Day 13 Gorinchem to Rotterdam - last day of the Rhine tour

It was a brilliant day, no wind and no rain and that is such a fabulous thing to finish our unbelievable tour on such high note. We saw Rotterdam approaching in glorious sunshine, welcoming us to its folds.

Lovely cycle which took us through great countryside, took no less than 5 ferries to cross rivers! Could even have been the same river several times but I lost track. One ferry was so fast  with white water churning from its engines; felt like we were on a speedboat. Ferry crossings were good as gave us breathing space to look at the map and take stock of where we are. Saw some really intersting stuff, like once coming off a dyke there was two garden chairs, table and a bottle of water at the side of the road inviting travellers to refresh themselves.

We had a very early lunch in Papendrecht and several Dutch people stopped whilst we were eating to say 'smaaklike ete' which means enjoy your meal; everyone was so friendly.

We are in the Cubic houses near the middle of the city tonight. This afternoon we went to 2 huge bike stores which we passed on our bikes as we were coming into te city, and I bought a great big bell for my bike. A good reminder of our trip overtime when I ring the bell!
Tomorrow will be a lazy start to the day. We have a short lie in planned, breakfast is later as it is Saturday, then off into the city for a quick stroll and hop onto the bikes with the luggage to pedal the 27 miles to Europoort in a lazy fashion. Lots of time to stop and take photos and arrive in good time to get the ferry.
I will be hitting 700 miles when we cycle onto the boat! Not bad for a 14 day holiday ;-)

Day 12 Doorwerth to Gorinchem

This day was so bad that I tried to obliterate it out f my mind by delaying the blogging ! Hence why I am writing it 24 hrs later.
It started raining as we were having breakfast basically it didn't stop. The rainshowers were very heavy and almost torrential at times. There was not enough time to dry out between one when the next one would set in.
I saw some really interesting stuff along the way but if it was raining, the picture got lost :'(


Gorinchem is really lovely. We are in the old part which is almost like an island with walls around it. The place where we are staying is a lovely self catering unit with beds for 4, a small kitchen and a porch that faces onto the canal. Last night we watched some dragon boat racing. Boy can she beat those drums!!
Dinner was some beers, a lovely pasta and some choco marshmallows cakes that we all found in Aldi for €8·74. Cheap!
This morning will start with another ferry ride to Sleeuwijk before we get cycling. Then into Rotterdam and into the famous Cube Houses for our last night.
Ok, I have to get packing now so we can get the 9am ferry!

Out of your car, put off your lights and pull your handbrake up!

Lovely long quiet road on our way to Gorinchem

Our accomodation in Gorinchem

Duisburg to Rees for Day 10

Goodness, I could've slept 6 hours longer this morning. Fabulous bed, and a much needed rest. But up we had to go and pulling away the curtains revealed rain. I just couldn't believe it. I can actually not remember when it was just a sunny day here in Germany.
It was drizzling as we left the hostel. As usual the road out was difficult, especially when we were directed down steps with our bikes! The road that followed were atrocious, consisting mainly of tractor tracks full of mud and when it eventually turned into tar, it was all broken up. Nope, this part of the cycle way can really be repaired. Not good enough. A bridge became shelter again but we had to govern when the rain eased off.
We lost the route twice, found it twice and eventually settled in to battle a strong head wind. Lunch was bought in Rheinberg and ate near Xanten. Fun was getting on a people-only ferry with our bikes. As the ferry approached us, it battled with big waves on the river and it swerved from side to side. I was apprehensive about our crossing but it went well in the end.
We ventured into town to buy a bike lock as ours was accidentally left at the previous hostel. I also bought myself a cheap rain cape, hopefully it will keep the rain out of my eyes.
Tonight we are staying in a lovely bed and breakfast with very friendly owners. Another couple from Holland also arrived who is on their way to Prague and Vienna. Lots of great talk in 3 different languages during dinner :-)
Sleeping is now priority number one as we booked breakfast for 7.30am. Goodnight!

Ferry on our way into Rees

Day 5 Mannheim to Mainz

Our bikes were still safe this morning, thank goodness for that! Although the youth hostel has opened their new building in February, they still haven't got their act together. Their was no bike store room last night and when we got to our room, we had no curtains. Hmmm.
Breakfast was early at 7am and we set off just before 8. All along the promenade until we got to the bridge or Rheinbrücke as they call it, where we had our first of the day disagreement. Stephen went off straight and was convinced that's the way although I had the route on my Garmin. I just stopped and waited for him to find his senses! I think I know why his Garmin doesn't want to display the route. It is complaining about too many tracks which means its memory's full. When I bought it for him, I also bought the Europe Navigator map with it. Four years ago, I got mine and that was the map I bought with it. The Garmin does come with a base map but it is really useless. You need a better map which you can insert via the SD card slot. Stephen's Europe Navigator map was a proper one whereas the one that I got 4 years ago, I suspect is a pirate copy (bought on Ebay). Mine just look like a normal SD card (2GB ) so it has Europe Navigator on it plus some spare capacity. Stephen's map is probably write protected so the only place for him to store his history and his routes is on the base unit. Obviously both takes up too much space, pity.
This has now resulted in only me being able to view the route whilst we are riding.
Breakfast is where the Germans get their chocolate kick! At each of the places where we had our breakfasts, there were chocolate spread and hot chocolate available. I struggled this morning to get black tea (normal ceylon, Assam, or English breakfast tea) at the youth hostel. There is coffee, but I don't drink that, and there are all sorts of herbal teas available. The Germans like their green and lemon teas. Then there are lovely fresh buns with a variety of cold meats ad cheeses available plus cereals and yoghurts.
Whilst we were in Strasbourg doing sightseeing, I saw that there were lots of memorabilia available about Storks. It seems that this is Stork country. I've seen several today, quite an imposing bird! I also saw a black squirrel.
We saw a few Ferries today but didn't go on them although we nearly changed our route and thought we will but didn't in the end. We cycled for a long time along vineyards and almost every town we went through had wine estates where you could buy some wine. Pity the bottles weigh so much! The rain eventually caught up with us but luckily there was a shelter along the way where a few other cyclists were hovering. This was the first time we had rain since leaving England!
There was along stretch today which was off road along tracks again today. Not really my cup of tea as my bike wheels are thin. Generally the German cycle paths are well marked but in a town they suddenly vanish and then you find yourself along a road with cars just to see the cycle path suddenly appearing alongside. Several times today we had to either make a u-turn or dash across the road to get on the path.
Mannheim to Mainz is 46.89 miles, I burned 2295 calories and we arrived at 2.15pm. Not too bad for time! We do try to get at least halfway by lunchtime.
My body is holding up although the nerve in my left hand that runs up from my wrist into my palm has gone dead. It has been stinging the last few days and since yesterday, it is totally numb.
Tomorrow we are off to Koblenz. A much longer day with 63 miles planned. Hope you enjoy the photos.

The cyclists are seeking shelter!

At Kornsand Ferry having lunch

The Mannheim Youth Hostel - still very much a building site

Our accommodation tonight

Miserable off road path along the Rhine!

Vineyards galore!

Only 14 kilometres to go!

Big river cruise boat going past

Lovely morning

Figs at our destination

Day 1 Basel to Breisach

After a fabulous night's sleep with an equally lovely breakfast it was time to go. The Garmin played up (why does this always happen on a big ride?) so I had to revert another way of getting the route displayed which is show on map instead of navigate.

A quick photo shoot on the bridge and we were off. The route was very mixed today, some major off road sections with difficult wet bits to navigate and fabulous French cycle ways alongside the main road. For a change we also had a tailwind for the last 10 miles so we made up with some fast riding.

Breisach is delightful with lots of holidaymakers, watersports and fabulous Rhine cruise boats. There was also an impressive lock system, but not as impressive as the water regulation we saw at Kembs which took about 200 years to build. It also has an impressive church on top of a hill in the town.

The day started with rain but it stopped before we left Lörrach and then the sun turned hot. I definitely have sunburn and so does Stephen. A bit of suntan lotion tomorrow will be needed.

47 miles done today and 51 miles waiting tomorrow.

Day 0

Bikes on top of each other

Leaving Hull

I don't know why but I couldn't really sleep last night. It might have been the fact that I ate too much at the buffet or the gentle swaying of the Ferry or even the narrow cabin bed but I didn't sleep very well. I woke up at 5.49am, got up and had a shower. Whilst in the shower, the announcement for breakfast came over the internal cabin speakers.
Talking about food, I am absolutely starving! Breakfast was the last time I ate. Some bad planning, mostly not having anything to drink either apart from the last water from my bike bottle that was left from a ride. The thing is, after breakfast we made our way to deck and drank in the industrial sites of Europoort. Huge ships came past which made us take lovely pictures. Getting off the boat was so easy, it was the Dutch way as bikes get priority so we whizzed down the ramp to passport control. In the meantime, I was scanning the area to see where our taxi was - and found him, just beyond passport control. This was a taxi which I mostly correspond with and arranged with, through Twitter. DE REYERTRAVEL!  Worth contacting them if you need transport (with bikes) from Europoort to Rotterdam.
We made it to the station in good time where I had to queue for about 30 minutes to buy bike tickets, yes bikes need to pay too here in Europe. The platform was overcrowded with people who missed an earlier train so ours was very full. Bikes were piled onto of each other to ensure thy are all onboard. The drama queen winked at us in Brussels when the train to Based bore down. We were on te train having made it to the right platform with fully laden bikes when the announcement came that the locomotive has failed to start. So back onto the platform, down the stairs to another platform for a train to Luxembourg which we knew was the way we were going to go.
Getting to Luxembourg was strange as on the platform next to ours (where we got in), stood a Based train, similar to the one that broke in Brussels AND it is 50 minutes delayed. Really odd. Anyway, got on stand we are now about 45 minutes from our destination.
No food or water for the last 12 hours is quite challenging, so I think we will find somewhere to get a drink or a bite to eat as soon as we get there as the hostel shuts at 10pm and I'm not sure if they are still serving food.
I was right, they wee not serving food at 9.45 but then who would? Luckily we stopped at a small supermarket between Basel and Lörrach and got two tubs of Pringles, a 1.5 litre Sprite, a pepperami in a breadstick and some cup a soup which we will not make.
I've just worked out, we've started our journey this morning in Holland, next stop was Belgium, the stop after that was Luxembourg. After Luxembourg we went south through France, stopped in Switzerland and then biked through the border to sleep in Germany!! No wonder I am tired! 6 countries in one day, phew !

Enjoying the sunshine on the Ferry

Long train ride from Luxembourg to Basel 

Coming into Europoort

De Reyertravel brought us safely to Rotterdam station with a lovely minibus