Europe 16, The Netherlands

Sunday  23 August 

Zeddam is a small town, having the honour of having the oldest restored, still working flower windmill and the oldest "Rosmolen" in the Netherlands dating from the early fifteenth century. A rosmolen is a mill driven by a horse walking in a circle pulling a wooden gear arrangement.

Leaving Zeddam I ride amongst the different arms of the rivers Maas and Rijn, which combine with several other smaller contributories, forming the delta where the dutch settled, or were driven to, and crafted the Hollow Land we know as Holland or the Netherlands today. This mass of waterways wind their way through the countryside to reach the North Sea, and my final destination.

I pass through Beek, Babberich and Loo, where I connect with the water again and keeping the water on my left, to Westervoort. There instead of crossing the IJssel, another contributory, I ride for several km to the North up the IJssel, before I realise my mistake. Funny after more than 3000 km, I loose my way here! I backtrack and continue, finding my way through Arnhem and Oosterbeek, turning inland through the forests of the Veluwe to Wolfheze, Ede and Renswoude to Scherpenzeel and my oldest friends Frans and Ellen. Oldest in the sense that we have been friends for the longest time.

Riding 80 km, climbing 190 m, temperature 31C, average speed 21,9 km/h.

Tuesday 25 August

Away early and through Maarsbergen over the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, the dutch mountain range peaking at around 75 m. Yes no misprint 75m with snow in winter!

A fast descent into Doorn, through the forest and onto Langenbroek

The landscape changes to flat big sky country, with the rivers contained by dykes, protecting the farms and cities witch are often below sea level. The low laying areas called "polders" are kept dry by many pumping stations, replacing the many windmill driven pumps from the past, proudly preserved,
Dutch icons and tourist attractions.

I continue through Cothen, Schalkwijk and Schoonhoven where I stop and have a some raw herring for lunch, following the river Lek again through Ammerstol to Krimpen aan de Lek.

I take the ferry to Slikkerveer, through Barendrecht and around the Southern rim of Rotterdam to Poortugaal to visit my brother Arie and family.

Riding 115 km, climbing 202m, temperature 27C, average speed 18.4 km/h.

Wednesday 26 August

Today I embark on a side trip to the small city of Delft, famous for its blue pottery industry. It is an old city, but vibrant with a large student population, of one of Hollands top universities the T.H. Delft, specialising in engineering.

 

I meet up with fellow kiwis Allan and Margaretha Cooper, who are on an European holiday too and we enjoy a lovely lunch in the city square, great catching up and easy to do on the excellent public transport system in Holland.

 

Thursday 27 August 

I will run out of land today, when I ride to the end of the pier in  Hoek van Holland and the end of this adventure. Leaving Poortugaal, I ride through the massive harbour district of Rotterdam, extending from the city, through Pernis with its refineries, container terminals and industries on both sides of the water. 

 

The two main rivers that come together here are prone to silting up from natural erosion, from stones, now mainly sand carried down from the alps and the sources of the rivers. Constant dredging was necessary to maintain access to the growing city of Rotterdam. A civil engineer Nicolaus Cruquius drew up plans to divert the rivers and create a waterway straight to the sea from Rotterdam in 1731. It took some law changes, land acquisitions and some more innovating design by Peter Calland in 1872 before this proposal was realised in 1877 and the "Nieuwe Waterweg" was built. Peter Calland's design included the ratio of water diverted to the amount allowed to flow through this newly built waterway, that no dredging was needed and unimpeded access would be achieved. This has been true until the introduction of the super tankers and since then occasional dredging is carried out. To put the size of the harbour into perspective, it is the largest port in Europe and one of the largest in the world, 180,000 people work in the harbour, annually 30,000 sea going ships birth and 110,000 inland ships for cargo transfer into Europe birth here. Taking just the sea going ships, having to leave the harbour as well, that gives us 60,000 ships passing through Hoek van Holland. That is 164 each day or almost 7 each hour. 

 

The Netherlands has an amazing infrastructure with a separate cycling network. And cycling through this harbour is no different. After Pernis the cycleway needs to cross the railway corridor and the motorways on several occasions. 

 

A steep ramp leads up to an overpass, for the elderly or less fit there is the option of using an escalator to get up to the overpass level. Quite amazing. In order to get to Hoek van Holland one has to cross the water. 

 

The Benelux tunnel has a section just for bicycles and again a long steep escalator takes one down to the tunnel and a well lit 2 lane bikeway provides an almost level ride to the other side. For people with loaded bikes or who don't like escalators there is also a lift to get one back to above ground.

 

The tunnel connects to Vlaardingen on the North side of the river and after passing through Maassluis, a cycleway along the waters edge runs all the way through to Hoek van Holland and the pier.

 Looking back landwards to Hoek van Holland.

The final ride was 35 km, climbing 67 m, temperature 27C, average speed 18.4 km/h.

The total tour was 3,603 km, climbing 22,604 m, 5 days with a shower, 1 thunderstorm. No punctures. Visiting 7 countries. No accidents or mishaps.

A great ride, met many very nice people, I am extremely fortunate. Thank you all, who followed for your interest, comments and support. 

Europe 15, Germany

Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 August.

Despite the forecast the rain did not stop, so I am quite happy sitting it out in this nice hotel. The wifi was a little troublesome for a start, but the host sorted it and I got my private router in the room. I must say how helpful and friendly they are in this hotel.

I spent the day reading, relaxing venturing out to the shopping centre and going out for meals as the restaurant in the hotel is closed. I cannot quite work out if the chef is on holiday or they have decided to close it permanently. There is a terrific breakfast and I am certainly getting my share of that. also the TV has Eurosport and I have been watching the Econo Tour and the tour of Norway cycling, and the German Bondes League football. No shortage of things to do or to get bored.

Monday 17 August.

After another good breakfast and parting like old friends, I am away by 8.30.  It is heavily overcast and the temperature is barely 12C. Quite a change from the previous days and the hot sticky nights. The road takes me through Worth and past the Mercedes-Benz factory, with several street names with the Mercedes name incorporated. The trail follows the main road which is quite busy and I have to negotiate several large round-a-bouts. Following the water again I pass through a lot of places with names ending with "Heim", Leimersheim and one of them called Sonderheim.

Sonder meaning without, so the poor people living there don't actually have a Heim, that must be devastating for them ! I lost the signs to the trail in Germersheim and had to back track to find it and lost it again in Lingenfeld. It is generally very well marked and I have got used to the logic of the people who designed and installed it. But sometimes trees or shrubbs have growen tall and hide the odd sign, but especially when criss crossing commercial areas, parked trucks are a nuisance and often block the view of a sign, so one has to be alert.

At Speyer there is a huge Transport and Technology museum with an impressive range of aircrafts on display, most accessible by visitors. A long stretch of main road riding followed which was good for progress but not very safe in this fast and busy traffic. Passed through Otterstadt and when in Altrip I obeyed the sign to Mannheim which was still 12 km away. It took me to a ferry, which took me across to Neckarau, which is the industrial hub of Mannheim. The pollution is terrible and I can feel the effects quite clearly on my breathing. It is a terrible ride into Mannheim from here, dodging trams, trucks and cars all the way in. In hindsight I could have stayed on the trail as there is a bridge with cycle lane not too far from the old centre where I am staying.

The hotel is an old fashioned one, I am on the fifth floor, and have a view of a flat roof just below me and can see the rain disturbing the puddles on it. They have a few bus tours in so dinner is delayed until after 8 pm, with the risk of having to wait ages between placing the order and actually getting the meal. I decide to go for a walk and find a restaurant full of students, which is very good and reasonably priced. Another good day, biking 87 km, climbing 112m, with temperatures from 12 to 18C, average speed 21 km/h.

Tuesday 18 August.

Away early at 7,30, to beat the rush hour traffic and the hordes of tourbus travellers coming down for breakfast. It was quite noisy overnight with a few drunks crashing around in the passage and a lot of loud talking and laughing. I quickly found the signs to the route, which I had checked out last night, and I was across the bridge into Ludwigshafen in no time. The signs took me along one of the main thoroughfares, with a bike lane of sorts, sharing the footpath which keeps one out of the traffic lanes but having to drop off the curbs at intersections makes the going slow and hard on the bike. At one point the sign pointed straight at a gate with barriers, and I followed the many people approaching it.Security guards were at the barriers and other cyclists had demounted and walking up to the turnstiles. Then I realised they had cards to open the small gates for them. The security guard came
over, stopped me and told me to go around the building into the next road. Which I did, and realised it
was a BassF factory. As I rode on through the parallel road as directed I passed many more gates, and there were still gates after turning off 7 km later ! These businesses are huge, and put NZ industry into perspective.

It became more rural after Petersau, Worms and Hamm am Rhein. Then turned more inland and rode through many orchards, apple, pear and plums. Some look neglected with uncut grass and weeds and lots of wind fallen fruit under the trees on the ground. Many bikers stop and help themselves, but some orchards are fenced off to keep them out. Going through Ludwigshohe, Dienheim and Oppenheim, getting back to the Rhein at Nierstein. Followed by Nackenheim and Mainz. Another big city, I normally avoid at all cost, but on this route, there is no choice. I gave Mainz little attention apart from a quick lunch at McDonalds, another thing I avoid at all cost in normal circumstances and carried on to Budenheim and Bingen, where I booked into a hotel in sight of the first castle. 

Riding 118 km, climbing 103 m, temperatures 13-21C, average speed 19.9 km/h.

Wednesday 19 August.

The morning is clear and the sun is out! Setting off it is very chilly at 11C, I haven't adjusted to the change in temperature yet and am still riding in just my shirt. It is very busy with bikers and the trail varies again from smooth sections through tree lined alleys, to rough uneven and damaged paving, some gravel and edges of busy roads and railway lines. 

The views of the castles and ruins are restricted to the ones on the other side of the river, and the best way to experience this in comfort is definitely by boat, preferably from ones own deckchair with a glass of Riesling from this region.  The hills are wooded and the are much closer to the river, but it lacks the rural feel and the villages and towns continue from one into the other. 

I pass through Niederheimbach, Bacherach, Oberwesel and Sankt Gorrshausen.

Through Boppard, Braubach and Lahnstein I reach Koblenz, which is a nightmare to get through. The waterfront is wide and full of people, rows of tourist busses parked were ever they can squeeze in. There is a gondola to take tourists across the river to an old fortification on the hill opposite. One feels very much out of place on a bicycle here and the poor tourist trying to queue for attractions, taking a photo or just aimlessly wandering about don't appreciate these rogue bikers coming through, despite the fact they are blocking the bike lanes.

I decide to continue through and ride on through Umaz, Leutesdorf and Bad Breisig to a small hotel in Krip, across the Rhine from Linz. Riding 109 km, climbing 118m, temperatures from 11 to 25C, average speed 19.8 km/h. 

Thursday 20 August.

Another chilly start at 11C, the hills retreat and the space is competed for by agriculture and industry. After Remagen, Bad Honnef and Koningswinter I reach Bonn, expecting the usual loss of trail, and finding my way through the city, but none of that, the ride is virtually uninterrupted along the river. I don't dwell in cities and usually I avoid them at all cost, sightseeing cities is not convenient on a loaded bicycle. 

Niederkassel follows, then Wesseling and Rodenkirchen, before the next big city Cologne or Koln, here it is a lot more troublesome to get through, but not before stopping and taking a picture of part of the famous cathedral.

After Koln it gets more industrialised and after Chorweiler and Zons I am on a wild goose chase, around Neus, with confusing signs, where I end up 3 times at the same intersection. I finally get out by using the compass and ignoring the signs and heading in a generally Northerly direction. It is sort of funny, as Neus is Dutch for Nose, and if someone plays a trick on you, and leads you astray, the saying is you have been lead by the nose. I was truly led by the nose there! 

But it got worse, getting through and out of Dusseldorf, what a nightmare. I did the same and headed North, got into the countryside, nice smooth cycle ways. I got past by a mature cyclist on a racing bike, I jumped on his wheel, meaning I sped up and followed close behind (drafting). He had not noticed, going around 30 km/h twice as we went over a bump, my gear on the bike rattles, and he stops peddling and looks down on his bike, probably thinking this rattle was his. The third time I pulled up beside him and said laughing, it is me, rattling. He was surprised to see me but I said it looks better if I hang on your wheel than if you hang on my wheel! He agreed and we had a conversation, he is 68, hopes to bike like me at my age he said, yes just keep doing it, we shook hands departing after he directed me to a hotel in Krefeld for the night. So the frustrating day had a good ending after 138 km, climbing 149 m, temperatures from 11 to 29C, average speed 21.1 km/h.

Friday 21 August,

Another sunny start at 14C and it turned out quite a challenge to find the trail again, Krefeld is a little away from the Rhine and an industrial hub of Dusseldorf. 

It turned out to be a very stop start sort of a day, with the continuous change from riverside to navigating around another huge industrial complex. Many articulated trucks to avoid, railway lines and broken road surfaces. Not the ideal bike tour to my liking.

Riding through Hohenbudberg and Reinhausen into Duisburg, another big industrialised city. The pollution is very noticeable and the skyline is a continuous line of smoke stacks and cooling towers. In between all this are the villages, some new obviously built to house the workforce, but also old ones that have been taken over and squeezed by the "development".

Once through Duisburg, Bearl and Walsum, the countryside becomes more rural again. Despite the confusing or missing signs here and there the ride is more enjoyable, passing through Momm Niederburg and Wesel, the Rhine bends and twists much more here and the ride is much longer than expected. Often the trail runs a top or beside the dyke or flood dam built along the entire length of the river, but here for some reason locked steel gates prevent us from following the signs and we have to follow some of the main roads to progress. I blame the belligerent farmers for it, although I haven't got the slightest bit of proof. I finally reach Emmerich am Rhine, on the Dutch border, where I plan to have a rest day and update the final German blog. Over the bridge and the 2 hotels in town are both locked up, so I have no choice than to ride into The Netherlands. 

In 'sHeerenberg they are full, but find a bed in Zeddam, about 5 km over the border. 

Riding 126 km, climbing 186 m, temperatures from 14 to 28C, average speed 20.1 km/h.

Europe 14, Germany, Switserland, France, Germany.

Wednesday 12 August,

The hotel is on the German side of the Rhine, just over the bridge at a busy border crossing. Which I found out during the night with continual truck traffic. The Swiss border is manned and all trucks are checked as they come into Switserland. I suspect the customs office is closed overnight hence the increase of traffic over the bridge.

The hotel is run by Chinese people, the restaurant has a 5 page Chinese menu,  a very nice lady who appears to be in charge, tells me she had been to NZ on business. WhenI said NZ is good for foreign investors, because the country is run by a bunch of naive capitalists. She smiled broadly and said, yes it is very good.

My room was small she warned me, another smile when I asked, do I have to stand up to sleep ? It is small, it has enough room for a single bed, small wardrobe at the end of the bed, the bedside table which also has the TV on it, the only way to watch it is standing by the door. The space beside the bed is taken up by a simple chair, the rubbish bin underneath it, so there is just enough room to place my two panniers on the floor beside it without blocking the door. It is shared facilities, a nice clean bathroom with shower and toilet. Different story in the morning when it turned out to be shared by 10 rooms! When I got up to go to the bathroom a big angry Russian is pacing the passage. As I had seen very few woman in the hotel's restaurant the night before I convinced him it is ok to use the ladies, that's what they do in France, Which he did, without telling him we are actually in Germany !  It got me into the men's a lot quicker ! The breakfast is very good,  and fortifies me for the days ride, back over the bridge into Switserland, to follow the mainly gravel roads along the Rhine. 

Passing through Schaderloch, Laufenburg and at Stein my pannier rack slides down the forks and I come to an abrupt halt. Lucky it happens at an intersection dropping of a low curb, and not hitting a pothole at 60 km/h descending. I find a shady spot and dismantle the rack to remount it, no damage is
done. Interesting, while working on the bike, at least 25 or 30 other bikers passed by, a mixture of tourers and people on empty bikes. Despite many of them looking over, not one asked if I was ok or needed help, very strange indeed.

On my way again I pass through Reinfelden, nearing Basel, it is getting very built up on both sides of the river now and I get swallowed up by the city and the traffic. The sineage changes and I loose track of the route, I ride direction river but loose it again. Finally I just ride north and cross the border into France at St Louis. I continue through Rosenan, Sierentz to Dietweller and onto Rixheim on the edge of Mulhouse. It has been a hot day at 37C and I enjoy my reward a big glass of cold beer after 113 km. Still managed to climb 535 m today.

Thursday 13 August.

On the road again by 8.30 and I decide to go to the German side of the Rhein, and find a bridge across via Ottmansheim at Neuenburg. Following the river again on gravel roads, through Weinstetten, Breisach am Rhein to Sasbach. A lot of those villages are a few km off the trail, so there are few buildings or houses in sight. There is industry, mostly stone and sand harvested from the river with floating barges and large storage areas along the banks where the trail goes around and sometimes straight through, passing under the conveyor belts.

After Sasbach I must have missed a sign as there are none for a long time, but as long I see the river on my left and the GPS tells me I am going in a Northerly direction it must be ok. 

At Rhinau there is a ferry across the river and I notice a  biker standing by the landing watching it come in. But he suddenly moves and start riding just ahead of me. I pass him with a greeting and carry on at a good pace. After about 20 minutes he suddenly appears beside me and obviously wants to talk. He tells me he is on his way to Poland for a 5 day music festival, dancing the nights away, he is on a 3 week tour planning to do 1000 km a week. My bullshit detector is on high alert here. I wish him all the best, stopping by a sign about the local wildlife and vegetation. He also stops and tells me he is 29 and some more detail. I ask him if he does these long tours often, no this is the first time, on his second day, sleeping in a tiny sleepingbag/tent, where do I sleep ? Well I will find something very soon, I tell him the next town is for me. We set off again and I am pleased to see the sign to Ottenheim. I have to tell him to get going as he needs to do 200km a day, he reluctantly goes after taking my picture.

I find a small hotel/gasthaus in the village, that night there is a huge thunderstorm and I wondered how my new German friend got on for just a moment.

It was another hot and humid day at 36C, riding 110 km, climbing only 85m.

Friday 14 August.

This small hotel is run by a lady of about my age, I won't say an old lady, and it is an old building of wood and plaster, no air conditioning like none of the small hotels generally.

The room has a small fan but It was the hottest sweaty night so far. Even the big thunderstorm did not clear the air. The lady spoke no english, but I get by with the little german I learned at school 60 years ago. She would have been very good by the Gestapo, as her directions consisted of one word "HIER" accompanied by a pointing finger. First where I had to put the bike, then where I had to wait while she went to answer the phone, then where I had to put my panniers in the room, this morning where I had to sit for breakfast, ( not the best) finally where I had to put the key of the room, which I had left
in the room, I got it after the third "HIER"! Then to my surprise, paying she looked at the credit card and said in perfect english: only cash !

 

A small label with Private would do, here the sign is a bit more forthright !

Guten tag Fraulein kommandant, auf wiedersehn !

 

It is raining softly when I leave the warm cell at Ottenheim, the trail is wet and soft and the bike changes colour from racing green to grey. The trail is littered with broken branches and debris for the next 70km or so,  it has been quite a storm. I ride through Kehl, which is across the Rhein from Strasbourg, Eurozone's Capital. I decide to go on and not sightsee the city as the weather is still threatening. I loose the signs again and am riding through a long nature reserve along the river. It sounds nice but it is much the same scenery all the way. The trail runs out near a large lock for shipping and I turn inland to Wintersdorf. At just over 100km I stop at a small hotel. Bike in the garage, restaurant open tonight? No, a restaurant of sorts down the road. Do you have wifi ? No ! With the forecast for more rain, I might have to stay 2 nights, but now Veronica has conned me into daily messaging, she would be worried if she suddenly did not hear from me for 2 days! Were going soft!

So I apologised and retrieved the bike and left an unhappy lady, just to make a lady in NZ happy. I ride on to Au am Rhein and Neuburgweier.

There is a ferry across the Rhein here, both sides are German now, as the border went West a few kilometres back. I follow the Rhein through Neuburg am Rhein to Maximillansau which is about 11 km West of Karlsruhe.

Here I book into a lovely hotel just across the road from a shopping centre, it is air conditioned and the host could not be nicer or more helpful. A perfect place to have a rest day tomorrow and update the blog etc.  It is raining again at arrival after 125km along muddy gravel roads in a cool 29C, climbing even less at 69 m.