Back on the Rhine

It has been an eventful few days. Wedneday was undulating and very hot. The Rhine empties out of the Bodenese near Stein am Rhine and is now a big river. There are lots of cyclists mainly on electric bikes we seem like the poor relations. There was an odd couple - man couple - he number 1 was 6ft 6 and burly, he number 2 was very much the ladyboy, short, not an ounce of fat on him, very skimpy and tight shorts with no VPL (visible panty line) and twice as fast on the bike as his burly mate. Our paths crossed continually during the day, ladyboy would cycle off ahead and burly man would chase. Eventually ladyboy stripped off and was cycling just in his skimpy shorts - i guess tantalising burly man to go faster.

The Rhine gorge is Europes highest waterfall - we only saw a litt

le as you have to pay - i refuse to pay to see a natural feature. We had lunch with the crowds and unfortunately Gilly lost her purse, we cancelled the cards straight away and just lost 20 Swissfrances - could have been worse.

We pedalled on to Flaach we had great difficulty finding accommodation, eventually we stopped in a farmers garden awaiting for them to  come in from the potato harvest as we thought they had rooms. They did -  small appartment - cycled back into town to a eating house run by a Swiss/American - very good local food. Cycled back in the dark - became slightly navigationaly challenged but just beat the thunderstome to our lodgings. Some big claps of thunder.
Distance 54.76 Odo 325.4km

Thursday started dry but not for long. A hard old day in the wet. There was a hefty hill to get the heart started right at the beginning and little hills every so often just to keep us honest. I have had trouble with my front brake - keeps binding so we had to stop for 30 mins while i had a go at that. After lunch in a bus shelter, we decided to take the main road - it was exciting as we when through a 1.3km curvy tunnel with cars & lorries speeding past at 80kph. Rain, head wind and we had decided to call it a day earlier than planned.

Waldshut 50.83 Odo 376.2

This a great cycle route with some very interesting medeaval villages, great old painted houses and fabulous squares. Waldshut was one of these and we enjoyed some great tradition Swiss cuisene.

Friday 1st Sept -  our 6th day in the saddle. With plenty of gravel tracks, some very bumpy and bruising, with yet more rain making our shorts damp these are ideal conditions for saddlesoreness. Yep I have reverted to some lunchtime crutch rubbing to keep the worst at bay - thank goodness for Sudocreme - sooths those parts other medicines can't reach.

A good ride today despite the rain, we want to arrive in Basel tomorrow to meet Di at about midday as she is rejoining us after her travels around various friend in Switzerland. Mainly on cycle tracks - some tarmaced some not. Towards the end we had had enough of rough going and took to the road. Swiss drivers are really good and lorries are patient and give you a wde berth. Some great overtakes today - no electrics but some folk definately under 80!!

Rheinfelden was our resting place but it was full of university graduates wearing their red hats (university identification), smart grey suits (both men and women) and drinking lots of booze. It seems that this weekend is when all the espiring wanabees decend on Rheinfelden to get pissed. Consequently there was no room at any Inn. However, with the help of a hotel receptionist a place was found in a Resort Hotel - wow, it was many hundreds per night, lucky they had forms so we could take out a mortgage. We could however get, massaged, throw some weights around in the gym, swim, go to the 'well clinic' and much more but we were kbackered so after a pleasant supper we retired at 2000. The cafe was a viewing platform for the indoor heated pool, in UK I believe there is a no petting rule, it appears not in Switzerland, there was a little more toutching, snogging and cuddlung going on than an ancient cyclist should have to see. Phew!!
Distance 48.41 Odo424.4

Saturday - we are in Basel, in the aforementioned Motel One - yep good location, great price. We have to lock our bikes in the secure bike garage under the station - very impressive. You pay a 3.50 franc tourist tax and this gives you free tram travel. We've use it a couple of times, very impressive.  The ride into Basel was OK. Weather was OK but the rain clouds were gathering and we dawdled too long over our morning coffee and got a soaking jusy 500m from our hotel. Di is back with us with and we look forward to tales from other parts of Switzerland.

There is some sort of music festival going on and one venue is just near our hotel - hope it does not go on too long tonight.

80km per day was too ambitious, our creaking bodies, sore backsides and mental strength were being tested thus we are reducing our milage to maybe 55 or 60km per day. Stopping about 1530 to look for hotels. This means we could be about a week later than planned returning to UK. This maybe a problem for Pat and Di who have some family commitments so could leave us a day or two before we dip our ties in the sea.
Distance 23.83 Odo 448.3km.