I will never know the best cycle route in the world, my legs will run out of steam before I get there, in the meantime I think yesterday came close to being cycle utopia. I didn't think my love for the Pyrenees would be surpassed or the beauty of Annecy or Lake Como bettered but this could very well be it. Fabulous roads, signposted cycle routes, great weather and unsurpassed physical beauty. It was breathtaking awe-inspiring and everything you dream if discovering when cycle touring. I audibly gasped at the sight of Mondsee, one of several turquoise blue lakes we would ride alongside before getting to Fuschlsee. At times the road/cycle route hugged the lake edge a metre from the shoreline or went through thick pine forest up short sharp climbs before bringing you back to reveal the lake again. On the other side surreal mountains look like they plunged into the water, while a road and cars snaking along the edge mere specks in the distance. Tiny villages had roads barely wide enough for a single car to pass and chalet-style homes were swamped in wild flowers in full bloom. We had our first climb, a modest 3km or so, barely a pimple in the scheme of things, but enough with panniers to get the heart rate up and a thirst for a Stiegl (Austrian beer) going. A sharp descent into Fuschl brought us to the Hotel Seewinkel, fronting the lake and in time for a home cooked meal. A popular training spot for triathletes (there's a 11.3km trail run around the lake) it's like a home away from home. As Wobbly Wheels says 'this is hard to take'.