We had slept in, felt great, and were ready for this joy cruise to the finish.   The plan was to store the bags since any train to Amsterdam would have to come back through Rotterdam anyway.   That way we could thoroughly enjoy the last 20 without baggage.  So when we walked outside the hotel we were beaming and ready.  We looked for our bikes and it didn't even really process for us until we saw our bike lock laying on the ground cut to pieces.  We didn't have much time to dwell in the shock of it because it meant everything we had planned to do, even riding our bikes to breakfast, every aspect forward had suddenly changed.  I was admittedly upset, but not at the thieves, I was angry with the hotel staff who had first assured me it was safe to lock up there, and then wouldn't call or offer assistance at all when I couldn't reach the local police due to my US phone.   Knowing full well that there was little the police could do anyway, I had to get away from the hotel and it made sense to file a report in case the bikes showed up sometime.  The walk helped calm me, put it into prospective, and formulate a plan to finish the ride.  That was the priority.  I'd rent bikes, we'd ride to the finish, then return to Rotterdam via train.  It would mean forfeiting a night in Amsterdam but it would allow us to take our time getting there and return them in the morning.  The only bikes available for rent were grandma style city cruisers that were in a sorry state of condition.   I was certain that our next obstacle was being stranded with a broken bike and no tools since they too had been stolen.   We strapped water bottles to the back and brought a few other essentials just in case.  Greta's bike did need some adjustments that I was able to make by brute strength.  Slowly we  got into a groove and worked our way out of the city.  The trail took us along the shipyards where it was impressive to see cruise ships being built.   Then as the miles ticked off and we got closer and closer, the reality was setting in that we were going to make it after all and that this great, hard, wild journey was coming to a screeching halt.  Because literally the brakes would screech when I stopped!  It was early evening when we entered the Hook of Holland.  We took one last break for slushies then we rode the cruisers like cruisers and slowly made our way out onto the pier where large ships came and went  down the Rhine on one side, and on the other, a nice beach spread for miles where weary beach goers were packing up for the day.    We rode along the beach until we found a restaurant with a big couch for seating.  We sunk in, ate wings and ribs and watched the sunset over the sea.   It was a mild but sweet celebration of the accomplishment as we recapped the day and the trip.   After another night in Rotterdam, we made our way by train to Amsterdam, the biking capital of the world, where we were thrilled not to be on one.  We spoiled ourselves with some amazing eats, shopping and even massages!  Not sure I could be more proud of this amazing girl.  I may have sold it  to her as a much easier ride than it certainly was, but she really stuck it out in the face of plenty of obstacles.     I'll add a final post to wrap up my thoughts on the trip as a whole and speak to our favorite places and days, and things I would have done differently in case anyone is interested in following in our footsteps.

Following yesterday's brutality, our motivation was still high. Pushing hard to Rotterdam meant the following day's ride to the Hook of Holland where the Rhine empties into the North Sea would be a 20 mile victory cruise. Our minds were ready but our bodies were on empty and on Sundays most everything in Europe is shut, so our first goal was a MacDonalds an hours ride away. The Netherlands are definitely cycling centric and their cycling infrastructure is amazing with bike paths everywhere. And on a sunny Sunday morning, everyone was out. The club racers would fly past us regularly in packs, families were out riding to church, the elderly were enjoying their morning ebike rides. It was impressive to see so many out even on these rural roads. MacDonalds did the trick and we set our next goal as Schoonhoven. Riding atop the berm along the river we had a great vantage point of the river and idyllic little farms on the other side. The serenity of the views and the solemnity upon passing more vestiges of war provides an additional level of gratitude for just being here. Schoonhoven was a cute little canal town, the perfect spot to saunter around with an ice cream cone in hand. Even more impressive than it's biking infrastructure, is all the canals these people have going everywhere. Houses have canals around them. Fields have rows and rows of canals and the cities all have canal systems. They all beam with water fowl. Swans, storks, ducks are found around each corner. After a nice break in Schoonhoven it was time for our last big push to Rotterdam. Heat and headwinds be damned, we were gonna make it. Nearing the city we passed more waterways and inlets, some were developed into beaches where throngs of Dutch were burning their pale skin and having a great time doing so. We were tempted to stop and nap but determined to push on. Arriving in the city, we were excited to see it's modern architecture hovering over the old canals and ports that wind through the city. After showers we hopped back out enjoy this quirky place. We both loved the randomness of the city. The warm day had everyone thinking like us because the line at the ice cream spot was enough to make you question your love for ice cream. But now cream knows,, we really love it. One more ride to go!

High off of yesterdays fast speeds and triumph over the rain, our sights were now set on the finish line.   The forecast looked good, but we failed to take into consideration that the river now turns from North to primarily West.  Almost immediately our enthusiasm faded in the face of a nasty headwind.  The panniers strapped to our bike catch all the wind which slows our pace significantly.   Greta did her best to draft off of me but I struggled myself.  With our heads down, we didn't even see a sign or realize when we crossed the border into The Netherlands.  The only reason I could tell was because dutch place names are really long.  For example, tonight I'm at Landgoed de Horst Driebergen.  (It helps to say these words using the voice of the chef from the Muppets.)   Arriving in Arnhem, site of one of the biggest battles of WW2, something very different was noticed.  Here they celebrated the war and the Allied forces, a noticable change from Germany.  Any hopes to be tourist s today were awash in our ability to just eat and keep from collapsing.  At each rest stop, we sat slouched against each other seconds away from a nap.  Yet we pushed on.  In the evening we got a slight break in the wind and the best biking lanes we've seen all trip which helped our motivation to reach the end.  It was a tough day, probably our hardest.   We were in the saddle for over 9 hours.  Iv'e done century rides that were easier than today so I give much props and praise to Greta for not giving up.    We are both exhausted now and yet so excited close to the finish.  Tommorow we push for Rotterdam.

Up until now, through some careful planning and a whole lotta luck, we were able to avoid rain that seemed to be all around us.   Knowing noontime showers were in the  forecast, my plan to beat it today was to ride very early and very fast.   We pulled out of Dusseldorf before the city woke up and were soon flying down rural pathways with cute bunnies everywhere hopping across our path.   The combination of rested legs, cool temps and no wind had us making great time.  Just as our stomachs reminded us we left without breakfast, we pulled into the delightful town of Moers where a cafe was just opening for the morning and we hit the jackpot as they had the most amazing breakfast buffet we had experienced all trip.  We piled it on and ate like kings.  The forecast had improved and it seemed the day was off to a perfect start.   . We were on such great pace that by 11 am we were only half an hour away from our intended destination for the day.  That's when the mist started, then a light rain. We donned our rain gear and felt proud passing others  who sought shelter as we kept trotting along.  When we pulled into Xanten the rain had already stopped.  We grabbed hot chocolates and, since the forecast looked good, we decided to push on and give ourselves another 20 miles since we had been riding so well.  With only 8 miles left, we stopped to grab a snack and once again it started to sprinkle.  I felt like we were champions today and nothing would stop us so I yelled into the storm "Is that all you got??"  Greta said, "Don't taunt it, Dad!"  Right about then is when the deluge really began.  It poured hard and we cycled as fast as we could through it, knowing a hot shower would be our prize if we could just make it there.  We pulled into the hotel with everything on us sopping wet.  The front desk clerk seemed annoyed by the water dripping off me everywhere but I didn't care.    The value of something so simple as a warm shower followed by a hard crashing nap is priceless on days like these.

We felt so lucky and appreciative to have Nina and Simon host us in their sweet little apartment.  They did forewarn us of jackhammers next door that would start promptly at 7 and they were right! It seriously seems the whole of Germany is under construction!  We wanted an early start anyway so we made hast and said goodbye to our new friends and enjoyed a crisp cool pedal out of Cologne.  It was great to see people already out.  Mom's groups were doing yoga in the park, kids were riding bikes to school, neighbors were out talking and old men were out fishing the Rhine.  The cooler weather helps us both ride well for sure and so we were making good time.  Then seemingly out in the middle of nowhere, similar to Neuf Brisach, the small walled fortress city of Zons appeared.  I had thought we were finished seeing cute medieval villages.  This one was even boasted it's own windmill.    Centuries prior the Rhine had shifted course and no longer came by the city.  This proved to be it's saving grace during WW2 as it's size and location evidently wasn't seen as a threat.  The same could not be said for our stopping point for the day.  Dusseldorf, and it's concentration camps  also served as a military base and for that suffered a damage rate of over 96% of the city's buildings.  It's a  very modern city now and has recovered remarkably.  Pulling into Dusseldorf, our route took us along the  Rhine promenade.  We thought we had escaped the Euro Cup madness in Cologne but evidently Dusseldorf was participating in huge events and watch parties as well, so again we found ourselves wading through throngs of fans, German this time.  After checking in to our Airbnb we both craved Mexican so back into the mele we went.  Luckily Germany won the match so it was fun to be amongst so many jovial drunks!  Today we rested indeed.  Our only adventures today were making our way to the city's big open market where all things yummy were brightly on display.  It was difficult to make decisions since it all looked amazing.  After filling our bellies and jumping into souvenier shops to avoid the rain, we rested some more before another big push tomorrow.   Less than 200 miles to go!  

Because we're never fully sure where we'll end up at the end of the day, I often wait until the night before or even the day of to find our next night's accommodation. So when I finally looked for accommodations in Cologne, where we had hoped to stay two nights for a rest day, I was stunned to find prices of hotels around $500 per night  which I soon realized was due to the European cup is being held right now in Cologne. That sent me scrambling to find a warmshowers host and we were so fortunate to find Simon and Nina willing to take us in.   Now, it was just about getting there. Our day started out fine enough but we were across the river from the planned route & once again had to rely on Google maps to get us to a ferry to cross back over. A turn onto a dirt road seemed innocent enough as our trail has often been such throughout.  But the road soon turned into a trail that dropped down to the river. Once along the river we didn't want to climb back out but our trail was already a wash with debris from flooding. The more we went on the deeper in trouble we became. If we weren't climbing over logs, we were pushing our bikes through mud & thorny bushes. A highway was just above us, but the incline was too steep to attempt to walk up, let alone pull the bikes up so we had to trudge through on foot for a good mile and a half until we emerged into a small park and found our way back to paved roads. Caked in mud with battle scars from the bushes, we tried to regain our spirits about us as we crossed the river via ferry and we're back on course. Stopping in a small village for a snack, a tourist office employee came out and forewarned us of a possible storm and even tornado headed across our path in a few hours. I had seen a chance of rain in the forecast when I looked in the morning but nothing that seemed so ominous. When we arrived in the city of Bonn, former capital of West Berlin and birthplace of Beethoven, the weather was still mild and people were about. We snapped some photos with Beethoven and grabbed a bite for lunch. Then our phones started going off warning of the impending storm advertising  wind gusts of  up to 50 mph.  My purist, ride-or-die gumption  quickly went out the window as it began to rain.  So we opted to hop a train for the 18 miles we had planned to bike to Cologne where the forecast was just outside the path of danger and our hosts awaited our arrival. The train was our first experience of the madness that had overtaken the city.  Getting off the train, the station was so packed that we couldn't move for 20 minutes. Thousands of Scots dressed in kilts we're pouring into the city to support their team against the Swiss.  Every few minutes they would break out into chants and roaring laughter. They are certainly much more jovial than the Germans. The Swiss fans were also more subdued. Everywhere we went though, the streets and pubs were packed with fans from many countries. We made our way to our hosts who encouraged us to drop our bags and go back and check out the city since we would now only be there one day & revamp our rest day tomorrow in Dusseldorf.  So back to the madness we went.  We first stopped at the Cologne cathedral which took 632 years to build and houses the famed relics of the Magi. I've been to many cathedrals and this one was quite extraordinary.  So crazy to think how many people worked their whole lives on it knowing they would never see its completion. From there we rode through the old town, weaving through more rabid soccer fans before arriving at the Lindt chocolate factory. That was right up our alley as we got to see live production of chocolate as well as sample quite a few. Later we went shopping for a surprise baby gift for our host who is pregnant.  After dinner we cycled back and rejoined our awesome hosts who are big board game aficionados and they taught us a new game. It was so nice to have the afternoon and evening to just enjoy the city and ride bikes without gear. We probably made up the entire 18 mi train ride just riding around the city.   Although the day took lots of twists and turns, it was a good reminder that sometimes we just have to roll with the punches!

It all started out so nice. A spectacular included breakfast spread with the stunning view of the Rhine below, then a fascinating tour through the ruins of the adjacent Rheinsfelds Castle and Fortress, once the largest defensive structure in the region.  Even with the late start cycling we were feeling good as we cycled through the remainder of the Gorge admiring the villages and castles.  We made good time to the city of Koblenz and found our way to the Deutsches Eck where the Mosel joins the Rhine.   We then wandered the city a bit and found a cowboy burger joint so we had to see just how authentically western US it could be.  The burgers were great.  The country music, not so much.   After we hit the road again we quickly fell apart.   Headwinds suck the life out of ya and Greta had a headache and my tush was killing me.  I know, I know, some will say I've always been a pain in the ass!  But I had resorted to pumping out of the saddle for miles.  I did find a bike shop with some chamois cream so hopefully I'll be back in the saddle tomorrow.  Or prospects for lodging in Cologne seem  very grim so who knows what tomorrow will bring on many fronts.

Upon planning this trip, I was looking forward to today. This is the most popular stretch of the river with visitors as it narrows and winds through a gorge laden with vineyards, medieval villages and castles galore perched up high around every corner. The visual feast did not disappoint. Our first stop was in Eltville whose charming village and stately castle complete with moat surely is the inspiration for many a fairytale. From there we caught a nasty headwind, so by the time we rolled into the popular Rudesheim on Rhine, we were gassed. Some pizzas offered a little energy as we had to sprint to make the next ferry crossing. The rest of the ride was lots of ooohs and aahs at each new sight.  Knowing this day would be filled with castles, I though it fitting to splurge a little book at hotel inside a castle.  A fitting end to just such a day, right?  What I failed to take into account was that castles are all perched up high on the hillside so after an already physically hard day, we then had to walk our bikes up a crazy steep hill for some distance. It was taxing but totally in worth it as the views from our room and dinner were fabulous. We even got all fancied up in robes and slippers and enjoyed the pool and sauna. Felt pretty royal given our peasant heritage!

A shorter riding day on paper had us moving rather lackadaisically this morning. Little did we know that a combination of detours, headwinds, and mud covered roads would have us feeling like yet another tough day in the saddle. Every day we ride along the river it grows in size and activity. Barges and tourist boats are a constant sight now. Seems so far away from the glacial stream we started with. The last few miles into Mainz were the most developed we've seen, filled with eateries and riverbank parks. The great weekend weather seemed to have attracted the whole town out to bask in the sun. As Gutenberg's hometown, we were excited to tour the museum and grasp a better understanding of how the printing press monumentally altered the world. We followed that up with a tour of the cathedral and some amazing gelato before a short ride back across the river to Bebreich Castle grounds and our hotel next door. Now we enter the Rhine gorge and are looking forward to exploring this, most popular section of the Rhine.

I started the day quite deflated mentally.  Rain was going to delay what would already be another long day.  Today's route would likely incur more detours and they suck any momentum out of you.  So I opted to go off plan and avoid much of the Rhine with a reroute which then leaves us to the mercy of possible hills and Google maps which has also led us astray this trip.  It proved the right call though and we made great time for our first leg into Speyer.  The stunning Cathedral spires were a nice welcome and we enjoyed a walk around the Cathedral and town.  It was here the Protestation of Speyer asked to release the ban on Martin Luther and his teachings.   A hearty lunch here and we were on our way again to Worms.  First, however we had to pass through Ludwigshafen where the company BASF is based.  Their campus is literally 6 miles long.  Impressive to me was the thousands upon thousands of company issued bicycles we passed that workers were encouraged to use to get to work.   As they are all red, I just can't imagine how you tell your bike apart from your neighbors.  Some nausea for Greta slowed our afternoon pace but we still made good time into the city of Worms.  I can proudly now say, I really like Worms.  After a quick shower and rest at the hotel, we ventured back out on the bikes to explore the town.  It was awesome to see big crowds gathered at bars and biergartens cheering on Germany against Scotland for the European Cup.  The city was really impressive and the Statue of Martin Luther as much so as it was here the Edict of Worms banned him from the church.   It was so nice to end our day on high spirits after the drizzy depressing start.

Not gonna lie, it was painful to hop back on the bikes this morning.   I had hoped a day off would lend some reprieve to my sore rear but alas, I am a true pain in the ass!  Leaving Strasbourg it was impressive to see how many commuters, many with kids in tow used bicycles as their primary mode of transport.  Past the suburbs, we quickly found ourselves in deep swampy woods and while lovely and cool, we couldn't stop or slow at the risk of being eaten alive by mosquitoes.  I tried to breath through my nose but my swallowed-bug count is now up to 4.  We did opt to stop when we saw a world war 2 bunker just off the trail.  It was fascinating and sad at the same time.    Boulageries have quickly become a favorite of ours in France and so a morning stop to fill our faces with pastries was well worth it.  When you bike this much, you give yourself a pass to eat whatever you'd like.   The route wound through Rhine marshes and floodplains.  The water was high and detours were plentiful.  A large variety of water fowl from cranes, swans, geese and ducks helped break up the monotony.   The croaks of what must have been large frogs echoed across the ponds.   Later for lunch, there was only one town for miles and only one eatery open.  Upon being seated, I looked over at the table next to me.  Their dishes looked amazing so, using google translator, I asked them what they were having .  They were kind enough to point to it on the menu.  Greta got a chuckle when she then translated it. "Dad, those are frog legs!"  Seemed fitting given our last hour of hearing them so frogs legs it was.  Quite delicious actually.  After lunch we were disappointed to learn our ferry over to Germany was closed due to flooding so we tacked on a few more detour miles before finally arriving in Karlsrhue.  I had hoped to arrive early to explore the palace but alas, we checked in and crashed out only waking enough to quickly grab a bite and walk the palace grounds.   We are right about halfway though our journey.   It's been harder than expected but with some wonderful surprises too.   I'm so proud of Greta, she's pushing on hard and doing great.

Knowing it would be our longest day in the saddle, I woke Greta early and we were on the road by 6.   Things started off bad and didn't improve much all morning.  Headwinds slowed us to  a slog of a pace,  we encountered more flood impacted detours, and then things got really depressing when  Google maps  started sending us onto imaginary roads where we  eventually ended up in the middle of some farmers fields miles from anywhere.    We didn't even  know which country we were in until we finally found a path and some kind walkers greeted us with a hearty "Bonjour"  Then we knew we had at least made it to France.  Our spirits started to lift when we pulled into the odd octagonal fortress town of Neuf-Brisach.  Great design for a city, but such a strange place to need such a mighty fortress in the middle of nowhere.  A quick snack and it was time to make our way to the towpath of a canal that would lead us to  Strasbourg.  It may not have been as dramatic as Rhine falls or as plentiful in lovely Villages and cowbells, but it was still very pleasant, peaceful, and somber even, knowing that the canal once represented battle lines for French and German forces during World War 2.  The cooler temps, straight lines and lack of hills boosted our speed and our spirits and we started flying toward Strasbourg.   Upon arriving in the old town where we were staying,  the sights, sounds and smells of this beautiful city were something to behold.  Seven hours of saddle had left us exhausted though ,so we crashed out hard before  later venturing out to see the town.   This morning we woke to our first rest day, and we did...nothing.  We just laid in bed until we were too hungry to not get up.  A trip to the market and Boulangerie left us with pastries coming out of our ears.   The French really know how to infuse chocolate into everything I already love!  After another nap, we finally ventured out to see more of this great city.  We played total tourist and hopped a  tour boat for a relaxing cruise with our audio guide.    It's fascinating how many times this city swapped back and forth from French to German rule.  Influences of both countries cultures have left there stamp on the city.  It's not surprising then that this town has been the most prepared to commit to lasting peace  and headquarters the European union.  Now our rest day seems all too short and we are back on the road early tomorrow. 

We had slept in, felt great, and were ready for this joy cruise to the finish.   The plan was to store the bags since any train to Amsterdam would have to come back through Rotterdam anyway.   That way we could thoroughly enjoy the last 20 without baggage.  So when we walked outside the hotel we were beaming and ready.  We looked for our bikes and it didn't even really process for us until we saw our bike lock laying on the ground cut to pieces.  We didn't have much time to dwell in the shock of it because it meant everything we had planned to do, even riding our bikes to breakfast, every aspect forward had suddenly changed.  I was admittedly upset, but not at the thieves, I was angry with the hotel staff who had first assured me it was safe to lock up there, and then wouldn't call or offer assistance at all when I couldn't reach the local police due to my US phone.   Knowing full well that there was little the police could do anyway, I had to get away from the hotel and it made sense to file a report in case the bikes showed up sometime.  The walk helped calm me, put it into prospective, and formulate a plan to finish the ride.  That was the priority.  I'd rent bikes, we'd ride to the finish, then return to Rotterdam via train.  It would mean forfeiting a night in Amsterdam but it would allow us to take our time getting there and return them in the morning.  The only bikes available for rent were grandma style city cruisers that were in a sorry state of condition.   I was certain that our next obstacle was being stranded with a broken bike and no tools since they too had been stolen.   We strapped water bottles to the back and brought a few other essentials just in case.  Greta's bike did need some adjustments that I was able to make by brute strength.  Slowly we  got into a groove and worked our way out of the city.  The trail took us along the shipyards where it was impressive to see cruise ships being built.   Then as the miles ticked off and we got closer and closer, the reality was setting in that we were going to make it after all and that this great, hard, wild journey was coming to a screeching halt.  Because literally the brakes would screech when I stopped!  It was early evening when we entered the Hook of Holland.  We took one last break for slushies then we rode the cruisers like cruisers and slowly made our way out onto the pier where large ships came and went  down the Rhine on one side, and on the other, a nice beach spread for miles where weary beach goers were packing up for the day.    We rode along the beach until we found a restaurant with a big couch for seating.  We sunk in, ate wings and ribs and watched the sunset over the sea.   It was a mild but sweet celebration of the accomplishment as we recapped the day and the trip.   After another night in Rotterdam, we made our way by train to Amsterdam, the biking capital of the world, where we were thrilled not to be on one.  We spoiled ourselves with some amazing eats, shopping and even massages!  Not sure I could be more proud of this amazing girl.  I may have sold it  to her as a much easier ride than it certainly was, but she really stuck it out in the face of plenty of obstacles.     I'll add a final post to wrap up my thoughts on the trip as a whole and speak to our favorite places and days, and things I would have done differently in case anyone is interested in following in our footsteps.

Following yesterday's brutality, our motivation was still high. Pushing hard to Rotterdam meant the following day's ride to the Hook of Holland where the Rhine empties into the North Sea would be a 20 mile victory cruise. Our minds were ready but our bodies were on empty and on Sundays most everything in Europe is shut, so our first goal was a MacDonalds an hours ride away. The Netherlands are definitely cycling centric and their cycling infrastructure is amazing with bike paths everywhere. And on a sunny Sunday morning, everyone was out. The club racers would fly past us regularly in packs, families were out riding to church, the elderly were enjoying their morning ebike rides. It was impressive to see so many out even on these rural roads. MacDonalds did the trick and we set our next goal as Schoonhoven. Riding atop the berm along the river we had a great vantage point of the river and idyllic little farms on the other side. The serenity of the views and the solemnity upon passing more vestiges of war provides an additional level of gratitude for just being here. Schoonhoven was a cute little canal town, the perfect spot to saunter around with an ice cream cone in hand. Even more impressive than it's biking infrastructure, is all the canals these people have going everywhere. Houses have canals around them. Fields have rows and rows of canals and the cities all have canal systems. They all beam with water fowl. Swans, storks, ducks are found around each corner. After a nice break in Schoonhoven it was time for our last big push to Rotterdam. Heat and headwinds be damned, we were gonna make it. Nearing the city we passed more waterways and inlets, some were developed into beaches where throngs of Dutch were burning their pale skin and having a great time doing so. We were tempted to stop and nap but determined to push on. Arriving in the city, we were excited to see it's modern architecture hovering over the old canals and ports that wind through the city. After showers we hopped back out enjoy this quirky place. We both loved the randomness of the city. The warm day had everyone thinking like us because the line at the ice cream spot was enough to make you question your love for ice cream. But now cream knows,, we really love it. One more ride to go!

High off of yesterdays fast speeds and triumph over the rain, our sights were now set on the finish line.   The forecast looked good, but we failed to take into consideration that the river now turns from North to primarily West.  Almost immediately our enthusiasm faded in the face of a nasty headwind.  The panniers strapped to our bike catch all the wind which slows our pace significantly.   Greta did her best to draft off of me but I struggled myself.  With our heads down, we didn't even see a sign or realize when we crossed the border into The Netherlands.  The only reason I could tell was because dutch place names are really long.  For example, tonight I'm at Landgoed de Horst Driebergen.  (It helps to say these words using the voice of the chef from the Muppets.)   Arriving in Arnhem, site of one of the biggest battles of WW2, something very different was noticed.  Here they celebrated the war and the Allied forces, a noticable change from Germany.  Any hopes to be tourist s today were awash in our ability to just eat and keep from collapsing.  At each rest stop, we sat slouched against each other seconds away from a nap.  Yet we pushed on.  In the evening we got a slight break in the wind and the best biking lanes we've seen all trip which helped our motivation to reach the end.  It was a tough day, probably our hardest.   We were in the saddle for over 9 hours.  Iv'e done century rides that were easier than today so I give much props and praise to Greta for not giving up.    We are both exhausted now and yet so excited close to the finish.  Tommorow we push for Rotterdam.

Up until now, through some careful planning and a whole lotta luck, we were able to avoid rain that seemed to be all around us.   Knowing noontime showers were in the  forecast, my plan to beat it today was to ride very early and very fast.   We pulled out of Dusseldorf before the city woke up and were soon flying down rural pathways with cute bunnies everywhere hopping across our path.   The combination of rested legs, cool temps and no wind had us making great time.  Just as our stomachs reminded us we left without breakfast, we pulled into the delightful town of Moers where a cafe was just opening for the morning and we hit the jackpot as they had the most amazing breakfast buffet we had experienced all trip.  We piled it on and ate like kings.  The forecast had improved and it seemed the day was off to a perfect start.   . We were on such great pace that by 11 am we were only half an hour away from our intended destination for the day.  That's when the mist started, then a light rain. We donned our rain gear and felt proud passing others  who sought shelter as we kept trotting along.  When we pulled into Xanten the rain had already stopped.  We grabbed hot chocolates and, since the forecast looked good, we decided to push on and give ourselves another 20 miles since we had been riding so well.  With only 8 miles left, we stopped to grab a snack and once again it started to sprinkle.  I felt like we were champions today and nothing would stop us so I yelled into the storm "Is that all you got??"  Greta said, "Don't taunt it, Dad!"  Right about then is when the deluge really began.  It poured hard and we cycled as fast as we could through it, knowing a hot shower would be our prize if we could just make it there.  We pulled into the hotel with everything on us sopping wet.  The front desk clerk seemed annoyed by the water dripping off me everywhere but I didn't care.    The value of something so simple as a warm shower followed by a hard crashing nap is priceless on days like these.

We felt so lucky and appreciative to have Nina and Simon host us in their sweet little apartment.  They did forewarn us of jackhammers next door that would start promptly at 7 and they were right! It seriously seems the whole of Germany is under construction!  We wanted an early start anyway so we made hast and said goodbye to our new friends and enjoyed a crisp cool pedal out of Cologne.  It was great to see people already out.  Mom's groups were doing yoga in the park, kids were riding bikes to school, neighbors were out talking and old men were out fishing the Rhine.  The cooler weather helps us both ride well for sure and so we were making good time.  Then seemingly out in the middle of nowhere, similar to Neuf Brisach, the small walled fortress city of Zons appeared.  I had thought we were finished seeing cute medieval villages.  This one was even boasted it's own windmill.    Centuries prior the Rhine had shifted course and no longer came by the city.  This proved to be it's saving grace during WW2 as it's size and location evidently wasn't seen as a threat.  The same could not be said for our stopping point for the day.  Dusseldorf, and it's concentration camps  also served as a military base and for that suffered a damage rate of over 96% of the city's buildings.  It's a  very modern city now and has recovered remarkably.  Pulling into Dusseldorf, our route took us along the  Rhine promenade.  We thought we had escaped the Euro Cup madness in Cologne but evidently Dusseldorf was participating in huge events and watch parties as well, so again we found ourselves wading through throngs of fans, German this time.  After checking in to our Airbnb we both craved Mexican so back into the mele we went.  Luckily Germany won the match so it was fun to be amongst so many jovial drunks!  Today we rested indeed.  Our only adventures today were making our way to the city's big open market where all things yummy were brightly on display.  It was difficult to make decisions since it all looked amazing.  After filling our bellies and jumping into souvenier shops to avoid the rain, we rested some more before another big push tomorrow.   Less than 200 miles to go!  

Because we're never fully sure where we'll end up at the end of the day, I often wait until the night before or even the day of to find our next night's accommodation. So when I finally looked for accommodations in Cologne, where we had hoped to stay two nights for a rest day, I was stunned to find prices of hotels around $500 per night  which I soon realized was due to the European cup is being held right now in Cologne. That sent me scrambling to find a warmshowers host and we were so fortunate to find Simon and Nina willing to take us in.   Now, it was just about getting there. Our day started out fine enough but we were across the river from the planned route & once again had to rely on Google maps to get us to a ferry to cross back over. A turn onto a dirt road seemed innocent enough as our trail has often been such throughout.  But the road soon turned into a trail that dropped down to the river. Once along the river we didn't want to climb back out but our trail was already a wash with debris from flooding. The more we went on the deeper in trouble we became. If we weren't climbing over logs, we were pushing our bikes through mud & thorny bushes. A highway was just above us, but the incline was too steep to attempt to walk up, let alone pull the bikes up so we had to trudge through on foot for a good mile and a half until we emerged into a small park and found our way back to paved roads. Caked in mud with battle scars from the bushes, we tried to regain our spirits about us as we crossed the river via ferry and we're back on course. Stopping in a small village for a snack, a tourist office employee came out and forewarned us of a possible storm and even tornado headed across our path in a few hours. I had seen a chance of rain in the forecast when I looked in the morning but nothing that seemed so ominous. When we arrived in the city of Bonn, former capital of West Berlin and birthplace of Beethoven, the weather was still mild and people were about. We snapped some photos with Beethoven and grabbed a bite for lunch. Then our phones started going off warning of the impending storm advertising  wind gusts of  up to 50 mph.  My purist, ride-or-die gumption  quickly went out the window as it began to rain.  So we opted to hop a train for the 18 miles we had planned to bike to Cologne where the forecast was just outside the path of danger and our hosts awaited our arrival. The train was our first experience of the madness that had overtaken the city.  Getting off the train, the station was so packed that we couldn't move for 20 minutes. Thousands of Scots dressed in kilts we're pouring into the city to support their team against the Swiss.  Every few minutes they would break out into chants and roaring laughter. They are certainly much more jovial than the Germans. The Swiss fans were also more subdued. Everywhere we went though, the streets and pubs were packed with fans from many countries. We made our way to our hosts who encouraged us to drop our bags and go back and check out the city since we would now only be there one day & revamp our rest day tomorrow in Dusseldorf.  So back to the madness we went.  We first stopped at the Cologne cathedral which took 632 years to build and houses the famed relics of the Magi. I've been to many cathedrals and this one was quite extraordinary.  So crazy to think how many people worked their whole lives on it knowing they would never see its completion. From there we rode through the old town, weaving through more rabid soccer fans before arriving at the Lindt chocolate factory. That was right up our alley as we got to see live production of chocolate as well as sample quite a few. Later we went shopping for a surprise baby gift for our host who is pregnant.  After dinner we cycled back and rejoined our awesome hosts who are big board game aficionados and they taught us a new game. It was so nice to have the afternoon and evening to just enjoy the city and ride bikes without gear. We probably made up the entire 18 mi train ride just riding around the city.   Although the day took lots of twists and turns, it was a good reminder that sometimes we just have to roll with the punches!

It all started out so nice. A spectacular included breakfast spread with the stunning view of the Rhine below, then a fascinating tour through the ruins of the adjacent Rheinsfelds Castle and Fortress, once the largest defensive structure in the region.  Even with the late start cycling we were feeling good as we cycled through the remainder of the Gorge admiring the villages and castles.  We made good time to the city of Koblenz and found our way to the Deutsches Eck where the Mosel joins the Rhine.   We then wandered the city a bit and found a cowboy burger joint so we had to see just how authentically western US it could be.  The burgers were great.  The country music, not so much.   After we hit the road again we quickly fell apart.   Headwinds suck the life out of ya and Greta had a headache and my tush was killing me.  I know, I know, some will say I've always been a pain in the ass!  But I had resorted to pumping out of the saddle for miles.  I did find a bike shop with some chamois cream so hopefully I'll be back in the saddle tomorrow.  Or prospects for lodging in Cologne seem  very grim so who knows what tomorrow will bring on many fronts.

Upon planning this trip, I was looking forward to today. This is the most popular stretch of the river with visitors as it narrows and winds through a gorge laden with vineyards, medieval villages and castles galore perched up high around every corner. The visual feast did not disappoint. Our first stop was in Eltville whose charming village and stately castle complete with moat surely is the inspiration for many a fairytale. From there we caught a nasty headwind, so by the time we rolled into the popular Rudesheim on Rhine, we were gassed. Some pizzas offered a little energy as we had to sprint to make the next ferry crossing. The rest of the ride was lots of ooohs and aahs at each new sight.  Knowing this day would be filled with castles, I though it fitting to splurge a little book at hotel inside a castle.  A fitting end to just such a day, right?  What I failed to take into account was that castles are all perched up high on the hillside so after an already physically hard day, we then had to walk our bikes up a crazy steep hill for some distance. It was taxing but totally in worth it as the views from our room and dinner were fabulous. We even got all fancied up in robes and slippers and enjoyed the pool and sauna. Felt pretty royal given our peasant heritage!

A shorter riding day on paper had us moving rather lackadaisically this morning. Little did we know that a combination of detours, headwinds, and mud covered roads would have us feeling like yet another tough day in the saddle. Every day we ride along the river it grows in size and activity. Barges and tourist boats are a constant sight now. Seems so far away from the glacial stream we started with. The last few miles into Mainz were the most developed we've seen, filled with eateries and riverbank parks. The great weekend weather seemed to have attracted the whole town out to bask in the sun. As Gutenberg's hometown, we were excited to tour the museum and grasp a better understanding of how the printing press monumentally altered the world. We followed that up with a tour of the cathedral and some amazing gelato before a short ride back across the river to Bebreich Castle grounds and our hotel next door. Now we enter the Rhine gorge and are looking forward to exploring this, most popular section of the Rhine.

I started the day quite deflated mentally.  Rain was going to delay what would already be another long day.  Today's route would likely incur more detours and they suck any momentum out of you.  So I opted to go off plan and avoid much of the Rhine with a reroute which then leaves us to the mercy of possible hills and Google maps which has also led us astray this trip.  It proved the right call though and we made great time for our first leg into Speyer.  The stunning Cathedral spires were a nice welcome and we enjoyed a walk around the Cathedral and town.  It was here the Protestation of Speyer asked to release the ban on Martin Luther and his teachings.   A hearty lunch here and we were on our way again to Worms.  First, however we had to pass through Ludwigshafen where the company BASF is based.  Their campus is literally 6 miles long.  Impressive to me was the thousands upon thousands of company issued bicycles we passed that workers were encouraged to use to get to work.   As they are all red, I just can't imagine how you tell your bike apart from your neighbors.  Some nausea for Greta slowed our afternoon pace but we still made good time into the city of Worms.  I can proudly now say, I really like Worms.  After a quick shower and rest at the hotel, we ventured back out on the bikes to explore the town.  It was awesome to see big crowds gathered at bars and biergartens cheering on Germany against Scotland for the European Cup.  The city was really impressive and the Statue of Martin Luther as much so as it was here the Edict of Worms banned him from the church.   It was so nice to end our day on high spirits after the drizzy depressing start.

Not gonna lie, it was painful to hop back on the bikes this morning.   I had hoped a day off would lend some reprieve to my sore rear but alas, I am a true pain in the ass!  Leaving Strasbourg it was impressive to see how many commuters, many with kids in tow used bicycles as their primary mode of transport.  Past the suburbs, we quickly found ourselves in deep swampy woods and while lovely and cool, we couldn't stop or slow at the risk of being eaten alive by mosquitoes.  I tried to breath through my nose but my swallowed-bug count is now up to 4.  We did opt to stop when we saw a world war 2 bunker just off the trail.  It was fascinating and sad at the same time.    Boulageries have quickly become a favorite of ours in France and so a morning stop to fill our faces with pastries was well worth it.  When you bike this much, you give yourself a pass to eat whatever you'd like.   The route wound through Rhine marshes and floodplains.  The water was high and detours were plentiful.  A large variety of water fowl from cranes, swans, geese and ducks helped break up the monotony.   The croaks of what must have been large frogs echoed across the ponds.   Later for lunch, there was only one town for miles and only one eatery open.  Upon being seated, I looked over at the table next to me.  Their dishes looked amazing so, using google translator, I asked them what they were having .  They were kind enough to point to it on the menu.  Greta got a chuckle when she then translated it. "Dad, those are frog legs!"  Seemed fitting given our last hour of hearing them so frogs legs it was.  Quite delicious actually.  After lunch we were disappointed to learn our ferry over to Germany was closed due to flooding so we tacked on a few more detour miles before finally arriving in Karlsrhue.  I had hoped to arrive early to explore the palace but alas, we checked in and crashed out only waking enough to quickly grab a bite and walk the palace grounds.   We are right about halfway though our journey.   It's been harder than expected but with some wonderful surprises too.   I'm so proud of Greta, she's pushing on hard and doing great.

Knowing it would be our longest day in the saddle, I woke Greta early and we were on the road by 6.   Things started off bad and didn't improve much all morning.  Headwinds slowed us to  a slog of a pace,  we encountered more flood impacted detours, and then things got really depressing when  Google maps  started sending us onto imaginary roads where we  eventually ended up in the middle of some farmers fields miles from anywhere.    We didn't even  know which country we were in until we finally found a path and some kind walkers greeted us with a hearty "Bonjour"  Then we knew we had at least made it to France.  Our spirits started to lift when we pulled into the odd octagonal fortress town of Neuf-Brisach.  Great design for a city, but such a strange place to need such a mighty fortress in the middle of nowhere.  A quick snack and it was time to make our way to the towpath of a canal that would lead us to  Strasbourg.  It may not have been as dramatic as Rhine falls or as plentiful in lovely Villages and cowbells, but it was still very pleasant, peaceful, and somber even, knowing that the canal once represented battle lines for French and German forces during World War 2.  The cooler temps, straight lines and lack of hills boosted our speed and our spirits and we started flying toward Strasbourg.   Upon arriving in the old town where we were staying,  the sights, sounds and smells of this beautiful city were something to behold.  Seven hours of saddle had left us exhausted though ,so we crashed out hard before  later venturing out to see the town.   This morning we woke to our first rest day, and we did...nothing.  We just laid in bed until we were too hungry to not get up.  A trip to the market and Boulangerie left us with pastries coming out of our ears.   The French really know how to infuse chocolate into everything I already love!  After another nap, we finally ventured out to see more of this great city.  We played total tourist and hopped a  tour boat for a relaxing cruise with our audio guide.    It's fascinating how many times this city swapped back and forth from French to German rule.  Influences of both countries cultures have left there stamp on the city.  It's not surprising then that this town has been the most prepared to commit to lasting peace  and headquarters the European union.  Now our rest day seems all too short and we are back on the road early tomorrow. 

We had slept in, felt great, and were ready for this joy cruise to the finish.   The plan was to store the bags since any train to Amsterdam would have to come back through Rotterdam anyway.   That way we could thoroughly enjoy the last 20 without baggage.  So when we walked outside the hotel we were beaming and ready.  We looked for our bikes and it didn't even really process for us until we saw our bike lock laying on the ground cut to pieces.  We didn't have much time to dwell in the shock of it because it meant everything we had planned to do, even riding our bikes to breakfast, every aspect forward had suddenly changed.  I was admittedly upset, but not at the thieves, I was angry with the hotel staff who had first assured me it was safe to lock up there, and then wouldn't call or offer assistance at all when I couldn't reach the local police due to my US phone.   Knowing full well that there was little the police could do anyway, I had to get away from the hotel and it made sense to file a report in case the bikes showed up sometime.  The walk helped calm me, put it into prospective, and formulate a plan to finish the ride.  That was the priority.  I'd rent bikes, we'd ride to the finish, then return to Rotterdam via train.  It would mean forfeiting a night in Amsterdam but it would allow us to take our time getting there and return them in the morning.  The only bikes available for rent were grandma style city cruisers that were in a sorry state of condition.   I was certain that our next obstacle was being stranded with a broken bike and no tools since they too had been stolen.   We strapped water bottles to the back and brought a few other essentials just in case.  Greta's bike did need some adjustments that I was able to make by brute strength.  Slowly we  got into a groove and worked our way out of the city.  The trail took us along the shipyards where it was impressive to see cruise ships being built.   Then as the miles ticked off and we got closer and closer, the reality was setting in that we were going to make it after all and that this great, hard, wild journey was coming to a screeching halt.  Because literally the brakes would screech when I stopped!  It was early evening when we entered the Hook of Holland.  We took one last break for slushies then we rode the cruisers like cruisers and slowly made our way out onto the pier where large ships came and went  down the Rhine on one side, and on the other, a nice beach spread for miles where weary beach goers were packing up for the day.    We rode along the beach until we found a restaurant with a big couch for seating.  We sunk in, ate wings and ribs and watched the sunset over the sea.   It was a mild but sweet celebration of the accomplishment as we recapped the day and the trip.   After another night in Rotterdam, we made our way by train to Amsterdam, the biking capital of the world, where we were thrilled not to be on one.  We spoiled ourselves with some amazing eats, shopping and even massages!  Not sure I could be more proud of this amazing girl.  I may have sold it  to her as a much easier ride than it certainly was, but she really stuck it out in the face of plenty of obstacles.     I'll add a final post to wrap up my thoughts on the trip as a whole and speak to our favorite places and days, and things I would have done differently in case anyone is interested in following in our footsteps.

Following yesterday's brutality, our motivation was still high. Pushing hard to Rotterdam meant the following day's ride to the Hook of Holland where the Rhine empties into the North Sea would be a 20 mile victory cruise. Our minds were ready but our bodies were on empty and on Sundays most everything in Europe is shut, so our first goal was a MacDonalds an hours ride away. The Netherlands are definitely cycling centric and their cycling infrastructure is amazing with bike paths everywhere. And on a sunny Sunday morning, everyone was out. The club racers would fly past us regularly in packs, families were out riding to church, the elderly were enjoying their morning ebike rides. It was impressive to see so many out even on these rural roads. MacDonalds did the trick and we set our next goal as Schoonhoven. Riding atop the berm along the river we had a great vantage point of the river and idyllic little farms on the other side. The serenity of the views and the solemnity upon passing more vestiges of war provides an additional level of gratitude for just being here. Schoonhoven was a cute little canal town, the perfect spot to saunter around with an ice cream cone in hand. Even more impressive than it's biking infrastructure, is all the canals these people have going everywhere. Houses have canals around them. Fields have rows and rows of canals and the cities all have canal systems. They all beam with water fowl. Swans, storks, ducks are found around each corner. After a nice break in Schoonhoven it was time for our last big push to Rotterdam. Heat and headwinds be damned, we were gonna make it. Nearing the city we passed more waterways and inlets, some were developed into beaches where throngs of Dutch were burning their pale skin and having a great time doing so. We were tempted to stop and nap but determined to push on. Arriving in the city, we were excited to see it's modern architecture hovering over the old canals and ports that wind through the city. After showers we hopped back out enjoy this quirky place. We both loved the randomness of the city. The warm day had everyone thinking like us because the line at the ice cream spot was enough to make you question your love for ice cream. But now cream knows,, we really love it. One more ride to go!

High off of yesterdays fast speeds and triumph over the rain, our sights were now set on the finish line.   The forecast looked good, but we failed to take into consideration that the river now turns from North to primarily West.  Almost immediately our enthusiasm faded in the face of a nasty headwind.  The panniers strapped to our bike catch all the wind which slows our pace significantly.   Greta did her best to draft off of me but I struggled myself.  With our heads down, we didn't even see a sign or realize when we crossed the border into The Netherlands.  The only reason I could tell was because dutch place names are really long.  For example, tonight I'm at Landgoed de Horst Driebergen.  (It helps to say these words using the voice of the chef from the Muppets.)   Arriving in Arnhem, site of one of the biggest battles of WW2, something very different was noticed.  Here they celebrated the war and the Allied forces, a noticable change from Germany.  Any hopes to be tourist s today were awash in our ability to just eat and keep from collapsing.  At each rest stop, we sat slouched against each other seconds away from a nap.  Yet we pushed on.  In the evening we got a slight break in the wind and the best biking lanes we've seen all trip which helped our motivation to reach the end.  It was a tough day, probably our hardest.   We were in the saddle for over 9 hours.  Iv'e done century rides that were easier than today so I give much props and praise to Greta for not giving up.    We are both exhausted now and yet so excited close to the finish.  Tommorow we push for Rotterdam.

Up until now, through some careful planning and a whole lotta luck, we were able to avoid rain that seemed to be all around us.   Knowing noontime showers were in the  forecast, my plan to beat it today was to ride very early and very fast.   We pulled out of Dusseldorf before the city woke up and were soon flying down rural pathways with cute bunnies everywhere hopping across our path.   The combination of rested legs, cool temps and no wind had us making great time.  Just as our stomachs reminded us we left without breakfast, we pulled into the delightful town of Moers where a cafe was just opening for the morning and we hit the jackpot as they had the most amazing breakfast buffet we had experienced all trip.  We piled it on and ate like kings.  The forecast had improved and it seemed the day was off to a perfect start.   . We were on such great pace that by 11 am we were only half an hour away from our intended destination for the day.  That's when the mist started, then a light rain. We donned our rain gear and felt proud passing others  who sought shelter as we kept trotting along.  When we pulled into Xanten the rain had already stopped.  We grabbed hot chocolates and, since the forecast looked good, we decided to push on and give ourselves another 20 miles since we had been riding so well.  With only 8 miles left, we stopped to grab a snack and once again it started to sprinkle.  I felt like we were champions today and nothing would stop us so I yelled into the storm "Is that all you got??"  Greta said, "Don't taunt it, Dad!"  Right about then is when the deluge really began.  It poured hard and we cycled as fast as we could through it, knowing a hot shower would be our prize if we could just make it there.  We pulled into the hotel with everything on us sopping wet.  The front desk clerk seemed annoyed by the water dripping off me everywhere but I didn't care.    The value of something so simple as a warm shower followed by a hard crashing nap is priceless on days like these.

We felt so lucky and appreciative to have Nina and Simon host us in their sweet little apartment.  They did forewarn us of jackhammers next door that would start promptly at 7 and they were right! It seriously seems the whole of Germany is under construction!  We wanted an early start anyway so we made hast and said goodbye to our new friends and enjoyed a crisp cool pedal out of Cologne.  It was great to see people already out.  Mom's groups were doing yoga in the park, kids were riding bikes to school, neighbors were out talking and old men were out fishing the Rhine.  The cooler weather helps us both ride well for sure and so we were making good time.  Then seemingly out in the middle of nowhere, similar to Neuf Brisach, the small walled fortress city of Zons appeared.  I had thought we were finished seeing cute medieval villages.  This one was even boasted it's own windmill.    Centuries prior the Rhine had shifted course and no longer came by the city.  This proved to be it's saving grace during WW2 as it's size and location evidently wasn't seen as a threat.  The same could not be said for our stopping point for the day.  Dusseldorf, and it's concentration camps  also served as a military base and for that suffered a damage rate of over 96% of the city's buildings.  It's a  very modern city now and has recovered remarkably.  Pulling into Dusseldorf, our route took us along the  Rhine promenade.  We thought we had escaped the Euro Cup madness in Cologne but evidently Dusseldorf was participating in huge events and watch parties as well, so again we found ourselves wading through throngs of fans, German this time.  After checking in to our Airbnb we both craved Mexican so back into the mele we went.  Luckily Germany won the match so it was fun to be amongst so many jovial drunks!  Today we rested indeed.  Our only adventures today were making our way to the city's big open market where all things yummy were brightly on display.  It was difficult to make decisions since it all looked amazing.  After filling our bellies and jumping into souvenier shops to avoid the rain, we rested some more before another big push tomorrow.   Less than 200 miles to go!  

Because we're never fully sure where we'll end up at the end of the day, I often wait until the night before or even the day of to find our next night's accommodation. So when I finally looked for accommodations in Cologne, where we had hoped to stay two nights for a rest day, I was stunned to find prices of hotels around $500 per night  which I soon realized was due to the European cup is being held right now in Cologne. That sent me scrambling to find a warmshowers host and we were so fortunate to find Simon and Nina willing to take us in.   Now, it was just about getting there. Our day started out fine enough but we were across the river from the planned route & once again had to rely on Google maps to get us to a ferry to cross back over. A turn onto a dirt road seemed innocent enough as our trail has often been such throughout.  But the road soon turned into a trail that dropped down to the river. Once along the river we didn't want to climb back out but our trail was already a wash with debris from flooding. The more we went on the deeper in trouble we became. If we weren't climbing over logs, we were pushing our bikes through mud & thorny bushes. A highway was just above us, but the incline was too steep to attempt to walk up, let alone pull the bikes up so we had to trudge through on foot for a good mile and a half until we emerged into a small park and found our way back to paved roads. Caked in mud with battle scars from the bushes, we tried to regain our spirits about us as we crossed the river via ferry and we're back on course. Stopping in a small village for a snack, a tourist office employee came out and forewarned us of a possible storm and even tornado headed across our path in a few hours. I had seen a chance of rain in the forecast when I looked in the morning but nothing that seemed so ominous. When we arrived in the city of Bonn, former capital of West Berlin and birthplace of Beethoven, the weather was still mild and people were about. We snapped some photos with Beethoven and grabbed a bite for lunch. Then our phones started going off warning of the impending storm advertising  wind gusts of  up to 50 mph.  My purist, ride-or-die gumption  quickly went out the window as it began to rain.  So we opted to hop a train for the 18 miles we had planned to bike to Cologne where the forecast was just outside the path of danger and our hosts awaited our arrival. The train was our first experience of the madness that had overtaken the city.  Getting off the train, the station was so packed that we couldn't move for 20 minutes. Thousands of Scots dressed in kilts we're pouring into the city to support their team against the Swiss.  Every few minutes they would break out into chants and roaring laughter. They are certainly much more jovial than the Germans. The Swiss fans were also more subdued. Everywhere we went though, the streets and pubs were packed with fans from many countries. We made our way to our hosts who encouraged us to drop our bags and go back and check out the city since we would now only be there one day & revamp our rest day tomorrow in Dusseldorf.  So back to the madness we went.  We first stopped at the Cologne cathedral which took 632 years to build and houses the famed relics of the Magi. I've been to many cathedrals and this one was quite extraordinary.  So crazy to think how many people worked their whole lives on it knowing they would never see its completion. From there we rode through the old town, weaving through more rabid soccer fans before arriving at the Lindt chocolate factory. That was right up our alley as we got to see live production of chocolate as well as sample quite a few. Later we went shopping for a surprise baby gift for our host who is pregnant.  After dinner we cycled back and rejoined our awesome hosts who are big board game aficionados and they taught us a new game. It was so nice to have the afternoon and evening to just enjoy the city and ride bikes without gear. We probably made up the entire 18 mi train ride just riding around the city.   Although the day took lots of twists and turns, it was a good reminder that sometimes we just have to roll with the punches!

It all started out so nice. A spectacular included breakfast spread with the stunning view of the Rhine below, then a fascinating tour through the ruins of the adjacent Rheinsfelds Castle and Fortress, once the largest defensive structure in the region.  Even with the late start cycling we were feeling good as we cycled through the remainder of the Gorge admiring the villages and castles.  We made good time to the city of Koblenz and found our way to the Deutsches Eck where the Mosel joins the Rhine.   We then wandered the city a bit and found a cowboy burger joint so we had to see just how authentically western US it could be.  The burgers were great.  The country music, not so much.   After we hit the road again we quickly fell apart.   Headwinds suck the life out of ya and Greta had a headache and my tush was killing me.  I know, I know, some will say I've always been a pain in the ass!  But I had resorted to pumping out of the saddle for miles.  I did find a bike shop with some chamois cream so hopefully I'll be back in the saddle tomorrow.  Or prospects for lodging in Cologne seem  very grim so who knows what tomorrow will bring on many fronts.

Upon planning this trip, I was looking forward to today. This is the most popular stretch of the river with visitors as it narrows and winds through a gorge laden with vineyards, medieval villages and castles galore perched up high around every corner. The visual feast did not disappoint. Our first stop was in Eltville whose charming village and stately castle complete with moat surely is the inspiration for many a fairytale. From there we caught a nasty headwind, so by the time we rolled into the popular Rudesheim on Rhine, we were gassed. Some pizzas offered a little energy as we had to sprint to make the next ferry crossing. The rest of the ride was lots of ooohs and aahs at each new sight.  Knowing this day would be filled with castles, I though it fitting to splurge a little book at hotel inside a castle.  A fitting end to just such a day, right?  What I failed to take into account was that castles are all perched up high on the hillside so after an already physically hard day, we then had to walk our bikes up a crazy steep hill for some distance. It was taxing but totally in worth it as the views from our room and dinner were fabulous. We even got all fancied up in robes and slippers and enjoyed the pool and sauna. Felt pretty royal given our peasant heritage!

A shorter riding day on paper had us moving rather lackadaisically this morning. Little did we know that a combination of detours, headwinds, and mud covered roads would have us feeling like yet another tough day in the saddle. Every day we ride along the river it grows in size and activity. Barges and tourist boats are a constant sight now. Seems so far away from the glacial stream we started with. The last few miles into Mainz were the most developed we've seen, filled with eateries and riverbank parks. The great weekend weather seemed to have attracted the whole town out to bask in the sun. As Gutenberg's hometown, we were excited to tour the museum and grasp a better understanding of how the printing press monumentally altered the world. We followed that up with a tour of the cathedral and some amazing gelato before a short ride back across the river to Bebreich Castle grounds and our hotel next door. Now we enter the Rhine gorge and are looking forward to exploring this, most popular section of the Rhine.

I started the day quite deflated mentally.  Rain was going to delay what would already be another long day.  Today's route would likely incur more detours and they suck any momentum out of you.  So I opted to go off plan and avoid much of the Rhine with a reroute which then leaves us to the mercy of possible hills and Google maps which has also led us astray this trip.  It proved the right call though and we made great time for our first leg into Speyer.  The stunning Cathedral spires were a nice welcome and we enjoyed a walk around the Cathedral and town.  It was here the Protestation of Speyer asked to release the ban on Martin Luther and his teachings.   A hearty lunch here and we were on our way again to Worms.  First, however we had to pass through Ludwigshafen where the company BASF is based.  Their campus is literally 6 miles long.  Impressive to me was the thousands upon thousands of company issued bicycles we passed that workers were encouraged to use to get to work.   As they are all red, I just can't imagine how you tell your bike apart from your neighbors.  Some nausea for Greta slowed our afternoon pace but we still made good time into the city of Worms.  I can proudly now say, I really like Worms.  After a quick shower and rest at the hotel, we ventured back out on the bikes to explore the town.  It was awesome to see big crowds gathered at bars and biergartens cheering on Germany against Scotland for the European Cup.  The city was really impressive and the Statue of Martin Luther as much so as it was here the Edict of Worms banned him from the church.   It was so nice to end our day on high spirits after the drizzy depressing start.

Not gonna lie, it was painful to hop back on the bikes this morning.   I had hoped a day off would lend some reprieve to my sore rear but alas, I am a true pain in the ass!  Leaving Strasbourg it was impressive to see how many commuters, many with kids in tow used bicycles as their primary mode of transport.  Past the suburbs, we quickly found ourselves in deep swampy woods and while lovely and cool, we couldn't stop or slow at the risk of being eaten alive by mosquitoes.  I tried to breath through my nose but my swallowed-bug count is now up to 4.  We did opt to stop when we saw a world war 2 bunker just off the trail.  It was fascinating and sad at the same time.    Boulageries have quickly become a favorite of ours in France and so a morning stop to fill our faces with pastries was well worth it.  When you bike this much, you give yourself a pass to eat whatever you'd like.   The route wound through Rhine marshes and floodplains.  The water was high and detours were plentiful.  A large variety of water fowl from cranes, swans, geese and ducks helped break up the monotony.   The croaks of what must have been large frogs echoed across the ponds.   Later for lunch, there was only one town for miles and only one eatery open.  Upon being seated, I looked over at the table next to me.  Their dishes looked amazing so, using google translator, I asked them what they were having .  They were kind enough to point to it on the menu.  Greta got a chuckle when she then translated it. "Dad, those are frog legs!"  Seemed fitting given our last hour of hearing them so frogs legs it was.  Quite delicious actually.  After lunch we were disappointed to learn our ferry over to Germany was closed due to flooding so we tacked on a few more detour miles before finally arriving in Karlsrhue.  I had hoped to arrive early to explore the palace but alas, we checked in and crashed out only waking enough to quickly grab a bite and walk the palace grounds.   We are right about halfway though our journey.   It's been harder than expected but with some wonderful surprises too.   I'm so proud of Greta, she's pushing on hard and doing great.

Knowing it would be our longest day in the saddle, I woke Greta early and we were on the road by 6.   Things started off bad and didn't improve much all morning.  Headwinds slowed us to  a slog of a pace,  we encountered more flood impacted detours, and then things got really depressing when  Google maps  started sending us onto imaginary roads where we  eventually ended up in the middle of some farmers fields miles from anywhere.    We didn't even  know which country we were in until we finally found a path and some kind walkers greeted us with a hearty "Bonjour"  Then we knew we had at least made it to France.  Our spirits started to lift when we pulled into the odd octagonal fortress town of Neuf-Brisach.  Great design for a city, but such a strange place to need such a mighty fortress in the middle of nowhere.  A quick snack and it was time to make our way to the towpath of a canal that would lead us to  Strasbourg.  It may not have been as dramatic as Rhine falls or as plentiful in lovely Villages and cowbells, but it was still very pleasant, peaceful, and somber even, knowing that the canal once represented battle lines for French and German forces during World War 2.  The cooler temps, straight lines and lack of hills boosted our speed and our spirits and we started flying toward Strasbourg.   Upon arriving in the old town where we were staying,  the sights, sounds and smells of this beautiful city were something to behold.  Seven hours of saddle had left us exhausted though ,so we crashed out hard before  later venturing out to see the town.   This morning we woke to our first rest day, and we did...nothing.  We just laid in bed until we were too hungry to not get up.  A trip to the market and Boulangerie left us with pastries coming out of our ears.   The French really know how to infuse chocolate into everything I already love!  After another nap, we finally ventured out to see more of this great city.  We played total tourist and hopped a  tour boat for a relaxing cruise with our audio guide.    It's fascinating how many times this city swapped back and forth from French to German rule.  Influences of both countries cultures have left there stamp on the city.  It's not surprising then that this town has been the most prepared to commit to lasting peace  and headquarters the European union.  Now our rest day seems all too short and we are back on the road early tomorrow. 

We had slept in, felt great, and were ready for this joy cruise to the finish.   The plan was to store the bags since any train to Amsterdam would have to come back through Rotterdam anyway.   That way we could thoroughly enjoy the last 20 without baggage.  So when we walked outside the hotel we were beaming and ready.  We looked for our bikes and it didn't even really process for us until we saw our bike lock laying on the ground cut to pieces.  We didn't have much time to dwell in the shock of it because it meant everything we had planned to do, even riding our bikes to breakfast, every aspect forward had suddenly changed.  I was admittedly upset, but not at the thieves, I was angry with the hotel staff who had first assured me it was safe to lock up there, and then wouldn't call or offer assistance at all when I couldn't reach the local police due to my US phone.   Knowing full well that there was little the police could do anyway, I had to get away from the hotel and it made sense to file a report in case the bikes showed up sometime.  The walk helped calm me, put it into prospective, and formulate a plan to finish the ride.  That was the priority.  I'd rent bikes, we'd ride to the finish, then return to Rotterdam via train.  It would mean forfeiting a night in Amsterdam but it would allow us to take our time getting there and return them in the morning.  The only bikes available for rent were grandma style city cruisers that were in a sorry state of condition.   I was certain that our next obstacle was being stranded with a broken bike and no tools since they too had been stolen.   We strapped water bottles to the back and brought a few other essentials just in case.  Greta's bike did need some adjustments that I was able to make by brute strength.  Slowly we  got into a groove and worked our way out of the city.  The trail took us along the shipyards where it was impressive to see cruise ships being built.   Then as the miles ticked off and we got closer and closer, the reality was setting in that we were going to make it after all and that this great, hard, wild journey was coming to a screeching halt.  Because literally the brakes would screech when I stopped!  It was early evening when we entered the Hook of Holland.  We took one last break for slushies then we rode the cruisers like cruisers and slowly made our way out onto the pier where large ships came and went  down the Rhine on one side, and on the other, a nice beach spread for miles where weary beach goers were packing up for the day.    We rode along the beach until we found a restaurant with a big couch for seating.  We sunk in, ate wings and ribs and watched the sunset over the sea.   It was a mild but sweet celebration of the accomplishment as we recapped the day and the trip.   After another night in Rotterdam, we made our way by train to Amsterdam, the biking capital of the world, where we were thrilled not to be on one.  We spoiled ourselves with some amazing eats, shopping and even massages!  Not sure I could be more proud of this amazing girl.  I may have sold it  to her as a much easier ride than it certainly was, but she really stuck it out in the face of plenty of obstacles.     I'll add a final post to wrap up my thoughts on the trip as a whole and speak to our favorite places and days, and things I would have done differently in case anyone is interested in following in our footsteps.

Following yesterday's brutality, our motivation was still high. Pushing hard to Rotterdam meant the following day's ride to the Hook of Holland where the Rhine empties into the North Sea would be a 20 mile victory cruise. Our minds were ready but our bodies were on empty and on Sundays most everything in Europe is shut, so our first goal was a MacDonalds an hours ride away. The Netherlands are definitely cycling centric and their cycling infrastructure is amazing with bike paths everywhere. And on a sunny Sunday morning, everyone was out. The club racers would fly past us regularly in packs, families were out riding to church, the elderly were enjoying their morning ebike rides. It was impressive to see so many out even on these rural roads. MacDonalds did the trick and we set our next goal as Schoonhoven. Riding atop the berm along the river we had a great vantage point of the river and idyllic little farms on the other side. The serenity of the views and the solemnity upon passing more vestiges of war provides an additional level of gratitude for just being here. Schoonhoven was a cute little canal town, the perfect spot to saunter around with an ice cream cone in hand. Even more impressive than it's biking infrastructure, is all the canals these people have going everywhere. Houses have canals around them. Fields have rows and rows of canals and the cities all have canal systems. They all beam with water fowl. Swans, storks, ducks are found around each corner. After a nice break in Schoonhoven it was time for our last big push to Rotterdam. Heat and headwinds be damned, we were gonna make it. Nearing the city we passed more waterways and inlets, some were developed into beaches where throngs of Dutch were burning their pale skin and having a great time doing so. We were tempted to stop and nap but determined to push on. Arriving in the city, we were excited to see it's modern architecture hovering over the old canals and ports that wind through the city. After showers we hopped back out enjoy this quirky place. We both loved the randomness of the city. The warm day had everyone thinking like us because the line at the ice cream spot was enough to make you question your love for ice cream. But now cream knows,, we really love it. One more ride to go!

High off of yesterdays fast speeds and triumph over the rain, our sights were now set on the finish line.   The forecast looked good, but we failed to take into consideration that the river now turns from North to primarily West.  Almost immediately our enthusiasm faded in the face of a nasty headwind.  The panniers strapped to our bike catch all the wind which slows our pace significantly.   Greta did her best to draft off of me but I struggled myself.  With our heads down, we didn't even see a sign or realize when we crossed the border into The Netherlands.  The only reason I could tell was because dutch place names are really long.  For example, tonight I'm at Landgoed de Horst Driebergen.  (It helps to say these words using the voice of the chef from the Muppets.)   Arriving in Arnhem, site of one of the biggest battles of WW2, something very different was noticed.  Here they celebrated the war and the Allied forces, a noticable change from Germany.  Any hopes to be tourist s today were awash in our ability to just eat and keep from collapsing.  At each rest stop, we sat slouched against each other seconds away from a nap.  Yet we pushed on.  In the evening we got a slight break in the wind and the best biking lanes we've seen all trip which helped our motivation to reach the end.  It was a tough day, probably our hardest.   We were in the saddle for over 9 hours.  Iv'e done century rides that were easier than today so I give much props and praise to Greta for not giving up.    We are both exhausted now and yet so excited close to the finish.  Tommorow we push for Rotterdam.

Up until now, through some careful planning and a whole lotta luck, we were able to avoid rain that seemed to be all around us.   Knowing noontime showers were in the  forecast, my plan to beat it today was to ride very early and very fast.   We pulled out of Dusseldorf before the city woke up and were soon flying down rural pathways with cute bunnies everywhere hopping across our path.   The combination of rested legs, cool temps and no wind had us making great time.  Just as our stomachs reminded us we left without breakfast, we pulled into the delightful town of Moers where a cafe was just opening for the morning and we hit the jackpot as they had the most amazing breakfast buffet we had experienced all trip.  We piled it on and ate like kings.  The forecast had improved and it seemed the day was off to a perfect start.   . We were on such great pace that by 11 am we were only half an hour away from our intended destination for the day.  That's when the mist started, then a light rain. We donned our rain gear and felt proud passing others  who sought shelter as we kept trotting along.  When we pulled into Xanten the rain had already stopped.  We grabbed hot chocolates and, since the forecast looked good, we decided to push on and give ourselves another 20 miles since we had been riding so well.  With only 8 miles left, we stopped to grab a snack and once again it started to sprinkle.  I felt like we were champions today and nothing would stop us so I yelled into the storm "Is that all you got??"  Greta said, "Don't taunt it, Dad!"  Right about then is when the deluge really began.  It poured hard and we cycled as fast as we could through it, knowing a hot shower would be our prize if we could just make it there.  We pulled into the hotel with everything on us sopping wet.  The front desk clerk seemed annoyed by the water dripping off me everywhere but I didn't care.    The value of something so simple as a warm shower followed by a hard crashing nap is priceless on days like these.

We felt so lucky and appreciative to have Nina and Simon host us in their sweet little apartment.  They did forewarn us of jackhammers next door that would start promptly at 7 and they were right! It seriously seems the whole of Germany is under construction!  We wanted an early start anyway so we made hast and said goodbye to our new friends and enjoyed a crisp cool pedal out of Cologne.  It was great to see people already out.  Mom's groups were doing yoga in the park, kids were riding bikes to school, neighbors were out talking and old men were out fishing the Rhine.  The cooler weather helps us both ride well for sure and so we were making good time.  Then seemingly out in the middle of nowhere, similar to Neuf Brisach, the small walled fortress city of Zons appeared.  I had thought we were finished seeing cute medieval villages.  This one was even boasted it's own windmill.    Centuries prior the Rhine had shifted course and no longer came by the city.  This proved to be it's saving grace during WW2 as it's size and location evidently wasn't seen as a threat.  The same could not be said for our stopping point for the day.  Dusseldorf, and it's concentration camps  also served as a military base and for that suffered a damage rate of over 96% of the city's buildings.  It's a  very modern city now and has recovered remarkably.  Pulling into Dusseldorf, our route took us along the  Rhine promenade.  We thought we had escaped the Euro Cup madness in Cologne but evidently Dusseldorf was participating in huge events and watch parties as well, so again we found ourselves wading through throngs of fans, German this time.  After checking in to our Airbnb we both craved Mexican so back into the mele we went.  Luckily Germany won the match so it was fun to be amongst so many jovial drunks!  Today we rested indeed.  Our only adventures today were making our way to the city's big open market where all things yummy were brightly on display.  It was difficult to make decisions since it all looked amazing.  After filling our bellies and jumping into souvenier shops to avoid the rain, we rested some more before another big push tomorrow.   Less than 200 miles to go!  

Because we're never fully sure where we'll end up at the end of the day, I often wait until the night before or even the day of to find our next night's accommodation. So when I finally looked for accommodations in Cologne, where we had hoped to stay two nights for a rest day, I was stunned to find prices of hotels around $500 per night  which I soon realized was due to the European cup is being held right now in Cologne. That sent me scrambling to find a warmshowers host and we were so fortunate to find Simon and Nina willing to take us in.   Now, it was just about getting there. Our day started out fine enough but we were across the river from the planned route & once again had to rely on Google maps to get us to a ferry to cross back over. A turn onto a dirt road seemed innocent enough as our trail has often been such throughout.  But the road soon turned into a trail that dropped down to the river. Once along the river we didn't want to climb back out but our trail was already a wash with debris from flooding. The more we went on the deeper in trouble we became. If we weren't climbing over logs, we were pushing our bikes through mud & thorny bushes. A highway was just above us, but the incline was too steep to attempt to walk up, let alone pull the bikes up so we had to trudge through on foot for a good mile and a half until we emerged into a small park and found our way back to paved roads. Caked in mud with battle scars from the bushes, we tried to regain our spirits about us as we crossed the river via ferry and we're back on course. Stopping in a small village for a snack, a tourist office employee came out and forewarned us of a possible storm and even tornado headed across our path in a few hours. I had seen a chance of rain in the forecast when I looked in the morning but nothing that seemed so ominous. When we arrived in the city of Bonn, former capital of West Berlin and birthplace of Beethoven, the weather was still mild and people were about. We snapped some photos with Beethoven and grabbed a bite for lunch. Then our phones started going off warning of the impending storm advertising  wind gusts of  up to 50 mph.  My purist, ride-or-die gumption  quickly went out the window as it began to rain.  So we opted to hop a train for the 18 miles we had planned to bike to Cologne where the forecast was just outside the path of danger and our hosts awaited our arrival. The train was our first experience of the madness that had overtaken the city.  Getting off the train, the station was so packed that we couldn't move for 20 minutes. Thousands of Scots dressed in kilts we're pouring into the city to support their team against the Swiss.  Every few minutes they would break out into chants and roaring laughter. They are certainly much more jovial than the Germans. The Swiss fans were also more subdued. Everywhere we went though, the streets and pubs were packed with fans from many countries. We made our way to our hosts who encouraged us to drop our bags and go back and check out the city since we would now only be there one day & revamp our rest day tomorrow in Dusseldorf.  So back to the madness we went.  We first stopped at the Cologne cathedral which took 632 years to build and houses the famed relics of the Magi. I've been to many cathedrals and this one was quite extraordinary.  So crazy to think how many people worked their whole lives on it knowing they would never see its completion. From there we rode through the old town, weaving through more rabid soccer fans before arriving at the Lindt chocolate factory. That was right up our alley as we got to see live production of chocolate as well as sample quite a few. Later we went shopping for a surprise baby gift for our host who is pregnant.  After dinner we cycled back and rejoined our awesome hosts who are big board game aficionados and they taught us a new game. It was so nice to have the afternoon and evening to just enjoy the city and ride bikes without gear. We probably made up the entire 18 mi train ride just riding around the city.   Although the day took lots of twists and turns, it was a good reminder that sometimes we just have to roll with the punches!

It all started out so nice. A spectacular included breakfast spread with the stunning view of the Rhine below, then a fascinating tour through the ruins of the adjacent Rheinsfelds Castle and Fortress, once the largest defensive structure in the region.  Even with the late start cycling we were feeling good as we cycled through the remainder of the Gorge admiring the villages and castles.  We made good time to the city of Koblenz and found our way to the Deutsches Eck where the Mosel joins the Rhine.   We then wandered the city a bit and found a cowboy burger joint so we had to see just how authentically western US it could be.  The burgers were great.  The country music, not so much.   After we hit the road again we quickly fell apart.   Headwinds suck the life out of ya and Greta had a headache and my tush was killing me.  I know, I know, some will say I've always been a pain in the ass!  But I had resorted to pumping out of the saddle for miles.  I did find a bike shop with some chamois cream so hopefully I'll be back in the saddle tomorrow.  Or prospects for lodging in Cologne seem  very grim so who knows what tomorrow will bring on many fronts.

Upon planning this trip, I was looking forward to today. This is the most popular stretch of the river with visitors as it narrows and winds through a gorge laden with vineyards, medieval villages and castles galore perched up high around every corner. The visual feast did not disappoint. Our first stop was in Eltville whose charming village and stately castle complete with moat surely is the inspiration for many a fairytale. From there we caught a nasty headwind, so by the time we rolled into the popular Rudesheim on Rhine, we were gassed. Some pizzas offered a little energy as we had to sprint to make the next ferry crossing. The rest of the ride was lots of ooohs and aahs at each new sight.  Knowing this day would be filled with castles, I though it fitting to splurge a little book at hotel inside a castle.  A fitting end to just such a day, right?  What I failed to take into account was that castles are all perched up high on the hillside so after an already physically hard day, we then had to walk our bikes up a crazy steep hill for some distance. It was taxing but totally in worth it as the views from our room and dinner were fabulous. We even got all fancied up in robes and slippers and enjoyed the pool and sauna. Felt pretty royal given our peasant heritage!

A shorter riding day on paper had us moving rather lackadaisically this morning. Little did we know that a combination of detours, headwinds, and mud covered roads would have us feeling like yet another tough day in the saddle. Every day we ride along the river it grows in size and activity. Barges and tourist boats are a constant sight now. Seems so far away from the glacial stream we started with. The last few miles into Mainz were the most developed we've seen, filled with eateries and riverbank parks. The great weekend weather seemed to have attracted the whole town out to bask in the sun. As Gutenberg's hometown, we were excited to tour the museum and grasp a better understanding of how the printing press monumentally altered the world. We followed that up with a tour of the cathedral and some amazing gelato before a short ride back across the river to Bebreich Castle grounds and our hotel next door. Now we enter the Rhine gorge and are looking forward to exploring this, most popular section of the Rhine.

I started the day quite deflated mentally.  Rain was going to delay what would already be another long day.  Today's route would likely incur more detours and they suck any momentum out of you.  So I opted to go off plan and avoid much of the Rhine with a reroute which then leaves us to the mercy of possible hills and Google maps which has also led us astray this trip.  It proved the right call though and we made great time for our first leg into Speyer.  The stunning Cathedral spires were a nice welcome and we enjoyed a walk around the Cathedral and town.  It was here the Protestation of Speyer asked to release the ban on Martin Luther and his teachings.   A hearty lunch here and we were on our way again to Worms.  First, however we had to pass through Ludwigshafen where the company BASF is based.  Their campus is literally 6 miles long.  Impressive to me was the thousands upon thousands of company issued bicycles we passed that workers were encouraged to use to get to work.   As they are all red, I just can't imagine how you tell your bike apart from your neighbors.  Some nausea for Greta slowed our afternoon pace but we still made good time into the city of Worms.  I can proudly now say, I really like Worms.  After a quick shower and rest at the hotel, we ventured back out on the bikes to explore the town.  It was awesome to see big crowds gathered at bars and biergartens cheering on Germany against Scotland for the European Cup.  The city was really impressive and the Statue of Martin Luther as much so as it was here the Edict of Worms banned him from the church.   It was so nice to end our day on high spirits after the drizzy depressing start.

Not gonna lie, it was painful to hop back on the bikes this morning.   I had hoped a day off would lend some reprieve to my sore rear but alas, I am a true pain in the ass!  Leaving Strasbourg it was impressive to see how many commuters, many with kids in tow used bicycles as their primary mode of transport.  Past the suburbs, we quickly found ourselves in deep swampy woods and while lovely and cool, we couldn't stop or slow at the risk of being eaten alive by mosquitoes.  I tried to breath through my nose but my swallowed-bug count is now up to 4.  We did opt to stop when we saw a world war 2 bunker just off the trail.  It was fascinating and sad at the same time.    Boulageries have quickly become a favorite of ours in France and so a morning stop to fill our faces with pastries was well worth it.  When you bike this much, you give yourself a pass to eat whatever you'd like.   The route wound through Rhine marshes and floodplains.  The water was high and detours were plentiful.  A large variety of water fowl from cranes, swans, geese and ducks helped break up the monotony.   The croaks of what must have been large frogs echoed across the ponds.   Later for lunch, there was only one town for miles and only one eatery open.  Upon being seated, I looked over at the table next to me.  Their dishes looked amazing so, using google translator, I asked them what they were having .  They were kind enough to point to it on the menu.  Greta got a chuckle when she then translated it. "Dad, those are frog legs!"  Seemed fitting given our last hour of hearing them so frogs legs it was.  Quite delicious actually.  After lunch we were disappointed to learn our ferry over to Germany was closed due to flooding so we tacked on a few more detour miles before finally arriving in Karlsrhue.  I had hoped to arrive early to explore the palace but alas, we checked in and crashed out only waking enough to quickly grab a bite and walk the palace grounds.   We are right about halfway though our journey.   It's been harder than expected but with some wonderful surprises too.   I'm so proud of Greta, she's pushing on hard and doing great.

Knowing it would be our longest day in the saddle, I woke Greta early and we were on the road by 6.   Things started off bad and didn't improve much all morning.  Headwinds slowed us to  a slog of a pace,  we encountered more flood impacted detours, and then things got really depressing when  Google maps  started sending us onto imaginary roads where we  eventually ended up in the middle of some farmers fields miles from anywhere.    We didn't even  know which country we were in until we finally found a path and some kind walkers greeted us with a hearty "Bonjour"  Then we knew we had at least made it to France.  Our spirits started to lift when we pulled into the odd octagonal fortress town of Neuf-Brisach.  Great design for a city, but such a strange place to need such a mighty fortress in the middle of nowhere.  A quick snack and it was time to make our way to the towpath of a canal that would lead us to  Strasbourg.  It may not have been as dramatic as Rhine falls or as plentiful in lovely Villages and cowbells, but it was still very pleasant, peaceful, and somber even, knowing that the canal once represented battle lines for French and German forces during World War 2.  The cooler temps, straight lines and lack of hills boosted our speed and our spirits and we started flying toward Strasbourg.   Upon arriving in the old town where we were staying,  the sights, sounds and smells of this beautiful city were something to behold.  Seven hours of saddle had left us exhausted though ,so we crashed out hard before  later venturing out to see the town.   This morning we woke to our first rest day, and we did...nothing.  We just laid in bed until we were too hungry to not get up.  A trip to the market and Boulangerie left us with pastries coming out of our ears.   The French really know how to infuse chocolate into everything I already love!  After another nap, we finally ventured out to see more of this great city.  We played total tourist and hopped a  tour boat for a relaxing cruise with our audio guide.    It's fascinating how many times this city swapped back and forth from French to German rule.  Influences of both countries cultures have left there stamp on the city.  It's not surprising then that this town has been the most prepared to commit to lasting peace  and headquarters the European union.  Now our rest day seems all too short and we are back on the road early tomorrow.