t15 c- 30/04 Heidelberg

Explored Heidelberg aldstadt, the university, and the castle

Here's the view of the aldstadt, and bridge over the Neckar, from the castle gardens.
The drizzle turned to rain and curtailed activity.

t14 c13 29/04 Wörth am Rhein 77k704 Heidelberg

Late start (see prior blog).   Cycling as a hangover cure  - -  cool turkey.

I had planned to deviate from the Rhein to visit Heidelberg, one of the few guardians of European civilisation during the dark centuries.

So, continued on the plain through a not rich area with frequent small towns including a few gems
Either Rulzheim or Bellheim (can't remember)

and Speyer

After Speyer a local cyclist lead me for 15k along the quiet back lanes until 5k from the centre of Heidelberg.   Found a hotel on the verge of the Aldstadt.    Plan a non cycling day to explore H.

t13 c12 28/04 Kilstett F 60k627 Wörth am Rhein D

Yesterday's snow had melted, the headwind had eased, but it was still cold enough to warrant all layers including full leg protection.   Overcast, low cloud, almost no rain.
Continued following the Rhine across the Alsace plain on nearby French back roads.   The Rhine embankments are not paved here.
After 50k left France at one of its 6 corners, where the Rhine becomes a German river after being an international border for the prior 500k portion of this trip.

Later:
Fell in with three dutchmen from Maastricht who run a barge on the Rijn between Rotterdam and Basel.   Together we toasted Will's Alkmaar birthday.
(84hrs full power up, 48hrs steerage only power down)

t12 c11 27/04 Strasbourg 17k567 Kilstett

20degC drop in temp in 2 days.
Set off in rain, and soon into a headwind from the north.  
Saturday morning traffic was light so not much spray.
Stopped, added more layers.
Cycled on, not enjoying it, and finished about mid day at a welcoming hotel in a small village.
An hour later it was snowing.

tripday11 26/04 Strasbourg

Day off from cycling.
Explored the old centre of Strasbourg.
Attractive except for the tour groups.
Found some quieter places and relaxed.

day10 25/04 Breisach 93k550 Strasbourg

Crossed the Rhein from Breisach in D to Neuf Brisach in F, a new fortified town planned in 1697 by Vauban for Louis XIV to counter the Hapsburgs.

Then cycled N towards Strasbourg.    Longest day so far, beginning to feel a bit fitter.
Thought that anywhere near the centre would be too expensive and explored the E suburbs. Wasted  an hour, gave up and cycled towards the centre.   Got a series of advices by asking locals, and eventually came to an excellent budget hotel on the equivalent of the Paris left bank  - -  between the island and the university.    Just outside was this barge bar which opened 5 mins later:

Ate Lebanese tonight.    Strasbourg S bankers are definitely slimmer then Basel N bankers.    Swarming with cycles, at least 20% of which have baby pillion seats or trailers.

day9 24/04 Basel 63k457 Breisach

First half of a warm day spent cycling the E bank, firstly CH but mostly D.
The embankment was unsurfaced, either gravel or dirt.
After 30k took the bridge to the F side to cycle, within sight of the Rhein, on tarmac lanes, to help conserve the tyres and wheels.
Finally crossed back into D at Breisach.
For this stretch across the Alsace plain the mighty Rhein flows in two parts
- the barge navigable canal
- and the river, with power generating weirs about 40k apart
- and about 6k further W there's the 19thC Rhine/Rhone link canal

View from St Stephens Münster across the Alsace plain.

day8 23/04 Laufenberg 54k393 Basel

Climbed out of Laufenberg to enjoy a backward gance

then the crossing sequence was CH D CH Rhein CH
Along the way found some wetlands behind the Rhein embankment with many nesting swans and ducks

Arrived in Basel, chatted to some cyclists, and got advice to stay in Klein Basel, the N bank  - -  lower cost hotels, facing the evening sun, and with a view of the Aldstadt.

Just as I was finishing, I was forced into a high kerb by a fat Merc, this time incurring significant abrasions.   Nothing broken, all treatable from my medicine bag.

day7 22/04 Schaffhausen CH 72k339 Laufenburg CH&D

Cycled on a mix of roads ranging from deserted back roads and cycle ways, to heavily trucked narrow roads.   Staying close to the Rhein, crossed the convoluted borders several times between CH & D.   
Crossed the Rhein at Eglisau  - -  here's a train crossing as seen from the ancient road bridge.

then made my way W along the S bank of the Rhine.  
How's this for digging the garden ?

Ended up at Laufenburg, a town on both banks of the Rhein and both sides of the border.
Here's the Swiss S side

and here's the German N side

Finally, for two groups of people who have recently tuned into the blog:
- A big G'Day to you Aussies
- and a big привет to you Russians
How about posting a comment ?

day6 21/04 Konstanz D 57k267 Schaffhausen CH

Dry day, no wind, cold, excellent for cycling.

Cycled W along the S shore of the Untersee and then the Rhein proper, alternating between cycle paths and traffic roads.
Passed through many old small towns unravaged by war  - -  such as Diessenhofen below.

Had my first fall (minor) of the trip.
At 12 clocked my first Swiss cuckoo.
Found a hotel in Schaffhausen, then unbagged the bike, to go for the day's objective.
An excursion to Rheinfall.

Yes, those are people on the rock, and yes, they get there by boat.

day5 20/04 Rorschach CH 36k210 Konstanz D

Short day and no pics because of the weather.
The prior evening's rain had turned to snow overnight, and then to light sleet when I set off.
Just as I was leaving, the hotel concierge dashed out and gave me two bars of Swiss chocolate "für die Energie !"
So, I cycled along the S shore of the Bodensee.   After about half an hour I remembered to apply lip salve,
but found it had frozen in the squeeze tube.   I arrived in Konstanz in freezing rain, found a hotel, and the receptionist's second question was "Would you like a hot cup of tea ?"

day4 19/04 Vaduz 59k175 Rorschach

Low cloud, drizzle, headwinds, rain, no pics.

But the good bits are:
More than half the ride was along the E embankment of the Rhein    NO TRAFFIC     through most of Lichtenstein (19k) then into Austria.   Eventually the tarred top gave out, bacame gravelly, and to protect my tyres I switched to the Swiss side and to back roads not on the Rhein.   Made it to the shore of Bodensee then to the blot physological test town.

day3 18/04 Walenstadt 32k116 Vaduz Lichtenstein

Decided on a short ride to give myself time for laundry and admin.

Cycled up out of the valley of Walensee

looking back down, (post to be edited out)

Then my first sight of the Rhein and into Lichtenstein.

Just before Verduz an ancient covered bridge (over the Rhein)

In Verduz, a contemplation place with a Henry Moore.

day2 17/04 Lachen 46k83 Walenstadt

Cyled to the E end of Obersee, then along the towpath of the Linthkanal.

View from the Linthkanal of Speer through the mistletoe.

Rode along the S bank of the Walensee.   To avoid the heavy traffic on the main highway, I used a designated narrow cycle road which alternated between hugging the cliff face and tunneling though it.

Two views of Churfirsten from the S bank of the Walensee (note the large yacht)

After emerging from one of the many tunnels, I found the road totally blocked by a maintenance truck hoisting a team of men working on making safe the rock face above.   I removed the bike panniers and walked the bike along the parapet outside the railings until past the blockage, then repeated the exercise carrying the panniers.   I avoided being distracted by the drop to the highway and the lake.   Decided that was enough excitement for one day when I got to Walenstadt, and rewarded myself with a beer.

day1 16/04 Zurich 37k Lachen

Reassembled the bike the night before.
Thanks to the Hotel du Theatre for storing it, and offering to forward my bike bag home.

First day on the bike since September in Ireland (see averageblokearrothar.blogspot.com)
Started without a functioning front brake, quickly fixed by a local bike repairer (I should have spotted the cause and solved it).
Took it easy along the S shore of Zurichsee and then Obersee.

Ferry docking in front of snowy peaks.
Ended up at a lakeside village and relaxed.