Day 8 – Sunday 31st May
Distance: 63.32 miles; time: 5:14:40; Average speed: 12.1 mph; Max speed: 23.4 mph; Calories (according to Garmin): 3832; total tour distance 354.83 miles.
Today’s plan was to cycle to Cochem, 50 miles away. However I had a chat with the hotel owner and he thought accommodation problems in Cochem might occur as it was still Pfingsten. He thought that there would be accommodation available in some of the smaller villages around the larger towns so I decided to cycle to Cochem, visit the Internet cafe there, and then cycle on a bit further to find some cheap (and available) accommodation.
This plan seemed a good ‘un as I did notice some free rooms in the smaller villages I cycled through so hopefully that will be the case when I leave here on my way further westwards (here being Cochem).
Today’s route was the right hand side (southerly) bank of the Mosel and it was very nice. There was an unfortunate piece of off-road, however, rather like the Wivenhoe Trail near Colchester, which is a dusty and rough surface – and this path had grass going up the middle (which one front wheel has to go through). It was also surprisingly hilly – but I made it, admittedly using my Granny Ring.
Major excitement of the morning was running into another two trikers – a chap on a Thorax with a trailer and his wife on an HP Velotechnik Skorpion. I had a sit on both trikes – the Skorpion looked really impressive. The man told me that he and his wife have sixteen bicycles, including a Trice! They must have an enormous garage!
Took a photo with the camera’s self-timer as it was laid on the floor. The Radweg was quite busy so I think we annoyed some other cyclists by taking up most of the path!
And here is a pic of me that the chap took and emailed. Note how I am dressed to cover up from the sun… it was very strong!
There were loads of other cyclists out today, of course, as it’s a Sunday, but I made good speed to Cochem, getting here in 4 hours (for 50 miles). After I’ve finished on the Net I shall have an Apfelpfannkuchen mit Sahne and then hit the road for another 20 miles or so, to the other side of Treis-Karden, to find a nice village. There won’t be much to do when I stop apart from eat as it’s a Sunday so shops are shut, so I might as well do a high mileage day.
…and a further report…
So I set off from Cochem with a vague plan to stop in Hatzenport, a smallish village on the left hand bank of the Mosel. As hundreds of bikers passed me (including some very impressive Harleys and motor-trikes), I began to be a little concerned again that I wouldn’t find a place to stay. However when I rolled into Hatzenport after the 22km I found a place straight away that would do a room for 32,50€ for the night. My trike was parked amongst a lot of shiny motorcycles and I went to have a wander round Hatzenport after freshening up.
There was some kind of outdoor event on so my evening meal was a Bratwurst with chips for 3,50€.
When I got back to the hotel room and plugged my Garmin bike satnav in to charge… there was nothing! I noticed also that the lights in the room weren’t working. I reported this to the landlady and her husband fiddled with the fuse box and fixed it. The same had happened to me the following morning, without me plugging anything in anywhere, so the electricity is clearly a bit temperamental.
My room was actually the first genuine single room I’ve had on this tour (i.e. with a single bed). I went down and had a cup of tea in the bar area – for which I was only charged 50 cents as I had brought my own teabag! – and the local chaps were chatting to me about where I was from. One of them knew Ipswich (vaguely) and was trying to tell me that Ipswich Town used to be a very successful football team. This sounded rather unlikely to me but I told him I wasn’t very knowledgeable about football.
I have been considering my luggage and whether I packed well. It seems that I did, the washing line being brilliant. I have about the right number of clothes, I think, although I’ve only worn my waterproof jacket at Harwich whilst waiting for the ferry when I left. However I haven’t used my tools except for the allen keys (including puncture repair kit, etc) and I haven’t used my German dictionary. Apart from that, everything else has been used, so I’ve done well.