Zell

Another day of blue skies and vineyards. This time with added old buildings. 

I got up at a reasonable time and set off on my way relatively early. First stop was Bernkastel-Kues, a town famous for its pretty half timber buildings. It was indeed full of half timber buildings, some at a slight angle. It was also very busy, the Riviera cruise (ship called Emily Brontë which I found a bit incongruous) was in town. 

After taking a few obligatory pictures I headed on. I'd resolved not to race the heat - if I'm too worried about getting too hot I end up too hot because I don't stop long enough to cool down - but I didn't want to linger too long. 

My lunchtime stop was Traben-Trarbach, another pretty town. I parked up my bike and found a cafe serving iced drinks and veggie food. I didn't rush and by the time I got back to my bike I felt quite rested.  

The second half of the day was much the same as the first. I looped around meanders doubling back on myself several times. This meant that the head wind was sometimes a cross wind and occasionally a tail wind.  

The heat did ramp up and at 30+ I was feeling it. I made sure to stop for snacks and water and by the time I arrived at the site I was boiling but ok.   

Although the site isn't exactly spacious pitches it is right on the river, full of evening shade and right in the path of an excellent breeze. 

Bernkastel-Kues

I started today retracing my steps, perhaps with some trepidation I passed the bench where the puncture happened but, before long, I was over it. 

At first going was slow. It was a slight gradient, a slight head wind and a slightly under inflated tyre. As I cycled along I started to wonder if I'd done such a good job with my repair after all. 

I stopped eventually for brunch and unloaded the bike, checked the wheel alignment and pumped up the tyre some more. That, and noticing the gradient and the head wind seemed to do the trick. 

I enjoyed rolling through vineyard after vineyard occasionally interspersed by Roman ruins. I can't say I gave them, or the little villages I passed through, the attention they deserved because realistically, if it was in full sunshine I wasn't stopping. 

I think this is a replica. I also passed the dock where a wooden replica should have been moored but the boat was on its travels. 

I took the wrong side of a main road and the climb up the slopes of the vineyard was a pleasant change. After I made it back to the path the gradient seemed more in my favour and I cycled along happily. 

I probably could have done without the final 15k on a roadside bike path that didn't allow for stopping. Not good timing as the sun got stronger and my water bottles ran dry.  I had more water but couldn't really stop to faff and fill the bottles that are easily reachable when riding.

After what seemed like less distance than it should have been (this has been the longest day so far as I had to add the 20k I missed) I finally arrived at the campsite, happy, sweaty and rather thirsty. 

In the same place

We do love a little adventure. After a nice relaxing morning I set off to Trier, confident that somewhere amongst the many bike shops there would be the pump that I needed. 

I decided to take the quicker bus with the longer walk, so headed across the bridge into the next village (coincidently the village where the disaster occurred). Google had assured me the bus was leaving soon but o was sceptical as no such bus was on the time table. I was hopeful again when other passengers arrived but we waited in vain. As the next bus wasn't for an hour I had a coffee in the supermarket before heading back to the bus stop. I asked a very nice lady some pertinent questions - cash or card? do they do day tickets? exactly how do you pronounce Trier? She offered to speak for me but I'm beginning to think that for someone who spend so much time in Germany I should be more au fait with the language so I managed the ticket sale all by myself. 

The bus was a fancy air conditioned number and arrived quickly. I thanked my guide, who pointed out where the return stop was before heading off, and set off to the bike shop. I had success with a replacement tube but no luck with the pump. Heading to shop two, my luck was in. 

So then what to do?  I wandered round the shops, got some more gas, got something for tea then decided to head back. I was trying not to worry - goodness knows I can change tubes - but I couldn't help imagining the worst. 

The bus driver sped us back to Longuich and I wandered the kilometre back to the site. 

Barely had my bag hit the ground before I whipped out that pump. The tyre was already off so I mounted the new tube and began the battle. I'd say the swearing was kept to a minimum and I won the war. In a short time my wheel was back in place, I was covered in oil and grease and Nordie was back on the road. 

Quite near Trier

Dagnamit!

Sometimes you have a run of good days and they just go on and on. Sometimes you have a run of good days and they're followed by a stinker. And sometimes there is a rather awkward little blip that although easily fixed somewhat annoys you at the time. 

I'm choosing to see today as the latter. Basically, I'm an idiot. When preparing for this tour I had my bike booked in for a service. It didn't happen so I had to do the necessary bits myself. Whilst doing that I gave my touring tool box an overhaul, throwing out duplicates and checking I had everything I needed. Including the new pump I'd bought because this bike is presta valves and the one I'd found was not a presta pump. They did however look very similar. Can you see where this is going...? 

Cut to me, under a bridge, bike upside down, all bags off, sweating a bit, finding the tool bag and with one look I know - wrong pump. Now. I can fix the puncture. I can use the spare tube too but none of it is any use if I can't pump up the tyre.  

Luckily for me I'd spent a good chunk of my time fighting with Brexit to send stuff home so I hadn't got too far. I walked along to what might be a bike shop where the man assured me I did indeed have the right pump. He then demonstrated, and tried some other pumps. All very kind but considering how finicky presta valves are I suspect I'll also need a new tube. 

In the end they couldn't help so I pushed on to another shop he assured me was open - another hot sweaty treck back the way I had come - and found it closed. 

Nothing for it, I walked to a camp site, booked myself in for a couple of nights and enquired about buses to Trier. So I'm having another visit to the city, this time to check out its bike shop scene. 

Although this all sounds simple, but presta valves and 700c tubes are far from the default here so we wait with bated breath. 

Trier

Another good day, long may they continue.

I lounged around for a large chunk of the morning enjoying my air conditioning before heading out into the town by foot. That way I could have a good mooch and pop into places as I saw them. 

My first port of call was the Basilica of Constantine, it was once was the Roman Emperor’s audience hall and is the largest surviving room from Ancient Rome.  There is little interior decoration, much of it not replaced after war time air raids. 

My next stop was the birthplace of Karl

Marx, a figure who quite literally looms large in my household. He didn't spend much time here but after his death it served as a meeting place and focal point for the international socialist movement. The museum offers a wealth of information, not only about the life of Marx but also contextualising how his work has been used since his death.  

Carrying on, I found the Trierer Dom, the oldest Cathedral in Germany and another UNESCO heritage site. The Dom houses Christ's seamless robe, the one he was wearing before his crucifixion and the one the soldiers cast lots for (a fact that stays with me from Sunday school, I think I may have been quite fascinated by all these things decided by what I viewed as dice) It is seen now as a symbol of the undivided church. 

The next destination was very important - the book shop. I did loiter by the English section for a while - classics and contemporary literature sections were pushed aside by walls of romance and fantasy - but remembered the weight of my kindle compared to the weight of six books and so moved on. I left my map at home and the disorientation of following a route only on my phone has been driving me mad. I found the right section and after some confusion - you know the blocks on the back of OS maps that tell you what number you want? Not the case here, you seem to have to know the name area you are looking for. I found an appropriate map showing possible routes after Koblenz. 

After that I decided now was a good time to make use of said kindle so headed off for a meal.  I availed myself of Flammekueche, and washed it down with some local wine. I looked over at the Pirta Nigrea, another Roman building but the heat had ramped up and that air conditioning was calling my name. 

Trier

Some days are just good days. And this was one. 

Anticipating heat and buoyed on by my neighbours 6am start I headed off before nine. I stopped at a bakery and then set off on my merry way through the vineyards of Luxembourg. 

I stopped at a quiet spot to eat my bakery breakfast and then stopped later at Grevenmacher intending to have brunch. Despite it being market day cafes were mainly closed and those that were open only had tables in the by now too warm sunshine. I opted instead for a rather nice supermarket pizza and sat watching the water while I ate it. 

That was over half the ride, and 2 meals done well before noon. 

My next stop was Igel where I stopped to see a 23m tall funerary tower. Its stood in the same place for 1,800 years. Its builders were cloth merchants who made the Roman equivalent of waterproof fabric. I can only imagine the durability of their wears. 

Heading back to the river I paused at the foot bath - which I don't have much information about - but decided to stay dry footed and verruca free.

I crossed the river and back into Germany heading for my final waypoint, the Basilica Saint Matthias. There I found a deserted ornate abbey silent and open to visitors. I found my way down to the crypt that houses the remains of Saints Eucharius and Valerius. It also holds the remains of the apostle St Matthias.  Apparently Matthias replaced Judas, gaining his place through the casting of lots. Ending as these things do he was stoned almost to death before being beheaded. Interestingly his bones were discovered in 1127 when a new basilica was being built.  They had originally been bought to Trier 700 years earlier by Helen - mother of Constantine the Great.  

After that little sojourn I decided to chance my arm and try checking into the hotel early. Which worked. I've been charging power packs and devices but due to the hot weather (good drying time mean I can wash overnight - it's this technical information I know you come here to find) I've hardly had to do any washing. 

Now I'm opening a bottle of sparkling dry Riesling, because when in Trier... 

Remich

First of all, I'm absolutely fine. The spider bite has been successfully treated by magic savlon and I have not had to rebuff any odd suggestions.  I have however had no idea what country I've been in all day. It's been delightful.

I set off this morning safe in the knowledge that the sky would be wonderfully cloudy all day. That meant I felt happy to take my time. 

I had coffee, breakfast and packed up - a process that's getting more efficient every morning. It wasn't hard to find the route as the campsite overlooked it so I set off in my merry way. I cycled along for an hour before finding a shady spot to have brunch. 

The route changed from fields and power stations to vineyards and at some point from France to Luxembourg, maybe to Germany and maybe back again. 

My main stop for the day was the Schengen museum where I went to mourn Brexit. In a museum dedicated to freedom of movement - travelling, living, working across boarders - the idea to leave seems even more absurd. Brexit itself was never mentioned. 

I boarded the boat to see where the Schengen Agreement itself was signed. The art exhibition was paintings of defunct German border posts. The guide was very derisory, so much so that he hadn't bothered to put on the sound track because he found it boring. A fact the artists would no doubt be devastated by.  

After that the ride to the site was brief. It's got a special area for cyclists complete with gazebo and power. Almost uniquely in my cycling career there are two English people here. Explained perhaps by the fact that they are both expats.  

Tomorrow the heat will be ramping up again but I'll be in a hotel for a couple of nights so I can explore Trier, as well as charge my phone.