# Anybody miss me?



## Bigtallfatbloke (29 Jul 2008)

..

Ok...well I just got back last night from the German tour. Kicked off in Bremen northern Germany and followed the rivers south to Basel (Switzerland/Germany/France).
Good tour, lots top say..but it'll take me a while to get it all together to post..meantime here are few pics of some of the river signs I came across en route:
















































...I decided against Basel to Montpellier in the end, due to financial restraints (too much german beer) and a strong desire to buy a Bianchi 928 instead of blowing it on more Campsites and pernod...probably the wrong choice but it was the right choice for me in Basel yesterday. I will try to do proper 'write up'soon, but first I need to strip down Shinto (my bike) and clean the beast

..it took 12 days Bremen to friedrichshafen, then another 2 days onto Basel....riding about 100-110km approx.

..did the gPS work...erm...no it was hopeless
...did the soloar thing work...erm...no 
...did the TV get used...erm...no...
...was it fun...hell yes!

..hope you have all beeen keeping well.


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## Dayvo (29 Jul 2008)

Welcome home back, BTFB! 

Glad you made it. I didn't think you'd make it out of Essex, what with your 'dodgy' GPS! Or out of Germany, what with those dodgy Jehova's Witnesses! 

Sounds like a great trip; well done. Comedy Pilot (another forumer) is out there now, too; thought you might bump into each other!

Sit down, and have a tea, coffee, beer, cheese (?) or whatever takes your fancy.

We want more details!


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## Cathryn (29 Jul 2008)

Yipppeeee....you're back. Welcome back!!!! I was only thinking of you about half an hour ago plodding up the road into a headwind wishing I was on tour and wondering how you were getting on.

You don't look ANYTHING like I imagined.


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## Dayvo (29 Jul 2008)

Cathryn said:


> You don't look ANYTHING like I imagined.



Big Tall Fat Bloke!

He's big, he's tall, he's (not that) fat (at all, actually) and he's a bloke!
What did you expect him to look like?


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## Cathryn (29 Jul 2008)

I think it's the hair! Yes I knew he had long hair but I didn't expect anything so pre-raphaelite.

And he's definitely not fat!


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## Speicher (29 Jul 2008)

Yes, I did miss you. I assumed you were having a wonderful time. You will, however, need to change your Forum name - to Tall Bloke.

Very brown knees by the time you got to Donau.


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## yenrod (29 Jul 2008)

Look forward to the write/type-up BTFB!


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## yenrod (29 Jul 2008)

BTW - surely you could of got a better ride than a pork loin 

Didnt any of the Gerry babes suffice


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## Cheddar George (29 Jul 2008)

One mans pre-raphaelite is another mans Jon Bon Jovi !!!!!
Welcome back - nice pics.


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## jags (29 Jul 2008)

brilliant, man you look great fat my ass you had us all fooled, btw i had you down as a wild scott sorry about that? looks like you had a great time we all had bet's on your sat nav will it wont it work so is it for the bin anyhow welcome home.


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## tdr1nka (29 Jul 2008)

Welcome home BTFB!!

Specially like the 1986 'KERRANG!' style pose in Donaubrucke!
Where did you put the guitars on the bike???????


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## just jim (29 Jul 2008)

Welcome back big man! (but not fat)


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## Gerry Attrick (29 Jul 2008)

Well done and welcome back to the fold BT(ntf)B. Glad you had a great time.


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## Andy in Sig (30 Jul 2008)

That must have been some beer drinking if it took half of the trip's budget. Well done!


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## Bigtallfatbloke (30 Jul 2008)

We weren't so far away from Sigmaringen...but we cut down to the Bodensee before we got to it. 
..we pretty much ended up making the exact route up as we travelled, we used the radwegs a lot, which for 80% of the time were great, but the remaining 20% were very rough and full of pot holes and loose rough shingle etc...played havoc with my bike those did, breaking a spoke, two low rider cage fixings.
I am going to try to figure out exactly which paths we did take using the GPS tracks (although the thing wrapped around a few times I think) memory and the pics etc.
Some things worked fine, some were a mistake. One thing I do know now is that I am more than capable of riding across all the way across Europe at a good pace...the next tour is something I am already looking at based on what i have already achieved.
I am trying to upload lot's of pics to Flickr , so as soon as I can I will post a link so those with an interest can see more of what the tour was about.


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## yenrod (30 Jul 2008)

>Anybody miss me? 

If your names not down your not coming in


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## xilios (30 Jul 2008)

Bigtallfatbloke said:


> I am trying to upload lot's of pics to Flickr.



Hey welcome back BTFB.
I've heard Flickr "might" be going out sometime in Sept. check out Google Picasa same thing but you get 1GB+ of space.


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## Andy in Sig (30 Jul 2008)

Bigtallfatbloke said:


> We weren't so far away from Sigmaringen...but we cut down to the Bodensee before we got to it.
> ..
> I am going to try to figure out exactly which paths we did take using the GPS tracks (although the thing wrapped around a few times I think) memory and the pics etc.



I think I can guess where you cut south: about 20 km west of Ulm? I've never gone down that bit. You'd have perhaps done better to cut south just on the outskirts of Sigmarningen (Schwäbisch Alb Radweg, I think) which takes you down to the W end of the Bodensee and it's certainly not all potholy and horrible.

Did you do Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Nördlingen etc?


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## Dave Davenport (30 Jul 2008)

What are you doing to that pig??!!!


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## Bigtallfatbloke (30 Jul 2008)

> Did you do Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Nördlingen etc?



yep pretty much. Most of the rougher radweg sections were further north. The southern sections for the most part were very good.


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## ChrisKH (30 Jul 2008)

Welcome back BTFB. Posts have halved in your absence. 

Nice pictures. But....but.....where's your helmet? 

At least I'll know who to look out for when I next get lost around Billericay/Brentwood (as I did on Friday).


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## Bigtallfatbloke (30 Jul 2008)

Here are some more pics (I still need to organize them and place them on the maps etc...but my life is short and my will to remain at the PC is dwindling...)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/btfb/


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## Bigtallfatbloke (30 Jul 2008)

The major waypoint towns were:

Bremen
Achim
Verden
Nienburg
Stolzenau
Hameln
Holzminden
Bad Karlshafen
Hahn Munden
Fuldabruck
Melsungen
Rotenburg
Bebra
Bad Hersfield
Schlitz
Fulda
Sinntal
Gemunden
Karlstadt
Wurzburg
Ochsenfurt
Creglingen
Rothenburg
Schillingsfurst
Feuchtwagon
Dinkelsbuhl
Nordlingen
Donauworth
Dillingen
Ulm
Ehingen
Riedlingen
Mengen
Ostrach
Willhelmsdorf
Markdorf
Friedrichshafen
Konstanz
Steckborn
Schaffhausen
Waldshut
Bad sackingen
Basel

We stayed on the radwegs wherever possible and hugged the rivers as close as we could.


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## Danny (30 Jul 2008)

Welcome back - how was German TV


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## longers (30 Jul 2008)

Welcome back . 
From your smiles in your photo's it looks like you enjoyed yourself immensely


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## Riding in Circles (30 Jul 2008)

Only two comments to make.

What were you doing to the pig?

Get a hair cut you tree hugging hippy! (said with a redneck accent) lol




Looks like you had a good time, did the weather behave?


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## Bigtallfatbloke (31 Jul 2008)

..Mostly we had good weather, but it did change quickly and often. Ranged from really hot dry sunny days, to heavy rain and cold. One day the temperature was a full 12 c lower than the previous afternoon!
Much of the time we faced headwinds from the south (those were on the sunny days) but they were not that strong. In northern Germany it was cold and damp at night in particualr however things got better as we rode south. 
Basel was more like Malaga with a piercing dry heat interspersed with a single quick very dramatic thunder storm.

I did have one day on the Fulda when i was wearing my full longs, jaclet, gloves and over shoes all day....but mostly it was shorts and a cycle shirt.

At the Bodensee it was tropical...I swam in the lake several times, and in Basel i swam in the Rhine.


...the pig...erm...yeah...well see.. it's like this...there weren't that many good looking women around....Urluab....so I took the best looking woman I could find when i had the chance!


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## Bigtallfatbloke (31 Jul 2008)

This is my bike (I call it 'Shinto' after a donkey in a book a still havent read but carry with me on my tours)





Here is my GPS which stands for Good for nothing Piece of shoot!





The Wesser river on day 2





There were small 1Euro ferries to cross the river





I think the dog was tired for me! Taken on arrival at petit port campsite in Basel





Swimming in the Bodensee





Forest Radwegs (bike routes)


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## Andy in Sig (31 Jul 2008)

So on the bit where you went Menge to Ostrach etc, is that a recognised bike route or did you just follow the local bike paths? I ask because one route down to the W end of the Bodensee goes through where I live and the other variant goes from the Danube somewhere between Ulm and Ehingen.


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## Bigtallfatbloke (31 Jul 2008)

we tended to follow the 'shilders'..green signs for most of the route. However they often left us stranded at a junction with no idea which fork to take...which is where asking the locals was crucial. The GPS didnt even know these paths existed and tended to want to send us to our destination via tibet and the M25. Sometimes we would deviate from the Radwegs shown on the map and follow a more direct route along the B roads that had radwegs alongside of them. We usually did this if it was getting late and we needed to get to a campsite PDQ. So in answer to your question I suspect we did a little of both but turned south just past ULM...Ehingen .

One thing I have to say was a problem for me was the German habit of riding on the pavements in the towns. I am used to staying on road even in busy traffic, so is my bike. The continuous jumping over kerbs and changeable surfaces played havoc with my low riders which broke twice. Once I managed to fix it temporality with a spare spd cleat screw. Eventually I had a bike shop run a proper bolt through the low riders braze ons so that the continuous vibrations and schocks could no longer loosen the screws.


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## Riding in Circles (31 Jul 2008)

Stop with the pictures now, I'm getting wanderlust.


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## Andy in Sig (31 Jul 2008)

If there is the blue _Schild_ which shows both a mother and child and a bike, then it is obligatory to ride on the path/pavement. They usually are kerbless at the point where bikes are supposed to get on and off so I suspect you might have been doing some unnecessary hopping around.

Are you now going to do a review of all the kit which you _didn't_ use and so have a lighter load next time? It would be an interesting experiment if you weighed your revised kit list.


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## Bigtallfatbloke (31 Jul 2008)

I should have taken thicker tyres than my 28's Schwalbe marathons which whilst incurred no punctures on the rough tracks did give a bumpy ride!

The blackburn low rider fixing screws failed a couple of times, cured initially with an spd cleat screw, gaffer tape and plastic ties, then finally with a proper bolt.

The GPS...well...ho hum...ok...thing is it doesnt see the smaller radwegs so in effect was useless. It also seemed hopeless at calculating an effective route between waypoints which were more than a few kilometres apart without sending us on some ridiculous wild goose chase. It also insisted on throwing up 12 km speed warnings all over the place. It did dig us out of the carp once or twice when we got lost in towns, but basically it's main use was to floow tracks back out of campsites to the radwegs the next morning...well even that wasnt necessary as my ride partner had a built in gps in his brain!
I dislike this unit intensely, user unfriendly and frankly a 2 year old could plan better routes than this thing. It is also tempting to play with it as you ride which is bloody dangerous.

The tv was not used, but would have been had I gone through france on my own I feel sure.

The solar power free loader was also not effective in charging up the ipod or the phone, mainly due to a faulty usb port on the supercharger panel.

I broke a spoke because of the kerbs between pavements which are not suited to my bike.

Cobble stones were a BIG problem for me in the towns...impossible to rid eover on my tyres with a load...so i walked.

...would I take this gear again..yes...but not to Germany as the radweg surfaces are not as good as many think in places. The electrical gear I would leave if riding with a partner, but still take if alone. The GPS...well...I'll put than one down to a mistake and visit ebay shortly.

One absolutly essential item for Germany ...a handlebar bell...do not ride without one...the typical German alte Damen are not amused if you dont klinger them from behind!

I found the radwegs in the town irratingly slow, it would be better to ride on the roads and I did wherever I could. However the radweg system outside of the towns is excellent, miles and miles of paved cycling without any cars...superb.

Damp was an issue in northern Germany...on the Fulda I got drenched all day long and my camera steamed up from the inside and broke.....and has not been th esame since.

Brake pads took a real pounding and I bought some new ones.

The German LBS's are superb. Not like ours here in the UK these guys are mechanics first and salesmen last.

Ryan air lost my bike on th eway out and it finally showed up 5 hours later. It had been unwrapped, searched and dismantled. The chain was snapped and the wrapping around the de raileur had been removed and the entire thing bent. I had to walk most of the way through bremen to the campsite in the rain on arrival...not a good start! I will never fly ryanair agin with a bike. Easy jet on th ereturn were superb. Bike box available at the airport took my bike and all of my gear except my bar bag which I took as hand luggage. freindly service, tape and scissors and a packing area provided...bike arived home safely and on the same plane as me!

I didnt need the waterproof over trousers I took. I did need the goretex windstopper longs on two days...as well as th eneoprene over shoes. I took my helmet but did not wear it until I got to Bad sackingen outside of Basel on a busy road.

The POI's in the GPS were 99% useless in practice.




Thius place has an olympic pool and diving pool included with your Zelt platz!




A typical Radweg Schild




Cooking on the trangia...basically I kept this simple and stuck to the miacoli pasta packs because we mostlyused it when late at campsites and needed to eat quick and get on with the bier and Ouzo...yes Ouzo....!




Dunno who this bloke was but he seemed to have been important on the Donau once so here's a pic!




Meersburg..a must see on the Bodensee


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## Andy in Sig (31 Jul 2008)

I wouldn't bin the GPS just yet for Germany touring. I'm a bit hazy on this but I seem to remember reading an article in one of the German mags to the effect that you can get mapping with the right degree of detail for Germany. Maybe if you get your wife to google through Trekking Rad or the ADFC site or similar, she might come up with something. In a perfect world the ADFC and Bikeline would offer their mapping for GPS. I wouldn't be surprised if that doesn't happen in the next year or two.


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## Speicher (31 Jul 2008)

Lovely photos. 

I have not been to that part of Germany. It prompts me to get the guide books out, and the railway timetable. 

BTW who is that slim tall bloke in most of your photos?


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## Bigtallfatbloke (31 Jul 2008)

> In a perfect world the ADFC and Bikeline would offer their mapping for GPS. I wouldn't be surprised if that doesn't happen in the next year or two.



I e-mailed Bikeline about this before I left and recieved a note back saying that they didnt have their maps in gps format and that it would take them too long to format things for the gps...I think they should though....they were definatly the map of choice for the many many loaded touring cyclists I saw over there. The city europe maps are just not up to touring in Germany, at least not on the Radwegs.



> BTW who is that slim tall bloke in most of your photos?



..dunno...just some oddball essex boy who used to be the Michelin man!

..thanks though!


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## postman (31 Jul 2008)

Picture two in Fulda.There is a hint of Ossie O and Roy O .In that face.You will have to drop BTFB now.


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## Bigtallfatbloke (31 Jul 2008)

look like Ozzy!!...OMG ...no..please...





Here is what i believe water bottle cages were designed for.


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## Cathryn (31 Jul 2008)

Love it!!! 

Nice shot of Shinto as well!


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## Danny (31 Jul 2008)

I'm not surprised you broke a spoke if you were carrying all that gear. What's the yellow thing hanging off the back?

PS I've managed to carry six bottles of one at one go!


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## ComedyPilot (31 Jul 2008)

BTFB, did you get caught in any of the big thunderstorms that hit the Bavarian Alps region this last week? I got back to my hotel just in time 4 days running, and missed the storms.


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## Bigtallfatbloke (1 Aug 2008)

Mostly we had good weather. We had one day of solid cold heavy rain on the Fulda. We had several extremely hot days as well.
On my ride from Meersburg to Basel however I got as far as schaffhausen in a really dry scorching heat (more like spain) then suddenly from behind the hills to my right appeared a HUGE black storm cloud which proceeded to flood the streets in seconds. That night a slept in a thunderstorm, I recall moving Shinto off the steel pole I had leant him on and up against a tree for fear he might get struck by lightning.

Next day was bedecked but humid. On the flight home we flew through a big storm and watched the entire sky light up in flashes beneath us.


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## trio25 (1 Aug 2008)

Sounds like you had an amazing time!!!! Those pics are great. Now time to change your name!


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## Bigtallfatbloke (1 Aug 2008)

yes I suppose I could ...but well...I still have some bulk to shift, mostly up top I feel...so I will leave it as it is for now.
I weighed in at 15s 12lbs this morning after my tour...so I am pleased I didnt put on any weight given the bier consumption etc!


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## Smeggers (1 Aug 2008)

Pics are brilliant. Unusual choice Germany - but I think you had a friend there?

You've got one of those looks like I should recognise you - are you sure your not famous?!


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## Andy in Sig (1 Aug 2008)

Smeggers said:


> Pics are brilliant. Unusual choice Germany - but I think you had a friend there?
> 
> You've got one of those looks like I should recognise you - are you sure your not famous?!



I've often wondered why Germany should seem to be an odd choice as it is a very beautiful country and the bike paths are mostly excellent i.e. it's perfect for touring as BTFB has demonstrated.

The upside of course is that unlike Provence and Chiantishire we get spared all those braying home counties stock broker accents!


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## Bigtallfatbloke (1 Aug 2008)

Germany is a great country to tour. UNlike the UK the car is not king over there. I experienced mile after mile of open car free cycle paths clearly signposted (for the most part). There were also many many other fully loaded bikes around, trikes, tandems, recumbants and hand peddle bikes as well and not a single jerkoff chavvy oik around to comment! The campsites are in the right places and there is no need to book. They are expensive, however fror your 10Euro a night (ish) you can be assured of a clean toilet block and a decent shower, as well as good laundry and cooking facilities on 90% of sites. Most of these sites also have a good shop, bar and imbiss or restaurant. They are a lot better than the English sites I experienced last summer.

I dont see Germany as a strange choice to tour...I would have gone even if I didnt have family there (who i didnt visit anyway). The people are friendly , welcoming and interested in you. The language is pretty easy to grasp and if you cant then they all speak at least basic English and are happy to do so, unlike the French people I have met.
The BIG plus is that the bier is th ebest in the world.



> You've got one of those looks like I should recognise you - are you sure your not famous?!



..well I don't like to brag ...


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## Smeggers (1 Aug 2008)

Fair do's - I'm just not sure the hotter climes of Spain or Italy would have been my 1st choice thats all.

As regards to being famous, its either somthing to do with Robert Plant or Rowlf from the muppets?


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## Bigtallfatbloke (1 Aug 2008)

> What's the yellow thing hanging off the back?



that is my free loader super charger solar panel. It worked until the USB socket on it collapsed and died, I am about to post it back to the supplier for a new unit.
Basically if I ever go to the sahara I will carry it, but for northern europe...well...clockwork power might be the way forward there.


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## Bigtallfatbloke (1 Aug 2008)

> Rowlf from the muppets?



Close my friend, very close


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## Smeggers (1 Aug 2008)

Bigtallfatbloke said:


> Close my friend, very close




This ones for you then ....


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## Aperitif (1 Aug 2008)

Here's my 'welcome back' <mate> - not using *that name* or acronym any more...the truth is out.
You are the original hairy biker! (Probably got enough to share out at a CC meet up ) and it is good to hear that nothing worked and you had a great time.


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## P.H (2 Aug 2008)

Great photos, my list of places I want to visit just isn't getting shorter.


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## Scoosh (3 Aug 2008)

P.H said:


> Great photos, my list of places I want to visit just isn't getting shorter.







?????


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## Moonlight (3 Aug 2008)

i love your hair, much like mine used to be (only mine is blonde =P). brilliant pics!

I'm a big fan of the Rhienland (spelling?)


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## summerdays (4 Aug 2008)

Welcome back ... it sounds like a great trip, and like Cathryn I was suprised by your photo - definately thinner than the image in my head.

I liked the alternative drinks bottle ... can you get those sipping lids for them?

Did Easy Jet provide the bike box at the airport?


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## Bigtallfatbloke (4 Aug 2008)

> Did Easy Jet provide the bike box at the airport?



Flying with a bike with easyjet was easy (Unlike Ryanair who did all they could to sabotage my tour by losing my bike and then damaging it when it finally arrived on a different flight).

On arrival at Basel i went to the easyjet check in where the young lady was clearly used to cycle tourers. The rulkes are:
You buy a box at 14 euros
There is no weight limit on the box contents

so I was able to pack my bike and ALL of my pannier bags contents (by unpacking them and stuffing the contents around the bike) in the box.

Tape and scissors were supplied as was a quiet corner/space to pack near to the check in desk.

I did check in one of my rear panniers as well as it contained my tent with the pegs. My only hand luggage on the return trip was my bar bag.

The bike arrived safely at stanstead.

DO NOT FLY RYANAIR with a bike!! Wherevenr possible use easyjet...that is my advice based on my experiences of both airlines on this trip.



> was suprised by your photo - definately thinner than the image in my head.



..well this is the new moi after two years of solid cycling and careful eating. When I signed up here at CC i weighed in at 21 stones...now I weigh in at just under 16stone. 
I may have to take up rowing or something to shift the upper blubber though!


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## fossyant (4 Aug 2008)

Fantastic pics - all these folk going on tours.....


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## yoyo (5 Aug 2008)

Brilliant piccies and good to see the familiar sight of the Bodensee and Basel. Mr Yoyo and I were in Basel on 25th; a beautiful city and fantastic weather. We were not on bikes but were touring in our sports' car - confession time. 

I have some questions: 

Is there a map of German radwegs? 

No offence meant but we do not enjoy German dishes. How easy is it to eat alternative food outside the larger cities and tourist traps?


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## Tony (5 Aug 2008)

Just got back myself, after riding from Hoek van Holland up to Sweden. Pics may follow in due course. I flew back from Denmark with Sterling.


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## Bigtallfatbloke (5 Aug 2008)

Hi Tony,

Welcome back.
Can i ask how th eride was in Holland going from the Hook north? Is it windy along the coastline?



> Is there a map of German radwegs?
> 
> No offence meant but we do not enjoy German dishes. How easy is it to eat alternative food outside the larger cities and tourist traps?



Yes ther eis a map showing the radwegs. We used road atlas adac style maps but these had dotted lines along the routes with radwegs. However you wil find that the radwegs between towns are well signposted for the mostpart. Whenever we were lost there was always a helpful local cyclist able to get us back on course.

Food...well we cooked our own so that way you can eat what you like. But if you are eating out you can get anything from schnitzel to piszza to pasta to burgers or whatever in the towns. Outside of the towns the challenge may be finding another human being let alone a restaurant that is open....'Urlaub' is a common hobby in Germany!


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## rich p (5 Aug 2008)

Bigtallfatbloke said:


> Hi Tony,
> 
> Welcome back.
> Can i ask how th eride was in Holland going from the Hook north? Is it windy along the coastline?
> ...




Schnitzel is all too easy to find IMO.


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## Bigtallfatbloke (5 Aug 2008)

I should add that the best maps of the radwegs are the bikeline maps. However once you are on the radweg to be honest you could probably ditch the map and just follow the signs and still get there ok.


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## Andy in Sig (6 Aug 2008)

yoyo said:


> Brilliant piccies and good to see the familiar sight of the Bodensee and Basel. Mr Yoyo and I were in Basel on 25th; a beautiful city and fantastic weather. We were not on bikes but were touring in our sports' car - confession time.
> 
> I have some questions:
> 
> ...



The Bikeline series of cycling map books are the best. There is a bikeline book for each major radweg. They also do an overview map of the whole of Germany showing the radwegs in relation to each other. A Radweg, in this sense means a named route e.g. the Weser Radweg is the route down the valley of the R Weser. Radweg is also the general word for bike path.

If you are travelling on non-named Radwege, then the ADFC cycling maps as mentioned by BTFB do the business. The big advantage of the Bikeline books though is that they list hotels and bikeshops which do repairs etc.


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## yoyo (6 Aug 2008)

Thank you, Andy and BFTB. I am trying to gather as much info as possible for future cycle touring. We have enjoyed our brief experiences of visiting places in Germany (were in Heidelburg last week and have been elsewhere) and I noticed numerous cyclists on the German side of the Rhine compared to none on the French side. My husband has basic German and I can order a meal and be polite providing no questions are asked. French is easier for us both and we prefer French food but we are both more at ease with the Germanic / Swiss culture and touring with good signposts (like in Austria?) sounds rather tempting. 

Yoyo


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## Andy in Sig (6 Aug 2008)

You'll get by with no problems if you can manage the basic twenty sentences of tourist German. If you are after any recommendations viz routes to choose you're welcome to fire away on here or PM me. Oh and Bikeline has got a website which may be worth a look at.


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## Bigtallfatbloke (6 Aug 2008)

..goes for me to, if I can help just ask.

I rode through parts of switzerland between the Bodensee and Basel as well. I can honestly say that the Swiss have the bike route thing nailed. The signposting was as good if not better than in Germany, and the cycle lanes on the road etc are top class, mine had red tarmac and clear cycle lane markings everywhere.

Th elocation of th ebike shops was an issue for us at times. We did need to get some repairs done and found GOOD bikeshops pretty easily with the help of asking the locals and simply stumbling across them in the towns. However it would have been easier had we known the locations from a map etc.
The bike shops are 1st class, nothing like the UK excuse for a LBS...these guys know their stuff...mechanics first, salesmen if you absolutly insist..perhaps...but you'll need to wait until after mitags pause, fiertag and urlaub before they try to sell you a bike. I needed 3 pitstops, each time the mechanics were friendly, helpful, did a great job and were cheap.

Basic German is enough...just open th econversation in German and if you struggle they will switch into fluent English mostly...except in Bayern where they have a heavy dialect which takes some getting used to...easier after a few biers I found!

If you stay on the radwegs you will never be far away from another touring cyclist, who will useually be more than happy to stop and help.

One thing though...banks...German banks are a little ..erm...neanterthal when it comes to things like credit cards etc...you will need to carry cash for the most part, as supermarkets, bike shops etc only deal in cash or Euro card (for which I think you need a German bankl account). Small banks in th evillages like Sparkasse etc do not recognise VISA and you will be unable to get cash from an ATM machine at these outlets. You will need to find a 'proper ' bank like deutche bank or commerz bank to get cash out on a VISA card. These banks are located in the bigger town centres and not generally in the smaller town/villages. Here in the UK I never carry cash, in german I needed to pull more cash from the ATM's in the bigger towns to get me through the large sections of smaller villages an open countryside.

Also dont get caught out without food on a sunday when everything shuts down.


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## Bigtallfatbloke (7 Aug 2008)

ADFC-Radtourenkarte, scale 1:150.000 
27 sheets cover Germany
Estimated price 9,- ECU

These are the official bicycle maps of the Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad Club. The maps show national and regional bicycle routes. You can even see which railroads which carry bicycles.


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## Tony (7 Aug 2008)

A few answers. Yes, it was windy all the way. I was lucky to have an angled crosswind on the Afsluitsdijk, rather than a headwind. The wind in Germany and Denmark was utterly horrible.The ride up from Hoek, once you have got through Monster and other villages, is through the dunes and woodland that run all the way up to Texel. The path varies from blocks to gravel to superb. Be wary of odd double speed humps at junctions. Sign posting is on little blocks by the side of the path, and the ride is undulating as it is over dunes. Lots of loose highland cattle.
German signing is occasionally excellent, often useless, and very often vandalised, where a signpost arm has clearly been pulled or cut off. It often simply disappears altogether, especially in towns. Path surfaces in Germany range from smooth tarmac through herring-bone blocks in various states of repair, to two lines of concrete slabs a car's axle width apart, to deep, loose sand umpossible to ride on.

Credit cards...the Germans really do think that their "EC card" (electronic cash) is an EU standard, and get quite upset when it is refused outside Germany. The sheer quantity of guides, maps etc I would have bought in Germany but for their prehistoric insistance on cash is their loss. Interestingly, the big shops that refuse all other cards generally have cash machines so you can use those same cards to get readies out. To their profit, no doubt....


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## yoyo (7 Aug 2008)

Thank you so much for all this excellent information. We especially appreciate the info on credit cards and ATMs. Sunday closing is something we already knew about. When I was a student a group of us spent a wet SUnday afternoon in Karlshrue - was more boring than watching paint dry! We plan our weekends very carefully from Sat pm to Mon pm when we are on the Continent. Sorry, but what is urlaub? I doubt I have much more than 20 words of German, let alone 20 sentences! When my daughter and I cycled on the Danube last year my party piece was Ich spreck nicht Deutsche which I uttered in a panic any time someone asked us a question. People were highly amused and usually spoke some English, although knowledge of English was not as widespread in Austria and eastern Switzerland, we found.


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## Bigtallfatbloke (7 Aug 2008)

> what is urlaub?



urlaub means holiday.

there are a lot of public holidays in germany and in rural germany in particular many of the towns were like ghost towns with very few if any people around...except one boy trying to get his escaped cow back in through the farm gate!

My impression was that almost all of germany beamed up to mars or somewhere on sundays and 'urlaubs'

...either that or they all went to the beach in menorca or something.


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## Tony (7 Aug 2008)

yoyo said:


> Thank you so much for all this excellent information. We especially appreciate the info on credit cards and ATMs. Sunday closing is something we already knew about. When I was a student a group of us spent a wet SUnday afternoon in Karlshrue - was more boring than watching paint dry! We plan our weekends very carefully from Sat pm to Mon pm when we are on the Continent. Sorry, but what is urlaub? I doubt I have much more than 20 words of German, let alone 20 sentences! When my daughter and I cycled on the Danube last year my party piece was Ich spreck nicht Deutsche which I uttered in a panic any time someone asked us a question. People were highly amused and usually spoke some English, although knowledge of English was not as widespread in Austria and eastern Switzerland, we found.



Don't forget, Germany closes on Saturday afternoons as well!!!!


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## snorri (7 Aug 2008)

Although not so convenient for tourists, I must say I quite like the mainland Europe idea of shutting the towns down for local holidays and weekend breaks. I really don't think this 7 day week business that we seem to be adopting in the UK has much going for it. A day of peaceful rest and relaxation is no bad thing.


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## psmiffy (7 Aug 2008)

BFTB-Stange what you say about ATMs - ive just been up the german coast and used mini cash machine on several occasions to get money - was amused to stand behind kids in shops buying items as small as an ice cream with their plastic


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## Bigtallfatbloke (7 Aug 2008)

I agree...I really don tneed to be able to shop at 4am on a sunday...as long as you know how things work and what to expect...and what day it is (which i didnt for the mostpart!) all is fine.


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## Bigtallfatbloke (7 Aug 2008)

I needed to find ATMs with a visa sign on them. Only the 'bigger' banks had these. Sparkasse etc had atms but they did not work with a visa card. I hav enever been able to buty anything in a supermarket over there with my visa card...However lot's of peeps do use Euro cards (EC) instead of large wads of cash...but mostly i see people shopping in cash.

Whereabouts were you on the coast? Dis you visit the islands of Fohr, sylt amrum ??


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## Cathryn (7 Aug 2008)

I agree as well...I really liked that Germany takes Sunday off even though it was inconvenient for me. A great policy!

My new german word was 'umleitung' which (I hope) means diversion! It came along quite often! But was always perfectly signposted!


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## psmiffy (7 Aug 2008)

BFTB - no not the islands - but probably return on a sunny day - just coast holland to dennmark 

I lived in germany when i was small, however my language skills could be written down on top of a small book of matches - for some reason the phrase - du bist lieben krankenhaus essen - kept coming into my mind when ever i was in the less salubrious areas - i am fairly deaf and therefore never have much problems with any language now - just point at ears and carry on in sign language

strange germany did not always close down on sundays and fest tag - i can remember our family going shopping most sunday mornings - could be something to do with EEC working directive

wrt wind going north from hook - its always windy and luckily 95% 0f the time its from the SW - my average speed across the Zuider Zee for 38km (1hr 10min) was well over 30kmh


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## yoyo (7 Aug 2008)

Don't forget, Germany closes on Saturday afternoons as well!!!!

I'm not surprised. Eastern Switzerland does too. As for public holidays, daughter and I arrived in Vienna on 15th August last year and could not fathom why the place was like a morgue. Took us a while to understand that it was a church holiday.


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## Andy in Sig (8 Aug 2008)

I'm with Snorri on this. As somebody who lives in Germany, I think it's great that commercial life slows down on Saturdays and stops on Sundays. What it means is that you get out of bed on a Saturday to do your shopping and then see the rest of the weekend as leisure time and so you make more of the weekend as genuine free time instead of having the 10:30 pm shopping spree in Tesco hanging over you like a Damoclean sword, which if I remember aright is the norm in the now horribly Americanised UK.

Bear in mind that if you are touring in Germany, the cafes, pubs and restaurants stay open. As for the cash thing: it's not difficult, either take a wodge of sterling with you and change it a few hundred at a time when you come to the bigger towns or better still get Euros while in the UK and take them. All you then need is one of those discreet Rohan money belts and away you go.

Speaking of Rohan, they do good "normal" gear for wearing in the evenings. Much of their stuff is super light and it looks OK having spent a day folded/rolled up in your panniers. Their trousers etc. are usually well furnished with "secret" zipped security pockets. Not that Germany is a pickpocket country but it is nice when travelling anywhere abroad to know that your money reserve and passport are 100% safe.


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## Bigtallfatbloke (8 Aug 2008)

> BFTB - no not the islands - but probably return on a sunny day - just coast holland to dennmark



..if you get the chance get the ferry over to Wyk Auf fohr. You can also get a subsequent ferry from there to Amrum. You can also get a train over to sylt.
All 3 uslands are well worth a trip. I have been to all 3 and Fohr is my fav place. I stayed there for 2 weeks for 5 years running. The weather is changeable, but in th esummer you willget 50% bright clear blue skies, temps up to the high 20's and beaches to die for. Best place to eat is the pancake house imo.
There is a peir where you can fish for crabs and when the tide comes in the pier submerges under 2 feet of water...very cool if you are 10 years old or, as in my case, drunk!
Sylt is th eplace to go for quieter beaches, FKK stuff and expensive jewellry, although it isnt as picturesque as Fohr IMHO.
Amrun is VERY quiet...nothing much to do in the evenings, but great for couples looking to get away from humanity.
But for my money Fohr has it all, good beaches, peace and quiet if you want, nice small thatched villages like nieblum, flat, quaint harbour promenade in Wyk and stuff to do in the evening as well. Hotels and villa rentals are easy to find (but book). Goting is a good quiet FKK strand and if kite flying is your thing this place is world class!
Couple of good cycle shops on the island, swimming pool, cinema, circus etc...lot's of seals, fishing trips etc.

Sylt is th enorthern most tip of Germany so technically if anybody wants to do the German end to end they would start there I guess.


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## Tony (8 Aug 2008)

Anyone running up the Fries coast should be aware of the ferry from Wilhelmshaven to Eckwarner (sp), which leaves W'n at 0900 and 1700 and cuts off a huge chunk of the Jadebuse's boring polders. It wasn't running for me....


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## psmiffy (8 Aug 2008)

Wilhelmshaven to Eckwarner ferry was running for me, however it was 1200hrs and it was just as quick to cycle round (was not totally uninteresting - but not one of the highlights)


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## Ludwig (8 Aug 2008)

Bigfatbloke never phoned or wrote once when he was away touring- I'm so hurt!


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## Bigtallfatbloke (9 Aug 2008)

...didnt you get the post cards


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## Ludwig (9 Aug 2008)

Didn't bfb used to be the singer in Marillion.


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## Bigtallfatbloke (10 Aug 2008)

..hmm sounds a bit fishy to me


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## tdr1nka (10 Aug 2008)

He's 'Incommunicado'.


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