Staying at this hotel in Eiskirchen was good for us. The breakfast was outstanding (one of the best!) and we really liked the people and the level of service we enjoyed here.
Last night, our impression of Euskirchen was not very positive when we were riding in to the centre of town to the hotel which we had booked. We found it to be run down and kind of seedy. We preferred the location of the hotel where we stayed. As we left town we found more things to like about Euskirchen as we followed a cycle route through the city park..and as so often happens to us.. we chanced upon a festival and a charity endurance race in the park.
We know that we will be dodging storms again today as the humidity is continuing and the thunder remains our travel companion. Our goal today is to reach the Rhine River and hopefully camp somewhere near Remagen.
If the weather allows, this will get us close enough to Koblenz to have some time for sightseeing before heading back to stay with our friends and ultimately our flight back to Canada. Gulp.... how does the time fly by so quickly?
We were fortunate to get this Bett & Bike hotel in Euskirchen. We couldn't find a campsite and all of the towns in the area were sold out, except Hotel Regent in Euskirchen. They had one room left - but when we got there, they had made a mistake and were full. They secured a room for us at this hotel and it was a good change.
As we left Euskirchen through a large city park, we noticed many people who were covered in mud and dressed in running/cycling clothing. We rode alongside some of the obstacle course where they had to scramble over huge piles of hay bales (in the background). It s a hot morning and it looks like a cold beer hits the spot.
Part of our ride today is through the beautiful Cotten forest and we stopped for a lunch at the Bahnhof - currywurst and housemade kartoffelsalat (potato salad).
We met these two brothers from Belgium who are riding the Dutch route to Rome. It is steaming hot today - high humidity with thunder storms all around us. The brother on the right was really suffering from the heat. We have been following the same route and will stop at Koblenz. Last year, we rode part of the same route from Ferrara to Rome. We envy them for the adventures that await them.
After riding for so long in the quiet countryside and small villages, it is strange to be on the Rhine with so many other cyclists and tourists in the cafes along the walkway.
We wanted to camp and didn't care for the mega campground, The Golden Meile near Remagen. Instead, we rode to Bad Breisig and camped on the river at Rheineck. We stayed here 3 years ago as well. It is a peaceful pretty spot with good amenities.
We love a campground that offers amenities for cyclists - electrical outlets, covered eating area, a frig, etc. We recommend Rheineck Campground for a quiet experience a bit off the beaten track of the busy Rhine route.
