Cycling North After Winter

[richardmorris]

You know, I’d start heading south a lot faster! I cycled for 30mins in sleet yesterday and that was quite enough thank you.

[Six-cylinder]

No wonder Mr Toucan decided to hang around our Rayburn and not travel with you!

 

Mr Toucan had an offer to move to Silverstone last week but they only have gas central heating so he declined them!

[Split_Pin]

That upcycled tanker-cum-bottlebank has an expression of pure existential dread.

[Cavcraft]

...and it also looks a bit like monorail cat.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

A LHD Ghia with Ka 'Starfish' knave plates. 

 

The acceptable face of Escort ownership?  

 

 

 

 

[chaseracer]

Aber rostet es trotzdem wie ein Mofo?

[Junkman]

I think the arse end is rusting off of them, a bit like Scorpio.

[spartacus]

Sterling job Alex, I told Mrs Spart about your planned adventure and she was extremely envious. I'm sure you know this but with each couple of days moving South you'll feel a noticeable difference in temperature. Even as close as Fontainebleau, just south of Paris, the temp tonight is forecast to be 3°, an improvement on below freezing, by the weekend is forecast to be 9° at night there.

While many of us would like to have a go at what you're doing I don't think we should forget how draining it can be to sleep in a cold tent for days on end, pulling on damp shoes and socks and relying on Maccy D's for a dump without getting frostbite on your bits.

You clearly have a strong spirit of adventure!

[Daniel R25]

Hi,

I would not consider your trip during winter... However, I enjoy reading about it. As you are close to Cologne I can offer my support.

Bike parts, a washing machine, a warm shower or a bed are available in central Cologne. That's what they told me one should offer to a biker when I checked into Sarajevo's The doctor's house hostel last summer... Since then you will also find me on warm showers.

I prefer temperatures over 30 degrees to this cold: I did Corfu-Sarajevo last summer. This picture was taken close to the Tara canyon / Montenegro. Send a PM for my number.

Regards
Daniel




 

[spartacus]

That's twice I've read about 'warm showers' on this thread now.

I've just googled it and must say, I'm sorely disappointed.

[Cavcraft]

Golden times.

[Daniel R25]

I think warm showers are a great idea

And offering to wash the clothes is not due to sympathy with the biker but with oneself - they explained to me in Sarajevo. They do seem to get some smelly folks... which does not surprise me. I had only 4 t-shirts myself.

Daniel

[Bucketeer]

Thanks for the offer Daniel, that's very kind. As I type this I am about 15-20km outside Cologne. I have a friend who lives there who I am going to visit tomorrow. I think/hope he has a bed for me for tomorrow night. We could always meet up for a beer or whatever though if you fancy?

 

I have spent the last hour trying and failing to upload photos but the phone signal in these woods is not great so I'll do it tomorrow when I'm in the city.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Golden times.

 

 

 

FFS! 

[Bucketeer]

The last couple of days I made my way southeast to Cologne, where I arrived this morning.

This post will mainly be a photographic account of this latest part of my journey as I'm currently sat by the side of the Rhein with freezing cold pinkies that really don't want to type.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cavcraft]

Set fire to that Escort van to keep warm.

[John F]

That's an impressive pogweasled Audi 80, Alex - well spotted!

 

I like the concrete pineapple too.

[Mally]

You have missed a nice warm driving job in the open section.

But since you are having such a nice time, carry on.

[egg]

There's a lot of smoke belching out those chimneys for 'clean energy' Germany .

 

Been to the Cathedral yet? Probably actually warmer than outside.

[John F]

They're cooling towers, that will probably be just steam.

[Sheefag]

'clean energy' Germany .

 

[Bucketeer]

There was a large clump of those stacks belching out steam/smoke along the route to here. I did think they were probably cooling towers releasing water vapour as they seemed to create their own microclimate of rain.

 

Anyway, a few more pictures from yesterday's final leg into Cologne.

 

At one point in the morning a mystery bright yellow orb appeared in the sky. I think that was what people call 'sunshine'.

 

 

On a side note, I've been impressed so far with Germany's provision for cyclists. It's not quite on a level with Holland obvs but I've still only had to spend maybe ten percent of the time actually cycling on the road. Most of the way was paths to the side of the road or separate cycle routes (as pictured above). They are a lot less smoothly surfaced than their Dutch equivalents but overall I can't complain.

 

Right, spots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I fancied a 'wheeeeeeee' moment down this slide in a deserted play park but unfortunately I sat in the top and didn't move. I think it was a bit narrow for a 6'5" lump.

 

 

I visited Motorworld also yesterday. It wasn't as good as I was hoping but was a decent distraction for a little while and I have plenty of pics from there which I'll post later.

 

 

The view of the Rhein from where I was posting yesterday with chilly fingers.

 

 

I'm going to stay here a couple of days with my friend before heading off. There are a few different directions I can take, I just want to avoid lots of hills/mountains wherever possible.

 

I'm off to visit the cathedral now, and no doubt do a bit of spotting along the way.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I've not had an Xmas in Germany for many years. It's much nicer than here, believe it or not.

[N Dentressangle]

I'm going to stay here a couple of days with my friend before heading off. There are a few different directions I can take, I just want to avoid lots of hills/mountains wherever possible.

 

 

 

Then the obvious one is following the Rhine upstream, no? Pretty much a straight line south towards Switzerland.

 

I'd be looking to turn off onto the Rhine - Rhone canal at Mulhouse:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhone%E2%80%93Rhine_Canal

 

then follow the Saone / Rhone valley south to the Med.

 

Hills dodged!

 

 

The Mosel also makes a tempting turn off at Koblenz, taking you towards Nancy where you can pick up the Canal des Vosges:

 

https://www.french-waterways.com/waterways/north-east/canal-vosges/

 

which also brings you to the Saone / Rhone valley. Handy site here https://www.af3v.org/index.php if you haven't seen it already.

 

Choices, choices...

[Saabnut]

Pity about the slide, I would have done the same, with the same result!

[Sloth in a bowl]

I'd head for Luxembourg, then Dijon and the Rhone to the med, the quickest way out of central Europe where it can get brutally cold and also from Dijon onward you probably have a lot of traffic free riverside paths to use.

[loserone]

If you went to Mulhouse, you could do the schlumph collection and the musee du train. Recommended!

[skattrd]

A few years back I worked in one of those inverted "L" shaped buildings behind the middle bridge in the pic of the Rhine.

If you like Guinness then head to Barney Vallelys in the old town, possibly the best Guinness in Germany.

[Bucketeer]

A few years back I worked in one of those inverted "L" shaped buildings

[Junkman]

I'd head for Luxembourg...

 

Yeah, cheap petrol! Oh, wait...

 

 

A few years back I worked in one of those inverted "L" shaped buildings behind the middle bridge in the pic of the Rhine.

If you like Guinness then head to Barney Vallelys in the old town, possibly the best Guinness in Germany.

 

Those buildings are supposed to reminiscence the cranes that once stood there.

 

Nothing beats drinking Guinness, which reportedly doesn't travel, in a country that's world famous for its art of brewing.