# Auntie Helen's July in Germany... with trike!



## Auntie Helen (4 Jul 2010)

Hello all.

Yes, I'm in Duesseldorf for a month. I'm attending a language school but I brought my trike over in the car and intend to do some exploring by bike.

I arrived yesterday and watched the footie, then cycled around Duesseldorf a bit to get an idea of where things are. Lots of post-football match excitement too.

Today I decided to go to Cologne/Koeln, where I was born in fact. It's only about 30 miles from Duesseldorf so a nice day's ride there and back at slow cycle path speeds.







I set off at about 9am after reassembling the trike (it's living in my car whilst I'm here as there's no suitable shed at the house).

I decided to cycle to Koeln on the eastern side of the Rhine and to cycle back on the western side. The path varied quite a bit from lovely asphalt to distinctly grassy field (although I think that was a mistake on my part, going off the main route!)






The Rhine is a very interesting river and a vital artery in Europe for trade. There is a never-ending stream of barges going up and down on the long voyage.






After about 18 miles I stopped for some refreshment.











Then I carried on past the very industrial town of Leverkusen.






There are loads of cycle paths in the region and sometimes it took a while to work out which sign was the one I needed.






A good bit of Schadenfreude from the Germans after last night's drubbing of Argentina:






A doggie in a trailer. There were loads of children in trailers but this was the only dog trailer I saw today. The owner said they had made it from a beer crate.






You can always tell when you're getting near to Cologne due to the whacking great cathedral someone's built there:






I crossed the Hohenzollern Bridge to get to the other side of the Rhine and to begin my journey homeward.






The bridge has now become a site for Love Padlocks. Deutsche Welle article on Love Padlocks (in English)






Lunch was Schnitzel and salad.






I then cycled past the huge Ford works at Merkenich. This is the reason I was born in Germany - my Dad worked for Ford. I hadn't realised how enormous the place is though - it felt like I was cycling for miles to get past it.






After all that cycling it was time to stop for afternoon tea and cake at Dormagen, ten miles from home.






As there aren't many bridges across the Rhine I decided to take the car/bicycle ferry from Zons to avoid going too far out of my way when returning to Duesseldorf (I am staying in the south of the city).






My little Rhine cruise cost 1 Euro 50.






I got back rather warm and a bit dirty from some of the worse cycle path surfaces, but I had a very enjoyable ride. 57ish miles on the clock and the bike is now back in the car, with its tyres let down a little as we're in for a hot day tomorrow.


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## HLaB (4 Jul 2010)

Nice pics AH.


Auntie Helen said:


>


Tomorrows ride? Rotterdam the day after


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## Arch (4 Jul 2010)

Auntie Helen said:


> After all that cycling it was time to stop for afternoon tea and cake at Dormagen, ten miles from home.



I say! Is that a real pot of tea? I think I could like Germany very much!

(It's on my list of places to go...)


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## Auntie Helen (4 Jul 2010)

Well it's a pot of tea but it's German tea so it wasn't very nice. They supplied two thingies of coffee cream (10% fat) and the tea was very uninteresting. I usually bring my own teabags but had forgotten to put some in my bag (I've got a box of 80 Tetley Drawstring here at my accommodation).

Germany is a brilliant place to visit, but the tea is substandard.


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## gavintc (4 Jul 2010)

Looks very nice Helen, quite jealous of your cycling up and down the Rhein. I am also in Germany, just south of Munich for a few days with work, but we are having rain and sadly I did not bring the bike as I flew.


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## Auntie Helen (4 Jul 2010)

Have just plotted a route from Duesseldorf to Wuppertal as I want to experience the delight of the Schwebebahn, the amazing hanging railway thingie, info here. It's a nice 17 mile route but it goes pretty uphill at the end; the return journey will no doubt be fine, but I might be finished off on the way there. Oh, and I will go through the Neaderthal (Neander Valley) which is cool!


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## Speicher (4 Jul 2010)

I have a plan to visit Koeln one day. My grandfather and grandmother lived there. Grandfather was a conductor on the trams. Also have vague plan to do an intensive German course. I am very interested to hear how you get on. The food looks good as well.

I would, however, prefer to travel by train (or boat).


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## Auntie Helen (4 Jul 2010)

I travelled by car and boat to get here but travelling by bike is much more fun when you're actually here as you see so much more wildlife.

I did an intensive German course three years ago in Berlin and I would say I learned in a month about the same amount as I've learned in a year at Uni doing German, so it certainly makes a big difference. But your head tends to explode with all the new information.

Tomorrow I find out which level I am for the group; in the general European language framework thingie I'm C1 so we'll have to see what that translates to in this group.


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## gavintc (4 Jul 2010)

Auntie Helen said:


> Have just plotted a route from Duesseldorf to Wuppertal as I want to experience the delight of the Schwebebahn, the amazing hanging railway thingie, info here. It's a nice 17 mile route but it goes pretty uphill at the end; the return journey will no doubt be fine, but I might be finished off on the way there. Oh, and I will go through the Neaderthal (Neander Valley) which is cool!



The hanging railway line looks interesting. I was not aware of that despite have spent time in Duesseldorf in the past. Every time I come back here, my first impression is just how well made everything is. Not all the architecture is to my liking, but it is solid.


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## Speicher (4 Jul 2010)

Auntie Helen said:


> Have just plotted a route from Duesseldorf to Wuppertal as I want to experience the delight of the Schwebebahn, the amazing hanging railway thingie, info here. It's a nice 17 mile route but it goes pretty uphill at the end; the return journey will no doubt be fine, but I might be finished off on the way there. Oh, and I will go through the Neaderthal (Neander Valley) which is cool!




21st July 1950 - the day an elephant travelled on a train!


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## Arch (4 Jul 2010)

Auntie Helen said:


> Well it's a pot of tea but it's German tea so it wasn't very nice. They supplied two thingies of coffee cream (10% fat) and the tea was very uninteresting. I usually bring my own teabags but had forgotten to put some in my bag (I've got a box of 80 Tetley Drawstring here at my accommodation).
> 
> Germany is a brilliant place to visit, but the tea is substandard.



Never mind. When on the continent, I'm quite good at switching to coffee and chocolate.

My only experience of Germany is this year's trip to the SPEZI show in Germersheim, for 3 days, but I liked what I saw - including the Rhine.


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## Andy in Sig (6 Jul 2010)

This thread makes me homesick. I love Düsseldorf. Don't forget to pedal up to Kaiserswerth about 10 km N of the city. It has some very nice (and posh) restaurants. Did you see the eatery tips I posted on one of your other threads?


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## Auntie Helen (6 Jul 2010)

Andy, not sure if I did see the eatery tips - if it was recent, then I think not. If you could find me the link I would be grateful!

Today I did a little pootle following a GPX track I downloaded from GPSies.com (I just looked for something about 15 miles starting from postcode 40591). The route turned out to be rather nice, almost entirely on cycle paths and taking me round Elbsee and Unterbacher See. Some of the cycle paths were a bit more off-road than I would normally like and I got a bit mucky due to not having my front mudguards (after all, it's summer here!) but overall it was very enjoyable, apart from the 3 flights of steps I had to carry my trike down for an underpass. Still, ich bin Powerfrau and I managed it OK.

My German lessons are taking place from 14:00 - 18:00 which is a bit of a disappointment (I hoped for the morning group so I could do lots more cycling in the afternoon/evening). Still, if I can get out to do some mileage in the morning I should be fine. The problem is that with the cycle paths it's almost impossible to average more than 10mph so the journeys take much longer than I am used to. It's great to have some new places to experience, though, especially using other cyclists' GPX tracks to add that sense of adventure...


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## Andy in Sig (6 Jul 2010)

I would recommend that you get Bikeline book of the Niederrheinroute. It's actually a complex of routes in the area of Mönchengladbach and the Dutch border. You can take the S-Bahn out from Düss to MG and away you go. It's especially good if you start early on a Sunday morning. Another must see place is the little Altstadt of Hattingen (not to be confused with Ratingen) and then you can cycle back along the Ruhr bike route.

Eating places:

Mercatino on Stockumer Kirchstrasse about 50 m down the street from the X Roads. (The U Bahn stop has the same name.) From the outside it looks like a schnellimbiss but the restaurant is in the back. Don't confuse it with the restaurant which is actually at the Xrds and is no good. 

There’s very good Italian bistro on the junction of Friedrichstr and Herzogstr. It’s diagonally opposite a big bank HQ (the WestLB I think). You can eat well and cheaply there.

The basement of the Carsch Haus dept store (you can get into the basement from the Heinrich Heine Allee U Bahn station) has a fantastic deli area with all kinds of things from local to Japanese, eating places as well as food shops. The Italian is again brilliant, excellent coffee, tiramisu and at the other end, pizzas and anti pasti.

There are too many places in the Altstadt to mention but if you want good spicy food, then the Korean opposite the knife shop is good. You can get excellent local cuisine in En De Canon. There’s a good café for Sunday breakfast but I’ll have to dig a bit for info on that as I can’t remember the name.


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## Arch (6 Jul 2010)

Andy in Sig said:


> Mercatino on Stockumer Kirchstrasse about 50 m down the street from the X Roads. (The U Bahn stop has the same name.) From the outside it looks like a *schnellimbiss* but the restaurant is in the back. Don't confuse it with the restaurant which is actually at the Xrds and is no good.



Oooh! Ohhh! <waves hand in air> Is that a 'fast food resturant'?

We have an 'imbiss' in Pocklington which I know is a cafe, and schnell is 'quick' or 'fast' or something isn't it?

My knowledge of German is very much the odd word, combined with words that look a bit like the same in English...


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## Andy in Sig (7 Jul 2010)

Yep but it is not a translation of "fast food restaurant" (I suspect the latter is actually an attempt at translation of the former via German migrants to the US).


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## Auntie Helen (7 Jul 2010)

Now I know that my lessons are from 14:00 - 18:00 that causes some issues for doing wider exploration. I need to leave here for the lessons at 13:15 so have only the morning really to do some riding. So I went to bed early last night (straight after the Netherlands v Uruguay footie match) so that I could get up early and go out exploring.

I was ready to leave at 8am which gave me plenty of time. I have several routes of different lengths on my Garmin that I've downloaded from GPSies.com, so I decided to do a 30 miler.












The route took me through the University (Heinrich Heine Uni, Duesseldorf). I was following the track on my Garmin where I got slightly confused and almost cycled down a no-entry; I stopped on the verge to look more closely at my Garmin and a police car appeared out of the road I had almost cycled down. He had a very friendly chat but pointed out it would really not be sensible to cycle down this road as it was the slip road off the Autobahn; he recommended taking the cycle route round the corner (which was what my GPS actually wanted me to do). All very friendly, but a reminder that it's reasonably easy in Germany to stray onto the Autobahnen as they seem to go very close to normal roads.

I then went over the impressive road bridge that I took by car on my way here.






Now I was on the western side of the Rhine the route took me southwards towards Dormagen.

The path quality was rather better on this ride than yesterday's, with mostly asphalt or decently-laid paving bricks. This included cycling through a woodland, where I saw a lady walking a Weimaraner. We have a Weimaraner but we almost never see any in Germany - the Germans are too sensible to have such naughty doggies.






Anyway, I continued on through some rather industrial bits, wending my way through a mixture of road and cycle track, although most of the road bits had cycle paths beside them.






At one point there were a lot of barriers across the cycle path where it crosses a railway line. There had been no warning of this, and there was no obvious diversion, so I stood there dithering a while, at which point a moped came from the other direction and worked his way round the barriers, and a cyclist came from behind me and did the same. So I decided it was OK and crossed as well, having to wheel the trike as it had to do some rather sharp turns to get round the barriers.






I was following a pretty good route but it had one significant failing - it directed me down a road with a very obvious 'no cycling' sign. I decided it would not be wise to take that route and trail-blazed, using my Garmin, an alternative route to join up with the original one. It worked fine, including cycling through a golf course and crossing a motorway on a very high-up pedestrian/cyclist bridge.

I then cycled through a lovely area of open fields with loads of dog walkers - including one lady with two Weimaraners, including one that was just four months old! I stopped to have a chat, then continued on, joining up with the official GPX track that I had left earlier.

I was now cycling parallel to the Rhine for a bit and passed a Marina:






The water seems very blue today.











I arrived in Neuss which is a fairly large town the other side of the Rhine to Duesseldorf and got a good view across the river of the centre of Duesseldorf, which I haven't yet actually visited.






Finally I crossed over again, on a different bridge this time. I stopped to take some photos and could really feel the bridge wobbling, which was slightly perturbing. I assume this is because of two lanes of car traffic, two tram lines and two different cycle paths...






I was now on the Rhein Radweg for a bit and passed this pirate sailing ship, although it might be almost impossible to sail against the current in the river.






I was approaching the bridge that I had crossed on my outward journey near the Uni - it's an impressive structure











I got home after 3 hours, having done 29.5 miles. It seems my average speed was a bit higher today, perhaps because I was on quieter roads with fewer traffic lights. It was a good ride, though, and I feel like I'm beginning to know my way around.


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## Andy in Sig (7 Jul 2010)

You've just reminded me of another place I'd forgotten about: Zons, a medaeval village cum town which is linked to the southern extremity of Düsseldorf by a ferry. Nice cafes and restaurants. Definitely good for a summer evening.


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## Auntie Helen (8 Jul 2010)

Thursday 8 June.

All was quiet in Duesseldorf as I left the house at 8:15 this morning. Presumably most Germans were sleeping off their hangovers after the footie disappointment, and no-one as yet seems to have removed their flags. This was a house I saw just round the corner from where I am staying.






Today I decided to follow yet another downloaded route from GPSies.com, this time a shorter route (22.5 miiles). The route goes to the town of Erkrath and then does a bit of a loop before returning back to Duesseldorf.






It was yet another sunny morning - the temperature reached 33 by lunchtime - and lovely cycling weather. I set off cycling north-easterly out of Duesseldorf which involved more on roads than normal, but they were surprisingly quiet.

Once again I was impressed by the cycle facilities - there was a dedicated cycle path on both sides of this underpass which was raised higher than the road so it felt very safe.






After four miles I was out in the countryside.






The cycle paths on this route were all pretty decent (except for one short stretch, mentioned below). There were also some on-road sections but the roads weren't at all busy. The surfaces are generally good in the countryside; the towns can be a bit potholey but no worse than in England.

As I approached Erkrath I realised I was going up a bit of a hill. This was somewhat of a surprise as the whole point of cycling in river valleys is that it's flat; however I was clearly leaving the valley and having to work much harder to get up the hill. When I reached the top, however, the view back to Duesseldorf was rather nice.











I cycled through a bit of Erkrath which seemed a nice enough town, although it was too early for the shops to be open (only just after 9am). The route then wended its way under the railway line and then - horror of horrors - a shocking hilly bit!

This was probably one of the biggest climbs I've done on the trike. It wasn't massively long or unfeasibly steep, it just felt like it went on for ages. I tried to take a photo of one of the tight corners but I'm not sure if you can see the steepness.






I was moaning at myself for not checking the elevation profile before I downloaded/used the route. When I got home I downloaded my track - as you can see, there's a big lump in the middle. It was great fun going down the other side but hard work on a hot day on a recumbent trike getting up to the top.






Still, once I got onto the top of the hill it was nice and flat and very countrified.

I crossed over one of the Autobahnen (the A3, a whopper) and decided to photograph it - it seemed rather busy this morning.






I was really looking forward to the descent of the hill but when it came there was a bit of a disappointment - the cycle path, which I was on, turned into a shared cycle and bridle path, and wasn't asphalted. It was rather bumpy! I should have followed the cyclist who turned onto the road with me at the junction before but didn't take the cycle path...





(Sorry about my feet and trusty SatNav in shot there!)

The bottom of the hill turned out to be in Erkrath again, so all that hard work could have been avoided! Still, it was interesting to see the Rhine valley from up high, but I think I'll give it a miss next time!

I did the 22.5 miles in 2 hours 15, so was back at home by 10:30 which gave me time to do yesterday's washing up before settling down to some work, then going off to my German lessons.


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## Auntie Helen (10 Jul 2010)

Friday 9 July.

The weather forecast today was a scorcher (36 degrees) and I decided to do a shorter ride today as I got up a bit later and had to do some homework first.

Today's route was a 20 miler following yet another GPSies track.





The beginning was cycling a fair way through Düsseldorf itself and I found some very quaint streets, such as this one - with one-way streets either side of a mini stream.





Once I crossed the river I was in the container depot area which was distinctly unattractive. Miles of concrete, loads of containers, even some litter (unusual for Germany).





Still, the cycle paths were still generally OK.





I passed this very unusual church; initially I thought it was some kind of bunker from the war or the cold war; perhaps it was, and it has been reordered for church use - or perhaps someone wanted to design a rather unusual church from scratch.





The loop in the Neuss side of Düsseldorf soon brought me back alongside the Rhein and I passed two bridges before finally crossing. The first bridge





The second:





As I crossed the third bridge, a huge funfair was being set up and it was interesting to look down on all the equipment.





And here is a view along the bridge.





The track I was following wasn't particularly precise (I think it had a fairly low number of trackpoints) and after I mis-read it a few times I decided to just get my Garmin to choose me the best route home, which it did very effectively. I stopped off at Plus Markt for a fresh baguette and for the very important Erdbeer-Schnitte, the first that I've had this visit to Germany,.





Oh, and this was my 4000th post!


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## Andy in Sig (10 Jul 2010)

I think you may well find that the little stream in your first phot is one of the arms of the Düssel, the stream which gives the place its name. I once found out on the map where the source was and cycled out to it one route (it is somewhere beyond Wulfrath if memory serves) and then cycled back as close to the stream as I could. It was quite a nice day out. Your pics are making me very homesick.


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## Auntie Helen (10 Jul 2010)

Saturday 10 July.

The forecast today was for a very hot day, so I decided being out on the bike would be better than sweltering indoors. In retrospect, I'm not entirely sure...

Anyway, I couldn't decide whether to go to Venlo or not, as I may be going next week to visit a friend, so decided instead to go northwards on the Rhine for a 60 mile loop (akin to my Köln trip last week). 30 miles north of Düsseldorf is Duisburg which is somewhere I've never visited and I knew almost nothing about.

So I set off at 9:30am, having swapped my tyres round last night (the rhs one wears more quickly due to a bend I've put in the metal arm of the Trice). Unfortunately I was unable to get the buckle out of both tyres - normally I have a buckle in one when I swap them, but this time it was in both, and even pumping them up to 110psi didn't pop them out (but nearly killed me); the Big Apple tyres are rated to 70psi max so it's a bit exciting pumping them up this hard anyway.

So... no smooth rolling along asphalt today, with a bump per tyre revolution on both sides. I don't have the buckle problems as much with normal Marathons, I need to investigate some ways of sorting this.

Anyways, so off I went - and here is the plot of my route.






The first thing to mention is that I left the Bikeline book behind which has maps and info. Fortunately I had used the bikeline book to draw a GPS track (I couldn't find one on the internet, surprisingly), as I wouldn't have had a hope of following the route otherwise. This bit of the Rhine isn't well signposted - you have been warned!!!!

I had to make my way right through Düsseldorf from my home in the south so it was about six miles (and crossing the river) before I was out into the countryside.










The north half of Düsseldorf is very well supplied with bridges, with some very interesting designs. This one:





...had a most fantastic cyclists' helter skelter at each end!





I quite fancied giving that a go but then realised it would involve cycling uphill. No thanks.

I passed a wayside pulpit. This should be an easy translation for most of you. Interesting lack of capital letters, however, which should be on both Kreuz and Hoffnung.





After 15 miles I began to think about a cake stop but nothing suitable appeared. Then I saw a sign for the Crefeld Yacht Club, Radfahrer Willkommen, so went down a side track to see what was there. About four fire engines were parked in a layby with lots of burly chaps wandering around checking various air compressors, etc, but that didn't seem to hold out much hope for cake, so I carried on down the track and found the yacht club. I didn't fancy eating there, looked a bit hot and small, so I went off on my bike again.





Which was a good idea as after I crossed over part of the docks area:





I found my way into the town of Krefeld which had a mighty fine café. Now which cake to choose...?





In the end I couldn't resist an Erdbeerschnitte again - they are just so nice.





I sat outside looking out at the little square and feeling rather warm. The Schnitte and orange juice helped though.





As I left the café I realised that the signposts for the Radweg were significantly disagreeing with my GPS track. I dithered for a bit, cycled around trying to find some more signs, faffed a bit, then realised the signage wanted to take me over the river but I wanted to cycle to Duisburg on the left bank of the Rhine, so cycled to rejoin my route. My wanderings look rather like a drunken insect:





As it turned out, I would have done better to follow the signs and cross the river because the route north of Krefeld was pretty hard work. Signage wasn't too good although my route was pretty accurate. I was away from the river almost the whole time which meant it was hot - the heat in the wind across the fields was shocking. 





I saw this nice windmill somewhere (can't remember where), but on a completely windless day nothing was happening.





A few sections of the route were shaded and they were quite a relief.





As I got near to Duisburg I realised that Open Streetmaps, which I had used to draw my map, hadn't positioned the name marker for Duisburg in quite the right place - I was heading far too far north. So I gave up with my route and put a waypoint in the middle of a bridge over the Rhine and let my Garmin navigate me to it. Which it did, phew. 





By now I'd done 34 miles on a really hot day and was desperate for some fresh water and some food. But I couldn't find a thing. After another 5 miles I found a dodgy-looking Kneipe (pub) and went in. It was full of chaps smoking but they were very friendly and chatty and the barlady, who had no orange juice or mineral water to give me - only beer, which I don't drink - filled my water bottle with water and ice cubes for me free of charge. I had a 10 minute chat with the chaps but was keen to get on as I was so hungry.

I remained hungry as I couldn't find anywhere to eat. Correction, anywhere that was still serving food. This was Saturday at 2:30 in the afternoon and yet two places at which I stopped, a Stübl and an Italian restaurant, had both stopped serving food. Argh!

In the end I didn't find a suitable stopping point until Kaiserswerth, about 10 miles from my destination (i.e. after 46 miles). By then I was completely worn out and had long drunk all the once-icy-but-now-warm water. I stopped at a fab looking restaurant which had views over the river ferry. By this time my appetite was gone as I was so hot so I just had an ice cream and an orange juice; the ice cream was bit (walnuts and 3 Kugel ice cream and cream and other goodies) but the whole lot came to 8,50€ which was a bit steep, but it was much needed! I filled my water bottle again.

From Kaiserswerth southwards the route became nice, with separate cycle paths across fields, none of this cycling beside busy roads that I'd had from Duisburg south. Spot all the Germans sunbathing on the beach beside the Rhine!





I could soon see the buildings of Düsseldorf in the distance and made my way gladly through the city to arrive back, having done 58 miles and really looking forward to my cup of tea. The lady also staying in my accommodation also went to Kaiserswerth today (by S-Bahn, not bike) and says she saw a thermometer there which was reading 37 degrees. It was the warm wind that was a real killer. The hot shower I had when I got home was just marvellous!

Rest day tomorrow, I think - maybe a short 10 mile ride but nothing further. And I won't bother visiting Duisburg again, although both Krefeld and Kaiserswerth were nice, so perhaps I can do an alternative ride which takes the ferry between the two sometime...


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## Arch (10 Jul 2010)

My sister bought me a nice leather notebook for my birthday, and I've decided to use it to jot down places to go and things to see in Europe - either on a grand tour, or short trips.

That bridge with the helter skelter is just about to become the first thing I write in it! Brilliant!

it does look hot, but also lovely. The Germans really seem to like their suspension bridges don't they?


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## Arch (10 Jul 2010)

To that end, could you possibly pinpoint it approximately on a map?


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## Auntie Helen (10 Jul 2010)

Here it is on Google Maps: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&s...77582,6.705244&spn=0.009396,0.017703&t=k&z=16


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## Arch (10 Jul 2010)

Brilliant! Thanks.


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## Auntie Helen (11 Jul 2010)

*Sunday 11 July*

Today was a semi rest day, so I thought I'd do a 12 mile loop that I'd downloaded earlier this week, just around Düsseldorf.

I actually ended up doing the first part of the route, extending it a bit and then coming back the way I had already cycled as it was so nice.






It wasn't quite as hot today, I think it's been about 33 degrees, so it was slightly more comfortable to cycle. I'm really looking forward to Tuesday when the temperature is forecast to go down to 24 - lovely!

Anyway, I set off on this route which turned out to be entirely cycle paths. The Germans are quite ingenious with their cycle path building and they put them under roads and bridges and stuff - this was the path going under a road and then through an underpass by the University (Heinrich Heine Uni).





The cycle path went past a garden centre which had lots of sprinklers going to irrigate all the pot plants they were growing.










Large sections of the cycle path were road width and very fast with excellently smooth surfaces.





Being a Sunday and in Germany the world and his wife were out on their bikes. I love the way that most German bikes are pretty naff but no-one cares - they use them daily for shopping and stuff like that and are happy with silver-painted chunky Alu-framed bikes with wire baskets and stands and step-through frames (even the chaps).

Lots of the Germans who were out today on bikes were on their way to the beach - beside the Rhein that is. There are several areas with groynes which have cordoned off a small area which is sandy, and they were full of people. Lots of people swimming in the river which must be a bit dodgy if you go too far out (past the groynes) and get caught by the current. You'd be in Holland in no time.





I had sort-of decided not to photograph any more bridges as I think I've done too many but couldn't resist this one.





I approached the TV tower too. Sorry I haven't rotated this pic but Photobucket takes forever to do it!





Then I found myself on a rather handsome pedestrian and bicycle footbridge.





And once over the bridge in the Hafen area, there were some interesting buildings. I think Frank Gehry may have designed this one.





This bit of Düsseldorf is like a mini Manhatten.





The cycle path now turned to large blocks but was still a good surface upon which to ride.





I arrived at a huge outdoor fair which appeared to be a French food extravaganza. I stopped outside the Crepes stall and had a Crepe mit Zucker.





I stood looking at the water whilst the world went by.










I'd cycled eight miles already so turned back for home, unable to resist photographing this old-looking section of a bridge. A pre-war bit that was retained, perhaps?





When I was on the nice footbridge on the way back I was stopped by a German chappie who wanted to talk about the trike. We spoke for about 15 mins and I said I wanted to cycle to Wuppertal to see the Schwebebahn and he pointed out that it's going to be closed for summer maintenance on Thursday for eight weeks. Argh! I shall have to go on Tuesday, I think, when the weather is cooler, and I don't think I've got time to cycle there, ride the Schwebebahn and cycle back before my lesson, so I plan to take the train there with trike (it's uphill, which is a factor), ride the Schwebebahn and then cycle back. The train journey is just 13 minutes and it's on one of the nice new Eurobahn trains which I and James and the Wows took from Mönchengladbach to Venlo and they were very nice with loads of bike room, so hopefully it'll all go OK.

Oh, and I saw a parked-up HP Velotechnik Skorpion outside a café but couldn't see a cyclist around to chat to, otherwise I would have stopped and compared notes about triking in Düsseldorf.

I got home having done 17.74 miles. I cooked myself Wiener Schnitzel for tea and am now settling down to watch the footie. This morning I went to the local church and understood pretty much all that was going on, which was good. Not a bad day's entertainment.


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## Auntie Helen (13 Jul 2010)

*Monday 12 July
*

This morning's trip was a shortish one, a little circuit over the Rhein using the ferry at Zons again.





This time I followed a different route in Neuss and arrived at the ferry after 10 miles.





When I used the ferry last Sunday it was chock-a-block but today it was just me, another cyclist and one car. The other cyclist, being an elderly German chap, had removed his shirt. ::-)

When I was back on the eastern side of the Rhein I skirted around Schloss Benrath which was rather lovely.










It was no cycling directly around it so I parked the trike up and used my feet to get a closer look.





The route back through the outskirts of Düsseldorf took me again down the cyclepath underpass which involves steps, previously mentioned. I carried my trike down all 34 steps.





Just as I was approaching 'home' I took a different route around Friedhof Eller and came across this rather lovely building.





When I got back it was just starting to rain so I quickly disassembled the trike and stored it in the car. We had a massive electrical storm which caused utter chaos for public transport as trees and branches were blown around. Only half the class made it to the German lesson. It had dried enough that I went to German by bike again and stayed dry on the way there and back.

Tomorrow is the Schwebebahn at Wuppertal!


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## Auntie Helen (13 Jul 2010)

*Tuesday 13 July*

Today my ride was going to be a bit different - in that it would involve a train!

Last night I located the Hauptbahnhof and bought my tickets so that everything was ready. It took me ages to work out which ticket I needed but eventually plumped for a 4,50€ ticket for me and a 1,80€ extra ticket for the bike.

I woke up really early and decided in the end to get the train an hour earlier than I had originally planned as I thought time might be tight today. So I was on the brand new Eurobahn train at 8:10am, having cycled 2.5 slow miles to the main station through the rush hour of Düsseldorf, which was made worse by all the bits of tree lying around.

I got off the train at Wuppertal-Vohwinkel which is the westernmost point of the Schwebebahn, which was a 2 minute ride round from the railway station. I locked my bike up, bought my ticket for the return trip on the Schwebebahn (my train ticket from Düsseldorf was valid to the Hauptbahnhof on the Schwebebahn too!) and off I went.





Here are some pics of the Schwebebahn which was just fab!









(Warning that the train rocks when you get off - which it does. It could make some people queasy, I think)











It's attached rather like a cablecar.





It's a brilliant idea to span the river so that the space is used.





The view inside - the seats are on the inside side of the Bahn, if that makes sense, not the outer edge.





The turning mechanism at the end.





I stopped off at the Hauptbahnhof and had a doughnut, then got straight back on to go back to Vohwinkel.

It was a really good fun experience. It's not particularly fast but is very convenient and the platforms are easy to build - they just have lifts and steps up above street level. The traffic is underneath you a lot of the time (when the River Wupper isn't underneath).

The Schwebebahn is closed from Friday for two months to lay some new track (suspend some new track?) around an awkward corner, so I'm glad I got a chance to use it.

So... now for the ride back. Off I set, with a fairly uphill bit to start and then a significant downhill. I am SOOOOO glad that I didn't cycle this the other way as it would have killed me! As it was, it was rather hard work at times as it was a bit off-road through the Neander Valley (yes, I went through the Neandertal).





Saw this interesting vehicle.










And this interesting parking place for horses:





The quiet Neandertal





A memorial to the chap who found Neanderthal Man and to the Neandertals themselves.





Although it was only 16 miles back it took me two hours due to the off-roadness. But it was a good fun ride overall, I'm just relieved I didn't do it the other way round...


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## Auntie Helen (14 Jul 2010)

Wednesday 14 July

I fully expected to have a puncture this morning.

This is because last night I attempted to get the buckle out of both front tyres (this is when they're not seated on the rim absolutely correctly so that the reflective strip around them squashes in at one point - and when you ride you feel a slight bump). With Schwalbe Marathons this is easy - just pump them up to 100psi (I usually run them at 90psi anyway) and the buckle pops out. With Big Apples it's a bit harder - we've spent more than an hour before now fighting with the things, including putting washing up liquid around the rim to help the buckle to pop out.

Anyway, yesterday's ride included some lovely smooth cycle paths - along which I could feel a constant bump-bump-bump from both front tyres due the buckles. So last night I fetched the track pump and went down to fight with the tyres.

I decided to inflate them as much as I could until the buckle popped out. Unfortunately Big Apples are rated to 70psi max and at that level the buckles were still there. So I inflated the right one more... and more... and at 105psi out popped the buckle. Hurrah!

I deflated the tyre back to 60psi and worked on the other one which eventually, at 110psi and as I was about to lose my nerve, slid into its nice round shape.

As I was wheeling the bike back to its house by the mailbox I noticed - argh! - that although I'd popped out the buckle on the outside of the right hand side tyre, it still had one in the inside.

This was exceptionally annoying as I was hoping for a bump free ride. I was also pretty tired after pumping up both tyres to high pressures one-handed. But I wouldn't let this tyre beat me.

I got it up to 115psi at which I decided I really ought to stop as when I flicked the tyre with my finger it felt totally solid. As I was rubbing my finger alongside the buckle area (to get rid of the dust so it would be obvious if it started moving outward) I felt a faint jet of air. Argh! It appeared that somewhere in the centre of the tyre was a puncture. I couldn't feel exactly where it was coming from but it was undoubtedly a faint jet of air.

I couldn't face repairing the puncture so let the tyre down to 60psi and went inside and had a shower (it's hot work using a track pump when it's 30 degrees outside).

Anyway, this morning I got up, got dressed ready for my ride and went downstairs with the track pump to sort out the puncture. Which wasn't there! Not only that, overnight the Tyre Fairies had removed the buckle. The tyre stayed up throughout today's ride, so all I can imagine the jet of air was is the escape of air between the tube and the tyre. But I won't be surprised if I find a puncture in that tyre later.

Anyway, on to today's ride.

I didn't feel particularly energetic and fancied cycling on cycle paths alone, rather than roads, so decided to go up to the Altstadt again as that's such a nice route alongside the Rhein. It's only 8 miles to the Altstadr so I would decide what else to do when I got there.






I took a slightly different route through the Hafen area and saw the modern art building from the other side.





As it happens, I decided when I got to the Altstadt to cycle over a bridge which had an amusing bicycle helter-skelter; not as good as the one I saw further north on a ride a few days ago, but still quite good fun. I assumed there would be similar on the other side of the bridge but sadly there wasn't so I shall have to go and find the proper helter-skelter one some other day.





I stopped halfway across the Theodor-Heuss-Brücke to photograph the view back to Düsseldorf.





The western bank of the Rhein has a rather bumpier cycle path; it would have been very good originally but tree roots have grown a bit and raised the asphalt in places, so I decided to cross back to the eastern side at the first bridge (the Hasselerbrücke). This is the bridge that has a funfair being constructed underneath it, and I saw this rather amusing sign in English - they need a Korrekturleser (word I have learned in my German course - proofreader).





I stopped off at the supermarket on the way home for some ice cream and banana for tonight. I'm off to my lessons in 45 minutes. Probably will have a puncture when I go downstairs...


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## Auntie Helen (14 Jul 2010)

My long blurb about the puncture, or lack of, has caught up with me.

Firstly, when I arrived at my German lesson my lock didn't work. I have a pair of café locks which I bought from Aldi some time ago and look fairly chunky. The red one died two days ago - wouldn't unlock reliably, so I decided not to use it. One is enough at the German course as the window in our room looks out onto where my bike was parked.

Today, when I came to lock the green lock, that didn't work either. OK, I thought, I need to retire this lock too - so I didn't lock the bike, but kept an eye on it the whole time.

The weather forecast was for another cracking storm this evening, akin to the one on Monday where two people were killed by falling trees in Nordrhein-Westfalen and there was a tornado in Heligoland. At break time (4pm) the sun was still shining, but at 5:30pm it started looking gloomy outside and the wind was getting up. Oh dear.

When I walked out of the lesson at 6:05 it was clear that we were about to have a huge storm - black clouds visible in the distance coming steadily closer. I didn't need to unlock my bike, of course, due to the lack of functional lock, but as I started wheeling it out of the parking racks... argh! Puncture.

There followed the quickest tube change ever. It was indeed the tyre that I think I had overpumped last night. I had a quick look inside the tyre anyway to check there was no glass (it seemed clear) and when I pumped up the inner tube it stayed inflated. I swapped a fresh one in anyway and pumped it up. At this point one of my fellow students came and did some more pumping of the tyre for me. They were all watching me whilst awaiting their tram. As it happened, I was on my way as the tram arrived.

I was unfortunately having to cycle towards the weather, but soon my route turned parallel with it. As I waited to cross a road (on a pavement cycle path) the wind was whistling down the road at 90 degrees to my route with rubbish, dust and muck flying around in the air. At that moment there was a huge bang and I felt the wind of something on my shoulder. Turns out a huge bit of street furniture with signs on had fallen down, right beside my trike but not quite touching it. A pedestrian asked if I was OK and said a phrase which mentioned something about "being saved by the Virgin" which I assume is a local expression.

I really put my foot down after that, cycling home as fast as possible. I even ran a red (pedestrian) light - where I could see nothing was coming. In Germany you normally wait at red lights and no-one jumps 'em, not even cyclists. There was stuff flying around and then the VERY large raindrops started.

I got back home just as the rain was getting painful. I stashed the trike in the car quick-smart and I'm up now in my room, having shut all the windows and brewing myself a nice cuppa. If it weren't for the puncture I would have been home before the rain, but I reckon a 5 minute puncture repair is pretty good going.

Oooooh, impressive lightning outside!

Tomorrow I plan to cycle to a good bike shop (Olaf from CycleChat has recommended a couple in Düsseldorf) to buy a couple more café locks...


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## Andy in Sig (14 Jul 2010)

Have you managed to try any of those eating places I mentioned yet?


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## Auntie Helen (14 Jul 2010)

It's hopeless, I haven't eaten out once (except for a kebab which I took home to eat). It's been so hot that I just don't feel like sitting in a restaurant. I had half a plan to have a chinese takeaway this evening but the storm put paid to that.

I suppose eating out on one's own is less appealing, but I may venture out next week sometime as the weather is due to be cooler, I think.


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## Auntie Helen (15 Jul 2010)

*Thursday 15 July
*
The plan for today was to re-do one of my original rides, the one round Elbsee and Unterbacher See, but to see if I could avoid the very off-road section that had been a bit awkward last time.

I trotted downstairs and got the bike out of the car. Puncture. Same wheel. Clearly I hadn't fixed it properly last time.

So I fetched my track pump and set to changing the tube again. This time I checked the tyre really carefully visually (couldn't see anything), then decided to run my finger gently around the inside. Ouch! A tiny, tiny green thorn was sticking out. This appeared to be the cause and would explain why it was a slow puncture coming home.

So... I put the tube that I had repaired yesterday back in, put the holey tube and the track pump back in my room, and set off.







Another plan for today was to visit Rad Ab and Magno, bike shops, to buy a replacement café lock. Both shops are in Friedrichstraße which is sort-of towards the main station so was clearly somewhere to visit at the end of my loop.

I set off along the Radwege which were, once again, covered in leaves and twigs and small branches following the wind yesterday evening.

This route is particularly nice to start with as it's all on very decent cycle paths. I was soon cycling through a wood on a gravelly path which is a reasonable surface.





Today was the day for seeing golden retrievers and yellow labradors - I saw dozens of 'em, including giving one rather a fright as he didn't know what I was. 

Here is the Elbsee, lovely and still following yesterday's cracking storm.





I then do a long bit parallel to the road, then under it, then back the other way. This wasn't quite as pleasant as you could always hear the road whilst cycling, but visually was very green with dappled sunlight.

At one point the path appeared to be blocked by a fallen tree:





But not with a recumbent trike - I removed the flag whilst cycling along and rode straight under the tree, putting the flag back on underway. Some pedestrians were most impressed.

Then I arrived at the Unterbacher See which is much larger and has a couple of beach areas. Here I am looking across at one of them, although at 10am it was a bit early for the crowds, plus it's a fair bit cooler today.





My trike is flying the English flag again today.





Rather than following the woodland footpaths past the Unterbacher See I used my Garmin to find a road and followed that instead; it had a cycle path by the side and was fine, if a bit noisy and with rather a lot of twigs and branches under-tyre.

When I was approaching Düsseldorf I set my Garmin to take me directly to the bike shops in Friedrichstraße but in fact cycled past a HUGE cycle warehouse (Zweirad XXXL) so decided to pop in there for a lock. They had an excellent selection and I bought a decent but light Abus one. I also bought a spare inner tube in case I had more problems as the two spares I currently have are fairly well covered in patches. I also noticed that this bike shop had tyres my size in stock - both Big Apples and Marathons - if I need any more (which I don't at the moment). They were also slightly cheaper than in England...

I came directly home after that via the bakery at the end of the road and treated myself to a Berliner (a jam doughnut to you, although when in Berlin one calls it a Krapfen).


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## Speicher (15 Jul 2010)

You have taken lots of lovely photos Helen. I am enjoying following this thread and I think I will be putting Dusseldorf firmly on my list of places to visit. 

I particularly like the bridges, river, "beaches", as well as the scenery, boats, trains, and did I mention bridges?


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## CopperBrompton (15 Jul 2010)

Enjoying the blogs, Helen - keep 'em up


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## Andy in Sig (16 Jul 2010)

Auntie Helen said:


> It's hopeless, I haven't eaten out once (except for a kebab which I took home to eat). It's been so hot that I just don't feel like sitting in a restaurant. I had half a plan to have a chinese takeaway this evening but the storm put paid to that.
> 
> I suppose eating out on one's own is less appealing, but I may venture out next week sometime as the weather is due to be cooler, I think.




Don't forget that the Carsch Haus basment scoff area is air conditioned. So you can get in there, go to the champagne bar, cool down with a blackcurrant/champagne mix and then start troughing. You know it makes sense.


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## Auntie Helen (16 Jul 2010)

Today's photos, I shall add the text later (gotta dash...). Or you could supply your own suggested text for me!


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## CopperBrompton (16 Jul 2010)

When the GPS indicated a right-turn halfway across a bridge, Helen followed the suggested route but immediately felt it might have been an error, and tried to steer right for a soft landing:


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## Arch (16 Jul 2010)

Auntie Helen said:


>



Cake! Cake! I had cake!


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## Auntie Helen (17 Jul 2010)

*Saturday 17 July*

Today was my day to travel to another country (Holland) to meet up with my chum Marieke.

I woke up early enough to go out for a ride before setting off (I was due to leave at 10am for Holland) so I extracted the Trice from the car, where it had spent the night (we had another significant rainstorm last night) and off I went, just following some random routes on my Garmin.






I cycled a slightly different route past the Uni and saw this great dome thingie






The route was alongside the Düssel river (from which Düsseldorf gets its name)











At this point it flows into the Rhein and I turned southwards, towards Benrath, doing a loop which eventually brought be back home after 13 miles.

And then I set off in my car (with the Trice in the back again) to Holland.

After 5 miles I realised I'd left the paperwork for my international car breakdown service back where I am staying in Düsseldorf and ummed and ahhed as to whether to return for it (and make myself late for the meeting with Marieke). In the end I decided not to, as that five miles had been through the town and was pretty slow.

I joined the motorway and after 3 miles, Stau! (Spot all the VW cars. We were stationary when I took these photos, by the way)






Which was boring. It only held me up for 15 minutes, fortunately.

I arrived in Arnhem at 12:10 and Marieke texted me to say she had just arrived (late trains). I got her to meet me at the station and then we drove together to find a car park, which involved some slightly dodgy navigation on my part which took me down a bus lane into a bus station. We eventually found the car park and left the car there, setting off on foot to the pedestrian bit of Arnhem.

We had a drink and some lunch and then wandered down to see the Rhine.






And, of course, A Bridge Too Far






There was an exhibition about the battle of Arnhem and we spent some time in there talking to the lady who was very friendly. 

We then wandered around some more and saw this bicycle parking garage.






After all this exertion it was time for cake. This was the selection:











Eventually I chose something that looked like banoffee pie but turned out to have rice pudding as its base, unexpectedly. And Marieke had a cherry cream cake thingie.






Marieke also had some Dutch tea (I had my own teabag) which came in a fantastic pack shaped like a book






With the individual teabags also in a little book inside it






(The orange thing is a Dutch footie toy Marieke bought for me - apparently people twine them round their car aerials, etc).

And talking of football, this was the toilet roll in the café:






I set off home at 4:30 and my Garmin suggested I should be home by 6:00pm. But that wasn't taking into account that this is the first weekend of the German school holidays. Noch ein mal Stau!






Eventually got through that one and enjoyed whizzing along at 90mph down the A3 (Autobahn).

As I approached Duisburg the traffic jam mentioned by the traffic news (I was listening to German radio) appeared.






I sat in it for a few miles and then turned off at Duisburg and went cross-country, knowing that Duisburg and Düsseldorf aren't that far apart (after all, I had cycled between the two last Sunday).

Turns out it's quite hard navigating by car as you can't just pootle along beside the river. But I got back only 30 minutes late. I need to do my homework now - I have to find a newspaper article and write a letter about it (as if I were writing to the newspaper to complain or something). I am hoping to find an article about Paul the Octopus...


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## skudupnorth (18 Jul 2010)

Really enjoying your reports and photo's on your stay in Germany,wish i was there to have a go at cycling with the tribe.Me and my wife used to enjoy our stopovers during our drive to the Czech Republic and found Germany a wonderful place to stay.Looks like the cycle paths are well sorted and the food just looks yum,yum !!!


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## summerdays (18 Jul 2010)

Yes it certainly tempts the reader into considering visiting themselves even if their German isn't quite of the same standard. 

(Opps - in re-reading that - it almost implies that I can speak some German whereas in actual fact its much closer to zero).


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## skudupnorth (18 Jul 2010)

summerdays said:


> Yes it certainly tempts the reader into considering visiting themselves even if their German isn't quite of the same standard.
> 
> (Opps - in re-reading that - it almost implies that I can speak some German whereas in actual fact its much closer to zero).


The sad fact is the Germans speak absolutley brilliant English compared to our German language skills !!! Great country with wonderful helpful people.


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## CopperBrompton (18 Jul 2010)

skudupnorth said:


> The sad fact is the Germans speak absolutley brilliant English compared to our German language skills !!! Great country with wonderful helpful people.


Indeed. The older generation will often claim to speak no English, until they hear my pathetic attempts at German (I speak a few hundred words, most of them relating to alcohol and car parts) at which point they generally confess to speaking English.


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## skudupnorth (18 Jul 2010)

Ben Lovejoy said:


> Indeed. The older generation will often claim to speak no English, until they hear my pathetic attempts at German (I speak a few hundred words, most of them relating to alcohol and car parts) at which point they generally confess to speaking English.



My ears pricked up when you mentioned cars parts ! You are not a poor parts person like me are you ???


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## CopperBrompton (18 Jul 2010)

skudupnorth said:


> My ears pricked up when you mentioned cars parts ! You are not a poor parts person like me are you ???


No, I used to do motorsports in Germany, so we needed to learn the names of the parts we broke


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## skudupnorth (18 Jul 2010)

Ben Lovejoy said:


> No, I used to do motorsports in Germany, so we needed to learn the names of the parts we broke



That explains that then,i work for a Porsche dealer in the parts dept.Our authorised bodyshop runs a Carrera Cup GT-3,last time he broke his car it involved a complete re-shell !


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## CopperBrompton (18 Jul 2010)

skudupnorth said:


> That explains that then,i work for a Porsche dealer in the parts dept.Our authorised bodyshop runs a Carrera Cup GT-3,last time he broke his car it involved a complete re-shell !


Yes, one of our drivers managed the same trick. Fortunately we operated Big Boy's Rules, aka Crasher Pays.

I managed to avoid crashing it myself.


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## skudupnorth (18 Jul 2010)

Ben Lovejoy said:


> Yes, one of our drivers managed the same trick. Fortunately we operated Big Boy's Rules, aka Crasher Pays.
> 
> I managed to avoid crashing it myself.



Ooops £££


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## Auntie Helen (18 Jul 2010)

*Sunday 18 July*

Today was my long ride day, seeing as I don't get a chance to do long rides during the week and I went to Arnhem yesterday.

Last night, after a bit of general googling and looking at railway timetables, I decided I would get a train somewhere this morning and then cycle back. But train to where?

As I like the section from Köln to Düsseldorf and I remember the Bonn section was nice (Pippa and I cycled it last September) I thought I'd get the train to Bonn. I then decided that was a bit tame and I'd instead get the train to a stop a little further than Bonn to give myself a few more miles. The train from Düsseldorf to Koblenz stopped at somewhere called Overwinter south of Bonn so that was to be my destination.







Now I have to say, I'm getting quite good with trains now. Firstly, I've learned how to decode all the information in the stations so you actually know where the bicycle carriages will be. Secondly, using my Trice with just the sidepods and not full panniers means it's very lightweight and easy to pick up and carry up and down stairs. Thirdly, I've got the Düsseldorf to Koblenz train several times now so I know what sort of a train to expect.

The train arrived at the station at 9:58 and I got on, finding the bicycle space surprisingly empty (only five bikes, and all of those were getting off at Koblenz; not on their own, mind you - they needed riders to help them off the train. But it meant I could block them in).






Of course we then went through Köln and Bonn where more people got on and it all got a bit squashed and awkward. When we arrived at Oberwinter four people had to get off, with their bikes, so I could get out. They all got back on and I stood faffing with my flag (which had got a bit twisted with all the manhandling off the train) and then I heard a whistle - it was the driver, and he asked me if all was OK. I said yes, you can go, and off he went. And the rest of the train went with him, of course. It was now 11:15 and I was setting off on my 60 mile ride home.

Once I was out of the station (which involved carrying the trike downstairs and then discovering it wouldn't fit out of the station door - I wrestled with the second door till it eventually opened. It would have been unfortunate to have to disassemble the trike to get out of the station building.

Anyway, I was about 100 metres from the Rhein Radweg so made my way there and filtered in with all the other Radweg traffic, of which there was a lot. This is because it is (a) Summer; (B) the start of the school holidays; © a Sunday, when all the shops are shut so all you can do is go cycling; and (d) a pleasantly warm day at 27 degrees.











The very beginning of this ride was in scenery more reminiscent of the Mosel with hills to the sides and vineyards and castles. It flattened out almost immediately, however, into scenery more familiar to me from this stay in Düsseldorf.











It wasn't long at all before I reached Bonn which has a lovely promenade for cyclists, walkers and skaters. There were loads of in-line skaters around, including one pushing a Burley child's trailer. I also saw, in Bonn, both a recumbent bike and a recumbent trike (not together) and also a Weimaraner doggie. I also saw Moby Dick.











Each kilometer of the Rhein has markers to show the distance from the source (which are also subdivided into 10 as well). You can't always see them but I remember last September Pippa and I trying to get a photo of ourselves by number 666 which is just south of Bonn. But we couldn't get near it. They must have moved it (or the path) as, after I took the photo of the marker across the river, I noticed it on my side too!











cont...


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## Auntie Helen (18 Jul 2010)

...cont

The section from Bonn to Köln is also pleasant and as lunchtime was approaching I stopped off at a Biergarten to have some soup and an orange juice, parking behind an upright trike. I set off again at 2pm.






I saw several more recumbents over the next 20 miles or so (my day's total was 1 trike, 5 bikes, a Hase Pino tandem and a normal tandem). I saw everlasting bicycles, also several dog trailers with dogs in, dogs in baskets, and probably at least 50 kiddie trailers with children in. The Germans really do like their cycling as a family event. This lady had two jack russells in her basket - I asked her if the dogs liked going on the bike and she said they loved it.






It's not all pretty on the route as there are some industrial bits - and this was one of 'em.






But soon I could see Köln in the distance - that huge cathedral again!






I arrived at Köln in due course, taking a photo of the bridge with the love padlocks as they were all glinting in the sun (although I don't think that has worked in the photo, unfortunately).






I saw the Rhein Energie catamaran again which is a tour boat.






This is a bridge over a small harbour area north of Köln.






From Köln I continued north around Merkenich (the Ford works) again, although I stayed on the road rather than the cycle path as it's like a ghost town on a Sunday and much easier riding.

I then stopped for a cup of tea and piece of Apfelstreusel at Wesseling






And went past this pretty church











I cycled for a long time along a bank which looked down onto huge fields of sweetcorn.











before continuing on to the Ferry at Zons.






The last five miles were on main roads directly back to my accommodation rather than faffing around on the cycle path round Himmelgeist.

Including my ride to the station this morning, I did 60.2 miles today. It was a good day and I'm looking forward to my Wiener Schnitzel which is currently in the oven...


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## skudupnorth (18 Jul 2010)

More dessert pictures i see,now you are just teasing us all !!!


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## Auntie Helen (19 Jul 2010)

*Monday 19 July*

After yesterday's longer trip I didn't want to venture anywhere too exciting today so just cycled along the cycle paths to the Altstadt and then back again (I've done this route a few times before).






The only thing of note was that they were having some chaps examine one of the bridges from a hanging gondola which was slowly making its way up the wire supports.






I did 23 miles before returning home for lunch and some homework.


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## User169 (20 Jul 2010)

Auntie Helen said:


> (The orange thing is a Dutch footie toy Marieke bought for me - apparently people twine them round their car aerials, etc).



My daugher has six or so of those decorating the front basket on her bike!


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## Auntie Helen (20 Jul 2010)

*Tuesday 20 July*

I got up a bit later this morning and had planned to just do a vague ride but in the end decided to plan something a bit more interesting with the maps that Redfalo from CycleChat lent me.






I crossed over the more northerly bridge and made my way into Neuss, following a rather lovely river called the Erft.






Which is apparently a canoeing river - you can see the slalom poles in the background.






I then came to a very attractive mill.






The other side of which had this lovely, calm river.






The cycle routes were all excellent on this stretch - mostly asphalted with just a few gravel patches and some odd areas of cobbles.

Eventually I arrived at this village (can't remember its name) which was decked out in bunting throughout. What tickled me about this particular section was that in the foreground on the left hand side someone has hung out some silk boxer shorts for their bunting - I think it's just about visible in the photo.






The first 15 miles of the ride were really nice, mostly cycle paths through fields and alongside rivers. However the final 10 miles were less exciting, following roads on cycle paths beside them. I have plans to re-do this route backwards next week to see everything from a different perspective.

I crossed over the motorway bridge back to the correct side of the Rhein.






I'd done 24.5 miles by the time I got home and it was a very pleasant trip indeed.

Oh, and my cycling sandals suntan is still as impressive as ever!


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## Unkraut (20 Jul 2010)

Arch said:


> My knowledge of German is very much the odd word, combined with words that look a bit like the same in English...



The word _gift _is a case in point!


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## Auntie Helen (20 Jul 2010)

Yeah, a German Gift Shop - the mind boggles!


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## Andy in Sig (20 Jul 2010)

Have you been to Kaiserswerth yet? It's small but pretty and if you don't fancy a there and back ride you can do it all on the U-Bahn.


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## Auntie Helen (20 Jul 2010)

Yep, went there on my Duisburg trip. Lovely place and I have plans to go that way again to try out the Helter Skelter bridge for Arch, so may spend a bit more time there.

It turns out that my course finishes next Thursday so I have the whole of Friday free to do whatever I like before leaving for home Saturday morning.


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## Andy in Sig (21 Jul 2010)

The Theodor Heuss Brücke which carries a major road over the Rhein Park is also a helter skelter bridge. You'll need to hurry up if you're going to get all the restaurants in before you go.


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## Auntie Helen (21 Jul 2010)

I know! It's just I seem to lack appetite in the evening, having sat in a hot and sticky classroom for 4 hours.

I have done the Theodor Heuss Brücke Helter Skelter but only going up it, which is decidedly the wrong way. I thought it was the other end of the really good Helter Skelter one but I was mistaken.

Current plan is to cycle up to Königswinter on Saturday, via the Helter Skelter bridge, and then pootle back again. Sunday I plan to get the train to Venlo and then ride back.


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## Auntie Helen (21 Jul 2010)

*Wednesday 21 July*

Forecast was for mega rain this afternoon and this evening so I planned to put the rack and Vaude panniers on the trike after my morning constitutional ride.

I decided to redo the route that crosses the river to Neuss on a bridge and then crosses back over at Zons with the little ferry. It's a nice route, mostly quiet roads or cycle path, and there are some short cuts in case I have a disaster and have to rush home.







I have managed to avoid photographing any bridges today, but I did snap this barge which was covered in tractors (but the photo didn't come out very well, unfortunately)





I also saw a pole with loads of shields with images on in Stürzelberg (which was rather a nice little village).






There's an equivalent one of these the other side of the river after the Zons crossing (sorry about the bad photos)






As I approached Zons I did a slightly different route than the GPX track had, which took me all the way around that little bight at the bottom left hand corner of the map. The path was a bit rough there so I see why the downloaded GPX cut the corner off.

The ferry was on my side of the river when I arrived and I got on with about another 10 bikes and 3 cars. This was 10am.

Once on the other side of the river I whizzed round Schloss Benrath, then enjoyed the ride through the Hasseler Forst which leads across to the two lakes (which I didn't visit this time round). I didn't follow the original route at the end which was a bit awkward and involved going over a railway on a narrow and steep bridge, I instead just took main roads home.

It was a nice sunny day today and getting warmer. When I got back I extracted the trike rack from my car and fitted it and used my Vaude waterproof panniers for the afternoon's lessons. Of course, it didn't rain - it's only just started now.

Tomorrow may also be a bit rainy so I'm not sure of my plans for a ride yet.


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## Auntie Helen (22 Jul 2010)

*Thursday 22 July*

The first cool day since I've been in Germany, a very comfortable 22 degrees and overcast so it felt colder.

After last night's rain I fitted my front mudguards (thinking the routes might be a bit mucky) and set off for the Helter Skelter bridge, which is north of the Altstadt.






I arrived at the bridge after 14 miles (I took the scenic route that stays beside the river).

Here I am looking back at Düsseldorf to the south:






I went across the bridge from East to West (no interesting Helter Skelter on the Eastern side).






Then at the end, a warning...






I looked down and saw someone coming up the bridge so waited for him to get to the top before I set off.






As I went down I filmed it with my camera. Unfortunately it's 29mb so I need to do something with the file before I can upload it - that something may require me to be at home in England with the other Mac which has video editing tools. We'll see.

And at the bottom:






I cycled back along the western bank for a little while, passing a field which had these chappies in it:






Then home in light drizzle for lunch.

Watch this space for the Helter Skelter video!


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## Arch (22 Jul 2010)

Excellent! I told my Mum about the helter skelter, she didn't sound convinced and said it sounded dangerous - I think she had an image in her mind of something you come down on a doormat...


I wonder if it ever gets really busy? I mean you might be stuck for ever if there was a constant stream of people coming up...

What does the sign translate as? I know it's 'warning' something...


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## Unkraut (22 Jul 2010)

Arch said:


> What does the sign translate as? I know it's 'warning' something...



_Take care during descent_. Something no-one would have ever considered but for the sign!!

It's a shame, Auntie, that the weather has deteriorated for you last couple of days, but at least it is not as hot now. I hope you can enjoy the remaining time you have in the Fatherland.


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## Auntie Helen (22 Jul 2010)

Unkraut, I don't mind about the weather as it was soooooo hard to concentrate on the lessons when it was 36 degrees. 22 is much more like it. Today I even wore my long cycling tights, having brought two pairs here in my suitcase. My waterproof jacket that I bought with me, plus the new one I bought, seem that they won't get much use though. And my windproof hasn't been removed from its hanger yet. Good thing I've got a decent-sized estate car for trike and gubbins.

Today I tried out one of Andy in Sig's recommended restaurants, the one on the corner of Friedrichstraße and Herzogstraße. It was an Italian called Il Mercado or something like that. I had a very good pasta meal which was good value (6,50€) but was slightly taken aback by the price of the orange juice, 4€. That was for 0,3l and it was freshly squeezed but I would have been happy with cheaper out of a tetra pak...


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## Auntie Helen (23 Jul 2010)

*Friday 23 July*

Short 15 mile ride this morning as I ended up doing 15 miles yesterday after my lesson, thus did 45 in total.

I re-did a route I've done twice before, this time the other way round and cutting out some more off-road sections.






I left at 9am and arrived at the Unterbacher See at 9:45am - it was incredibly still and tranquil.






I don't doubt that on Sunday afternoons all these bike spaces are filled.






As I returned to the Düsseldorf town limits I photographed this sign - they seemed to be twinned with everyone!






And then settled down back in my room with my post-cycling treat, a cuppa and a slice of Apfelkuchen.


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## Andy in Sig (23 Jul 2010)

Have you checked out the local Woyton chain of coffee houses yet? Lovely Milchkaffe and the best croissants in town.


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## Auntie Helen (23 Jul 2010)

No Milchkaffee for me. I have brought my own teabags with me for safety (I don't drink coffee anyway).

Our group of students just decided to go out and as there's a mighty dishy Frenchman joined us this week, who's very chummy, I thought I'd go along. They got the tram, I cycled, I was there just a couple of minutes after them - but said Frenchman had disappeared (he clearly wasn't eating with us). I had hoped we'd go to a nice Italian restaurant but instead we all got a Kebab. I went home after that.


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## Andy in Sig (24 Jul 2010)

You really must do the deli area in the basement of the Carsch Haus before you go home.


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## Auntie Helen (24 Jul 2010)

What, eat the whole thing?


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## Auntie Helen (24 Jul 2010)

*Saturday 24 July*

Today, being Saturday, was a chance for a longer ride. But not too long, as I'm planning to go to Venlo (Netherlands) by train tomorrow and cycle back which will be a 50 mile day.

I decided this morning that I've been unfair to the north part of Düsseldorf after my less successful visit to Duisburg a couple of weeks ago, so I'd give it another chance - not going all the way to Duisburg but turning round at Krefeld.






So, off I set, in some light drizzle and wearing longs and a windproof top - English cycling clothing that I haven't needed so far during the Düsseldorf heatwave, which has now broken. I followed my usual route along the Rhein past the garden centre at Flehe. A large flock of sheep and goats had appeared overnight and were presumably cutting the grass.






I crossed the river opposite the Altstadt. Here's a view of the posh front of Düsseldorf from the bridge.






And this is the big funfair which opened last night (with half an hour of fireworks I could hear from my room 4 miles away)






I followed my previous route towards Krefeld, including crossing the super-narrow bridge. The photo I took last time didn't come out for some unfathomable reason so I took a few more.
















My trike is about the maximum width to fit through there!

I thought last time I had visited Krefeld but I hadn't quite as it's not beside the river but slightly inland. Instead I had visited Uerdingen, but as it was a nice place I thought I'd stop and have lunch there. I plumped for an English Breakfast, which vaguely resembled an English Breakfast but not quite (the bacon wasn't quite right, only two small pieces of toast, but the eggs were OK. But where was the sausage, mushrooms, hash browns, tomatoes, fried bread?...)





Still it gave me some fuel after 20 miles, and my own teabag meant I had a decent cuppa too.

I crossed the bridge at Uerdingen to return to the eastern bank of the Rhein. This is looking back on Krefeld's docks.





This is looking back at the bridge now I had set off southwards towards Düsseldorf.






I passed Kaiserswerth, the airport (lots of low-flying jets overhead) and made my way through fields and villages. At one point I saw a pair of floating markers on the Rhein but I don't know what they mean; undoubtedly James will.





As I approached Düsseldorf Altstadt the traffic (bicycle, walking and rollerblading) increased significantly. Fortunately the day was warmer and I no longer needed my windproof, but it was still a little overcast at times.

I saw this rather amusing set of pennants advertising a Düsseldorf food festival - I think the designer hadn't thought what it would look like from the wrong side:





Loads of people were using the funfair and there was a boat taking people across the river directly to it.






I also passed these Dutch beer bicycles.





And stopped on the little pedestrian bridge over the Hafen to watch this sailing boat try to make headway against the tide.





There was a pretty strong wind blowing southwards (i.e. helping him) but he really wasn't making much progress. Just after I took this second shot he turned round and went back the other way at great speed.





I stopped off at the café whose owner has a HP Velotechnik Skorpion recumbent trike for some food - this time Apfelkuchen. The orangey colour is from the sunshade.





When I got home (via the supermarket) I had done 45 miles. The weather's cheered up nicely now and I have a nice quiet evening in with the Pride & Prejudice DVDs...

One interesting thing I noticed - my weekly mileage whilst here in Düsseldorf is remarkably consistent. Take a look at this screenshot from Ascent which breaks July down into weeks:


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## CopperBrompton (25 Jul 2010)

Auntie Helen said:


> I passed Kaiserswerth, the airport (lots of low-flying jets overhead) and made my way through fields and villages. At one point I saw a pair of floating markers on the Rhein but I don't know what they mean; undoubtedly James will.


The red flag on the right means 'pass to starboard', so keep to the right of the vessel. 

I ought to remember what the other one means but it doesn't ring a bell.


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## CopperBrompton (25 Jul 2010)

As an aside, I've just added a blog to my website, but it doesn't contain any cycling (cycling in Shanghai requires a braver man than I - the standard of driving makes Greek driving look safe ...):
http://www.benlovejoy.com/journeys/shanghai/


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## Auntie Helen (25 Jul 2010)

In order to interpret this photo:






James sent me this pic from the CEVNI rules:






So boats should pass to the left of the buoy due to underwater obstruction or whatever.


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## Arch (25 Jul 2010)

I love the 'poof' flags!


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## CopperBrompton (25 Jul 2010)

Auntie Helen said:


> So boats should pass to the left of the buoy due to underwater obstruction or whatever.


To the right, surely?


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## Auntie Helen (25 Jul 2010)

Ben Lovejoy said:


> To the right, surely?


To the right of the line drawing, to the left of the photo I posted (red and white side, not just red side)


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## CopperBrompton (25 Jul 2010)

I refreshed my memory: it depends whether going upstream or downstream (been a while since I sailed on a river!).


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## Auntie Helen (25 Jul 2010)

*Sunday 25 July*

Today’s trip was to Venlo, Holland, by train, cycling back.

The train to Venlo is one of the new Eurobahn trains which have loads of room for bikes and are very comfortable. However there’s this weird issue where they’re not allowed to be used in the Netherlands (something to do with validating the type of train for Dutch railways) so the train only goes as far as Kaldenkirchen (a couple of miles from Venlo but still in Germany) and then you have to change to an old Deutsche Bahn train which chugs its way to Venlo, a journey time of four minutes.

Because the DB train from Kaldenkirchen to Venlo is old-style it’s a mega pain to get the trike on so I decided not to bother with that bit of the trip, but to start my ride in Kaldenkirchen and head to the border so I could have a few minutes in Holland. The train ticket was much cheaper too, a bargainous 10,50€ rather than 15,00€ to Venlo.

Anyway, I hopped on the train at 9:48 and off we pootled towards Venlo. Except, weirdly, when we got to Mönchengladbach we were told we had to get off this train and get on a different one which was waiting for us on Platform 5. Mönchengladbach’s lifts are too narrow for the trike so I had to carry it down the stairs and then back up the other side to Platform 5. I’m actually getting very good at carrying the trike so that wasn’t too much of an effort, as it happens.

The train didn’t leave Mönchengladbach for another ten minutes so we must have been significantly delayed compared to the timetable. A lady in the seat opposite struck up a conversation with me, saying that German trains were terrible and she really likes trains in England (she’s travelled from London to Brighton a couple of times). She talked to me about various holidays in England although couldn’t always remember quite where she’d been.

She had no idea why we’d had to change trains at Mönchengladbach and was also unaware of the Kaldenkirchen change bit. There were notices about it on the platform in Düsseldorf, plus it was also mentioned when I check Deutsche Bahn’s website this morning, but the lady thought it was bad form the information wasn’t on the train as well.

Anyway, we pootled our way westwards whilst I chatted with this lady. As we were approaching Kaldenkirchen there was an announcement from the conductor - this train would carry on to Venlo, no need to change at Kaldenkirchen. Result!

Except I only had a ticket to Kaldenkirchen. So I got off when we arrived there and stood, looking down the platform at nothing. It was like a ghost town, I couldn’t even see where the exit was. Right, I thought, I’m not having that - the train was still in front of me so I got back on. I would be a ‘Schwarzfahrerin’ for one stop. The train passengers thought it was very amusing.

Four minutes later we were in Venlo. As we got off the train I could hear an announcement over the tannoy explaining that people going towards Mönchengladbach/Düsseldorf/Hamm will need to change trains at Kaldenkirchen, so the Dutch still thought this was happening too, despite the fact it was a shiny new train that had pulled into the station.

So, anyway, enough train preamble - now I was cycling.






I was feeling a bit peckish when I arrived at Venlo so I bought a chicken sandwich and ate it out the front watching the world go by. It seems I was also being watched too - the sign is a good example of what life must be like in Venlo: confusing as it seems to be a mix of Dutch and German everywhere. I think I heard more German being spoken at the station than Dutch.





The route to Düsseldorf was one that I had downloaded from the Internet somewhere, and it turned out to be an excellent one. Previously, on my cycle tour last month with James, Wowbagger and Mrs Wow, we had cycled from Venlo to Mönchengladbach which is pretty much in the same direction, although not as far. We’d done that on roads, following a route that I had devised, but this route today was much better as it was on very quiet lanes and through parks and woodland, but always asphalted.

Within 5 minutes I was on paths like this:





I passed a field where people were flying gliders which they were re-assembling from trailers behind their cars.

My original plan was to get a photo of me standing with one foot in the Netherlands and one in Germany - there was an obvious border point when I cycled through at the end of May with James and the Wowbaggers, but on this scenic woodland route there was no border visible. I realised I must be in Germany when my Garmin started showing roads and features (I only have the Germany map on it at the moment so when in Venlo it was blank). This was confirmed by a sign I passed that showed Venlo as in NL.





It was a relief to know I was in Germany. It’s odd, but I always feel slightly uncomfortable in Holland - possibly because I don’t speak the language, but mainly because it just doesn’t feel right to me, in the way that Germany does. I had the same thing last week when I went to Arnhem to visit my friend - a real feeling of relief when driving home and I crossed the border into Germany.

There were lots of people cycling through this country park and I got a glimpse of this rather attractive lake.





I then found I was following a rather odd vehicle. It turned out to be a six-wheeled, articulated multi-person cycle which had six people on it (four in front with four wheels, and two further behind with two wheels articulated onto the back of the four-wheeler). I saw another of these round the corner so I imagine they were for hire somewhere.





I was cycling through the Nettetal which is a lovely route that had been recommended to me by Redfalo of CycleChat (who also very kindly lent me his maps of Düsseldorf and surroundings as he used to live there - they have come in most handy).

Eventually my route turned off the main signposted cycle route and I ended up going further east, including through a farmyard which had HUGE cow byres with a rather interesting roof. Take a look at all those photovoltaics!





In a little village (which I think was Lind) I came across this tiny church.





I then stopped for lunch in Dülken (near Viersen) which had a somewhat larger church





My lunch was a Jäger Schnitzel and orange juice at a real bargain price of just 7,60€ for the lot.

As I was making my way through Viersen I saw these bicycles which contained flower arrangements (which had rather dried out). I think I must have seen at least 20 of these bikes.










I then spent ages cycling through a very flat and featureless section of farmland (mostly wheat and sweetcorn). There were several wind turbines and at one point the path went about 10 metres from one. Goodness me, they are large things! And the blades make a very interesting noise whistling through the air.










It was starting to spit with rain at this point and I was about 15 miles from home so I decided to stop for a cup of tea. I hadn’t bought my own teabags with me (I am running dangerously low, and am awaiting a parcel of teabags my mum has posted to me which hasn’t yet arrived) so I had to dare some German tea. I had a long discussion with the waitress and I ended up with some Darjeeling which was OK but which didn’t quite hit the spot the way Tetley would have done.





The tea was washed down with some cake, of course.





I then sallied forth, noting that the drizzle had stopped. Good.

Except, as I found myself almost at the Rhein (with a fair way still to go as I was rather far north) the rain started again, significantly. In the end it was so heavy that I decided to seek shelter and stood in a group with several other cyclists under an awning next to the German Rescue Service headquarters for Düsseldorf. After half an hour the rain eased off a bit and I was pretty bored so decided to head off. The sky looked pretty dodgy so I expected to get wet again.

Which I did, ten minutes later, as I was crossing the Rhein. Rather than following my route alongside the Rhein (scenic cyclepaths) I got my Garmin to take me on a direct route back. It was hard to see the Garmin as there was rain all over the screen and I had to stop for shelter to change the batteries. Unfortunately I didn’t have my waterproof Vaude panniers, I was instead using the showerproof Sidepods which are lighter but I was a little concerned about my camera getting wet. Fortunately it was OK.

When I got home I was utterly drenched. The trike went in the car to dry off and I ended up having to wash my windproof and all the clothes I was wearing; they were so wet anyway, I might as well finish the job. Although the lady who is renting me the room does washing, she takes about a week to do it - and I don’t have enough clothes for that - so I’ve started washing my own stuff. I wonder if she’ll notice!

I go home first thing on Saturday morning so today was the last long ride opportunity I have here in Düsseldorf - I shall have to make do with shorter trips in the mornings before my language classes. It’s clear there are plenty of interesting places to visit to the west of Düsseldorf as well, if I have enough time (i.e. get up early enough) to travel that far.


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## Unkraut (26 Jul 2010)

Venlo brings back memories, as the road there from Straelen to the north of Kaldenkirchen was the one I used on leaving Germany at the end of my year abroad. I thought at the time this was it, I have had my long wanted stint in Germany and all good things must come to an end. 6 years later, I travelled up the same road away from Venlo to our new address in north Germany, and of course the road became familiar as it was used for trips back home. I'm sometimes tempted to make a detour north, now we are living in the south, to go down the same road just for old time's sake, but this is probably being a bit daft. But you can get a tad sentimental in your approaching dotage .... 

As far as wind turbines are concerned, I went in one in Schleswig-Holstein a while back, and they are enornous, much bigger than they look on the ground.


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## Auntie Helen (26 Jul 2010)

[sup]Photo taken today with my phone camera.

In German 'Bad' is the word for bath or bathroom.

However, I think the name of this bathroom shop isn't optimal.









[/sup]


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## Arch (26 Jul 2010)

That first yellow bike has run into something fairly hard at some point in it's life, I think. Probably shortly before it stopped being used and was sprayed yellow....

The articulated 6 wheeler sounds fun! Imagine a CC team on one...


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## Auntie Helen (27 Jul 2010)

*Tuesday 27 July*

Despite the weather forecast last night suggesting we were in for more rain this morning, when I looked out of the window at 7am it looked reasonable, so I decided to venture out a bit further afield today.

I decided it would be nice to redo my Erft Valley ride, but this time the other way round (i.e. the less interesting part first, finishing off with the attractive river section).






I set off at 8:15 wearing a windproof jacket and with my packaway waterproof in my pannier - I didn't trust that we wouldn't have another downpour again.

The first fifteen miles of this twenty-five mile route aren't that exciting, mainly on paths alongside mediumly-busy roads. The motorway bridge across the Rhein, along which I cycled, was VERY busy with all the rush hour traffic. Things soon quietened down when I got away from the busier roads as I wended my way through Rosellerheide and Neukirchen.

In the tiny village of Helpenstein I spotted this interestingly small chapel.





I went round the back and found a couple of benches and a locked door.





But peering through the glass pane in the door I saw this rather lovely window.





I continued on, finding myself now riding alongside the river Erft. I went past this very posh building which seemed to be a mixture of houses and perhaps businesses but I presume used to be a Kloster or something.





I stopped on a bridge over the Erft to enjoy the scenery.










Then, a bit further on, my way was blocked by a lorry and a digger. Being Germany, there had been no warning of this (and there was no signposted alternative route), but, also being Germany, the digger driver moved back a bit so I could squeeze past. They're less interested in health & safety here.





Although the sun was now out, it was still fairly cold; I was wearing shorts but would have preferred longs really. Still, the rain had kept away, which was good stuff.

After a brief trip to the shops for a salad for lunch I made my way home. Awaiting, with bated breath, the post.

Hurrah!






An emergency ration parcel from home, containing:





Which is a real relief as I was down to my last teabag!

I made myself a fab brew when I got in, washed down with a nutty pastry thingie I had bought (but forgot to photograph before I ate it). Yum.

Three more morning rides here before I return to England.


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## CopperBrompton (27 Jul 2010)

So you now have three days to drink 80 cups of tea ... we know you can do it!


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## Auntie Helen (27 Jul 2010)

It took me three weeks to drink 80 cups (although I was slightly rationing as I realised I hadn't brought enough with me) so I should be OK.

I may leave them here for the next English visitor. On the other hand, I'd rather like to drink them at home, so they will probably come with me.


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## Andy in Sig (27 Jul 2010)

None of this counts for anything until you have gone and stuffed yourself in the Carsch Haus deli basement. And I do mean bloated ...


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## Gila (27 Jul 2010)

Hi Auntie Helen,

I just got back from cycling the North Sea Cycle Route in England and until Edinburgh - had a lot of fun, and totally enjoyed the route. But I really thought no-one but me takes pics of cake. I guess food is really important, and good food even more so. Here are some of my shots... did a lot of sceneries too, but don't want to post too much stuff.

First tea in England (also first action - after cycling from Harwich big ferry and waiting for the small harbor ferry) - I don't know where the scone went - I guess I ate it already (very hungry)






Real nice piece of lemon meringue pie






Bird watcher





I am still wondering about this sign....






Finally - steak and kidney pie - after all these years.......






Does anyone know why these signs look like fish? Maybe because it's the North Sea Coast?


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## Auntie Helen (28 Jul 2010)

Great photos Gila, I hope you will write some more about your trip!


*Wednesday 28 July
*
The weather forecast for today was a significant electrical storm but it looked OK out of the window (dark clouds but dry) at 7am so I decided to go out riding straight away to try to avoid the worst of the weather.






I decided to go alongside the Rhein on the good cycle path to the Altstadt and then decide when I got there what to do next (dependent on whether it was raining). I had my waterproof with me, which was needed as it was a bill chilly at 7:15am.

I have noticed several times some graffiti on a bridge but not photographed it, so I thought I'd give it a go today.






Dunno the story behind this - "Tell my wife I love her very much she knows" - hope it wasn't someone who jumped off the bridge.

I knew that the cycle path on the other side of the Rhein near Neuss is a bit complicated but couldn't remember where the complication started (i.e. whether I would encounter it on my way back following my plan to cross over at the Kardinal-Frings-Brücke). The answer is yes, I had lots of cycling along paths beside busy roads and crossing tram tracks. There is a short cut across Neuss harbour but I couldn't find my way up onto the bridge that goes over the harbour so had to give up. The main Rhein route isn't signposted that way anyway.

As I crossed the bridge back to the Düsseldorf side of the river I thought I'd photograph this sign:






It's a bicycle friendly town, you see, and it really is. Although so is everywhere else, from what I have experienced.

26 miles today, and I bought some blackforest gateau on the way home and ate it with a cup of tea back in my room. Yummy.

A couple of photos from yesterday, too. This is the road near where my language class is taking place - they seem to be relaying a bridge/tram section and it all looked very complicated.






And here's my class. Trust me to have hyper-reflective trousers on! There's another Brit in the group - can you identify which person it is by face alone? (As an aside, the group all say I look incredibly English, but they can't explain why...)


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## CopperBrompton (28 Jul 2010)

Gila said:


> But I really thought no-one but me takes pics of cake.


Surely cake photos are mandatory for all cycling blogs?

















Etc, etc, etc


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## Arch (28 Jul 2010)

Auntie Helen said:


> And here's my class. Trust me to have hyper-reflective trousers on! There's another Brit in the group - can you identify which person it is by face alone? (As an aside, the group all say I look incredibly English, but they can't explain why...)



Is it the chap second from the left, back row?

As for taking pictures of cake, bah, I know someone who _videos_ his...


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## Andy in Sig (28 Jul 2010)

Sod playing spot the Brit! I'll settle for the girl in the grey cardigan thing second from left or the one in the middle at the front.


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## Auntie Helen (28 Jul 2010)

Actually, Andy, the girl second on the right (Turkish) is an absolute stunner in real life, as well as extremely nice too.

Second on left girl is Russian (in fact from Tomsk in Siberia) and one in the middle is from Bulgaria, so I think you like the Slavic look...


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## Speicher (28 Jul 2010)

I would think the same as Arch, if she means the chap in the brown top in the back row.


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## Auntie Helen (29 Jul 2010)

Yes, Arch and Speicher are both correct, the chap in the middle of the back row. Well done ladies!


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## Andy in Sig (29 Jul 2010)

Auntie Helen said:


> Actually, Andy, the girl second on the right (Turkish) is an absolute stunner in real life, as well as extremely nice too.
> 
> Second on left girl is Russian (in fact from Tomsk in Siberia) and one in the middle is from Bulgaria, so I think you like the Slavic look...




The Turkish girl is indeed gorgeous but I meant the one on the chair in the middle (the teacher perhaps?) and the Siberian lass is a honey. You can tell them all that I love 'em.


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## Auntie Helen (29 Jul 2010)

The girl in the middle on the chair isn't the teacher, she's another student, and she's the Bulgarian I mentioned. Thus the comment about you liking the slavic types.

Off for my exam in 10 mins. We can only use a German dictionary, not an English-German, and I don't have a just German one, so I am doing without. Which could be interesting...


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## Arch (29 Jul 2010)

Auntie Helen said:


> Yes, Arch and Speicher are both correct, the chap in the middle of the back row. Well done ladies!



Woohoo!

Is he single?


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## Auntie Helen (29 Jul 2010)

Nope, married with three kids, sorry.


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## Arch (29 Jul 2010)

Bah! Well, you have to ask...

How was the exam?


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## skudupnorth (29 Jul 2010)

Germany looks the place for top cake and cycling.....unlike this dunghole of a country !


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## Arch (29 Jul 2010)

skudupnorth said:


> Germany looks the place for top cake and cycling.....unlike this dunghole of a country !



We do some good cake....

To be fair, we do some good cycling too - it's the bits inbetween that suck.

Actually, I could show you some routes around Berwick that include both great cycling and great cake. They don't call me three-cafe-stops-in-30-miles-Arch for nothing.


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## Auntie Helen (29 Jul 2010)

Exam was fine, thank you; I'll find out the result tomorrow.

I've been out carousing with my course-mates in a rather noisy bar (and as I'm a bit deaf that wasn't too conducive). Fortunately four of us had a nice steak meal beforehand which was rather more gemütlich.

All the photos of me look totally appalling, but I'm extremely unphotogenic at the best of times.

I've done a 48 mile day today. I won't be riding on Saturday (will be on the ferry!) so need to do just 25.72 miles tomorrow to hit my 1000 target for July.


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## Speicher (29 Jul 2010)

Auntie Helen said:


> Yes, Arch and Speicher are both correct, the chap in the middle of the back row. Well done ladies!




 Very pleased I got that right. I did it entirely on the faces, and took no notice of the clothes they were wearing. What nationality is the man in shorts?

It is very interesting about the shape of faces. 

I have enjoyed seeing all your photos, including the ones of cakes, but especially the bridges.


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## Auntie Helen (29 Jul 2010)

The man in shorts is French, and he scores extremely highly on the dishiness scale.


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## Speicher (29 Jul 2010)

Yes, he does, but might be a teensy bit young for me.


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## Auntie Helen (30 Jul 2010)

Yesterday (Thursday) I re-did the Erft Valley ride as it's a nice one, but cutting out the section which is being resurfaced.

The only pic I took was that of a barge. We used to own a boat which was a Bavaria 34, a sailing yacht, so it was a bit of a surprise to discover what Bavaria design for their larger boats...







Then last night I went out with some of my classmates for a little post-exam celebration.

We met in the Altstadt (I went by bike, of course) and as we were standing waiting a rather scary-looking woman with lots of facial piercings came up and asked if she could have my English flag. I asked why and she said it's because she loves England. I pointed out that the flag was dirty, tatty and a bit ripped but she said she didn't mind, she just wanted one. So I took it off the flagpole and gave it to her. All I now had was a tiny German flag so the flagpole wasn't really doing its safety bit any longer.

I had a fab Argentinian steak at a steakhouse with the French chap and two Bulgarians. What I found most interesting is none of them had heard of the Falklands war. So there you go.

We then moved into a noisy Irish Bar where 100ish of the language school people were hanging out. It was too noisy for me so I only stayed an hour.

I cycled home back along the Radweg along the Rhein which was slightly spooky in the dark. The Fernsehturm looked nice though.






47.5 miles for the day. I just need to do 25 today and I'll have done 1000 for the month. I won't have a chance to ride tomorrow as I'll be on the Ferry wending my way back to Blighty...


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## Auntie Helen (2 Aug 2010)

As promised, a link to the video I took of the Helter Skelter bridge.


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## CopperBrompton (2 Aug 2010)

That looks great fun


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## Unkraut (3 Aug 2010)

That was very mean of you to post pictures of German cakes. I don't know where I could go to get cakes as nice as that ..... Actually, the rule is, the further north you go in Germany, the better the cakes, and no, Black Forest Gateau is not the exception.

Can tell you've been in Germany a while, you're starting to sprinkle German words in your sentences. It happens to the best.


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