Remegen

It's raining!  That's exciting enough to be the whole post don't you think? It's half seven and still 28 degrees but surely rain is a sign that things might be cooling a bit?  For the first time I'm writing to you from inside my tent.

Today marked a change in my trip. I said goodbye to the vineyards of the Moselle and started following the Rhine instead. Although the start of the Rhine is very romantic and beautiful (see summer 2014) once the river gets going it's like an industrial motorway connecting factories and towns. I was hoping that this bit - the famed Rhine Gorge might offer a bit more but that's not what has stuck out so far. 

Once I navigated my way out of Koblenz I have been following big roads, goods laden railway tracks or navigating my way round factories. This was interspersed by bouts of river side paths and side streets in little towns. 

I was making good progress until a headwind hit me. The wind was the kind of  you get before a thunderstorm so I cycled along trying to decide if I needed to hunt for my much neglected cagoule.  Luckily, unluckily, I'm not sure which, the rain stayed ahead of me all the way to the campsite. 

Koblenz

Another rest day?  I'm spoiling myself this summer!  The Moselle has joined the Rhine and the planned part of my travels is done. Next I'll be following the Rhine, although Cologne has been on my list for a long time, the Rhine hasn't. But I've done the beginning and the end so I might as well do the middle.  It should be well signed and relatively flat and it goes in the right direction.  

After a decent night's sleep in a rather sweltering hotel - it might have been hot but at least it was quiet, I've been on a lot of noisy sites - I had a slow morning. 

I did some washing, sorted through my bags and obviously had a bit of a knit. When I got hungry I decided I might as well go and explore. 

Koblenz, interesting as it is, isn't packed with must see sight seeing opportunities. This is a pleasant change and provides a chance to just relax. I wandered through the Aldstadt and mooched in and out of shops. I stopped for coffee and a sandwich where looked round a church or two and generally explored.

 

Sneaky peak at the Rhine before setting off along it tomorrow 

Once I'd had my fill (by which I mean I'd got too hot) I headed along the Rhine, past the castle and back to my hotel. 

Koblenz

I kept it simple today. Once the temperatures move beyond 30, I've no tolerance for faffing, so faff we did not. 

I woke up in my shady tent, had coffee and a banana then packed up. I was on the road nice and early so for the first hour at least, it was quite a comfy ride. 

The second hour may have been a bit warmer and, although I'd planned a lunch stop, I just couldn't face sitting in a cafe dripping sweat into my hot food.  And salads are a pointless cycling meal.  I contented myself with rice pudding, sweets and more bananas.  

With that attitude it won't surprise you to hear that I was soon making my way out of the Moselle gorge (not going to lie, rather glad to be leaving the white railed meanders behind me) and into the last of the vineyards. 

As is ever thus, the last 5 miles were a bit of a killer. It was 32 degrees, I was hot and hungry and I probably should have had that proper stop. When it gets to three miles, I tell myself that's just the distance to the station, one mile - as I'd got to the city proper by then - was a lot of navigation and then ... boom, I'm here!  

Cochem

 Today I was a tourist. 

No, it's not a Kermit tribute. It's a lion with a visor, obviously. 

I cycled into town, had a massive sandwich and mooched round the shops. 

Then I caught the bus (get me, 2 buses in one trip, quite the expert now) and visited the castle. 

I took the obligatory English language tour with a delightful guide who mangled the translations wonderfully. 'You're welcome' sprinkled throughout the tour,  suspicious instead of superstitious, flowers planted in the shape of the town 'weapons' which I eventually understood as coat of arms.  It was like being shown around by a small enthusiastic crossword clue. 

The castle itself was very pretty rebuilt as it was in the 19th Century by a steel merchant. It had a whimsical filmic quality about it. 

I walked back down the hill, retrieved my bike and headed off to search out something for tea. 

Cochem

 It's been a bit on the warm side here.  It's still 'only' 31 but I feel like that's enough.  It can peak there thanks.   

Today I decided not to rush the morning, although I still got away at a good time it could have been earlier had I not had the second coffee.  I'm in a constant battle between rushing to beat the heat and not rushing so as not to be exhausted by said heat. 

The site was right on the route so after checking out (they have what I would describe as a stupid card system for the toilets and showers. I and my neighbours all forgot the cards at various points as campers often don't head to the facilities with their wallet and towel.  And I don't have pockets in my pyjamas.) I followed the path up a little then back to the river.   

I cycled along, I'd planned to stop for lunch again today but the first part of my route was a little short on restaurants. After consulting Google I found a little honesty cafe on an old wine cellar. The cake was good and the orange juice welcome. 

At this point in its journey, the river is a geography teachers dream.  It meanders though the gorge creating keyhole loops that double back on each other. All this loop the looping has made the day long. There is a train that goes through the rocks that cause the meander, it takes 4 minutes. It took me 25km. So a bit longer. 

Those loops on the map don't match those loops in reality, you think you're almost there but they go on and on and on. And on. You can always see the corner but you never quite reach it. 

I must have done eventually though because I looped a loop and found blessed shade. I stopped again, to eat, to drink and basically to have a bit of a nap on a park bench. 

I repeated that pattern a couple of times until at last the pretty town of Cochem came into view. I cycled right the way though and straight onto the campsite where after a very technical on line checkin - I found myself a shady pitch and settled down for the afternoon. 

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.