We made it - Oh Yeah!!

Saturday  23rď September

We stayed in the wrong part of Rotterdam, the port area was far nicer as we cycled through. However anywhere on the sea side of Rotterdam would have been better. The cycle down the last part of the Lek/Rhine was great - fine weather, gentle following wind and good tracks. We were having coffee when I spotted the older couple just about to start their day - they had a bad night, their accommodation turned out to be someones garage, they hardly slept and are going to complain to Booking.com as it was not as advertised. Shame, it turned out he was 84 and found any slight incline difficult but he was still cycling. They stayed just 5 km outside Rotterdam in a great place with canals and cafes and there was a huge music feastival taking place - probably why they were shoved in a garage.

We were sucked away from our route by some duplicate signing and were then stuck the wrong side of a motorway but managed to get back to the Rhine at Maassluis. We then followed the water for the last 15 km - fantastic. We passed the largest moveable structure on earth, the Rhine barrage, about 5 km up from Hoek van Hoalland is the barrage which is protect the Rhine flooding during storm surges. It is deployed if a 2.6m or more surge is expected, it was thought it would be deployed about every 10 years but since it was built (1995 I think) it has only been used once in anger in 2007. Each year in August they practice deploying it to ensure it works. It lays flat and moves from each side of the river to block it off, if the 2 sides were placed vertical on top of each other it would be taller than the Effel Tower.

We cycled through Hoek down to the Strand and along Pier One which is along the east bank of the estuary to as far as we could go. The end, we could go no further, Gilly and I had followed the Rhine from  source to  sea.

It was a great journey, seeing the Rhine grow from a small lake in the Alps into a vast comercial river and then discharging into the sea has been one of the best rides we have done. Our bikes behaved and we survived with no injuries although Gilly's knees played up occaisionally. I had one near death experience, I was 'car doored' but screamed very loudly as it was opened on me and the old bloke in the car shut his door in fright and I just slipped past and Gilly, who was behind me, was OK.

If you like river cycling, this has got to be up there withe best.

Total Odo 1441.7km

Rotterdam - penultimate stop

Friday 22nd September day 28

We are now in Rotterdam, The Netherlands second city. We have had a couple of interesting days getting here. On Thursday we headed for Schoonhoven along quiet roads ontop of the dykes. We were on the right bank and had view to our right down onto some very fertile and rich farms and a busy river on our left. This branch of the delta is calledvthe Lek and is much slower than the main Rhine. We crossed the Amsterdam Canal almost as we left and then then the Lek Canal. This latter canal was very busy and joins up with Amsterdam Canal. There is a huge amount of work going on reinforcing the dykes and expanding the canals. Navigation was a little difficult. 

We met an older couple in our hotel (probably 10 years on us) who have been riding the Rhine Route, they have struggled with their route finding uptil now, we feel they would have struggled today. But it give Gilly and me hope that we could be still active in 10 years. 

At the start of our journey we walked up to the soyrce of the Rhine at 2345m above sea level - tonight in Schoonhoven we will be sleeping at -2m. We have passed huge sluices controling the water level. 

Schoonhoven was a great place, small canals and cobbled streets and we stayed in a fantastic B&B. We prefer the anominity of a hotels but this one has a room divorced from the main house and was great. The town was small enough to walk around. Possibly the best town/village we have stayed in. 

Schoonhoven Distance 49.71 Odo 1374.6km

Today was interesting. We crossed by ferry to the left bank and followed the river on the dyke for 20 km. It is being restored and there was some heavy machinery working. We arrived at Kinderdyke and the windmills late morning. We have been there a couple of times before - the windmills were built to drain the land, they are now redundant as there is a new modern pumping station. We crossed a small branch of the delta by ferry and then caught a fast catermaran into Rotterdam. This was a 30 minute ride and was interesting sailing into the centre og Rotterdam.

Rotterdam Distance 23.77 Odo 1398.4km

The homeward leg

We had a good night in our appartment and were looking forward to a pleasant ride via the Airbourne Museum just outside Arnhem. We arrived at the museum at 0930 just as a school party were going in. We were told it does not open until 1000 - 'tis OK for school children but OAPs who have cycled 1000 miles to see are sent away - we thought a cuppa would go down well and then go back - cafe opens 1030. I was a bit miffed, if banks and other businesses can open at a reasonable time I am not sure why the museum is a special case - all the staff were there. So we gave it a miss and pedalled on. The weather forecast was good but cold, just 1% chance of rain - we were the unlucky 1% - peed down most of the morning. The tracks were good but took us around the houses a bit so we peeled off and followed a couple of local routes. This is a hilly area, Arnhem is on a sand ridge and our route today was undulating - a bit of a shock to the system after the flat German plains.

The Rhine has split into a couple of rivers as it wends it's way to the sea. We have decided to follow the central arm. We have 3 more days cycling, Schoonhoven tomorrow, then Rotterdam on Friday and to Hoek Van Holland on Saturday and the overnight ferry. Tonight we are in a place that I have no chance of pronouncing - good luck to you if you have a go. We cycled through the worlds only drive through windmill on the outskirts of town.

The wind was in our faces for the first time this afternoon. I hope it drops as we are heading west now untill the end. About 20km from here we met a couple of riders - we chatted about what we were doing etc. and what they were doing - we are taking 3 days to get to Hoek they are getting there tonight - phew that will take some doing. I can only assume they were German and yet again I feel inadequate.

Wijk bij Duurstede Distance 54.31 Odo 1324.9km

We are now in The Netherlands

Tuesday 19th part 2

We crossed the border into Holland about 5km out from Emmerich on the right bank. We are now in the land of the speeding grannies on their bikes - they whizz around the place and you need to make sure you are on the correct (right) side of the cycle track.

So how was Germany? It was good cycling, dedecated cycle paths for hundreds of miles. Car drivers are very good to cyclists, they give you priority if you are on a cycle track and give you space crossing roads. Most people are very helpful and a good number do have a sence of humour. However I cannot get used to the stare, it is normally accommpanied by an unsmiling, frowning face and puts you on the back foot thinking you should not be where you are. There are some great villages, the food is good and although the major cities we passed through took a beating by our bombers during the war, they have been remarkably well restored and their old quarters rebuilt to the original specs. We visited the most visited place by foreigners in Germany - Koln Cathedral - and the second most - Rudesheim, at the begining of the Rhine Gorge.

The Rhine is a powerful river, an artery for trade right across the country. It is navigable for nearly 1000km up to Basel and it is full of barges. I have enjoyed Germany and having now cycled the North Sea coast a couple of years ago, it leaves me the Baltic coast and Berlin to cycle on another day.

Emmerich for supper

Monday 18th
I am a believer in early starts and early finishes. 0730 breakfast, a couple of coffee breaks, over half the daily mileage before lunch then stop by 3pm. This way means the day does not get way from you. Today we only had about 35km planned. There was some lying-in by one member of our team( ? SANDY PROBABLY), we then were delayed by chatting to our Auzzie pals who had some gadget problems. Breakfast was bought in the supermarket, we cycled maybe 5 or 6km and had breakfast. We set off after breakfast and it was already gone 11 o'clock! Mmmmm where did the time go?

Cold this morning - no sun and cold wind, I put my fleece on for the first time. A few spots of rain but nothing to write home about. Some pleasant cycling but a little distant from the river. However, we still got to Emmerich before the rain.

I mentioned a couple of days ago about a structure made from a redundant power station - forget what I said as we saw the real thing today. A fast breeder reactor was built in the 70's but never commissioned because Chernobal Power Station went kaput. The Government having spent over 4billion on the project mothballed it. It has now been converted into an ammusment park.

We crossed the longest suspension bridge in Germany today, it spans the Rhine at Emmerich. Our route took us up the left bank crossing to the right bank to reach Emmerich. We are here to have supper with John's (Gilly's brother) ex-wife Gill and new man Johno. 'Tis almost time to go for a beer! We are going to sus out a restaurant.

Emmerich Distance 33.15 Odo 1227.5km

Tuesday 19th September - day 25

We ate at the Rheinblick restaurant on the waterfront - great location and Gill, Johno plus Willma and Geof (Gill's brother and his wife) came too. A good gathering and good fun. The food was very good but when it came to paying the landlord was most peculiar. He said that he could not take a card as he had put the bill in his system in a certain way plus there was something to do with the German finacial system. Willma and Geoff live in Holland and were a bit miffed as they rarely carry money  - I had to loan them and they had to find a cash machine before departing home. There is a possibility that there was some sort of scam going on - this was the second time we have had this happen in Germany.

We woke to fog and light drizzle - cold again and I needed a fleece. A pleasant ride in rural countryside mainly along the polders and dykes. We crossed to the left bank just before Arnham by ferry. It was a vehicle ferry but held against the flow of the river by wire rope. It was secured up stream, held above water by a few boats and secured at both ends of the ferry and in the middle. All the skipper had to do was controll the engines, no steering involved. Ingenious.

We are in Arnhem in an appartment not far from the town centre, very nice and only €59. We spent the afternoon sunning ourselves in a cafe - the skys cleared and it was a great afternoon. The forecast is good for the next few days.

Arnhem Distance 43.01 Odo 1270.5km

Through the Ruhr into Big Sky country..

Sunday 18th September - Day 23

A great days cycling. It had been suggested that we train past Dusseldorf and Duisburg but it has been good cycling and full of interst. The cycle into Duisburg was difficult with unhelpful signage but the cycle out was good. Down through the centre of the city - no cars as it is Sunday - across an old swing bridge over the inner harbour then across the Rhur and then the Ruhr basin. The Ruhr seems controled by a weir and the factories are serviced by basins, some with dock/lock gates. The skyline on the right bank of the Rhine was filled with steel works and other stuff belching out hugh volumes of steam but very little smoke. Quite dramatic on the skyline.

Our route was along the left bank was, as the guide book said, big sky country. A few trees but mainly an agricultural plain and long views of the Rhine and hinterland. The track was good, some times on top of the dyke and sometimes on the bottom. There are now just a few touring cyclists and we met a couple of Auzzies when we were having a brew by a lake full of birds. They, like us, started in Switzerland and are finishing in Rotterdam. They shipped their bikes in proper bike containers having established that they could be posted from Zurich to Amsterdam only to find on arrival that it would only get as far as the Dutch border as it was 1inch too big for the Dutch postal service. They ended up hiring a car to get them to the end, cheaper than DHL, the train or any other means. So much for an integrated Europe eh! Perhaps Brexit is the way forward? Who knows?

We are in Xanten in the Xotel. A hotel without a reception - checkin via a machine, once in, everything is opened by your door card - secure bike stowage -all pretty good. The Auzzies are staying at the same place and we are off to supper with them shortly.

It has been cold these last couple of days but it has been sunny with a tail wind. I notice the wind may swing round to the north in a couple of days - we are now fit and honed so I am sure we can make some hard yards.

Xanten Distance 49.87 Odo 1194.4

Where are the factories?

Saturday 16th - Day 22

We left Dusseldorf in bright sunshine and pedalled along the Rhine on a good tarmac path.  It is fast flowing and the coal barges are only just making progress. The first 20km were by the river, the trail used by the local lycra clad to show their prowess. It amazes me there are not more accidents as German cyclists seem reluctant to speak. We have no idea that they are overtaking and on narrow trails one wobble and kaput! They also just break through the middle of the group if we are cycling as a three across the track. We were over taken by an American group the other day and it was refreshing to hear 'comming through' and 'on your left'. Silent cyclists take some getting used to. But I guess the local folk are the strong silent type - definately no talking in the lift and you cannot out stare them - I have tried and failed. You may think I am anti-German, that's not true as they are helpful and pleasant (most of the time) when we ask for directions.

We then went inland to go round some steel works - we hardly saw them but we did skirt round a structure made out of a redundant factory which costs millions but was never commissioned. It is now a high walkway and looks impressive. The route through the houses was not well signed but we found our way to our hotel with just a couple of wrong turns.

Duisburg does not float my boat - we have however, to check out the delights of the waterfront - could be lively on a Saturday night.

Distance 38.29k Odo 1145.5km

Just got back from the inner harbour - very good, sedate and a pleasant meal. We will check out a couple of sights on our way out tomorrow.

Parting of the ways ....

We had a good rest day in Konigswinter resting our bodies and catching up on emails. We did a little tourism by taking the steep hill train to the top of the Drackensfell - a tall hill at the back of town. We could see 50k or more down the Rhine and just make out the twin steeples of Koln Cathedral.

Pat's bike forks are not good. The left side is the damperside and filled with oil, the seal has gone. The right side is air filled and can be pressurised up to 12bar max to give the shock absorbant properties. The pressure keeps reducing so Pat pops into bike shops on route and they are very happy to loan a pump for a couple of minutes. Pat went to the bike shop in Konigswater and the guy was definately not a member of the cycling brotherhood and refused to loan Pat a fork pump but made him pay for one. €35 - thanks for the help mate - if any of you guys are cycling this route I would definately give Vogt Bike Shop a miss - an unhelpful, money grabbing geezer.

Thursday 14th. This was to be our last day together - Pat and Di have a deadline and instead of cycling through the industrial area Pat was keen to see Arnhem. Di was meeting Pat at Koln Station and heading north. Half way to Koln, just after a coffee break, there was a pop followed by a ssssh - the seal on the airside of the fork went. Bike now pretty much kaput. Pat made Koln but any further cycling is now out of the question. We parted company just by the chocolate musem and after Pat left indulged in a large hot chocolate with lashings of fresh cream.

Koln Distance 47.92 Odom1058.8km

Friday 15th
A good days pedalling mainly on good cycle paths on top of the dykes. I was expecting more industry but just a couple of chemical works or refineries. There are hardly any touring cycles now I guess they all stop at Koln. We are now in Dusseldorf and from what we have seen it is far nicer than Koln - a pleasant old quarter and interesting streets.

This is a much wealthier part of Germany, there is a certain step about the people, smart, business like and confident. However there are now immigrants drinking cans of lager on the waterfront, people begging in the street, folk searching litter bins for plastic bottles to get the 10c refund. I guess just like any big city in Western Europe.

Dusseldorf Distance 47.35 Odo 1106.2k.

Someone has suggested that the Mosel would be a nicer ride. I am not sure I agree. On this trip we have had the rugged Rhine in the Alps, the young Rhine down through Switzerland and Lichtenstein with it's milky water flowing quickly. The sedantry Rhine in the Bodensee with the touristy towns along the north coast. The angry Rhine through the Gorge with growing boat traffic, we have traversed the wineries of Alsac growing their Riesling grapes. Seen numerous quaint villages with squares and churches dating back many hundreds of years. We are now on the ecconomic Rhine with coal barges laden to the gunnals, barges ploughing up and down with containers and the towns growing in size and industry as we head down stream. I guess the Mosel will have many small wine villages and quaint towns but the Rhine is oozing the power of mainland Europes strongest ecconomy and dominant country. Tomorrow we get into the Ruhr - it may not be quaint or 'nice' but it will be interesting. This to me has been a facinating journey - far 'nicer' than just looking at old churches and supping a beer in an old Inn.

Is there a woman on tour?

I have had a complaint  that there are no pics of Gilly or Di- yep they are with us and yep it is Gilly that takes the pics and Di books the hotels and travels by train.

Good Progress but............

We left Worms to follow the Wine Terrace route - the route along the left bank appeared to have sections on gravel. Gravel is not good - too bumpy and much sliwer then tarmac. Pat, who normally does the research on the exit roads to take, got a little challenged and stopped to ask a bloke sitting on a wall. As soon as he stood up it was obvious that he was the local tramp. However he gave very good directions and it probably made his day to be asked for help.

It was a good route, traversing just below the hills in amongst the vineyards and passing through some interesting small villages. We were looking for coffee after aboyt 20km and were directed to the lical butchers -  good coffee which wevdrank on a bench outside looking at some old building wondering how the survived with the number of cracks.

Just after lunch Pat's front forks lost their suspension and were bottoming out at the slightest bump. It being Saturday everything shuts at 3 or 4 o'clock. Pat rang the bike shops mentioned in our guide and luckily one shop did know zbout Fox front suspension forks and would look at it if he could get there for 4. Pat leapt off and Giily and I carried on at a pace that reflected our age. Meanwhile Di had arrived in Mainz to discover it was full and could only get rooms at the Hilton. Expensive. Our route to the Hilton was along a busy promanade weaving in and out of strolling pedestrians. Just as I turn off the the Hotel I nearly hit a portly gentleman and said "sorry". I stopped a few yards further on and he passed me and said "yoyr not from around here are you" in Englush. It turned out ge was the Mayor of High Wickham on an exchange cultural visit with a small town near Mainz - he was having a great time spending our hard earned council tax.

What do you get in the Hilton that you don't get in less expensive hotels - not sure - if we wznted wifi we had to pay extra, free at every other pkace we have stayed. Just enough shower gel, sacks at other pkaces. Breakfast at €30per head, €7at other places. I am struggling to see why they charge so much - I guess it is the corparate cluents, airline crews etc. who keep them going.

Pat returned with news of his forks - knackered - but the good news was the air side could hold pressure so if he rides with is well pumped up and locked he may be able to complete the ride.

Mainz Distance53.94km Odo 845.5km

Sunday 10 Sepember

A cold start and a slightly hungry one. No breakfast for us at the Hilton. It took us 15km to find somewhere to get a bun/pastry and coffee but for just €5 we had some good local sustenance.  We cycled on the right bank as far as Rudesheim which is the start of the Rhine Gorge - it is the most visited place by foreigners after Koln Cathedral. It was busy. Di joined us for lunch and then crossed over with us on the ferry to the left bank before continuing her way by train. She arrived at the same time as us in Bacharch.

Great place, old houses, a choice of eating places and one of the quainter paces we have stayed.

Bacharach Dist 51.56 Odo 897.5

Monday 11th

This is day 17 of our jaunt down the Rhine and we are looking forward to a day off in Koblenz. It was a drizzly start and the town had a small supermarket. Whikst Gilly & Pat were stocking up with provisions (Gilly forgot to get any bananas for me!) a couple of folk stopped to do the same thing. I asked where they were going - Frankfurt - Oh I replied, how far is that? - 90km or so. I always feel inferrior when talking to Germans about distances travelled - 90k is way past anything we contemplate. You would think I would learn and keep well clear of the subject.

Di took a boat through the gorge - overtook us when we were 15k in - with the 8 to 10 knot current she flew passed and arrived in Koblenz well before us.

The bike trail is good right by the river, both rail and road hug the river. Unfortunately Pat's forks list pressure again which makes riding hard and with the suspension bottoming out at each bump, he may damage the forks iripairably.

The news came down the airways the Koblenz was full but Di had secured a couple of rooms for just one night.  We arrived via a bike shop and after settling in walked down to 'German Corner' where the River Mosel joins the Rhine. Impressive as there is a hugh statue of kaiser Whilhelm the something or other which has been restored to comemorate the unification of Germany.

Koblenz Dist 54.05km Odo 951.58

Tuesday 12th September

No rooms - so decision made to pedal on. Pat an Di have been contemplating their future on the Rhine. Their deadline for returning to UK precludes them finishing the trail. We have the industrial heartland of Germany coming up - not too inspiring - and Pat is keen to visit Arnhem.

Off to Konigswinter - a resort town on the right bank. Another drizzly start but the day improved with just a couple of showers in the afternoon. Both Gilly and Pat needed to ring UK to sort out a couple of things so at about 10 o'clock we stopped at a Berger King. We sat out side wher 3 guys were 3 sheets  o the wind supping beer from cans and other stuff from a bottle. Seemed quite friendly, them macho man arrived on his bike and said something to us in a direct and agressive manner. Pat replied we were English and he seemed to settle down. He reminded me of a football thug of yesteryear. Just as we were leaving we were discussing his bike and he made threatening jestures as if he thought we would nick it. An unpkeasant man fueled by booze and unpredicable.

The river is wide now. We passed the remenants of Renigen Bridge the only bridge captured by the Allies in tack, which colapsed about 2 weeks later but allowed the Allies to march on into this part of Germany. The big towers on either side of the river remain.

No hotels on Koln within our price range so we have arrived in
Konigswinter. A pleasant town.

Our plans have now become clear, tomorrow we cycle to Koln, Pat and Di will then train passed the industrial cities and Pat will have one more days cycling to Arnhem. We are going to cycle through, we have the time and although it is not the prettiest part of the Rhine, it is all part of the Journey. We are going to catch the overnight ferry from Hoek on Saturday 23rd.

Konigswinter Dist 59.44  Odo 1010.9km.