Day 14 Shoulda packed corsets and crowns

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!

Storming the castle with feeble chariots

In Germany they work hard and drink harder

Riding on cobblestones feels like when I was young and got laughs from tumbling in the clothes dryer 

This castle needs no moat, but it probably needs a life preserver at the moment.

Pleasant peasant places

Yep more castle pictures

Over 40 of them in this 40 mile stretch

Our hotel room with a view

Feeling like Royal boujee snobs in our robes and slippers