I just read your journal and it looks like a really nice route. Plus, there are bike ferries?!?! It's worth going just for that ! ! !

I just found out a friend in Frankfurt (Klaus, if you're reading my most recent journal posting) will be helping out/riding with us on this trip, so I think I'm going to do the Moselle route, but after reading all of the wonderful comments about the Danube I will definitely be riding it at some point. Thanks for the input Rich! (and everyone else!)

Mark, a bit late in the day, I guess, but since the Danube has been properly celebrated, here's my 2 cents' worth:  In 2012, from mid-Sept to early Oct., I made my first long-ish tour, up the Rhine and down the Danube.  Started in Nijmegen in Holland, rode south along the Rhine to Mainz; took the train  SE from there to Ulm; and from there, rode east to Vienna.  

Lovely time of year, splendid riding on the radwegen, almost all flat, with hills available if you wanted a side trip; A-grade cafés; reminders of history both inspiring  (I managed a nod to Marcus Aurelius in Tulln, just W of Vienna -- see photo below) and ghastly; and as always, enjoyable chance conversations and the kindness of strangers.  

I have a journal of sorts -- the one I posted to crazyguy got lost in the shuffle when I left -- but wd be happy to review it and share it with you if you like.  Pls let me know if so, but don't feel obliged.  You can reach me at  johncsaxby(at)rogers(dot)com

Cheers,  John

Hello Mark 

I can recommend the Netherlands. Here are signposted long-distance cycling routes (LF-route). For example, round the IJsselmeer (former Zuiderzee, 450 km), central Netherlands route (300 km), round the borders of the Netherlands (ca 1000 km), NAP route (along the border of the see if the Netherlands dit not have dikes (450 km),  etc. 

Everything is more or less flat. In the eastern part are some hills. No mountains. 

This is a link to the site with information of LF routes and other cycling routes.  https://www.nederlandfietsland.nl/fietsroutes/

Thank you!

Hi Mike - I did a solo day trip from Roermond, Holland/NL in April during a self guided/planned trip I took.  It's a small city in SE Holland Limburg region.  I was able to rent a bike for the day - very hard to do in most areas w/o a Dutch bank account for security of rental.  The shop was Rijwielhuis Roermond.  Great service, low cost, short walk from train.

The bike paths are extremely well marked as are road signs.  The signs are numbered (similar to hiways) so it's easy to plan routes.  I met Swiss and German riders on the route I took to the National Park De Meinweg and back.  The park is on the German border.  Very scenic, some rural routes.   

Plan well, it's very safe to ride in the smaller cities.  Amsterdam is a bit of a nightmare and dangerous if you mistakenly get in the wrong transport lane.  The lanes are: train/tram, bikes, pedestrians and are separated by just a few feet or at all.

English is common until you get in the smaller more distant communities.  Same with Belgium, but fewer English speaking.

Be sure to research and plan your riding routes, rooms well ahead. I spent over 3 months researching and planning for my 19 days trip - I stayed in air bbs and used public transportation - mostly a tourist trip for me.  

Be sure to learn the bike route mappings and plan your routes.  There is a lot available online.

If I was to do a multiple days bike trip I would spend more time planning.  There are huge fines for riding on the wrong roads/paths and probably for camping in the wrong spots.  I recommend rooms - air b&bs or similar - schedule at least 3 months ahead.  The cities and communities are all pretty close together and easy to navigate.

book flights 3-4 mo ahead.  and check the low rates months.

Very helpful!  (And very interesting!)

Thanks, Linda!

Agreed and  dank, gj! 

Very accurate and sound advice, Linda.  Especially about cycling ( or trying to) in the Amsterdam or larger cities.  

Hello there, it's my first post here :)

I like your idea - I do a lot to promote this "easy" approach to bicycle touring, which brings more new people into it. Cycling along the European rivers is of course excellent thing. Rhein, Danube, Elbe, Drau, Loire, Weser - they all have excellent cycle routes and can be a superb inspiration for cycling tour.

But we have also several seas in Europe, which are usually very friendly in terms of cycling and cyclist-friendly organized:

EuroVelo 1 - Atlantic Coast Route, EuroVelo 12 - North Sea Cycle Route, EuroVelo 10 - Baltic Sea Route, EuroVelo 8 - Mediterranean Route... Different seas, different countries, different climate, different history. Some of them (parts of EV1 and EV8) can be challenging, but the rest is mostly flat and friendly. 

Worth noting is that EuroVelo routes may be very different in neighboring countries - that's because each country, sometimes even each region, maintains it on its own.

I come from Poland, where cycling tourism has changed a lot in recent years. And cycling "our" EuroVelo 10 route by the Baltic Sea can be so impressive:

These are completely fresh photos from my last tour, the photos I have at hand. I'm not posting a link, as I don't know your link policy, but... don't forget about the seas! :)

S.