Traben-Trarbach to Koblenz

June 12, 2023 to June 13, 2023

Our final two days on the river brought us from the steep sided valley into the wider plain where the Mosel joins the Rhine in Koblenz.

With bike paths on both sides of the river, we alternated between the quieter and often shadier side or crossing over to the villages but also busier roads and often the sun facing slopes with vineyards. The riding was easy, the days hot and sunny, we had a plan for the coming days, so all told, we were in a good groove.

The campsite in Cochem was a couple of km out of town, so by the time we arrived and set up, our goal of sitting on a riverside terrace sipping an aperitif morphed into buying wine at the camp store and sitting at a picnic table, but still with a view of the river! More white asparagus for supper. This was a busy spot and we chatted with our neighbours, on one side, a two family group with small children who were starting a 3 week camper-van excursion and on the other side, a young couple out on their first ever cycle touring trip together- so far so good. As is often the case when we tell people we are from Canada, they told us about their visit to our country, but instead of the usual, Montreal, Toronto, the Rockies, she had lived in St.Anthony NFLD for a year as a medical intern. Now that is a different Canadian experience.

By noon on the last day there was more signs of industry and the villages were bigger, but for what was lost in bucolic charm we gained the advantage of easier access to food. Lunch stop was a large EDEKE grocery store where the bakery lady made a custom egg sandwich exactly to Ann's liking and we sat on comfy chairs -with a view of the parking lot!

Getting into Koblenz was quite easy, we only lost our way a couple of times when the bike path markings ended suddenly, and then we detoured over to the station to reconnoiter the set up for the train to Koln the next day. Finally we came out onto the Rhine path, looking across to the Schloss on the opposite hill and out to the Deutsches Eck, where the rivers actually meet. Today we had plenty of time to get over to the campsite opposite the Eck, set up and still make it back to a delightful Biergarten for drinks, wurst, flamekuchen and to watch the sunset among the people. This is our second time in Koblenz so we relaxed and skipped touring the main sights. It is an appealing city, big enough to be interesting, with plenty of history and natural beauty to attract visitors, but without the intensity of an international tourist destination.

Overall we were 6 nights on the Mosel and we will gladly come back again.