The goal was to try and land as close to the border of Italy as possible. Then, the plan was to ride our foldable bicycles, “Gumby” and “Pokey”, all the way to Venice. The Brompton foldable bicycles are small enough to fit in the overhead bins of “most” airplanes. We had no issues carrying them on the three flights to Frankfurt or storing them in the overhead bins. Of course, there was a learning curve on transporting the bicycle without looking like I was dragging a boulder down the aisle. The touring bag, we used for luggage, also fit either in the overhead bin or under the seat. 

Remember the “most” airplane remark? As you can see in the above image, our plane was not the essence of large and luxurious. The touring bag did not even fit in the overhead bin on this plane! Alarm one initiated and then we realized that you can simply hand your bag and bike to the loader sitting at the back of the plane. Do let them know that it is a bicycle and they will place it in a very secure location. 

Upon landing, we unfolded our bicycles, stretched our legs and began a short ride from the airport to downtown Innsbruck. The bike path was flat and scenic which had me wishing it was longer. Of course, jet lag won and the Hotel Innsbruck provided a good nights sleep after a long day of traveling.  The hotel was also able to exchange currency. A bonus, as the banks were already closed. If you can budget a few days, stay in town and explore the area.

Coming soon