# Auntie Helen's Cycle Tour of Germany



## Auntie Helen (20 May 2009)

So... Auntie Helen is off to Germany (on Sunday 24 May), to cycle along the Rhine and Moselle rivers and anywhere else that appeals at the time.

I'm going on the overnight ferry from Harwich on Sunday night to the Hook of Holland. On Monday morning, when I arrive in Holland, I'm taking the train to Cologne... and from then I will go south down the Rhine, probably to Mainz, then up the other side of the river to Koblenz, then along the Moselle to Trier and back again to Koblenz, then cycling all the way back to the Hook of Holland. I don't have my return ferry ticket yet and I have a maximum of three weeks.

This is my first ever cycle tour and I'm doing it on my own. I'll stay in B&Bs and hotels as I do like a bit of comfort and don't camp.

I've read lots on here about touring and what to take and have thought about what I personally feel I might need. Today I laid everything out on the spare bed to see how much stuff I have... and here it is (except I forgot to put my SPD sandals and deodorant in the photo, everything else is there). The trike has two reasonably sized panniers, plus the Trice Sidepods (at the top of the pic) and I'm pretty confident all that stuff will fit in OK.







So... does anyone have any comments about what I've got. Too much? Too little? Forgetting something vital?

In case you can't tell from the pic, this is what I'm taking:

Cycling tights
2 pairs cycling shorts
2 short-sleeved jerseys
2 vest tops
2 pairs knickers
2 bras
2 pairs socks
Armwarmers
Gloves
German phone & charger
English phone & charger
Garmin 205 & charger
Passport
Travel insurance
Money
Antibiotics (special ones I have to take if I get a deep cut)
Wash kit
Fluorescent vest
Cycle helmet
Buff
Sunglasses
German flag
British flag
Pyjamas
Waterproof coat (not cycling one)
Casual trousers (not cycling)
Top
Lightweight trainers
German dictionary
Bikeline books for Rhein and Mosel
Bett & Bike book (with cycle-friendly places to stay in NRW, Saarland and Rheinland-Pfalz)
Book on Rhine touring courtesy of ComedyPilot/theDoctor
Ferry tickets
80 teabags (the Germans have hopeless tea)
Abus Granit lock
Armoured wire to go with lock
Trice sidepods

I also have a waterproof covering for the two additional panniers.

Any thoughts/comments appreciated. I don't yet have handwashing liquid/powder/flakes. I'm wondering if I can use hotel shower gel for that.


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## Haitch (20 May 2009)

You are not allowed to take a bike on a train in Holland (except in the weekend, on public holidays and in July and August) before 9 a.m. Unless they've changed the timetable in the past couple of years, the ferrry arrives in Hook of Holland quite early so you may want to take some reading material with you.


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## Auntie Helen (20 May 2009)

Thanks Alan, I was aware of that. I had a very complicated time discovering if I could take recumbents on the trains at all - eventually I was phoned by NS who said that I could but that I had to avoid the rush hour, as you said above. So I'll find myself some breakfast somewhere. If I'm raring to go I might cycle to Rotterdam as I'd have to change trains there anyway to get the train to Venlo.

The wait would give me a chance to read the Rhine book and do some planning, I suppose!


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## summerdays (20 May 2009)

Camera - I couldn't go anywhere without mine.

Puncture repair kit? Pump etc

Mini tool kit


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## Arch (20 May 2009)

Is it me, or can I not see tools/repair kit/pump?

Also, take a handful of zipties and a length of gaffer tape (you can wind some round something rather than take a whole roll) for emergency repairs.

Take the teabags out of the box and put them in a plastic bag, to squish down better. If you don't mind the odd weakish cuppa, only take half the number and use each one twice (although if you need to carry one between cuppas, you'll need a separate bag for it...)

A couple of clothes pegs - for hanging washed smalls up to dry and also just a useful thing to have - you'll never work out what for, until the day you realise it's just the thing you need.

Compass? I see you have a satnav, but a little compass isn't much extra, as a back up.


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## Cathryn (20 May 2009)

Corkscrew.....


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## Auntie Helen (20 May 2009)

Camera - I have, I was using it to take the piccie!
Hairbrush is also on the bed but hidden behind my helmet.
Cycle tools/puncture kit/cyclaire pump etc is all still on my trike as I am using it - but well remembered! It already has gaffer tape and cable ties, etc.
Clothespegs was an excellent suggestion, thank you!
I am planning to decant the teabags before I go but the dog will have at them if they're just in a placcie bag now.
Corkscrew... no point for me, I'm teetotal. Which makes a tour of the Riesling Vineyards a bit silly, but I can still eat their cakes and chocolate!
Think I have a mini compass somewhere, I shall go and see if I can find it.


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## BigonaBianchi (20 May 2009)

> German flag
> English flag



forget the flags...Germans arnt big on national flags. Get a Gb sticker on your bike if you must.


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## Davywalnuts (20 May 2009)

"Dutch" courage? or is that too cheesy! hehehe! 

Mmmm, mini first aid kit and that stuff you have if you get stung? I've still got a lump on my head from a bee sting last week! 

Travel plug? Talc? Another pair of socks? Vaseline?

Good luck too btw!


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## Auntie Helen (20 May 2009)

I wanted the flags so people know in which languages to speak to me. They seemed pretty keen on flags when I was there for the World Cup and the European Cup!

I'm going to stick them on my main trike flagpole as a bit of extra visibility too.


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## Auntie Helen (20 May 2009)

Davywalnuts said:


> Mmmm, mini first aid kit and that stuff you have if you get stung? I've still got a lump on my head from a bee sting last week!
> 
> Travel plug? Talc? Another pair of socks? Vaseline?


Haven't got a first aid kit but I tend to avoid getting stung - I can pop into a chemist if something happens. I have travel plugs. And why would a recumbent rider need vaseline?


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## 3tyretrackterry (20 May 2009)

well good luck if you havent already gone


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## Tharg2007 (20 May 2009)

you've made a terrible mistake! you bought tetley instead of PG tips


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## rafiki (20 May 2009)

Auntie Helen said:


> Thanks Alan, I was aware of that. I had a very complicated time discovering if I could take recumbents on the trains at all - eventually I was phoned by NS who said that I could but that I had to avoid the rush hour, as you said above. So I'll find myself some breakfast somewhere. If I'm raring to go I might cycle to Rotterdam as I'd have to change trains there anyway to get the train to Venlo.
> 
> The wait would give me a chance to read the Rhine book and do some planning, I suppose!



My OH is originally from Venlo so if we can help let us know (not about routes though as she is 'navigationally challenged').


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## Auntie Helen (20 May 2009)

Tetley Drawstring is the BEST tea  PG tips is too strong for me, plus doesn't have the drawstring which means you don't need a spoon!

I'm not going until Sunday night, just trying to organise myself and check my kit-list first (which has been most useful, thanks all).

Rafiki, all I'm doing in Venlo is getting off one train and onto another, although that can have its own excitement as I'm manhandling a laden trike. I have the Rail & Sail ferry/train ticket which takes me to any part of Holland so I picked Venlo as it's the most suitable border crossing for Germany (from what I can gather). I shall buy a Deutsche Bahn ticket there and pootle on to Koeln, via Moenchengladbach.


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## Davywalnuts (20 May 2009)

Vaseline for your lips! Surely all women carry vaseline dont they?? hehe


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## Auntie Helen (20 May 2009)

Davywalnuts said:


> Vaseline for your lips! Surely all women carry vaseline dont they?? hehe


Clearly not Essex Women.


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## DJ (20 May 2009)

Auntie Helen said:


> Clearly not Essex Women.






What about German women?

Oh and good luck, sounds like a fun way to spend a holiday!!

Do you actualy need a holiday?


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## Auntie Helen (20 May 2009)

djtheglove said:


> What about German women?
> 
> Oh and good luck, sounds like a fun way to spend a holiday!!
> 
> Do you actualy need a holiday?


Everyone needs a holiday! But you're right, I've not exactly been working myself to death, but it's a mixture of holiday and Study Tour To Improve My Spoken German, of course 

No idea if German women wear vaseline... perhaps I can make it my mission to find out. Or I could go with the original mission to eat lots of cake, which has more overall appeal.


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## DJ (20 May 2009)

Auntie Helen said:


> Everyone needs a holiday! But you're right, I've not exactly been working myself to death, but it's a mixture of holiday and Study Tour To Improve My Spoken German, of course
> 
> No idea if German women wear vaseline... perhaps I can make it my mission to find out. Or I could go with the original mission to eat lots of cake, which has more overall appeal.





Mmmmm! DJ wears a slightly bemused look at the thought of AH making it her mission to find out if German women wear vaseline?!


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## Auntie Helen (20 May 2009)

djtheglove said:


> Mmmmm! DJ wears a slightly bemused look at the thought of AH making it her mission to find out if German women wear vaseline?!


You edited out your fantasy, DJ! Although I have to say, women & vaseline doesn't particularly work for me.


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## Speicher (20 May 2009)

If you would like people to talk to you in German, why would you like to take the flags? If they see the English flag, will they start to talk to you in English?


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## Auntie Helen (20 May 2009)

Well I could always hide the English flag. But I thought they might be more inclined to speak to me if I'm apparently a tourist than a random German person. I shall have to do some kind of study to see what gets the best response.


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## tapan (20 May 2009)

Have a good trip. I have cycled much of thst route in 2006. This time next week I shall be in bed en route from Hull to Rotterdam Europort. So on Thursday 28th early in the moring I am head for the Hoek van Holland and thence round tht top on my way ro Berlin and back.

But I tow a trailer and I camp and I am a solo cyclist! I am getting itchy feet at this time and look forward to being on the road again. Not a speed freak -- just an old guy pottering along with time no object. I hope to cover about 2500 kms in about 5 weeks! The main aim to to talk to people and enjoy being on the road again.

I just hope that 2009 is a bit drier than 2008!!

Anyway Helen, have a good trip and just enjoy!


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## Haitch (21 May 2009)

Have you got any sun cream? Don't know about Germany but the weather in Holland has been very sunny for the past few weeks and is set to stay that way.


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## nilling (21 May 2009)

Hello tapan,

Just a quick note to say how much I have enjoyed reading about your cycling tours on your web page!

Hello Auntie Helen,

Have a great trip!


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## redjedi (21 May 2009)

Hi

It looks as if you've got everything. My only suggestions would be a plug, the sink type not electrical, it may not be needed but I have stayed in places where they don't put plugs in the sinks, which make washing in them a bit more tricky.

Like this

And to expand on Arch's suggestion of clothes pegs, may I suggest a travel washing line

Like this one

You can probably get it cheaper in a pound shop. And will be very usefull for drying your clothes overnight in your room.

Have a nice trip, but why is Uncle James not going with you?


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## ChrisKH (21 May 2009)

Have a great trip Helen.

Don't forget painkillers and anti-inflammatories as a precaution. I know Germany sells them too, but it's nice to have some in reserve.


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## Auntie Helen (21 May 2009)

Hi All,

Uncle James isn't going with me as he's going on a three week sailing trip to Jersey/Alderney on our old boat (with the chap we sold it to).

No sun cream as I don't tend to need it. I will pack some paracetamol but sadly am allergic to anti-inflammatories so have to grin and bear it if I think I need some.

Just came back from getting my legs/armpits waxed in preparation for three weeks on the road. Not that the Germans would bat an eyelid if I were hairy, but I couldn't bear the thought...


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## Sittingduck (21 May 2009)

Good Luck!


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## Haitch (21 May 2009)

Yes, have fun, Helen. Don't forget the laptop so you can keep us up to date.


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## Auntie Helen (21 May 2009)

I have no laptop, I shall rely in Internet Cafés. Watch this space... and Cyclogs too!


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## TheDoctor (21 May 2009)

Have a great time. I'm glad the Rhine Guidebook is proving useful!


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## snorri (21 May 2009)

Have you got your Health Insurance card (EHIC) ?


Auntie Helen said:


> English flag
> Any thoughts/comments appreciated.


That is not the English flag on your bed


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## Auntie Helen (21 May 2009)

Yep, have my EHIC thanks.

Oops about the flag, I'm normally very precise about these things! I put it down to receiving both a UKIP and BNP flyer in the post yesterday morning.


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## snorri (21 May 2009)

I wish you the German equivalent of Bon Voyage.
I'm just gearing up to get away to mainland Europe myself, any week now.


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## Auntie Helen (21 May 2009)

Well Uncle James has now finished with his panniers so I loaded my stuff... and could fit everything in fairly easily, no need for the Trice Sidepods.

I have decided instead to fix a small rucksack to the top of my pannier rack, along with James's panniers, for the vital documentation and to give me a bag to walk around with. The trike feels quite heavy with all the stuff but goes well - particularly down hills!


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## summerdays (21 May 2009)

Don't forget to allow space for all those cakes and other essential items you will buy along the way for supplies.

And don't forget water bottles too.


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## peanut (21 May 2009)

have a great time Helen. Only done that trip in a car and that was very memorable.
Has anyone mentioned taking a penknife? always useful.
The only other thing would be a name and address label with contact number for next of kin and maybe blood group etc on the bike somewhere .sorry to be morbid but its essential


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## Cathryn (21 May 2009)

Have a great time....very jealous so have a wunderbar time!


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## Auntie Helen (21 May 2009)

Have a name and address label with next of kin details packed in my bags. Don't actually know my blood group so can't include that, but have included medications to which I am allergic.

Penknife is actually a good idea to get all those flints out of the tyres. I must go out and buy one... if I'm allowed to these days!


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## Speicher (21 May 2009)

This is in no way a criticism, I am just curious. Why are you taking an English phone and a German phone. Has your English one got Roaming on it? Or is it cheaper to make calls within Germany on a German phone?


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## TheDoctor (21 May 2009)

Swiss army knife - solution to all concievable problems, and will get you into any food or drink container on the face of the planet.


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## Auntie Helen (21 May 2009)

Speicher said:


> This is in no way a criticism, I am just curious. Why are you taking an English phone and a German phone. Has your English one got Roaming on it? Or is it cheaper to make calls within Germany on a German phone?



Yeah, because I have a couple of friends in Germany who I'll ring when I'm there, plus I may ring the B&Bs to check they have room before I go searching for them in the towns/villages. It's just a PAYG SIM that I've had for a few years and it's got some credit on it so it seems useful. I don't want to rack up whopper roaming charges from my UK phone.

I also have a German bank account with Deutsche Bank. This is all to ease my husband into the idea of going to live there long term... which he won't go for, I know, but one can but make it easier in incremental stages!


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## Auntie Helen (21 May 2009)

TheDoctor said:


> Swiss army knife - solution to all concievable problems, and will get you into any food or drink container on the face of the planet.


And I just found one in the clock (my husband suggested looking in the cupboard at the bottom of the clock... and he was right! Magic! It also has a nail file too, which might come in handy.)


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## TheDoctor (21 May 2009)

Yes, if you can't pull nails out of the tyres you can file them down a bit.

What?


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## mike1026 (21 May 2009)

Bleib Trocken
Bleib Sicher
Bleib Glücklich
Gute Reise
Chuss!


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## peanut (22 May 2009)

User3143 said:


> 12'' Hunting knife from the local army & navy store should do the trick...



I said a knife not a tooth pick lee 
http://www.whipperleys.co.uk/acatalog/machete_info_144.html


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## peanut (22 May 2009)

Auntie Helen said:


> Have a name and address label with next of kin details packed in my bags. have included medications to which I am allergic.



could I suggest that you print those details on a small adhesive backed label and stick one visible on the bike so that anyone finding you have that info immediately to hand. At least a next-of-kin fone number . No one is likey to rummage through your bags at the scene of an accident (god forbid)


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## Auntie Helen (22 May 2009)

Good point - I might cable-tie it to the trike somewhere, or maybe even put it on my seat so if I have an accident and fall off, it becomes visible.


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## grhm (22 May 2009)

redjedi said:


> My only suggestions would be a plug, the sink type not electrical, it may not be needed but I have stayed in places where they don't put plugs in the sinks, which make washing in them a bit more tricky.
> 
> Like this



One of our scouts has hiked aboard and he too found some cheap places don't have plugs. He found a old squash ball (possibly cut in half) worked wonders in many different sized plug holes. Just a thought.

Make sure you take a tupperware type container to hold biscuits/cake etc purchased on route. Can't be going all that way for stale cake .


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## peanut (22 May 2009)

Auntie Helen said:


> Good point - I might cable-tie it to the trike somewhere, or maybe even put it on my seat so if I have an accident and fall off, it becomes visible.


it'll probably come unstuck and stick to your bum in which case they'll have to upend you to read your particulars


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## Auntie Helen (24 May 2009)

...and I'm ready to go, all packed and trike fettled and cleaned (well, a quick wipe-down with a wet cloth anyway). I'm very happy I've fitted everything in two panniers and a mini rucksack.






















Setting off at about half past seven tonight so I get to Harwich in the daylight. And what a fab day it is to be setting off on a three week tour.

My husband's going off sailing to the Channel Islands with a friend. He has three large sailing bags full of stuff, so it just goes to say that women don't always have the most luggage!


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## peanut (24 May 2009)

quite an adventure Helen.

Have a wonderful time and a safe journey.


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## topcat1 (24 May 2009)

Have a good time and take loads of photos.


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## Kirstie (24 May 2009)

Wow - have a brilliant time! I'm very jealous!

Could I suggest hand washing liquid decanted into a smaller bottle? Many B&B owners may actually offer to wash your kit if you ask nicely, so it's a fall back really.


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## summerdays (25 May 2009)

Have a great time ... take lots of photo's and remember to eat some cake


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## Auntie Helen (25 May 2009)

in Köln, had a really hrd day tday on the trains with trk, pluskept getting lost. Bad compuer, sorry. Hope to have better day tomorrow, aiming for Koblenz.


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## Haitch (25 May 2009)

Auntie Helen said:


> had a really hrd day tday on the trains with trk, pluskept getting lost. Bad compuer, sorry. Hope to have better day tomorrow, aiming for Koblenz.




Think positive. Foreign landfall successfully negotiated, triumphed over the railways and dawn over the Rhine valley awaits.


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## Andy in Sig (25 May 2009)

It'll be plain sailing from now on Helen: just keep the water on your left and don't go in to it and stay off the railway line to your right.


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## stevevw (26 May 2009)

Have a great time Helen. I am looking forward to the reports and pictures.

Steve


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## TheDoctor (26 May 2009)

Shiney side up, rubber side down.
If it's dead, eat it. If it's not dead, kill it. Then eat it.
Have a great trip


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## Tedx (26 May 2009)

I'm also cycling the Rhine all the way to Andermatt in Switzerland. From there I'll be riding through France over the Pyrenees and into Spain. I leave on Thursday 4th June. Starting to get a mixture of excitement  and fear  still not sure I can cover the distance but I'll give it a good try!


Good luck on your travels!


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## Auntie Helen (26 May 2009)

*Day 1 - Sunday 24 May.*

Left home at 18:45, popped in to the beer/music festival at my local punb to say goodbye to the neighbours, then hit the road in earnest.

The trike was going well despite all the luggage - it seems less bouncy over bumps although there's still a creaking from the suspension or the seat. I'd changed to the green (harder) suspension elastomer before setting off and I think that's a good idea with the 15kg load of luggage the trike is carrying.

The hills to Wrabness weren't a problem and I was making a good average speed.

I arrived at Harwich 30 minutes before ferry check-in opened so I waited in a queue with a lot of motorists. A rowdy group of schoolkids in two minibuses kept shouting at me (all good natured, but not very peaceful!)

After check-in I locked my bike near the lounge area and got a cup of tea. A Dutch man on a high recumbent bicycle arrived and we got chatting - he had cycled from Milton Keynes today. A motorist came and joined us to also talk about cycling in Holland. The Dutchman found the English roads a bit scary as there were few cycle paths.

The Stena chaps let us take a short cut so we didn't have to go on a big bridge to the ferry. We got on and were shown to a special bike storage room - whose door was about 2cm narrower than my trike's beam. The Dutch guy helped me get the trike in, we locked them up and then I went and found my room, which was pretty decent.











I had my first experience of handwashing clothes, they are now hanging in the shower to dry. I went and had a burger and chips, then went to bed to try to get a good night's sleep.


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## Sittingduck (26 May 2009)

Nice write-up AH... keep 'em coming


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## Auntie Helen (26 May 2009)

*Day 2 - Monday 25th May*

Distance: 34.71 miles; time: 04:05:49; Average speed: 8.5mph; Max speed: 30.5mph

Woke up horribly early (5am) while we were still at sea. Looked at the breakfast for sale but at €12.50 decided that was too much so had the banana I'd brought with me.

The tannoy called us to our cars so after some faffing with the lift I returned to the bike storage room. The Dutch man was there as well so helped me get my bike out - it was easier to manoeuvre without the panniers on.

Had my passport checked, then pedalled a grand total of 0.2 miles to the railway station at Hoek van Holland. I had decided, as it was 8am, to get a train from the Hook rather than cycle to Rotterdam - I already had the ticket as part of the ferry package, after all. I couldn't catch a train with a bike until 9am but this turned out to be a good thing as it took me almost an hour to buy the ticket for my bike. The first ticket machine I tried wouldn't speak English; when I had worked out the Dutch for a bike ticket, I discovered the machine only took cards - it didn't like my debit card.

I then noticed a second ticket machine that took coins. Hurrah! So I went through the ticket-choosing rigmarole and it asked for 6€ for a bike ticket for the day. This was fine, except I only had 5,80€ in change. The man in the fish shop next to the ticket machines didn't have any change either but directed me to the supermarket. I went there, bought a bar of chocolate (they had no fresh sandwiches whatsoever, which is what I wanted really), bought my bike ticket and ate my breakfast of 8 squares of chocolate.

The sprinter train duly arrived just after 9am. When the carriage door opened a pole in the centre looked like a problem but I squeezed the trike past it.

At Rotterdam there was a large lift which made it easy to get to the platform for the train to Venlo that was already waiting. It was easier to get the bike onto this train, a double-decker, but a bit tricky to stow it as there was another bike in the space too. I sat on the trike for a bit until proper seats became available and with half an hour to go to Venlo I had the carriage to myself.





At Venlo the trike on trains problems really started. To get off the platform into the ticket hall I had to go through a narrow doorway - which required me to turn the trike on its side. Not very easy and I ended up with massive oil marks on my leg. 





When in the ticket hall I struggled to work out what ticket I needed. I gave up and went to the information desk. The woman at the desk told me she couldn't sell me a ticket to Köln, only to Mönchengladbach, but that there was a Deutsche Bahn ticket machine in the central area. Indeed there was, so I went to have a chat with it. Despite having an option for English it steadfastly insisted on speaking German; fortunately this isn't too bad as my German is notably ahead of my Dutch.

There wasn't an option of a ticket to Köln but there was a direct train to Düsseldorf and as time was marching on (and the trains are only once an hour) I went for that one and also bought my bike ticket. I had to lift my bike through the narrow doors again and a station employee then took me across the tracks at the end of the platform so that I didn't have to go up and down stairs. Hurrah!

The Deutsche Bahn train was already there and the conductor took one look at my trike and led me to the front carriage which he said was larger. He proceeded to disconnect the hand-grip pole between the train doors so that I could get the trike on - just. He said he'd come back and let me off at Düsseldorf when I explained that was where I was going.





When the train stopped at Mönchengladbach I could see across the platform the Köln-Koblenz train that I had initially planned to get. It had lovely wide doors with no inconvenient poles - but I didn't have a ticket for it and the conductor wasn't coming to let me out anyway so I watched it pull away, thinking it would have been nice to get it. How right I was!

When I got to Düsseldorf at about 12:30pm I was released from the train and had to drag the trike down a flight of steps off the platform. I had a bread roll for lunch and then set off towards the Rhine to start my journey southwards.

The next few hours are a bit of a hazy memory. Despite my guidebook and the fact that there was a river to follow, I kept getting lost. The cycle route signs were a bit sporadic and sometimes just seemed to disappear. I had to ask directions regularly (and no-one seemed to know which way to go) and ended up at one point on a film set! There were some heavy rainclouds creeping closer and I was very thirsty, my warm water having run out and the ubiquitous German cafes magically having disappeared. When I found a drinks shop in Dormagen I drank 750mls water straight away!

I rolled into Köln at six during a huge lightning storm (it always rains in Köln at 5pm), feeling pretty despondent as I was wet and had nowhere yet to stay. I asked in several hotels for their room prices but they were all 65€ and up, with no secure bike storage. In the end, after 15 minutes at the tourist information centre,they thought the Youth Hostel in Deutz (across the river from the Cathedral) would suit, although I'd have to share a room. They phoned them up (at my request) and discovered there is a bike cellar for safe bike storage. Hurrah. Oh, and the shared room would be just 25€.

I cycled there, getting lost again (despite being fairly familiar with Köln, just not on a bike) and lo and behold the Youth Hostel was really good. Even better, they had a single room available for 42€ which I went for. There was an excellent bike storage cellar and the room was very decent with en-suite. I showered in my clothes (feels very weird!) to wash them and hung them to dry on my heath robinson washing line before sampling the 5,20€ evening meal of rice and mysterious meatballs. They gave me extra rice at my request. By 8:30pm I was back in my room and could have fallen asleep but I had to spend some time cleaning the melted chocolate off the plastic bag lining my panniers (it looked like an accident with a dog poop bag so I cut a bit of the liner out, there was an excess fortunately) and then ate the salvageable chocolate for dessert. I turned the lights off and went to bed at 9pm, really tired and fairly disheartened about the whole thing.


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## rich p (26 May 2009)

Chin up! You'll get into the rythym of the days, I'm sure. Maybe you should try to finish your rides by, say, 3pm to give you time to find accommodation, wash, relax and enjoy the place you're in.


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## Crackle (26 May 2009)

Agree with rich_p, nowt more depressing than getting into the swing of things when it's all a bit strange, especially on your lonesome. A few days and you'll be fine.


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## Auntie Helen (26 May 2009)

*Day 3 - Tuesday 26th May*

Distance: 45.34 miles; time: 04:09:27; Average speed: 10.9 mph; Max speed: 18.7mph; Calories (according to Garmin): 2928


After 9.5 hours of sleep I felt much refreshed!

I had a good breakfast with a cup of tea (1 teabag down, 79 to go) and it made me realise that I didn't have a single cuppa yesterday. Explains why I found the day so hard!

My clothes were magically dry and not too crispy so I packed everything away (I was wearing the other set of clothing), checked out at 9am and set off, crossing the Deutzer Brücke first so that I was cycling on the west bank (Köln side, which is apparently a nicer route). Saw Rheinenergie, newest Köln-Düsseldorfer cruise ship line boat.





I trundled along the promenade past the cathedral (good photo opportunity of trike with an amazing work of architecture behind it), then went on a bit further.















It was when I beheld a sign for Dormagen that I realised I might have made a mistake. I went through Dormagen yesterday! A glance at my Garmin confirmed the error - heading North-East. Yes, I had done the two miles in the wrong direction! I turned and retraced my steps/wheelmarks, waving happily (again) at the cruise ship that was docking; got dozens of friendly waves back (again).

Once I cycled under the Deutzer Brücke I knew I was on my way and made a mental note to keep the river on my left!

The forecast for today was rain (at least when I left England) but it was just cloudy when I left and it improved as the day went on. Although, I kid you not, we had a few spots of rain between 5:00pm and 5:02pm, despite no longer being in Köln. But I'm running ahead of myself there.

There was quite a strong headwind which meant I was forever wiping blossom out of my eyes (had the same problem yesterday), despite wearing quite large sunglasses. Sometimes the path looked like it was covered in snow, there was so much blossom.





If yesterday hadn't been that great, today was very different. Although my average speed wasn't that high (10.9mph) because of the pedestrian traffic and occasional need to cross roads, the actual route was very good. Much of it was right beside the river so there was always plenty going on to watch. There were loads of other cyclists, many with large touring panniers, and I noticed that German tourers seemed to all have Ortliebs.

I passed some local cyclists but was only passed a couple of times all day - perhaps I'm going faster than I should, even if it's not very fast.

I haven't seen another recumbent here in Germany yet but I did see a photo of one - it was an advertising poster for the European Parliament elections and the prospective candidate was riding one. Vote for me, I've got a strange bike, perhaps.

Not all views were entirely attractive:





I stopped for a piece of Apfelkuchen, some fresh water and a loo stop in Bonn. 










I carried on to Remagen where I had pizza for lunch, knowing there wasn't that far to go to Bad Breising which I had chosen as my next overnight stop. I had initially wondered about getting to Koblenz, about 40km further on, but I wanted some time to look around, plus the Koblenz hotels seemed more pricey according to my Bett & Bike book. It was lovely sitting eating pizza looking over the Rhine... and with my trike safely in view.










The trip from Remagen to Bad Breising was very short, only about 8km. 





I found the hotel I had chosen, Hotel Anker (Anchor) and it seemed really nice. My room was very spacious with a most decent en-suite, and all for 35€ including breakfast. 





They had a very good bike storage garage too!





I had another shower in clothes, rigged up another washing line, and set off to have a look around. I got my 500€ note changed at a bank (phew, it's scary walking around with a 480 pound note!), bought some more chocolate for dessert, topped up the credit on my German mobile phone, and then went in search of aninternet cafe. And searched. And searched. And asked some people... 'No internet cafe in Bad Breising' I was told by two separate people, so i believed them. I had a cup of tea (2 teabags down, 78 to go) and slice of Himbeerschnitte and read the local paper, then wandered back. I passed a large hotel and thought, 'I wonder if they have an Internet machine'. And lo and behold they did, thus this write-up.

Anyway, Bad Breising is a lovely, quaint, picturesque place and has made a good stop on my very enjoyable journey. Tomorrow I plan to have lunch in Koblenz (40km) and then head off down the Mosel river, seeing how far I get comfortably. I think 4-5 hours on the trike is about right, it gives me time to do some sightseeing in the afternoon. I'm also toying with the idea of getting the train part of the way back - maybe Koblenz to Düsseldorf, maybe even further (Duisberg, if it goes that far?) as I think I'm in the picturesque bit now and have no great desire to retrace my steps from Köln to Düsseldorf... But I have a couple of weeks to work that out.

I've been interested to see how many Germans have butterfly bars on their bikes - and there are also a lot of Rohloff hubs in evidence. It's the weather for muscle shirts and the German men I see on bikes seem generally to carry that look off very well too. Who knows what they think of me recumberating long with my bright red non-Ortlieb panniers...

The trike is a marvellous machine for cycle touring... once you're on the road! The train bit isn't fun, and the security issue is a slight headache, but cycling with all my luggage feels effortless and I certainly get a lot of comments from passers-by, even though few people have said much to me so far. But today has been very good and I look forward to tomorrow's ride.


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## summerdays (26 May 2009)

It will be better now you aren't relying on the trains to determine your day. 

Glad to see Day 3 looks better .... you posted it about the same time as I replied to Day 1 and 2 ... maybe I have to head to Germany to try out butterfly bars.


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## Auntie Helen (26 May 2009)

Thanks for all the comments folks, as you can see I was writing up everything and posting it as I got that bit written (I had made notes in my little black book to work from).

By the way, you should be impressed at my typing skill on the German keyboard with z and y switched round and punctuation such as ) and ( and ' elsewhere. Itäs quite difficult to write about czcling in Germanz on a German kezboard if zouäre not pazing attention!


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## Andy in Sig (27 May 2009)

Nice to see that your tour is getting on track. Once you are past Koblenz it would be a shame not to stay in a couple of wine villages/towns. Bacharach is a really nice place and their is an excellent restaurant near the Post (might be called Die Alte Post) where you can eat outside in the courtyard. I seem to remember Trechtinghausen as a nice wine village too.


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## Auntie Helen (28 May 2009)

Photos so far now here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/12938818@N00/show/

It seems to be showing them in reverse order, unfortunatelz. Have had no opportunitz to turn them the right way up or delete ones that are duplicates and not so good.


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## stevevw (28 May 2009)

For a person that does not drink you seem to like the raw material 

Oh and you did not tell me you had taken a snap of me and made it in to a poster.


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## Auntie Helen (28 May 2009)

*Day 4 - Wednesday 27th May*

Distance: 48.35 miles; time: 04:39:32; Average speed: 10.4 mph; Max speed: 19.9 mph; Calories (according to Garmin): 3011


Breakfast of cold meats and cheese with a boiled egg set me up for the morning's ride, although I eschewed the black bread (I ate the two white rolls instead!). Had a refreshing cup of tea (3 down, 77 to go).

I set off at 9am and was pleased to find that yesterday's headwind had dropped considerably. The path was good, running mostly alongside the river. However in places the path was quite rough as tree roots had lifted the asphalt. These weren't always easy to see with the blossom/sunlight so my poor trike had quite a bumpy time. I wonder if it will ever be the same again after this tour - and the gears at the back aren't as precise as they used to be!

Passed this strange obelisk with distances on them. Not sure what measurement the distances are as Koblenz was about 30km at this point.





I reached Andernach which was rather industrial and necessitated a significant detour around various construction areas and a mini container depot.

After Andernach it wasn't far to Koblenz and I stopped for a few minutes to look at the statue at Deutches Eck, where the Mosel flows into the Rhine.





The preferred cycle route crosses over the Mosel into Koblenz so I followed this but missed the turning to join the Mosel Radweg (badly signposted) and ended up stuck in a cycle lane as part of the main road into Koblenz. I couldn't turn around for a few minutes and still struggled to find the cycle path, locating it eventually.

My Garmin had a Mosel Radweg route courtesy of the German tourist board and I followed this - it was mostly right!

Lunch was Spargelcremesuppe in a very quaint Weinstube in Winningen. The ladies' loos had lots of posters of semi-naked men on the walls!










What was rather ironic was that as I turned westwards along the Mosel I suddenly found yesterday's headwind! Fortunately the river twists and turns a great deal so there were some periods with shelter.






The Radweg was quite up-and-down for the first ten miles, following the terraces of the vineyards and separated from the river by the road and railway line. There were some quite steep inclines but they were short enough that I didn't have to resort to the granny ring.

In fact, I've noticed that I spend 99% of the time on the middle chainring, only using the big chainring very occasionally. At home I use the big chainring 90% of the time but they are much faster roads.

The landscape of the Mosel is very different from the Rhine - so far the north side (along which I'm riding) is planted with vineyards on the very steep terracing. There are occasional things that look like ladders or drainpipes but are actually tracks for little dollies used to transport things (or people?) as part of the viticulture. The hills are very steep-sided with all towns and villages huddled at the bottom of the slopes.











The other side of the river, the south bank, has so far had much more forestation with only a few vineyards. I remember from the cruise last October that in most parts both sides are completely covered with vineyards.






After a while the Radweg turned into a lane on the main road - the river-side lane, thus I was cycling towards oncoming traffic. It was wide enough for me and my panniers to pass another pannier-laden bike - just!






At my lunch stop in Winningen I had looked at the guide book and discovered that hotels are cheaper in Treis-Karden than Cochem, 10km further on and a real tourist spot. I had visited Cochem last October and liked it but decided to go for the economy option in Treis-Karden instead. I arrived at 3pm, found the Hotel Moselblick and checked in. The price was 30€ B&B, the cheapest so far, and it was noticeable - the room had all that was necessary but looked a bit tired.

I had my shower - clothed again - although I struggled to coax hot water out at a decent pressure although cold was fine! I hung the clothes to dry on a line stretched between the TV and the radiator - whoever recommended me to bring some short clothes line was a genius!

I then went out to have some tea (4 down, 76 to go) and cake and to see if I could find an internet cafe, which I couldn't (and various people I asked said there wasn't one). I had a slice of nut and cream caike which was lovely though!

I then went for a wander and found the local supermarket. I was on the hunt for my usual chocolate rations although would have preferred a smaller overall amount. With the daytime temperature on the bike I can't take it with me but eating 100g a day just seems too much (did I really just write that????) Anyway, I found a family bag of smarties which will hopefully do the trick.

The supermarket also sold books and lo and behold they had copies of 'Der Vorleser', one of the set books for next term at Uni, so I bought it. I will have something to read on the journey now when the talking book on my phone isn't appropriate.

One very good thing on this tour so far is that there doesn't seem to be any problem getting accommodation. I imagine it would be quite a problem in late July or August though.

Had dinner in a local pizzeria that had a TV screen above my head with a live feed from their stone oven - an ovencam!

Slept OK although the room had no curtains so once it grew dark I felt I couldn't have the light on else all those sailing the Mosel would be able to see in.


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## snapper_37 (28 May 2009)

Great photos AH. Got to say I admire your guts to 'got it alone'.


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## ChrisKH (28 May 2009)

Well done Helen! Keep it up, we'll have nothing interesting to read othwerwise.


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## Kirstie (28 May 2009)

Nice one AH!
Hands up everyone who thinks that Auntie Helen is a bit indestructible!
<raises hand>


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## Haitch (28 May 2009)

<hand raised>


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## ChrisKH (28 May 2009)

Kirstie said:


> Nice one AH!
> Hands up everyone who thinks that Auntie Helen is a bit indestructible!
> <raises hand>


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## rafiki (28 May 2009)

Me too.


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## arallsopp (28 May 2009)

<raises hand to the clouds. A short reach from his already elevated position atop the tall bent>


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## Aperitif (28 May 2009)

Auntie!

You seem to have a dose of 'Andy iloveoilybits' leg.

You trend setter - keeping up with the boys in the 'hood. 

Take careaschnitzel garminnugrumfurer...


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## Auntie Helen (28 May 2009)

*Day 5 - Thursday 28th May*

Distance: 44.34 miles; time: 4:03:48; Average speed: 10.9 mph; Max speed: 21.0 mph; Calories (guesstimate as Garmin lost 'em): 3000

After breakfast I set off at 9am, wanting to get on the road so I could do my riding in the morning and hopefully arrive at either Traben-Trarbach or Bernkastel-Kues (whichever I feel like, Bernkastel is farther) with enough time to have a look around again.

I put on armwarmers today, not particularly because it was cold (although that headwind was there again) but more to keep my arms out of the sun for a day. I also decided to wear my other, much thinner-framed glasses, as I have very much the look of an owl about my face at the moment.

I didn't see another cyclist for the first half hour (lazy people!) but as I neared Cochem, my internet-cafe stop, I saw a few. On my way back along the Mosel I will stop in Cochem for the night as I'd forgotten how nice it was! At the Internet cafe I was able to download my photos to my Flickr account which is rather good.











The route from Cochem westwards was really good and fast and I was regularly cruising at 14mph, a first for this tour! The cycle path markings were also very good and easy to follow, which was useful as my German Tourist Board GPS route wanted me to cross over at Cochem and go on the other side of the river. Which I didn't want to do - I plan to go all the way to Trier on the north side and all the way back on the south side. The Garmin had a hiccup anyway over a particularly dramatic bump and turned itself off (it does this about once a week over a big bump) and I didn't notice instantly; annoyingly it forgets the calorie calculation so I've had to guess at calories for today, not that it's that accurate anyway probably.

I had planned to stop for lunch at Bullay but then discovered it was the other side of the Mosel from the side I was cycling and I missed the bridge. Never mind, I trundled on to Zell which was a rather pretty village... mostly on the other side of the river. There was a footbridge that I used to get across the river which had a most exciting steep descent with plenty of rubber marks on the tarmac from madly-braking cyclists. My trike's brakes are great so no problem.

I faffed about choosing somewhere for lunch (why? Everywhere is generally good in Germany) and ended up at yet another Italian restaurant. I parked my trike outside within view and settled down for a leisurely lunch as my overnight stop, Traben-Trarbach, was only another 21km further. Nothing like an Italian take on Chicken & Chips with Mushroom Sauce.





As I was sitting down to eat the first drops of rain fell so I went to the bike to put the waterproof cover thingie over the panniers. Some passers-by had stopped to admire it and they asked what the cover was for. "Gegen Regen" I replied, rather pleased with the rhyming! The rain stopped within a minute so by the time I returned to the trike the seat was dry.

I had my first equipment failure, however; the clip on the strap of my rucksack snapped. I have done a temporary fix which works fine for the rucksack on my shoulder but not to attach it to the trike - however the other strap still works for that. It was previously fixed to the trike in four places and is now only three, but I still think that's pretty securely attached.

Seeing as my journey isn't probably going to be as long as it could have been I have arranged for a ticket for an Andreas Scholl concert on the 12th June at the Wigmore Hall. I was really keen to go but thought I couldn't risk it as I might not be home; it looks very likely that I will be now so I contacted a friend who usually has spare tickets and lo and behold she did. Hurrah!

Anyway, I set off on the shortish journey from Zell to Traben-Trarbach which was through vineyards along their service roads. There was a fair bit of uphill but it meant I got some good views of the valley - the Moselle is particularly twisty at this point. It was also interesting to see the narrow tractors the winegrowers have that fit between the rows of vines.

On this tour I've seen a few tandems, including one towing a trailer; I reckon that where I have problems fitting my trike are probably similarly difficult for tandems, which are longer than my trike. But the vast majority of people are on normal bikes, mostly hybrids or bog-standard shopper types, a few mountain bikes and a very few racers. Virtually every shop has a bike rack outside and cycles are everywhere. Cars take really good care and seem to let me out at junctions very courteously. The cycling experience here is very good, and I just love those (mostly) flat routes.






As I arrived at Traben-Trarbach, a very attractive town either side of the river (one side is Traben, the other Trarbach, but I have no idea which is which) and eventually found the hotel I had chosen from my Bett & Bike book. 





It is a very interesting looking old building and I'm on the 3rd floor. The room is OK, not brilliant, but the cost is 35€ for the night. 

When I arrived and found they had a room I asked about the bike parking (something I think is very important). It turned out that the bike parking is actually an empty shop next to the hotel - with huge glass windows. So my bike has pride of place in there, although the hotel owner had to get her son to lift it through the rather narrow doorway. 










Some more spots of rain arrived as I entered the hotel so I timed that just right. The very friendly lady (who described me to her husband as 'a really nice female cyclist') offered me some free wine. When I said I didn't drink wine she offered me grape juice, which I also turned down. I explained that I only drink tea, water and orange juice, and that I'd had loads of orange juice at lunchtime. We agreed I could have some free tea later. She then said my German was 'perfekt' which I think is rather overstating the case!

So a shower/clothes wash, unpacking my panniers (my non-SPD shoes are always at the bottom), a handful of non-melted Smarties and off I voyaged to the internet cafe that I'd seen as I cycled into the town. It's the other side of the bridge between the two halves of the town, but of course I don't know which side that is!

Traben-Trarbach looks like the sort of place that would be good to visit for a few days as it has lots of museums (including apparently a 'Fahrrad Museum - eintritt frei' which when I went in appeared to just be a wine shop rather than bicycle museum), lots of nice buildings and a never-ending supply of wine and food. I shall set off tomorrow morning, though, to reach Trier and the furthest point of my Mosel Voyage. 

I raced a barge today (and won!) although he was going upstream - but I had a headwind (although so did he, I suppose).

So it's been a good day and I'm looking forward to my cup of tea and some more smarties when I return to my room.


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## Aperitif (28 May 2009)

Confirmed nutter! Leibfraumilch of human kindness and it is being turned down...



> The very friendly lady (who described me to her husband as 'a really nice female cyclist') offered me some* free wine.* When I said I didn't drink wine she offered me grape juice, which I also turned down. I explained that I only drink tea, water and orange juice,


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## Auntie Helen (28 May 2009)

Aperitif said:


> Confirmed nutter! Leibfraumilch of human kindness and it is being turned down...


I'm on the Mosel, it'd be a Riesling you know


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## Aperitif (28 May 2009)

Auntie Helen said:


> I'm on the Mosel, it'd be a Riesling you know



Reisling for aperitif...wondered when one was supposed to drink it.


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## Auntie Helen (28 May 2009)

Aperitif said:


> R*ei*sling for aperitif...wondered when one was supposed to drink it.


A small rice? You drink the strangest things!


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## arallsopp (28 May 2009)

Not that I'm bored at work, but did you know that 
_No Riesling for Helen_ is an anagram of _no reisling for Helen_ is an anagram of _ne'er on foreign hills_.


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## Aperitif (28 May 2009)

...apologies for my rieting - I don't do Germain...


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## arallsopp (28 May 2009)

Aperitif said:


> I don't do Germain...


Nor Garmin


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## Peter (28 May 2009)

Kirstie said:


> Nice one AH!
> Hands up everyone who thinks that Auntie Helen is a bit indestructible!
> <raises hand>



Hand held very high. Takes some bottle AH, not so much the mileage but going it alone and all the organising associated with it. Kudos


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## Aperitif (28 May 2009)

arallsopp said:


> Nor Garmin



Ah! Well picked up. Unnecessary, but well picked up. Low down, that's what you do...


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## Rob Beck (29 May 2009)

Hay Pink Panther i no u already gone but god sake hav a wonderful time i jus bout 2 leave for amsterdam to Roermond to visit my childhood home and c my birth place in Germany, Wegburg. Gud luck an happy peddlin


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## Rob Beck (29 May 2009)

WOW, jus luv the pics wat can i say hands up 2 u, i so envious. i LUV Germany an the ppl the place is so full of history an wonderful sights, i am off 2 Roermnd nxt month, my 1st cycling trip abroad wud luv 2 hear wat u all say i shud need 2 take i hav most of wat Antie Helen has but dont no bout thins lik Insurance, Hospital Insurance, etc. I am Camping on route an intend to carry ALL my cookin, campin, travelin gear in my MULE trailor an rear Panniers, Can any1 help wiv ideas4 things 2 plan 4 & 2 take (SMSd 2 cut writin time lol) i can spell really :-) i can speak German & Dutch quite well but its a list of gear i may need hope u can all help. Good luck Antie Helen i hope u r havin a FANTASTIC time.


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## summerdays (29 May 2009)

Perhaps you will meet more cyclists at the weekend AH? Is the weather going to be nice in Germany... its looking good here for once!!!


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## rich p (29 May 2009)

Well done Auntie. Inspiring me to do a solo trip but I like to bunny. Have I got your mental strength to go it alone.


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## ChrisKH (29 May 2009)

The Luxembourg Riesling is luverly. But then I'm biased.


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## Auntie Helen (29 May 2009)

*Day 6 - Friday 29th May*

Distance: 60.58 miles; time: 5:03:53; Average speed: 12.0 mph; Max speed: 25.0 mph; Calories (according to Garmin): 3894

So... this morning I realised I didn't know what time breakfast was, so decided to aim for 7:30am which would give me plenty of time to get on the road for my longest distance day in the current plans (100km, not including my diversions for getting lost). I woke up early again so listened to, and finished, my talking book. Started the next one, Lindsay Davis's "The Course of Honour" which is a historical novel about the emperor Vespasian (I have heard it before). Rather suitable for today's trip to Trier which is the Colchester of Germany (i.e. Roman place, not because it has Essex Girls in, or at least not that many I hope).

I was so early for breakfast that they hadn't yet got the fresh rolls in (I had standard brown bread) and the boiled eggs weren't ready either. I think a day without eggs might well be a good thing, however.

My trike came out of the shop OK although the mirror had a bit of a thwack in the doorway. I then had a little chat with the landlady about where I was going and she warned me that hotel rooms would be VERY hard to come by in Bernkastel-Kues on Saturday night as it's Pfingsten, the German Whitsun, which is a big public holiday. I took her comments on board and decided to call in at Bernkastel on my way to see if I could book a decent room - and to avoid any desperate room searches like the first day in Köln.

So off I pootled, crossing the bridge at Traben-Trarbach and trying to find the cycle route. Eventually I found that it wanted me to go back over the bridge again and after 10 minutes I was cycling past my hotel again. All systems normal then. Although my plan was to cycle on the north side of the river all the signage was for the south side and in the end I gave up and went with the flow - with such a long day I didn't want too many hopeless detours.

Today seemed to have more people out and about (no doubt taking a long Pfingsten weekend), including two occasions where I saw a man and woman cycling together with a small dog in the basket of the man's bike.

I stopped at the Tourist Information centre at Bernkastel-Kues and the nice chappie found me a room in a very nice looking hotel for 40€ (although the small print suggests they may charge 5€ for my bike, which seems a bit steep). But I am relieved to know I've got somewhere organised for the busy Pfingsten holiday, and in such an attractive town.

I got lost at Mülheim which was a bit rubbish as two different routes crossed and I got a bit mixed up as to where I was. My GPS track will look quite amusing for that part of the journey - like a demented bee!

I stopped at Piesport for tea and waffles and realised it was warming up. Prior to this I had been wearing my armwarmers and a sleeved shirt over my vest top. At Piesport the armwarmers came off - it was a very bright sunny day with totally blue sky and even the Mosel looked blue. 






After I left Piesport I noticed my mirror on the left hand side was rather droopy. Close examination showed that the plastic arm had cracked (this had happened to a previous mirror too), which presumably happened when it came out of the shop this morning. I tightened it up with my allen key (first use of any of the large selection of heavy tools I've been carting around with me) but I know it'll keep working loose until it gives up altogether.

I was now cycling along a beautiful stretch of fast Radweg through vineyards and onwards towards Trier. I got some cyclists to photograph me on the trike (to make a change from photos of the trike with no pilot) and had a 10 minute chat with them about cycling in Germany. My German was 'really good', apparently. The Germans are so polite!










There was a very strange steps/slope thing that I had to negotiate which required me to pull myself up the steep slope with my right arm whilst pedalling as well. The slope was just wide enough for the trike but it was a close thing. If I had James's trike, the Narrow Track version, I would have had far fewer problems with doorways and stuff - but then my trike is much nicer and has suspension so I still like it best!





Funnily enough, I noticed many slopes that I was riding up that other cyclists were all pushing their bikes. Lazy cyclists! Nothing to do with the fact that my bike has some very low gears, of course.

Lunch stop was Detzem and another quaint little food establishment where I just had some tomato soup (didn't feel like much) and a cup of tea as - horror of horrors - they had no Orangensaft. Working my way through my teabags today!





Today's average speed is, as you will notice, very good. For some reason I was zooming - the Radweg was good, of course, but I still can't entirely account for why I am so fast today. Perhaps it's all the smarties I ate last night. It may also be because I seem to have spent most of today on the big chainring (after writing yesterday that I was using the middle chainring all the time). Anyway, for whatever reason (warmer? less wind?) it means I covered the ground more quickly than expected and rolled into Trier at 4pm.

About 20km before Trier I stopped to photograph an enormous catamaran stuck in the middle of a vineyard (you don't see that every day) 





Whilst I was there the midges came out of nowhere. They were everywhere and I had to cycle for the next 10km with my mouth firmly shut, periodically wiping midges out of my eyes (despite my glasses). I had my buff on my head but if I had another one I would have put it around my mouth... although now I come to think of it you can arrange the buff as a kind of balaclava, so I probably could have made the one buff do both jobs. Oops. Anyway, a bit of extra protein just adds to the joys of the journey.

Although the midges provided some nourishment, I spent most of today desperate for a banana... and fortunately was able to buy some when I got to Trier (and ate two straight away). German holiday food is fairly low in fibre and after a while one rather misses it!

The landscape changed as I cycled today from very steep hills to gentle hills to very few hills. Trier seems to be on a bit of an flood plain, although with some hills around it, and it meant it was harder for me to find where I was. The expected session of getting lost happened as I came into Trier, although I knew roughly where my chosen hotel was, and at one point I was on the main road with various motorists shouting 'Radweg!' at me, which is par for the course.

I arrived at the hotel, went in to check in and asked how much a single room was. 78€ said the woman. WHAT? The guidebook says 30-50€. "Ah," she said, "but it's Pfingsten." Right.

So I went to the other hotel choice which was conveniently just round the corner. "How much for a single room with the Bett & Bike scheme?" "That will be 68€," came the reply from a young chap. Yikes! So I set myself to trying to charm him with a sob story of having cycled 100km (which they seem to think is a long way) and wanting a rest and the fact that the guide book said 30-50€. This partly worked as he said he'd give me the room for 60€, "even though it's Pfingsten." Thing is, the major Pfingsten hotel madness is tomorrow, not today, but there you go. Captive market. So I agreed to the 60 (nearly ended up paying 70 as he shortchanged me, but fortunately I spotted it and he was very apologetic), paid in advance and went for my shower etc.

I can see partly where the extra cost was, because this is the poshest hotel room yet (although I really liked the hotel in Bad Breising, for just 35€). This one even has a hairdryer, which no doubt I will wield to help dry my clothes. It has a TV which a couple of the others have had - I watched the Full Monty with German dubbing t'other day.


CONT below...


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## arallsopp (29 May 2009)

Concave dear. Goes in like a cave, and does not vex.


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## Andy in Sig (29 May 2009)

Helen,

have you not bought the Bikeline guide to the Moselradweg? It would help an awful lot with the navigation and save the false starts etc.


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## Auntie Helen (29 May 2009)

..cont from above

Once I'd showered and hung my clothes up to dry I went out for a look around Trier which I had visited briefly on our boat tour last October. It's a really nice place and the hotel happens to be right near the centre. 
















I bought some bananas and, knowing that the shops would be shut for the Pfingsten holiday until Tuesday, bought some M&Ms to replace the smarties which I have nearly finished. In fact, to be shockingly honest, I've bought two big bags of M&Ms - one lot of peanut ones, one lot of chocolate ones. Weirdly, despite doing a higher mileage than normal, I don't feel that I'm eating all that much, so I think I can get away with the chocolate. The mirror in the hotel in Bad Breising was slightly convex (concave??) and made me look thinner than reality which was most gratifying - goes hand-in-hand with the comment that Ian from Trikes 'n Stuff said, which I often quote, "the more you wear lycra, the better you think you look in it."

So I did the window shopping thing, plus banana-M&M purchasing. It's odd going shopping when you know that whatever you buy you'll be lugging around for the next week or so... concentrates the mind wonderfully. My diminishing stock of cash is still lasting quite well, I think I've spent about 400€ so far and have another 500 in cash. I can withdraw some more from my Deutsche Bank account, which I always expected to do, but it would be great if I can manage at least another week on the 500. But with hotels at 60€ that may not be possible.

So I've now had my first five full days, have cycled 250.65 miles on this tour (that includes the trip to Harwich from home, 15 miles) and only one thing on the trike and one thing on my luggage has broken. I'm off for yet another pizza shortly (have spotted a very cheap and pleasant-looking restaurant) which is good cyclist food. That's my excuse anyway!




And @ Andy in Sig:

I have the book, of course, although it's slightly awkward having to do it backwards (although from tomorrow I am going downstream so that should help).

Thing is, on the recumbent it has to be behind my head in my rucksack and I just pull it out if I'm unsure... which is usually after I've gone wrong.

The signage is good sometimes, dodgy other times. Probably a bit like Sustrans routes in the UK. Overall the Mosel has been easier than the Rhine as the valley is narrower!


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## arallsopp (29 May 2009)

Auntie Helen said:


> Overall the Mosel has been easier than the Rhine as the valley is narrower!



Just how wide tracked is that trike???


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## summerdays (30 May 2009)

What are german bike shops like ... will you be able to replace the mirror over there if it fails... I assume that on a trike its harder to see behind you without a mirror?


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## Crackle (30 May 2009)

arallsopp said:


> Just how wide tracked is that trike???




It's crying out for a response that, it really is but I'm saying noffin'.


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## Auntie Helen (30 May 2009)

95cm Arallsoppp but the Mosel is a very narrow valley!

Rubbish Internet cafe (spot the tzpos) so can't wrte up today's ride today, will do it tomorrow from Cochem where I can also upload more photos at the ncie internet cafe.

Am in Bernkastel-Kues which is lovely, and bo y am I glad I prebooked the room as everywhere is Belegt.

Loadsa sunshine, beautiful scenery, didn't get lost around Mülheim this time.

Went in search of a bike shop today but it was closedd. Mirror isn't a big issue at the moment as it still works - I have been checking out other peoples' mirrors, though, and it seems there's more choice here.

Oh, and I saw another ecumbent trike today! A Quix (apparently a German company that is now Kaputt). Had a good chat with the happie. He had good mirrors...

More tomorrow, folks, when I have my nice easy trundle to Cochem, just 45 miles I think.


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## Auntie Helen (31 May 2009)

*Day 7 - Saturday 30th May*

Distance: 40.86 miles; time: 4:48:55; Average speed: 10.7 mph; Max speed: 23.1 mph; Calories (according to Garmin): 2644; total tour distance 291.51 miles.


Well James is at Portsmouth, apparently, (I phoned him last night), so I have probably cycled further than they have sailed in that time!

I took the other side of the Mosel path out of Trier and it was slightly nicer than the way in. The Mosel Radweg book showed two different routes through the village of Kenn but somehow I found a third which involved going down a grassy path (I had to ask some Polish fishermen exactly where I was) and then I appeared to pedalling fast towards a motorway. 






Fortunately there was another road so I didn't have to hit the Autobahn but ended up cycling underneath it after having to drag my trike up a dusty slope to the Radweg from the road. Not fun. Once again, Auntie Helen gets lost!





I met a recumbent rider today on a Quix (a yellow trike) and we had a good chat. He said he has 40-something gears (didn't catch the exact number). We chatted for about 15 minutes until his wife, on a normal bike, got bored.

I stopped for lunch at Neumagen-Dhron and had some Zwiebelsuppe (onion soup) with Riesling in, so I have finally sampled some of the produce of this valley.





It was a lovely sunny day and loads of families were out, including a chap being towed along by a Weimaraner. 





I don't suppose we could get Lucy to do that - she's too wimpy and would probably drag us under a bus or after a rabbit. There were also quite a few fast sporty riders out, often on the road rather than Radweg. I haven't seen many like this so far this tour although there are always loads cycling around at home. Most people seem to ride in jeans and t-shirt rather than lycra. I also saw several dog trailers, sometimes with the dog in, sometimes with it running alongside. There were zillions of caravans and motorhomes at the campsites, mostly with German registration plates, and 2 out of 3 with satellite dishes on the roof. Can't do without their television! Mind you, I did watch 'The Dish' (about the moon landings) in German this evening.

Random seaplane:





Rather ironically, considering that I have reversed my direction, I had a headwind again. At least it keeps me cool - although it's dead warm outside, the draught the trike creates means I'm not overheating, which is good.

Travelling back through Mülheim I managed not to get lost like last time (hurrah!) and then arrived in Bernkastel-Kues which was lovely but utterly heaving with people. 





The Hotel Alter Posthof was very nice and friendly and my trike was tied to a tree in the yard which was locked at night.





I found a rather bad internet cafe so couldn't write much. I also found a cycle shop which was closed but had a rather cool inner-tube vending machine outside.





I also saw an anthrotech recumbent trike tied up outside a guest house in Bernkastel, so that's the second of the day!

Worked my way through a good portion of M&Ms after my dinner of schnitzel before 'The Dish' and bed.

By the way, the Flickr photos have been updated with some more. See: http://www.flickr.com/photos/12938818@N00/


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## Auntie Helen (31 May 2009)

*Day 8 - Sunday 31st May*

Distance: 63.32 miles; time: 5:14:40; Average speed: 12.1 mph; Max speed: 23.4 mph; Calories (according to Garmin): 3832; total tour distance 354.83 miles.

Today's plan was to cycle to Cochem, 50 miles away. However I had a chat with the hotel owner and he thought accommodation problems in Cochem might occur as it was still Pfingsten. He thought that there would be accommodation available in some of the smaller villages around the larger towns so I decided to cycle to Cochem, visit the Internet cafe there, and then cycle on a bit further to find some cheap (and available) accommodation.

This plan seemed a good 'un as I did notice some free rooms in the smaller villages I cycled through so hopefully that will be the case when I leave here on my way further westwards (here being Cochem).

Today's route was the right hand side (southerly) bank of the Mosel and it was very nice. There was an unfortunate piece of off-road, however, rather like the Wivenhoe Trail near Colchester, which is a dusty and rough surface - and this path had grass going up the middle (which one front wheel has to go through). It was also surprisingly hilly - but I made it, admittedly using my Granny Ring.

Major excitement of the morning was running into another two trikers - a chap on a Thorax with a trailer and his wife on an HP Velotechnik Skorpion. I had a sit on both trikes - the Skorpion looked really impressive. The man told me that he and his wife have sixteen bicycles, including a Trice! They must have an enormous garage!





Took a photo with the camera's self-timer as it was laid on the floor. The Radweg was quite busy so I think we annoyed some other cyclists by taking up most of the path!






And here is a pic of me that the chap took and emailed. Note how I am dressed to cover up from the sun... it was very strong!





There were loads of other cyclists out today, of course, as it's a Sunday, but I made good speed to Cochem, getting here in 4 hours (for 50 miles). After I've finished on the Net I shall have an Apfelpfannkuchen mit Sahne and then hit the road for another 20 miles or so, to the other side of Treis-Karden, to find a nice village. There won't be much to do when I stop apart from eat as it's a Sunday so shops are shut, so I might as well do a high mileage day.

_...and a further report..._

So I set off from Cochem with a vague plan to stop in Hatzenport, a smallish village on the left hand bank of the Mosel. As hundreds of bikers passed me (including some very impressive Harleys and motor-trikes), I began to be a little concerned again that I wouldn't find a place to stay. However when I rolled into Hatzenport after the 22km I found a place straight away that would do a room for 32,50€ for the night. My trike was parked amongst a lot of shiny motorcycles and I went to have a wander round Hatzenport after freshening up. 





There was some kind of outdoor event on so my evening meal was a Bratwurst with chips for 3,50€.










When I got back to the hotel room and plugged my Garmin bike satnav in to charge... there was nothing! I noticed also that the lights in the room weren't working. I reported this to the landlady and her husband fiddled with the fuse box and fixed it. The same had happened to me the following morning, without me plugging anything in anywhere, so the electricity is clearly a bit temperamental.

My room was actually the first genuine single room I've had on this tour (i.e. with a single bed). I went down and had a cup of tea in the bar area - for which I was only charged 50 cents as I had brought my own teabag! - and the local chaps were chatting to me about where I was from. One of them knew Ipswich (vaguely) and was trying to tell me that Ipswich Town used to be a very successful football team. This sounded rather unlikely to me but I told him I wasn't very knowledgeable about football.

I have been considering my luggage and whether I packed well. It seems that I did, the washing line being brilliant. I have about the right number of clothes, I think, although I've only worn my waterproof jacket at Harwich whilst waiting for the ferry when I left. However I haven't used my tools except for the allen keys (including puncture repair kit, etc) and I haven't used my German dictionary. Apart from that, everything else has been used, so I've done well.


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## Auntie Helen (1 Jun 2009)

*Day 9 - Monday 1st June*

Distance: 68.97 miles; time: 6:03:20; Average speed: 11.3 mph; Max speed: 20.2 mph; Calories (according to Garmin): 4382; total tour distance 423.65 miles.


When I got up this morning I felt a bit weary of the packing/unpacking/washing of clothes/carting everything about and wondered when to call the tour a day and go home. The more the day progressed, the more I felt the time was right to head home, so that's what I'm doing tomorrow - getting the train to the Hoek van Holland and the overnight ferry crossing, arriving home on Wednesday morning.

Anyway, I set off from Hatzenport this morning at nine and crossed over the Mosel as soon as I could to take the other bank (thus not retrace my steps of last week). The signage was very keen for me to cross over again and it became clear why - a large part of this route was just on the road with the cars without even a cycle track. That doesn't worry me, of course, and it meant I made good time to Koblenz.





The cycle path around Deutsches Eck was buried under Imbiss stalls, little market stalls selling trinkets, beer stands and the like. Clearly making the most of Pfingsten, the place was heaving with people wandering around buying stuff. To avoid the worst of the crowds I had to go on a rather cobblestoney road which felt like it was shaking my fillings out of my teeth.

From Deutsches Eck southwards along the Rhine the cycle path suddenly turned into a woodland track. Very pretty, but some dodgy signage meant I lost my way a little and found myself attempting to ascent a pretty steep gravelly slope. As often happens in this situation with the trike, where the rider's weight is rather more over the front wheels than the back one, I found my pedalling was just spinning the rear wheel. Fortunately a nice German chappie appeared and pushed me up the hill - at the top was the correct cycle path. Trices aren't that good at off-roading, as I had previously discovered.

The route alongside the Rhine was rather nice - I saw a very impressive castle (can't remember its name!) and watched lots of tourist ships and barges going past. 





The world and his wife was out on the cycle paths today, walking and cycling with dogs and children in tow. It is quite difficult sharing the paths with walkers at times as they tend to spread out a bit and don't always move to the left when you ring your bell to overtake them.

I arrived at Boppard which was the first major town south of Koblenz on the Rhine. 





I stopped here for a drink and a rather fab strawberry gateau with cream, and thought about my plans. 





I couldn't decide whether to press on to Bacharach or Bingen, then travel back the next day to Bad Breising or somewhere north, or to call it a day today. In the end I decided to turn round at Boppard and cycle back to Bad Breising, a longish day but a nice ride.

I arrived at Bad Breising at 5pm feeling pretty tired after six hours in the saddle. I returned to the same hotel, Hotel Anker, and they recognised me and gave me an even nicer room this time! After freshening up I went to investigate trains to Venlo (I have to go to Düsseldorf, then change to a train to Venlo) and it will be 27,70€, although the machine only takes cards and there is no ticket office. Not sure if my card will work, I shall give it a go tomorrow and if not I shall try to buy a ticket on the train. There was a choice of three different bicycle tickets, not sure of the difference, but the most expensive is 4,50€ and the cheapest 2,50€ so I'll probably go for the pricey one for safety's sake!

I then went to the posh hotel that has internet for guests (from where I am typing this) and worked out the Dutch trains, which will be 25,50€ and the bicycle ticket (which is 5,70€ I think), so I'll be spending a fair bit on trains tomorrow. My father had phoned Stena line for me to find out if there were spaces on the overnight crossing tomorrow, which there are, and whether I can just roll up and buy my ticket at the harbour, which I can. So I will.

Tonight I shall have a good hearty meal at the hotel (the last one was very good!) as I've not eaten much today apart from a banana and the strawberry gateau and I've burned off a lot of calories.

Bad Breisig at dusk:










Met a lady with a wonderful 9-week-old Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy and had a chat with her about dogs in general and Weimaraner naughtiness in particular. Her puppy was still quite bitey and chewed some of my hair - I'm not too sure of the German commands for doggies but 'Nein!' seemed to work OK to stop the hair-biting.

I'm not particularly looking forward to the train journeys tomorrow but have decided it will be easier if I take the panniers off at the station and manhandle the bike without them on. As long as I don't leave them on the platform...


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## stevevw (2 Jun 2009)

Helen
Sorry to hear you are cutting your trip short. I have enjoyed reading about your progress and could not detect that you had reached the end of your tether. Probably best to come home now so you are not put off future trips. Well done for all you have achieved and hope to see you soon. I can not make the Chiltern 100’s now but the others will be glad to see you I am sure.

Steve


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## peanut (2 Jun 2009)

what an excellent write up Helen. Trying to imagine you sat in some posh hotel foyer in your cycling garb encrusted in dust and persperation with hair all over the place typing your report. It all seems very exciting to me as I rarely go anywhere these days certainly not out of the UK.

Thats a very good daily mileage you are covering given that you obviously need to stop periodically and find your way etc.If the roads were a lot safer I'd be keen to try a trike myself.

Sorry to hear that you are thinking of returning but you've clearly done all you set out to do and more .It sounds like its been a good experience. Can't help thinking a cycling partner might have helped to lift your spirits occasionally and share some of the responsibilities for organising everything.

Safe trip back


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## soulful dog (2 Jun 2009)

I'm another who has been thoroughly enjoying reading your updates (and looking at some of the photos) of your tour, hope you have a safe journey home.


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## ianrauk (2 Jun 2009)

Excellent prose as always Hells Bells, see you sunday we hope?


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## Auntie Helen (3 Jun 2009)

I"m back 

Stopped off in Wix (nice village where we lost Steve & FFFF on mz czclechat ride, not that that narrows it down verz much!) to buy some milk and a doughnut. Just jumped on trhe scales and I have lost 2kg on this 11 day tour so that's not bad at all.

Ah, I'm going to have to get used to a UK keyboard again.

Anyway, I didn't reach the end of my tether, Steve, I just decided that it was wise not to prolong the holiday to the point where I didn't enjoy it. And I am a gregarious person so being on my own for 11 days has been a bit trying. Next time I shall drag some of you with me!

I will write up the last couple of days once I've had my cuppa and doughnut and set off some washing. Can't have a hot shower yet as the heating/immersion have been off, but they are on now. I shall go and collect the dog in an hour or so - I have missed her. Husband should be arriving in Alderney about now on Tante Helena, our former boat (spot any significance in the name) so yes, folks, I shall turn up on Sunday (as long as you don't think I'll be too slow for y'all) as I'll need some congenial society!

Oh, and the train journeys weren't too bad yesterday - I finally got the knack of manhandling trike & luggage around stations.


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## Sittingduck (3 Jun 2009)

Well done AH - sounds like a good time was had. I would like to do a Cycling tour sometime myself... I hear Holland is nice and flat 

Regards,
SD


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## Auntie Helen (3 Jun 2009)

Holland was nice but it was slow going on their cycle paths - you just can't get a good speed up. The signs for the cycle route were also, like the German ones, occasionally not clear enough so (surprise surprise) I went wrong a couple of times on my way to the Hook from Rotterdam.

The bits of Germany that I cycled were as flat as Holland really. I can recommend Germany, too, for the ubiquity of nice food establishments that include cake!


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## Aperitif (3 Jun 2009)

Cycle paths?

I thought they had Deutschland 'uber alleys' over there...

Hello and welkom bakc. (Damn busters keyboard...) 

You could alway beg dellzeqq for a 'trikefest place' on the FNRttC Helen...in case you are missing us.


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## peanut (3 Jun 2009)

glad to hear you are back safe and sound. Must be a nightmare manhandling a trike on and off trains.

Looking forward to reading the whole thread when i have some time to relax. You're a natural writer. Hope you will have time to edit this thread and submit it as an article for the mag .


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## Auntie Helen (3 Jun 2009)

I don't think I'm cut out for overnight riding unless it's to Southend where I can prevail upon my folks to put me up afterwards.

I have to say that cycling home along the A120, I decided I actually quite like the fact that we cycle on the roads in the UK as you can maintain a good speed and you know where you're going (roughly).

I assume I'll see you at the Chiltern Hundreds ride on Sunday, Mr Teef? I'll have to show you my Aperitifesque thighs... or perhaps not.


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## Auntie Helen (3 Jun 2009)

Peanut, thanks for the encouragement.

I'm going to edit this thread by putting the relevant photos in the text. Am just about to upload the final few to Flickr and then will start the laborious process of doing this for this forum, YACF and radforum.de.

Oh, and I had this message on radforum.de: 

_Hallo Helen,

ich bin der Thorax-Liegedreiradfahrer, den du zwischen Zeltingen-Rachtig und Erden getroffen hast. 

Wir haben so viele Räder, weil wir mit kleinen und größeren Gruppen kulturelle Liegeradtouren und -reisen machen. Die Räder stehen nicht in unserer Garage - eine Garage besitzen wir nicht - sondern in einem eigens angemieteten Raum an der Mosel zwischen Bernkastel und Trier. 

Viele freundliche Reiseerfahrungen und schöne Landschaftsimpressionen wünschen dir 
Veronika und Arnold_ 

Which means:

Hi Helen, I'm the Thorax tricyclist who you met between Zeltingen-Rachtig and Erden.

We've got so many bikes because we lead recumbent cultural tours with small and large groups. We don't keep the bikes in our garage (we don't have one) but in a specially rented room beside the Mosel between Bernkastel and Trier.

We wish you friendly travelling experiences and wonderful scenery.


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## ChrisKH (3 Jun 2009)

Welcome back Helen. I was wondering if it would have been any different had you had some company. Used to tour on my own in my teens and never made it beyond four or five days. You start to feel like Robinson Crusoe after a while!


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## Sig SilverPrinter (3 Jun 2009)

welcome back Helen 
how much was the overnight ferry from Harwich? we have living friends in the Hague and keep saying we will go see them,looking at whether the ferry is cheapest means of getting there.
won't see you on sunday as its dads 85th b/day but hopefully catch up in july if its still on


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## Auntie Helen (3 Jun 2009)

Overnight ferry was about £60ish, not entirely sure how much as my folks paid and refused to tell me!

The ferry there (which I paid for) was £68 but that included train travel to anywhere in Holland as well, not sure how much of the overall cost the train was.

I am a real convert to overnight ferry travel as it's easy and you get to sleep during the crossing in a cheap overnight.

July ride is definitely still on, will do a trial run of it sometime soon to tweak it a bit for the best route.


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## stevevw (3 Jun 2009)

Sig SilverPrinter said:


> welcome back Helen
> how much was the overnight ferry from Harwich? we have living friends in the Hague and keep saying we will go see them,looking at whether the ferry is cheapest means of getting there.
> won't see you on sunday as its dads 85th b/day but hopefully catch up in july if its still on



Sig
I think Farnborough 4th July ride will be put back a bit as it looks like the Mouseketeers will be on a mission again. *FNRttC *followed by Dunwich Dynamo on the Saturday night


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## Auntie Helen (3 Jun 2009)

She may be referring, of course, to my interim ride on Sat 18 July.


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## stevevw (3 Jun 2009)

Yes sorry. Put me down for the 18th too. I may even try to ride over and back this time, see how I get on with the Dunwich Dynamo first.


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## Auntie Helen (3 Jun 2009)

Photos added to the text so far.

I'm off to collect the dog now  I have missed Lucy very much.


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## Auntie Helen (3 Jun 2009)

*Day 10 - Tuesday 2nd June*

Distance: 24.26 miles; time: 2:50:16; Average speed: 8.6 mph; Max speed: 18.2 mph; Calories (according to Garmin): 1347; total tour distance 448 miles.


So today was my day for travelling home. I came down to breakfast early and was out of the hotel by 8:15am. I purchased my train tickets to Venlo in Holland (best part of 30€) which included a 4,25€ ticket for the bicycle. The train arrived and I couldn't see the markings for the bicycle carriage so put the bike on the nearest one.

When the conductor turned up after a few minutes he asked me to move the bike to the bicycle carriage which was at the rear of the train. He said I'd have time to do this at Bonn so when we reached Bonn I got the bike out, and the panniers (I had taken them off to make the bike easier to manoeuvre), I then wheeled it down the platform dodging passengers who weren't looking where they were going, but then the platform cleared and I was worried the train would take off without me so I hopped onto the nearest carriage, which was in fact the front part of the final one. There was more room here but when the conductor arrived again he asked me to move, which I did at Köln. The final set of doors opened to a huge area for bikes which was excellent, with a very low doorway; it would have been nice to be there at the beginning but I didn't know where the carriage was.

The train journey to Düsseldorf was an hour and a half as the train stopped at lots of little stations along the way. Once we arrived at Düsseldorf I had 45 minutes until my next train, to Venlo, so I went to buy some food for lunch. Düsseldorf's lift is too small for my trike so I had to drag it down the stairs. I took the panniers off and carried it up the stairs to the correct platform, retrieving the panniers after I got it to the top. This was much easier than manhandling a tail-heavy trike and I wish I'd realised this beforehand. In fact, wheeling it around with the panniers on the seat, rather than on the rack, was much easier; firstly because the weight was over the two wheels so it was lighter to wheel, and secondly because the panniers were so wide they kept the handlebars straight so it followed much more easily. My journey to Germany would have been much easier if I'd known that at the time!

The train from Düsseldorf to Venlo was the same sort as on my journey out, so the conductor disconnected the pole between the door. The bike area was larger than before, however, so it was easy to stow the trike.

I had 20 minutes at Venlo to buy my Dutch tickets (one for me, one for the trike) to Rotterdam which came to 30€. I had to change platforms but the station attendants led me and a couple of people with prams across a crossing point on the tracks, rather than up and down stairs. They also showed me to the right part of the train to Rotterdam which was very spacious. 




Well, until thousands of young people got on at Eindhoven. They had been at the Pinkpop festival and had huge bags, tents and stuff. They had all their luggage strewn around the carriageway and were lying on it on the floor - also lying partially on my trike and bending the mudguard out of shape. I told them off but they pretended not to understand me, although a Dutch lady said to me after they got off at Breda that they had understood, they were just trying to look cool.

From Rotterdam I made use of my bicycle for the first time that day as a mode of transport. The lady on the train had told me that the cycle path to Hoek van Holland was very well signposted the whole way. She was partly - but not totally - correct. I had a route on my bike satnav as well but it was a different route (one I'd got off the internet) so wasn't always helpful when I lost the way due to disappearing signage. But I had oodles of time as my Dad had booked my ferry crossing for me and embarkation was between 7pm and 9pm and I left Rotterdam at 2pm.


I faffed around in Hoek van Holland for a bit, buying a replacement mirror for my trike and some food to eat for the evening (the restaurants on the ferry are very expensive). I was one of the first onto the ferry and went straight to my room, having my first shower for 10 days without washing my clothes too. I went to sleep at 9pm, tired after all the travelling.


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## Auntie Helen (3 Jun 2009)

*Day 11 - Wednesday 3rd June*

Distance: 15.63 miles; time: 1:18:10; Average speed: 12.0 mph; Max speed: 26.9 mph



So... I woke up and looked out of the window across to the Shotley peninsula. Yes, we were docked at Harwich. I collected my trike, disembarked and then cycled the fifteen miles home along the A120 (fast route rather than scenic country lanes). It was rather enjoyable to be able to go fast on the road and not weave my way around a cycle path.

I stopped off for some milk in Wix and found various people chatting to me - perhaps it was the early hour and they were feeling friendly as they went to fetch their newspapers, or perhaps it's that they don't see a laden recumbent tricycle with German and British flag on it very often. 

Anyway, I got home safe and sound, set off all my cycling clothes to wash and played catch-up on the computer.

Overall I've really enjoyed the cycling holiday, saw some fab scenery and ate some good food. I didn't spend all my cash and didn't even have a puncture. I hope to do another tour in the near future but for more than a few days I think I need to tag along with a group!


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## Cathryn (4 Jun 2009)

It sounds fab - great daily journal as well!!! Feel like I've been to Germany as well! Glad you had such a nice time!!


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## Auntie Helen (4 Jun 2009)

Thank you Cathryn.

There were times when, as I struggled with the floppy panniers with all the contents in binbags inside, that I thought I should have taken you up on the loan of the Ortliebs!

However James's £20 bright red panniers lasted the course (although he may have a moan when he sees how scuffed they are). Perhaps I can ask him for some decent panniers for Christmas, assuming I will do another tour in due course. Might even do one before that.

Feeling like I'm missing the bike rather (it's only in the shed!) so think I will go out for a longer ride today. I got so used to the routine of breakfast, cycle, lunch, cycle, stop, that yesterday's 15 miles just doesn't feel far enough.


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## Cathryn (4 Jun 2009)

Well the ortliebs are there if you need them. I'm hoping to get a week somewhere in July or September but they're yours otherwise. 

It's quite hard to get out of the routine, isn't it. Be careful to get out of the calorie loading


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## Auntie Helen (4 Jun 2009)

Today (my first full day at home) I decided to cycle to Manningtree for some groceries on my 20 mile loop via Wix. As I approached Wix I saw a chap on a touring bike looking at a map with a puzzled expression. I asked if he needed any help and he said he was going to Portsmouth and looking for a good route there. For some reason I thought he was from Denmark and talked to him a fair bit - his English was reasonable. I thought his map was rather unhelpful as it was a very large scale map with only motorways and A-roads but he said similar maps had got him fine through Holland. I asked where he had come from and he said Augsburg. Not Denmark after all!

So we switched to German, which surprised him greatly that this random passer-by woman could speak it, and had a nice chat about cycle touring for about half an hour. I recommended that he went to Danbury (south of Maldon) for his campsite today as he said he likes to do about 60-70km in a day. I started trying to describe the route and in the end offered to cycle with him to Tiptree, which he seemed to think was a top idea.

So off we pootled the 20ish miles from Wix to Tiptree, chatting all the while in German (his facility in English had mysteriously disappeared), and then he bought me a cream tea at the Wilkins & Sons jam factory (and also insisted on paying for a pot of jam I was buying for my husband). All very friendly, he was a very interesting chap who had previously cycled across Australia and the USA and was now cycling to Portsmouth and then getting the Ferry to France and going down the Loire valley, ending up in Bavaria again eventually.

When I set off home again after setting him off on the road to Maldon, it occurred to me that I had probably spoken more German today than in the entire previous 11 days of my tour. Ho hum! I did point out to him that, although this was his first visit to England, he shouldn't assume that any cyclist he randomly bumps into will speak German. How likely was that, after all! And that I had been cycling in his country the week before.

He also, by the way, said my German was 'Perfekt' (they are so polite!) although I could tell the longer we spoke, the worse it got. Perhaps it's a concentration thing but by the end it had turned into some weird form of Denglish, but we were chatting for the best part of 5 hours I suppose!

Anyway, the ride itself was 40ish miles and very enjoyable to ride in company for half of the way. And he, with his fully laden panniers, was slower than me up hills which was a nice change! And no, he didn't have Ortliebs, despite being German. But perhaps being Bavarian is different


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## Auntie Helen (5 Jun 2009)

I've now updated the Google Docs doc (which I've been sharing with various people) to include photographs in the right places, etc, and a few more edits. Here it is, for those who are interested:

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=d5c4npx_7gj4x7xds&hl=en_GB


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## Crankarm (5 Jun 2009)

Auntie Helen said:


> Today (my first full day at home) I decided to cycle to Manningtree for some groceries on my 20 mile loop via Wix. As I approached Wix I saw a chap on a touring bike looking at a map with a puzzled expression. I asked if he needed any help and he said he was going to Portsmouth and looking for a good route there. For some reason I thought he was from Denmark and talked to him a fair bit - his English was reasonable. I thought his map was rather unhelpful as it was a very large scale map with only motorways and A-roads but he said similar maps had got him fine through Holland. I asked where he had come from and he said Augsburg. Not Denmark after all!
> 
> So we switched to German, which surprised him greatly that this random passer-by woman could speak it, and had a nice chat about cycle touring for about half an hour. I recommended that he went to Danbury (south of Maldon) for his campsite today as he said he likes to do about 60-70km in a day. I started trying to describe the route and in the end offered to cycle with him to Tiptree, which he seemed to think was a top idea.
> 
> ...



Ich habe gern deine Geschichte. Typisch! Wem sagen Sie das. Willkommen Sie zuruck nach Hause .


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## Auntie Helen (5 Jun 2009)

Crankarm said:


> Ich habe gern deine Geschichte. Typisch! Wem sagen Sie das. Willkommen Sie zuruck nach Hause .


Strong sense of déja vu there, Crankarm - as inded you no doubt found with my little report.

Thanks for the welcome home


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## TheDoctor (5 Jun 2009)

Great report Helen - especially since it was done in near real-time!!
You've inspired me to start plotting something in Northern Europe myself. Maybe Bruges and thereabouts...


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## stevevw (5 Jun 2009)

TheDoctor said:


> Great report Helen - especially since it was done in near real-time!!
> You've inspried me to start plotting something in Northern Europe myself. Maybe Bruges and thereabouts...



Dr. Join Watton Wheelers they are doing a mini tour around Bruge later this year.


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## TheDoctor (6 Jun 2009)

*googles Watton Wheelers and hunts for website*

Maybe. I was thinking of soloing it on the Brompton, as getting Eurostar with a road bike is a major _painus anus_.
With the brommie and a small bag it'd be a piece of cake.


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## Andy in Sig (7 Jun 2009)

So Helen, now that you are back, what kit did you take that you wouldn't bother with again, what worries proved unfounded and what did you wish you had thought of?


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## Crankarm (7 Jun 2009)

TheDoctor said:


> *googles Watton Wheelers and hunts for website*
> 
> Maybe. I was thinking of soloing it on the Brompton, as getting Eurostar with a road bike is a major _painus anus_.
> With the brommie and a small bag it'd be a piece of cake.



Indeed it is. A Brompton is no hassle at all. Even if you have an additional seat post rack with QR as well and another bag(s) on the back, it's still a piece of tarte framboise .


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## Auntie Helen (7 Jun 2009)

Andy in Sig said:


> So Helen, now that you are back, what kit did you take that you wouldn't bother with again, what worries proved unfounded and what did you wish you had thought of?


Good questions!

I didn't need my German dictionary. 

I also didn't need almost all the tools but one has to take them - it made me realise that if I'd been with another person or two we would probably have made do with the same number of tools but spread them around the bikes so that would have been easier.

I could have had a lesser lock than the one I took (see below).

I probably didn't need the Bett & Bike book that I had bought earlier as it's pretty difficult to find a bad hotel/Gasthof in Germany and there was enough information in the back of the bikeline books to make my choice from anyway.

I should probably have bought a newspaper now and again so I knew what was going on and had something to read. Talking books on my mobile phone are OK but they're not something you can listen to on the train, etc. Having the two phones was really useful in keeping the texting costs down too - I texted my Dad's German mobile from my German mobile and he replied to my English mobile from his English mobile, thus only in-country costs each time. I texted him several times a day so he knew where I was, for safety etc.

Unfounded worries - I suppose that I might get stuff nicked or have some weird bloke latch on to me. The more time I spent there, the more relaxed I was about my bike's security (although I did always lock it - after all, I had bought the 2kg Abus lock with me!) I also didn't attract anyone particularly for conversation, dodgy bloke or not - I think I was unrealistic in my expectations of having people joining me along the way. I was faster than most other people and so few overtook me and those I overtook were just trundling along.

Interestingly, my Mum said today on the phone that she was worried about me the whole time I was out there, mainly because they didn't know where I was (although they knew where I had been). Weirdly I felt safer cycling in Germany (where there are always loads of other cyclists if you have a problem) than in the UK where if I had a bike disaster I might be a mile's walk from civilisation round here.

What do I wish I had thought of? I wish that I'd joined the two German cycling forums sooner. Several people have posted on them that they would have like to ride with me but didn't have enough notice. The husband and wife I met on their recumbents post on one of the forums (and have contacted me through it) so I might have met up with them and ridden a little way with them. Perhaps then I might have kept going a bit longer, feeling not so isolated.

I think the hassles with the train on the outward leg were newbie problems which were much less significant on the way home now I'm more experienced with my trike on foreign trains. If I were to do the trip again tomorrow I'd be far less worried about that side of it. In fact, I'd love to do another trip already (with someone else or a group) and I'm already investigating possibilities.

Oh, and I wish I'd been able to find the non-quick-release bolts for my front wheels. The QRs add almost a centimetre breadth to the trike each side and once or twice 1.5cm was the difference between getting through a gap and having to faff. I seem to have lost the bolts though


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## Andy in Sig (7 Jun 2009)

With regards to bikes on trains, I reckon the best thing to do is loosen all panniers before the train gets into the station, then throw them into the bike compartment before carrying an as light as possible bike/trike onto the train. Same process for getting off.


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## Auntie Helen (7 Jun 2009)

Yes, this is what I discovered for the return trip (although I do have a vague recollection that you did suggest this to me before I went, but I somehow shelved it in a back recess of my mind).

Still, even that would have been easier with a companion as I did worry once or twice that I'd sling the pannier on the train, get back off to get my trike and the train would zoom off without me and the trike and with my luggage. When doing all train manoeuvres I had my rucksack with my valuables/passport on my back so it was always with me.


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## Andy in Sig (8 Jun 2009)

There's no danger of the train going off because:

a. German rail staff are very familiar with cyclists getting on and off.

b. It's guaranteed to work if you bring your bike up to the door and simply reach your bags up to the top of the steps and then follow with your bike, pushing the bags out of the way with your foot if need be.


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## stevevw (8 Jun 2009)

TheDoctor said:


> *googles Watton Wheelers and hunts for website*
> 
> Maybe. I was thinking of soloing it on the Brompton, as getting Eurostar with a road bike is a major _painus anus_.
> With the brommie and a small bag it'd be a piece of cake.


Here you go. http://www.wattonwheelers.org.uk/


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