Skip to main content

Stage 8 - Wiesbaden to Bachrach 51km (11-Jun-2019)


Didn't capture this key milestone in yesterday's blog. 5km into yesterday's ride; we reached a milestone of having ridden 500km since leaving Zurich. Happy to report that we both feel fit and well.
It rained heavily last night but yet again, we walk up to a dry and mild morning, warm but a tad overcast. We took off around 9.20am after a leisurely breakfast of muesli and yoghurt (a change from bread and pastries) , a tad late for us but knowing we only had to cover 51 km today, we decided what the heck?
Getting away from Wiesbaden was relatively easy but on busy roads until we got to the bridge to cross the Rhine in Mainz on a dedicated bike path and thereafter the ride was pretty much all along the Rhine. 
We cycled past many rural allotments, growing mostly vegetables but also some fields of flowers, wheat and lots of fruit trees.


Our bikes got absolutely filthy because we had to ride through many puddles and muddy ground. But the views along the river were amazing.








One advantage of touring, especially along a popular route like the Rhine, one meets like minded people and today was no different when we ran into a couple of riders from Canada having a break, offering us a share of their strawberries. We sat with them for a while; bought some more strawberries and chatted about Australia and Canada. Alberta, which is where they were from, gets absolutely freezing cold in winter, they said last winter it was minus 50 degrees. Why on earth would you live there? They were on a self guided tour heading to Bingen as were we but we took different routes. On arrival at Bingen, we both got off our bikes to walk around the old town to stretch our legs.
With another 15km to go to our destination for the night, Bacharach, Ursi asked me to stop quickly to take a photo of one of the cargo ships named “EILTANK 36”, on the Rhine which translates in English to "TANK IN A HURRY 36" but I can assure you, today was anything but as it was the most leisurely ride we have had for a while as we decided to slow down to smell the roses.


Observed lot of castles on top of the many hills (very difficult to photograph) along the way




before we finally arrived in Bacharach (recommended by my mate, Ellwood), which is one of the cutest little villages we have come across so far. Hopefully these photos do it justice.











Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Stage 3 - Seeon Seebrook to Salzburg - 60km (03-May-2019)

It’s wet and cold; at home, neither would I go for a ride nor play golf in these conditions but here, I have to soldier on.  And soldier on, I did, on near perfect bike paths most of the way, sometime through the countryside, sometime parallel to the B roads as I made way towards Salzburg. Not many photo taking opportunities until I got to Traunstein, where the town square was alive with market vendors and town folks. There was an orderly queue outside one of the stalls selling fresh Spargle (Asparagus), a seasonal delicacy, which I am partial to as well. I got talking to a lady there as you do; who was kind enough to tell me more about the town’s history and why she believed it was god’s own place for her and offered to take this mug shot of mine for prosperity to remember her beloved town. Got lost trying to get out of town; my Garmin doesn’t acknowledge road works which was blocking my route so ended up asking another young lady on how I could cross...
1 comment
Read more

Stage 9 – Bad Gastein to Villach 95km (18-May-2015)

A long day in the saddle today; bitterly cold with a constant drizzle that only Europe can serve up. Not quite what I had in mind on my birthday but worth it all the same. That old adage, what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger…. you learn a lot about yourself on days like this. I was the first one at breakfast, stuck to my routine of making sandwiches to take with me along with some snacks, and then have a leisurely breakfast. First up was a 5km ride to Böckstein, in bitterly cold weather, all uphill of course to grab the train that takes cars, motorbikes and bicycles through the Tauern tunnel to Mallnitz; departs 20 past the hour. Took the opportunity to get take some photos and one taken off me at the station. On arrival at Mallnitz, it’s all downhill, starting with a steep descent of approximately 500m through a long and winding road; hope these 2 photos capture the scenery which was quite breathtaking as most of Austria is.  By the time I got ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Stage 11 – Kranjska Gora to Bled 35km (20-May-2019)

Today’s ride was short but sweet at least for the first 24km, beautiful deserted bike path through lush green countryside and then a ball breaking 150m mountain climb on a winding 2km road. Almost made it to the top but not quite, got off the bike to walk the last 500m. Then it was all down hill into Bled. Happy days. Only one event grabbed my attention during the ride was a 3km queue of trucks on the highway running parallel to my bike path, otherwise it was all about riding; a touring cyclists dream. Probably the highlight of the day was the people ( unfortunately  their names escape me and my apologies to them) that I came across   to exchange life and travel experiences and the   ride around Lake Bled. Starting with these lovely girls from Romania. Followed by this lovely couple from Camden, Australia,   Followed by this lovely couple from Kuala Lumpur Followed by this lovely couple from Ahmedabad, India ...
Post a Comment
Read more