Uncategorized – Following Rivers, Canals https://eu18.mayosmith.org And Other Waterways Thu, 24 May 2018 18:16:23 +0000 en-NZ hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.1 https://eu18.mayosmith.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/cropped-Media_Library_‹_Europe_16_—_WordPress-2-32x32.jpg Uncategorized – Following Rivers, Canals https://eu18.mayosmith.org 32 32 Next time, take the Train https://eu18.mayosmith.org/next-time-take-the-train/ Thu, 24 May 2018 18:16:23 +0000 https://eu18.mayosmith.org/?p=384 Continue Reading →]]> The best thing about today is that the traveling is over. I’d call the section I rode today a pain in the butt (and neck). The Donau was only occasionally in view and generally then only as I crossed it. Most of the time I seemed to be on jarring, jolting gravel forest roads. In Fact after one forest road too many, I took to the less scenic but more direct bike path along the highway. Mind you the grey damp weather didn’t help much.

I didn’t visit the Catherdral in Ulm – possibly a mistake but how many churches and Catherdrals can one visit. Instead I sat down beside the river to watch the rowers go by.

Also at Ulm I encountered the first Donau Marker since it’s start. It was only 2542 Kilomtres to the Black Sea. Given these signs appear every 100 metres, it could be rather daunting seeing them slowly tick by…….

 

Well after cycling 1360 kilometres, I’m allowed to be tired

 

]]> Hello Germany https://eu18.mayosmith.org/hello-germany/ Tue, 15 May 2018 19:01:26 +0000 https://eu18.mayosmith.org/?p=212 Continue Reading →]]> I camped last night at a place called Beringerzand. I think in the summer it would be heaving and jammed packed, but at this time of year I just about had it to myself – of course this meant just about everything was closed.

Anyway, today I was due to cross the border into Germany sometime after passing thru Venlo. It was a anti climax, I didn’t even realise I had, until my phone pinged with messages telling me I was roaming in Germany.

After the flatness of Holland I even had to climb a hill, well it wasn’t exactly a hill, more of a rise in the road followed by a slope down again.

The most excitement I’ve had was in Düsseldorf, I was sitting on a park bench figuring out my next stop when a group of men, in need of dental surgery and somewhat well lubricated decided I might be of interest. As it turned one of them turned out to love Lord of the Rings and wanted to go to Hobbiton so I went on my way and they took over the park bench.

Tomorrow I head up the Rhine toward Bonn, Not sure how far I will go as rain is forecast for most of the day.

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