwörth sites at the confluence of the Wörnitz and the Danube Rivers sits. It began as a fishing settlement around the 10th century. The old town is located on an island surrounded by Wörnitz River and connected to the rest of the city by a wooden bridge via the oldest surviving town gate known as the Riedertor. Right through the centre of the old town runs Reichstrasse, a street lined with colourful houses built over multiple levels that were once homes to the nobility.

#romanticroadgermany #germany #exercise #footbike #kickbiking #footbiking #cycling #virtualchallenges #europe

On today's 18.5km #kickbike #ride I reached Nördlingen on The Conqueror Challenges Romantic Road virtual #challenge .

This is a town that is as old as time or at the very least the location certainly is. The town itself was built in a crater which was a result of a meteorite striking at 43,496mi/h (70,000km/h). The diameter of the crater is 15mi (25km) wide and the town sits within its depression.

A climb to the top of St George’s Cathedral clock tower presents an aerial view of the town, the crater and the fully preserved town wall. The 15th century Cathedral was built out of rock known as suevite. This type of rock is typically formed during an impact event such as the asteroid crashing. The clock tower is 300ft (90m) tall and affectionately named “Daniel” by the locals.

In the old locomotive sheds of Nördlingen Station is the Bavarian Railway Museum and home to more than 100 railway vehicles. Nördlingen’s depot was built in 1851 and was used by steam locomotives until 1966 when they were replaced by diesel locomotives and rail buses. In 1985 the depot was adapted to a museum.

#romanticroadgermany #germany #exercise #cycling #footbike #kickbiking #footbiking #virtualchallenges #europe #railwaymuseum

On today's 21.5km #kickbike #ride I reached Wallerstein on @the_conqueror_challenges Romantic Road virtual #challenge .

Wallerstein came into existence in 1238 when it was initially known as Steinheim. Originally owned by Emperor Barbarossa, ownership was transferred to the House of Oettingen in 1250. The Oettingens developed and brought prosperity to the town until they lost their independence in 1806 and the town was enveloped into Bavaria.

#romanticroadgermany #germany #virtualchallenges #exercise #cycling #footbike #kickbiking #footbiking

On today's 14.2km #kickbike #ride I reached Dinkelsbühl & passed the 40% completed mark of The Conqueror Challenges Romantic Road virtual #challenge .

Dinkelsbühl remains one of the best preserved medieval towns in Germany. The town is surrounded by a complete fortified wall with 16 towers and four fully preserved tower gates.

Inside the town wall is the 15th century Gothic hall church with a 13th century tower portal leading to an interior of 22 pillars supporting a vaulted roof. The Neo-Gothic high altar with a shrine circa 1490 is flanked by highly decorated side altars dating from the early 1500s. On display is a tablet from 1520 depicting the ten commandments and a walk up the tower presents the visitor with a view over the town.

#romanticroadgermany #germany #virtualchallenges #exercise #footbike #kickbiking #footbiking #cycling

On today's 9.6km #kickbike #ride I reached Feuchtwangen on The Conqueror Challenges Romantic Road virtual #challenge .

#exercise #footbike #kickbiking #footbiking #virtualchallenges #Germany #romanticroadgermany

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ctgd2GkPAbH/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==

On today's 6.2km walk, I reached Halls Creek on the Rundowununder virtual #challenge .

Halls Creek is the only sizeable town for 600 km on the Highway, so be prepared for a lot of Outback Australia s you continue YOUR journey. Halls Creek is also the northern end of the Canning Stock Route, which runs 1,850 km through the Great Sandy Desert until the southern end of the route at Wiluna.

The town functions as a major hub for the local indigenous population and as a support centre for cattle stations in the area. The optimal time to visit Halls Creek is in the Dry season from mid-April to mid-October. Temperatures are mild and the humidity low. You can almost be guaranteed of there being no rain and the skies are a bright clear blue much of the time. The night skies are superb for star gazing and offer great viewing of any comets that may be passing.

The build up to The Wet (usually October and November) can become quite hot and humid with daily maximum temperatures climbing over 40 degrees Celsius. By planning your days carefully, with early morning starts, resting during the middle of the day, before venturing out again late in the afternoon you will be rewarded with a quite different perspective of the area. The sunsets are at their best and you may get to see some magnificent natural light shows in the sky as the storm clouds roll in accompanied by the lightning. Most locals will tell you that their favourite time of year is once the Wet arrives which can happen in December but usually January as the rain is welcome relief from the recent heat. This is also the time that many of the local swimming holes and waterfalls are rejuvenated. Some operations do close over the Wet season as some access roads become impassable so if you have a particular must see attraction it is advisable to check that it will be accessible.

#exercise #walking #rundownunder #westernaustralia #virtualchallenges

https://www.instagram.com/p/CtcnYQlBbhT/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==

On today's 29km #kickbike #ride I reached Röttingen, Creglingen & Rothenburg ob der Tauber on @the_conqueror_challenges Romantic Road virtual #challenge .

First mentioned as Rutingen in 1103AD, the small town of Röttingen is known for its Franconian Festival that has been held every year for the last 30 years at Brattenstein Castle, and for it's sundials. Scattered along a 1.2mi (2km) circular route are 25 different types of sundials. The idea came from Kurt Fuchslocher, a master locksmith who loved sundials and their simple mechanics. He set about creating and building all the sundials in various styles and were added to Röttingen’s landscape in 1984.The open-air theatre features musicals, operettas, theatre and bands.

Set amongst the hills is the pretty little town of Creglingen and its population of 4,700 residents. Its main attraction is the 14th century Church of our Lord. In 1384, a piece of undamaged communion wafer (bread) was found in a peasant’s field. Believing that the wafer was the cause of miracles the local Lords built a chapel shortly after. Carved out of wood in early 1500 by gothic-sculptor Tilman Riemenschneider, the altar is a fine and intricate design of figures made from linden trees with the altar wings made of pine trees. During the Reformation period, the altar wings were closed instead of destroyed and remained that way for the next 300 years indirectly providing the best form of preservation throughout the centuries.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a beautifully preserved town and one of only three cities in Germany that has completely intact city walls, dating back to 1070AD. A walk around the wall is approximately 1.8mi (3km) long although in some sections there are houses backing onto the wall obstructing complete access for the full walk.

#romanticroadgermany #germany #exercise #footbike #kickbiking #footbiking #europe #virtualchallenges

https://www.instagram.com/p/CtVdpbqR7DP/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==

On completion of today's 29km #kickbike #ride , I had travelled through Omihachiman, Lake Biwa and Echigawa on @the_conqueror_challenges Nakasendo Trail virtual #challenge .

Lake Biwa is the largest body of fresh water in Japan.

Strava actvitiy: https://www.strava.com/activities/8322632987

#japan #nakasendotrail #exercise #virtualchallenges