Zand Martin

Last night, we finished the portage to the source of the Danube.  It is just over 100 kilometers of steep, winding roads from the River Rhine to Donaueschingen, all cut through dense conifer forest and high altitude farmland.  Just as we entered Germany and lost sight of the Rhine, the weather finally turned.  After nineteen days of hot, sunny days, the temperatures dropped into the 30’s and the rain began to fall.  Our portage took us over three passes, the highest of which was the Feldbergpass, just below Feldberg, at 4980 feet, the highest mountain in the range.  Snow fell most of the day, leaving four inches on the pass.  It was well worth it- after three days of portaging- 24 miles a day, uphill, in the snow, we are 100 meters from the legendary spring that feeds the River of History, Danuvius.