Esztergom to Visegrad

This morning I went up the hill at Esztergom to visit the cathedral. I briefly considered going in but it cost money and was full of old people dithering about. I don't know why they don't just stay at home and dither. Maybe they're running a smooth operation at home so they have to go away to get themselves flustered over nothing. Anyway, there were 3 steps to get into the ticket office so it was virtually impossible to get past the old people stuck at the bottom and the top trying to negotiate them, babbling away to the other old people about things I hope to never know.

The view from the base of the cathedral was worth the climb. It overlooks the bridge over the river as well as the other dozen or so churches in the town. I also used it to find a bike path so I didn't have to go on the busy road again.

I followed that bike path but after 5km or so it did rejoin the busy road. As it's Saturday there were hardly any trucks, but loads of buses, which are worse. They seem to have a bigger blast of wind. They also pass closer. I got to a turn off and followed a quiet road for a while but it ended at a ferry. The ferry was on the other side of the river and didn't look like it was running. I didn't really want to cross the river either.

I decided that if I don't want to go on the busy road and I can't go on the ferry it was time for some bush bashing. I went down this dirt track that ran alongside what seemed like a lake hut was actually still joined to the river. There were a few people camped down there and other people fishing. The dirt turned to sand which was really tricky to ride on. My tyres are at 80psi so they cut right through.

I came to what seemed like a town, except all the roads were dirt tracks. It was a bit strange. I took another dirt track which just ended so I kept riding through a paddock just on the grass and wound up at a dried up creek. I followed that and found a really nice remote section of the river. It would have been ideal for camping. I stopped there and had some lunch. I also watched half an episode of True Detective because pfft to nature.

When I got going again I found a trail which turned into a dirt track again. That took me into a nearby town then I was back on the road again. Thankfully the last few km into this town - Visegrad - was on a footpath.

Unfortunately it was occupied by ladies. I would like to put forward the hypothesis that ladies are unable to walk in straight lines. I noticed it on the tube and have noticed it repeatedly on this trip. They zig zag. I'm constantly dodging them or jamming the brakes on to avoid hitting them while they meander all over the place. They seem to walk straighter when they're looking at their phones. It's just a hypothesis, and I'm not saying it is all ladies. But it hasn't happened once with men this trip. Someone needs to test this.

I'm not sure whether to make one more stop off tomorrow night or just go to Budapest. There's a summer toboggan thing here and a citadel up on the hill. I'm also quite enjoying the leisurely pace so I might just fart arse around again tomorrow.