Days 9 & 10 Pushing hard to rest easy in Strasbourg

Published on 12 June 2024 at 15:40

Bad Bellingen to Strausbourg 69 miles

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.