The Rhine, Yesterday

The Rhine - the other bank is hidden by the fog

Stridas In Paris

I attended the "Strida Saturday" in Paris last weekend. It was fun to cycle with so many other Stridas. The meeting was organized by the French Strida distributor. He posted a video and some images on his page.

To The North Sea

Last weekend was the PHP Unconference in Hamburg. It is one of the events you don't want to miss if you're a German PHP programmer. It is fun, you will meet  a lot of nice people and you will definitely learn something.

So I took the week before off, got on my bike and traveled north. The first day I rode along the Rhine to Dinslaken. The sun was shining. The first Hotel I saw in Dinslaken was a "Bett und Bike" hotel. The next day my target was Rheine at the river Ems. I got my first real rain and I think some of the shortcuts I took were less ideal. But eventually I reached Rheine at sundown. The third day I spend along the Ems traveling north to Papenburg.It was an uneventful day. The only shower happened exactly the moment I stopped at a shop to buy some water. The forth day took me from Papenburg to Varel at the North Sea. I usually take my bike on the room. In Varel the hotel keeper asked my the next day if I had a pleasant sleep or if my bike snored :-). From Varel I traveled the North Sea Cycle way to Cuxhaven, visiting the beach in the evening. The last day I took the train to Hamburg, the weather was just to bad or in other words I need better rain clothes.

• Day 1: Cologne - Dinslaken 118km
• Day 2: Dinslaken - Rheine 152km
• Day 3: Rheine - Papenburg 121km
• Day 4: Papenburg - Varel 81km
• Day 5: Varel - Cuxhaven 99km

Rhine milestone near Wittlaer - It is more on bike.

Beautiful morning in Dinslaken

Shadows on the street

Sundown in Rheine

At the beach (North Sea)

On the other side of the fence - the grass is always greener.

Tour Report: 2011-08-11

Total Distance: 31.81 km
Moving Time: 1:52:15
Average Moving Speed: 17.00 km/h
Elevation Gain: 186 m

Tour Report: 2011-08-10

Total Distance: 32.66 km
Moving Time: 1:58:59
Average Moving Speed: 16.47 km/h
Elevation Gain: 240 m

Tour Report: 2011-08-07

Total Distance: 36.84 km
Moving Time: 2:08:07
Average Moving Speed: 17.25 km/h

Elevation Gain: 235 m 

Tour Report: 2011-06-23

Total Distance: 92.04 km
Moving Time: 5:29:35
Average Moving Speed: 16.75 km/h
Elevation Gain: 1073 m

Down The River - Report

After two days in Zurich I took the Train to Rottweil and travelled the Neckar down to the Rhine and back to Cologne. The tracked distance (GPS) was 641 km.
It was interesting to see the river grow. The cycle ways a re mostly along the river with some steep climbings and long downwards sloops.

On the third day I had my first and last accident. A screw of the bottle cage broke.

• Day 1, Rottweil -> Tübingen: 86 km
• Day 2, Tübingen -> Mundelsheim: 116 km
• Day 3, Mundelsheim -> Heidelberg: 126 km
• Day 4, Heidelberg -> Hamm (Rhine): 63 km
• Day 5, Hamm (Rhine) -> Koblenz: 143 km
• Day 6, Koblenz -> Cologne: 106 km 

Up The River - Report

I needed 5 days for the trip from Cologne to Basel. The tracked distance (GPS) was 606 km.

Day One, Cologne -> Koblenz: 110 km

Under Construction - Please Walk!

After a last cup of coffee I started on the usual way to Bonn. It was a strange feeling to pass Bonn without turning around. I stayed on the right side of the Rhine (east)  for about halve of the distance and crossed the river on a ferry. Some kilometers before Andernach I meet another cyclist on his way back from the flea market in Bonn but the most of the day I traveled alone.

Where the Moselle flows into the Rhine

Day Two, Koblenz -> Mainz: 109 km

Rain and hail - Welcome to Mainz.

The second day started with headwind and a gray sky. But after a little bit of rain it became a sunny day until I reached Mainz.

Day Three, Mainz -> Speyer: 108 km

Vineyard

I had a nice chat with another cyclist at the breakfast table. I meet him again later the day two times. The day was sunny, really sunny. I got sunburned.

After Ludwigshafen my saddle started squeaking ... annoying.

Day Four, Speyer -> Rheinau: 108 km

Which way now? (German side)

After some kilometers my saddle stopped squeaking and stayed quiet for the rest of the tour. Some of the time I traveled together with some road cyclists from Speyer. The cycle ways on the French side of the Rhine are amazing. They even mark bumps from three roots with pink paint. The cycle way on the German side are more for mountain bikes. Two small lane grooves filled with loose gravel.

Day Five, Rheinau -> Basel: 172 km

Rhine-Rhone canal cycle way

Finally I got tailwind. I traveled on French side again. The cycle way along the Rhine-Rhone canal is great, but maybe a little boring. It is a straight line of asphalt. You see other cyclists minutes before passing them.

I planned to stop in Breisach, but after reaching it I decided to go all the way to Basel, where I jumped on a train to Zurich. 

Up The River

I am enjoying my first bicylce holiday. I started in Cologne and will travel up the river (southwards).

 

Modifications on the bike: 

• Bended steer kit
• Aluminum rack
• Stand

Equipment:

• Grips: Ergon GR2
• Saddle: Brooks Flyer Special
• Pedals: Wellgo QRD W01 clipless
• Break levers: TRP ML930
• Front light: B&M Ixon IQ Speed
• Rear light: B&M IXBack senso
• Bag: Carradice Camper Longflap.

Tour Report: 2011-04-17

Total Distance: 112.44 km
Moving Time: 6:32:29
Average Moving Speed: 17.19 km/h
Elevation Gain: 511 m


My first metric century.

Tour Report: 2011-04-16

Total Distance: 42.21 km
Moving Time: 2:15:31
Average Moving Speed: 18.69 km/h
Elevation Gain: 159 m

Ferries are a good place to meet other cyclists.

Tour Report: 2011-04-10

Total Distance: 84.22 km
Moving Time: 4:56:14
Average Moving Speed: 17.06 km/h
Elevation Gain: 412 m

Tour Report: 2011-04-09

Total Distance: 80.63 km
Moving Time: 4:36:41
Average Moving Speed: 17.49 km/h
Elevation Gain: 494 m

Tour Report: 2011-03-27

Total Distance: 70.25 km
Moving Time: 4:13:27
Average Moving Speed: 16.63 km/h
Elevation Gain: 354 m

Tour Report: 2011-03-19

Total Distance: 82.02 km
Moving Time: 4:58:21
Average Moving Speed: 16.51 km/h
Elevation Gain: 374 m

Tour Report: 2011-03-12

Total Distance: 95.01 km
Moving Time: 6:04:38
Average Moving Speed: 15.63 km/h
Elevation Gain: 215 m

Night rides are relaxing. 

Tour Report: 2011-03-03

Total Distance: 57.66 km
Moving Time: 3:38:45
Average Moving Speed: 15.82 km/h
Elevation Gain: 244 m

A nice sunny day. My largest distance so far.

Tour Report: 2011-01-30

Total Distance: 45.61 km (28.3 mi)
Moving Time: 2:57:00
Average Moving Speed: 15.46 km/h (9.6 mi/h)
Max Speed: 33.63 km/h (20.9 mi/h)

It was cold and cloudy. I think the GPS had some problems.