Ringsheim to Achern: Sunshine, Apples, Pumpkins and Tulips!
Last night when we chose our hotel the CN was a bit disgruntled at the price to quality quotient. However, we couldn't find anything for any less in the area, and we are on our bikes, so moving another 50 or 60 km wasn't in the cards. By this morning I had forgotten all about it. Down we went to the breakfast room, and the place was busy. We couldn't figure it out. It is not like we are in the heart of tourist season, or the tourist zone. There were grandparents with grandchildren, parents with children, three generations at some tables. Keith and I looked at each other...it was pretty obvious we were missing something, but what?? So I asked. It is a week long school holiday in France and Switzerland, and our hotel is within a few km of Europa Park, Germany's largest theme park, and the second most visited theme park in Europe after Disneyland Paris. Who knew? Certainly not us! So that explained the cost of the hotel, all the excited children and the preponderance of French. We didn't go to Europa Park, but we did Google it and it looks pretty amazing. Keith and I had a good laugh. I am pretty sure we were the only hotel guests not headed straight there.
Our bedside tables. I kid you not. We paid good money for those.
The Hotel Heckenrose. Seriously, the rooms were clean, the beds were comfortable and the breakfast was good, but you can only get away with their prices when there is a school vacation on and a theme park close by.
It was cool this morning but quickly warmed up. The ride was beautiful, and started out flat, through farmland and lovely villages. Navigation was straightforward and it was just good riding. We joined The Eurovelo route along the Rhine for a short time and had to decide between continuing along the Rhine or staying on the Rheintal Radweg and heading up into the rolling hills. Up to the hills we went.
Crossing the Autobahn. So many trucks, everybody rushing to get somewhere.
One moment we were rolling through beautiful, bucolic countryside, and then we went up a small rise, around a corner and came face to face with a huge industrial complex.
The picture gives you absolutely no idea of the scale of this place. It was huge and went on for ages. It was fascinating too, trying to figure out what kind of awesome German engineering they do there. It was followed by a charming village. I am betting I know who the biggest employer in town is! I googled it...they are the world market leader in mechanized tunnelling technology. It was pretty awesome.
Public Art of the Day. This was at the side of the bike path and was surrounded by trees, each with, we think, a child's name and birthdate on it. The plantings seemed to have started in 2006 and are ongoing. What a great idea.
We stopped for lunch at a park in a village we were riding through. In addition to our sandwiches we had freshly pressed apple juice, of course. The positive inclines started, but so did the views and the apple orchards, which were beautiful. So many different varieties of apple. Lots and lots of future strudel. At about 3:30 we decided it was time to get serious about where we were going to spend the night. This is not tourist central here so we headed to Achern, which is a larger town off the Radweg, but it was all bike paths to get here, and we found a great hotel. We have had a good dinner in the hotel restaurant and a great conversation with Sven, from the Netherlands, who is just heading home from a business trip to Italy. He sells tulip bulbs, orchids and other plants, and gave me a parting gift of tulip bulbs for my garden. I will send him a picture when they come up in the spring. I will have to fence them in of course, or the deer will eat them before I can take the picture. Sigh.
We decided we wouldn't have time to get to the baths in Baden Baden today. There is a ton of information on these signs. We are following the Rheintal Weg...the green cyclist symbol at the moment. Tomorrow, who knows? As long as we are in Frankfurt on the 25th we are fine. I can't believe this tour is almost over. I want to keep going...but south!
