We are finally on our way, Hausen to Limburg-Koblenz and Kobern-Gondorf: bikes and a train, a good way to start - Riding In My Grandfather's WW1 Footsteps - CycleBlaze
We are finally on our way, Hausen to Limburg-Koblenz and Kobern-Gondorf: bikes and a train, a good way to start
Well, this is the day when we will finally embark on our cycling trip. We are excited with anticipation about what this journey will bring.
Cora and Georg will accompany us by bike to Limburg (about 20 km) and we will take the train together. They will get off at Nassau station, go for a bike ride home, and we will continue on to Koblenz to begin our cycling adventure down the Mosel River to Trier, the first leg of our journey.
Thankfully, we chose to start early as we were unsure if our tandem recumbent would be allowed on the train. Our plan was that if we were denied access with our bike, that we would cycle along the Lahn River to Koblenz instead (about 2 days of riding). We like the Lahn, and don't mind riding it, but 1 hour on the train is our preference. We know that our tandem is officially not allowed on German regional trains and in the past we have been fortunate to deal with conductors who accommodate us. However, we have been warned that the newer trains have smaller areas designated for the bikes and this is a problem for our extra large tandem.
As we feared, the first train had a very small area for bikes and the conductor kindly told us that we could not board the train. But, he suggested that the next train might be ok....and it was. We were very grateful to be able to get on and arrive in Koblenz before noon.
This is a good lesson for us, as we have learned that tandems and specialty bikes (like recumbents) are increasingly a problem.
The first 20 km of the Mosel did not disappoint. The route took us through exquisite medieval villages all focussed on wine production and its culture. We were entranced by the historic charm of what we saw. It also helped that this was the first sunny day in quite a while.
The only down side of the day is Mary Ellen's ongoing tummy problems. As well as not feeling well, it was painful for her to ride. We had hoped to go farther our first day, but we had to give up at Kobern. We stopped to get some peppermint tea and we saw a charming Pension across the street showing "zimmer frei" (room available). Well, that made our decision easy and we stopped. Mary Ellen went to bed and Barry went for a hike up the hill to see the castle. It was a good decision. We had a comfortable room with a view of the historic marketplace and breakfast included.
After a lovely 25 km ride to Limburg, we are chilled when we stop to wait for the second train - as you can see by Mary Ellen and Cora's expressions.
Georg and Cora bid us farewell as they prepare to depart for their ride home. Thanks Cora and Georg for your hospitality and the fun we have had with you and your family.
The Mosel River is characterized by sharp bends and undulations along its course. Our route to Trier is about 200 km, but as the crow flies,I am sure it is not so far.
