Bonn to Mannheim

Our legs and that area that you perch on are still managing to get us down the Rhine.  We don't deviate too much from the river unless the cycle track takes us away from it, as we are limited in our leg power to go sight seeing in other areas (that will be another trip - with a car yeh!)  What we are seeing is amazing and now that we are following close to the river (if I lost balance I would fall in) it is just as we imagined and wanted it to be.  Very historic and picturesque and meeting lovely people.

Seeing lots of beautiful castles on the way and we wonder at how they ever managed to get them built where they did.

Eyeing the cruise ship off - sigh!!!!!

Typical of what we cycle through - and we feel blessed to be doing what we are doing and what we are seeing.

Barb under the largest hand carved cuckoo clock in the world (St Goar) - what was inside this shop truly amazed us (no photos allowed inside) One clock was available for approx $7000 unfortunately we did not have room on the bikes.

In view of some vineyards on the hillside - how they pick the grapes is anyones guess.

Church bells ring everyday - beautiful sound.

Lunch stop.

Lunch over - back to work.

Big annual bikie convention in Rudesheim (thousands of Harleys).  We crossed on the full ferry with them and then got caught in the crowds as they cruised through the streets.  We were quite a source of amusement and someone suggested we have brought the wrong bikes as we rode along with the rumble of Harleys and tattooed riders.

Take a look …..

Crossing the bridge in the city of Mainz.

"Love Locks" all the way across the bridges.

Not dated but been there for awhile - bet they did not think they would be on some Aussies Blog when they pledged their love as they closed the lock - how romantic.

Overnight camping and Leeheim.

Remains of the bridge at Remargen - made famous from the 1970's film 'Bridge at Remargen"

Couple of Pommie boys Mathias and Jonas - 2 weeks away from being home in the UK after approx 4000km pedalling from England to the Black Sea and back.  Had a good chat, few laughs and swapped maps.  Bob is the skinny one in the middle.

Arnhem to Bonn

  Easy cycling through Holland.

The cycle path crosses the river often. The ferries continually go back and forth to no set time table and sometimes carry only a 3 or 4 cyclists.

Live aboard family moored up near Arnhem.

The things you see ……..

Still loving the topiary.

Lunch stop over the border in Germany.

We missed the storm but had to divert away from the cycle path to avoid the downed trees. About 20 kms of damage that slowed our progress. The army had been called in to clear the worst of the damage from the towns but the cycle path seemed a low priority.

 Right on the Rhine River cycle path is the medieval city of Zons with a history dating back to 1200's.

Sunset over the river.

Me reading the small print to find out where this cycle path leads!

A real nice way to experience the Rhine River - perhaps next time.

Supporting the local team in a beer garden just downstream from Bonn; Germany beat Portugal 4 - 0.

Wearing my PNG shirt to match the German flag.

Rotterdam to Arnhem

I'm sure there must be shabby towns and suburbs in the Netherlands but we haven't yet seen them during our first 5 days cycling along the Rhine River route that we're following. The cycle track so far has taken us through "picture postcard" Holland away from industrial and built up areas in favour of scenic landscapes, iconic buildings and historic towns - just as we wanted.

After a few days in England and a week in Sweden visiting family and friends we drove across the bridge to Denmark and flew from Copenhagen to Amsterdam then caught the train to Rotterdam where the Rhine River empties into the North Sea; the start of our "upstream"journey.

We did the rounds of the new and used bike shops and ended up with two second hand touring bikes that seemed to be in OK condition with enough gears to tackle the Alps, lights, locks and all the necessary bits to hang our panniers on. Our panniers were bought in Australia and used as luggage to ensure that we didn't over pack and be overloaded when it came time to start cycling. Weatherproofing and fitting them to the bikes was a bit of a challenge but we got some good advice from a member of the Aussie Seniors hockey team over here for an international tournament and staying at the same hotel. She was outside having a smoke and saw us struggling a bit and gave good advice that we would never have worked out ourselves.

The city of Rotterdam is a great place for getting around on a bike but daunting for non-cyclists with all the road traffic, tram tracks and motorbikes so we decided to leave the city by Waterbus and start cycling from the historic city of Dordrecht about an hour up-river.

First leg of the journey - Rotterdam to Arnhem

Getting down the jetty ramp fully loaded was traumatic and the captain kindly delayed his scheduled departure while Barbara wobbled her way to the gangplank.

Dordrecht - one of the oldest towns in Holland

Signs to follow

The above signs are at every change of direction along the track but not always easy to find as sometimes they're down low and covered in vegetation or up high embedded in amongst other road signs hence we've got lost or have deviated from the track a few times. We couldn't find a route map in English so we're using a German map that seems to rename towns different to how they'e shown on the street signs in Holland.

Cycle path near Dordrecht

 Just love the thatched houses

Morning tea stop along the Linge River

The trail across the canal at Gorinchem

First nights camping near Asperen

Topiary on steroids

Under table heaters - clever.

We met this couple in a bar last Saturday afternoon and enjoyed a few laughs and beers while discussing all things Dutch, our Rhine River trip and life in general. Natalie and Tanja were great company and good fun and we're a bit sorry we didn't accept their offer of a nights accommodation at their home but we were keen to get a few more miles in. They're well travelled and have Australia on their list of places to visit and we will be disappointed if they don't keep in touch and come and stay with us in Perth.

With Natalie and Tanja in Geldermalsen

Clever bird house

Dutch attempt at the Land Speed Record maybe?

We got caught in a thunder and lightning storm and sought shelter in Doorwerth Castle along with a hundred other drenched cyclists.

DoorWerth Castle on the Rhine

We're currently in Arnhem in a small hotel just under the Nelson Mandela Bridge. The Arnhem Bridge that the town is famous for and was made well known in the 1977 movie A Bridge Too Far was defended during the war, then destroyed and later rebuilt, is within sight and is now called the John Frost Bridge after the British Officer who led the Airborne Forces here in 1944.

John Frost Bridge

More storms are forecast so we've decided to stay another day.