Distance: 101km
Country: Germany
Song of the Day: Over the Hills and Far Away - Led Zeppelin
Boy, another cold morning. It was cool to watch the riverboats go by as I ate breakfast though. I could even see them going by in the night. The Rhine here is only about as wide as the boats are long. So I don't think turning around is an option. So navigating the channel must be interesting. Not only that I saw a couple of ships passing each other. In a river so narrow that must be a bit nerve wracking.
Anyway, I got the tent down and on my way. I was going to pay for the night, but no one was at reception. I am sorry, but I wasn't going to wait around all day in the cold for someone to show up. So I just left. So for the proprietors, sorry.
After six days on the Rhine, I was finally heading away from the river. My first stop was in a little town called Schwetzingen. I wasn't going to stop, but I saw a bike shop there. I needed a couple of things. Like a map would be a good start. I did finally get a replacement hook for my pannier. They had a map, but it only went to Ulm. Close enough for me. The last thing I got was some new break pads. The ones I have are pretty well worn down.
On the new map I saw a couple of bike routes. So I decided to explore. Wow, they are actually pretty nice. I was riding through a lot of forest. With the leaves changing colors it is quite beautiful. Some of the paths lead along old gr
avel roads. Really wild places. It seems weird for a place like Europe, where everything is so developed. In the areas of France and Belgium I was traveling through almost everything is cultivated land. Here they have real forests. Pretty spectacular.Away from the river now, I started running into more hills. But after the Rhine and the Low Countries, I think I am ready for that. Still, it makes it hard to calculate the time it will take to get somewhere. Up hills are incredibly slow. Downhills can be fast, but it also depends on the terrain and road conditions. If you are travelling through a city or over bad roads you really can't go as fast as you want to.
Well, so I ended up getting caught out again in the dark. Damn. I was in the little town of Knittlingen trying to get to Maulbronn. From there I was hoping to find someplace to stay for the night. I was having a hell of a time finding the bike path out of the town though. I ended up meeting a guy named Peter who was coming home from work. Not only would he show me to Maulbronn, but he would put me up for the night. How cool is that?
I guess he and his family have done some bike tours as well. So he knows what it is like to find a place to stay. Of course, when we got to his house, he had to ask his wife's permission first. But she was quite happy to have a guest over. They even invited me to eat dinner with them. Good Swabian food too. Pumpkin and ginger soup with onion cake. Yum. Oh, and to drink I had to Mosht. This is a local version of apple cider. I guess it is a home brew that Peter makes. It was really good. For desert we had some apple crumble and milk.
After dinner we played a couple of games. Their eldest daughter, Nelli, was out. Lotte was there when I arrived, but left to meet up with some friends right before dinner. So it was just Peter, his wife Heidi, their youngest daughter Gisa, and Gisa's friend Lea. At first we played Maxle. Which I will have to explain at some later time. It is played with two dice, and was really a lot of fun. After that, I showed them how to play 10,000. (I think that is right.) This is a game played with 5 dice. After that, it was getting late and time for bed.
I really cannot thank the family enough. They have been so wonderful. Especially since I was picked up off the street like a stray dog. Everyone seemed to take it in stride. They gave me food, a shower, I got to do some laundry, and a place to sleep. Actually, they put me up in Gisa's room. She didn't even complain about losing her bed for the night. I just can't say enough about all the hospitality they have shown me. I did promise that if any or all of them are in Seattle, they are most welcome to stay. I am sure I won't have a hard time finding hosts either.
Oh, there was one other incident that I should mention that was pretty funny. Like I said, Nelli was out when I arrived. So she didn't know I was there. When she got in late that night, I was still up posting on my blog. I think she saw the light on and wondered why Gisa was still up. So she came in and found some strange guy in her sister's room. I don't think life prepares you for the etiquette in a situation like that. She actually handled it very well. No screaming. I just explained that I was on a bike tour and her father had invited me to stay. So Gisa was somewhere else. This seemed a good explanation and she left me alone. I just couldn't help but laugh (quietly) after she left. How do you handle a situation like that? Well, Nelli, thank you for not freaking out.
Again, to Peter, Heidi and the family, it has been wonderful. I hope you have enjoyed my company as much as I have enjoyed yours. Thank you.
-Dravis
No comments:
Post a Comment