2015 JULY GERMANY - BACK ON THE RHINE, ALL MY MYSELF :-(

Sunday 12th July 2015 (day sixty-nine)

Bacharach

Today was overcast all day. I was going to spend the day by the river catching some rays and swimming. Instead I had to be content with sitting/laying around all day reading my trashy book.

I did get up at about 3pm and ride to the wurst kiosk for some lunch and a Radler. Funny as soon as the lady saw me on my bike she was at the fridge getting out a Radler – oops time to leave this place as getting too familiar. Lol

Looks like it might rain this afternoon or definitely tonight. I still have not decided whether I am going to ride or get the ferry to Koblenz tomorrow, may decide in the morning when I can see what the weather looks like.

The rain started at 5pm and kept up until it was dark. I had no choice but to hibernate into my tent, nowhere else to shelter. Lucky I had a book to read. The rain was not hard, only a light shower really, but it continued to fall for a few hours.

At about 9pm, I ventured out to the loo and to boil the kettle to have instant something emergency food. (Thanks Lemons, I had the noodle thing you left me).

Monday 13th July 2015 (day seventy)

Bacharach to Koblenz

Woke to an overcast and threatening sky. It did not rain all night cause the tent was dry so I took the opportunity to get it packed up and my bike loaded before anything got wet. Must have been a record as I was on the bike and pedalling at 9.30!

It was a hard slog – pedalling into the wind (always seem to be going into the wind, no matter what direction I take) and with the sky looking like it was about to open up on me at any moment, it was not an enjoyable ride. Still, I was making good time as I was keeping up with a freight boat that was travelling downstream. Unfortunately, my bike computer has given up the ghost. Not sure what is wrong with it, still works as it shows the time, but it is not registering any distance travelled etc. I asked Shawn to raise my handlebars before he left and this made the computer to far from the wheel to register (has to be within 70cm for the wireless to catch it), but I have moved the thing down from the handlebars to the fork. It worked the first day but now nothing, perhaps a new battery is needed. Will look into this later.

I decided I would ride until I reach St Goar and then get the KD ferry the rest of the way to Koblenz. Not like I would miss anything as am travelling over the same path as we followed up the river.

When I reached St Goar I stopped at the ferry ticket booth to ask the price of a ticket to Koblenz from there. I had made good timing and the ferry was not due for another 20 minutes. I was advised the price would be 25 euros, bike free, ooo this was a little steep for my pocket. I asked how much the ticket was from the next ferry stop and was advised it was only 12.50 euros. Ah this was more up my alley! The next stop down river was Boppard, 15km away and the boat was due there one hour after it left here, at St Goar.

So by this time it worked out I had just a little over an hour to ride 15km to Boppard to save half the price of the fare. No worries, I could do that, as long as the wind did not get too much stronger and it did not start raining, I was confident I would be able to ride there in time. So off I sped!

Of course I made the ride in heaps of time, enough time in fact to make a quick dash to the supermarket for a snack and to enjoy an ice cream cone before the ferry even showed up. I am legend! Lol I had the ice cream only after I found out the KD kiosk did not have any Radlers left, nor did the other little kiosk. What was this town coming to? Time to move on.

Loading the fully loaded bike onto the ferry was again a problem, however a big fat controller pushed me aside, picked up the bike complete and lifted up the 4 steps to get in into the vessel. I thanked him profusely and he mumbled back ‘bitter’ (meaning ok) to me. Then it was just a matter of finding a seat and enjoying my picnic lunch that I had picked up this morning from the famous REWE supermarket.

One hour later we were docking Koblenz and I managed to struggle with the loaded bike down the steps just in time to enjoy the skies opening up and showering down on me. Great timing Mother Nature. Only thing to do was to go get a Radler from the kiosk on the promenade and sit under a tree until the rain eased a little. Oh the things I must do!

I have been fortunate enough to be invited to spend a couple of nights with my friend Angelika who lives in Koblenz. She has also very generously offered to store my bike and gear whilst I go off the saddle for a few weeks. The generosity of strangers is a wonderful thing. I had a map and an address and amazingly found the place with ease once the rain had died down a little.

I don’t care if it rains or pours the next 2 nights as I am happily tucked up inside a lovely warm, dry home.

Tuesday 14th July 2015 (day seventy-one)

Koblenz

Angelika has very kindly offered to take me for a little tour around the Mosel area. Away from the river, where I have already cycled. We drove up into the surrounding hills.

First stop however was to try and cash in the train tickets that Lyn & I had purchased in Rotterdam weeks ago. These were our tickets Mainz to Basel which we obviously cannot use. No luck with them as they were purchased in the Netherlands they would need to be refunded there, and anyway as they were a discounted price we would get nothing back anyway. So add them to the insurance claim list.

The countryside here is so beautiful. Rolling wheat fields for as far as the eye can see. The hillsides are also dotted with the quaintest little villages – it really is a pity most tourists never see these parts of Germany.

Today is warm and although the sky is cloudy, we did not have any rain. The sun tried to break through several times.

Angelika drove to this most amazing Eltz castle, which still houses descendants from the original families that built the castle in the 1200’s. Now this is what a real castle should look like, it was amazing, just like a fairy tale castle. I was very surprised that it was free to go right up into it. You only had to pay if you wanted to do a tour or see the treasures in the museum. But, I think the outer building was spectacular enough! What a treat.

Another treat awaited us when we arrived home to enjoy coffee and an amazing cake!

Wednesday 15th July 2015 (day seventy-two)

Koblenz

Ok, so today I was supposed to hit the road again on my bike, but I still needed to go and collect Sarah’s bike which had been left at our accommodation in Lahnstein. Angelika suggested I donate it to the local refugee camp here in Koblenz. This is a great idea as it is too difficult to try and sell it anyway. Thing is I needed to go and collect it and ride it back to Ang’s place. Not a problem as it’s a great bike, even with only one gear working, the problem is it was made for someone about 30 cm shorter than me. I must have looked a treat riding along with my knees just about hitting the handlebars.

I did, however, manage to ride it back to Koblenz (only 9km) and the lady at the Radler kiosk smiled when she saw me again asking for a beer.

I had a walk around town, went to the tourist office to see if they had any info on the area I am cycling to tomorrow, no luck – advised I go to the book shop. Lol, none of the tourist offices we have encountered have any information on any areas that is not them directly, so I will have to try and find some info when I ride closer. Also rode to the main train station to see about a train ticket for when I do eventually move on from the Rhine area. This one I did have a win as the best price I found online was 49 euros plus whatever for my bike. I was sold a ticket for 32.50 euro with included my bike and booking fee. So happy there.

Now to find back Ang’s place. Easier said than done, and I do admit I got hopelessly lost. I think I rode every road in Koblenz on that silly little bike, it was almost 7pm by the time I rang the doorbell.

Just in time for a shower before dinner. 