August 11, 2014
To Miltenberg
The electrical storm started just as we were going to go down to the river for our picnic. We weren't too bothered as our room was so nice. I thought we wouldn't ever have a better one but just wait till you see where we are staying tonight.
That hotel does not serve breakfast so it was over to the Backarie with Manfred when it opened at 7am. Manfred has come up the Rhine like us but started about a day before Dusseldorf. Like us he is going to Salzburg, he is travelling alone and is on an amazing looking recumbent, however it is balanced I wouldn't know. Back down to the river it looks much more rural now we are away from the environs of Frankfurt. Apple trees line the route but the apples they are dropping are not ripe yet. We did however come to a plum tree and it was spilling its delicious bounty over the road, as we had been unable to find a shop to buy fruit they were a welcome addition to our lunch.
After around 20km we came to Aschaffenburg, we didn't go in but enjoyed the riverside park and the stunning view of Schloss Johannisburg from the top of the bridge as we crossed the river. Little towns are dotted all along the route some of them have the knock out factor but not all. All of them however are meticulously neat with solid well maintained houses and the look of a real working town.
Our goal for today was Miltenburg and this has everything to attract the tourists. The river of course runs through it, tour boats are tied up - both those for day tours and the longer ones. The Hautstrasse is stuffed with half timbered buildings, there are numerous hotels and enough Eis Cafes, Biergartens and Restaurants to satisfy even the hungriest tourist. I went to the Tourist Information and have as I eluded to before the most magnificent accommodation. I cant call it a room, it really is a suite the size of a small house. (80E with breakfast included). We were feeling very smug and it was now that things seemed to be turning to custard. I turned or rather tried to turn on the iPad and nothing happened. What ever do you do about this in a cute medieval town that sells souvenirs and other tourist wares. We found however that outside the gates is a 'real town'. It has supermarkets, McDonalds and a fantastic computer shop. The man was lovely, in a few minutes be had fixed the stuck on button and panic was averted. We even went in to McDonalds and had a smoothie to renew our contact with the real world.
Today's ride: 67 km (42 miles)
Total: 441 km (274 miles)
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