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.
Oh, and today I passed 5000 miles for the year 