July 12, 2023
Day 11: Koblenz - Bad Godesberg - 40 miles
A rcky start with a good finish
A heavy rain woke me from a good sleep. The rain was supposed to have passed by midnight. Dressed and breakfast done, I headed out. The sun had appeared. It promised to be a wonderful day to cycle.
The route north out of Koblenz proved to not be the easy-in of the prior day. Google Maps took me over the Mosel River and headed through an industrial area as the tour route guide mentioned. However, it took me many miles through an industrial and manufacturing area.
Six miles later, the Rhine appeared, and I cycled north on the east side after crossing an impressive suspension bridge. The views did not disappoint in this section. We passed through and along many vineyards. The road led to a ferry. The ride across the Rhine was a treat.
It was nearing noon. The group stopped for lunch at Bad Breisig, a nice resort-like village that was swarming with cyclists. A cafe was chosen. The menu featured maultaschen, a fried dumpling stuffed with ground meat and cheese. It is a regional German specialty and was tasty. I had never heard of it.
I came across dark aboding structures on both sides of the Rhine as I approached Remagen. It turns out they are the remaining bridge supports for the railroad bridge crossing the Rhine It was the site of a significant multi-week WW-II battle, critical of the Allies crossing deeper into Germany. The western structure houses a peace museum.
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It was a short cycle to Bad Godesberg. My cycling companion Roger led us to Hotel Kaiserhof which is across from the train station. The day ended with a stroll through the lovely neighborhood with many shops and restaurants where the group had dinner.
Today's Trivia
The Battle of Remagen was an 18-day battle during World War II from March 7-25, 1945 when American forces unexpectedly captured the Ludendorff Bridge intact. They were able to hold it against German opposition and build additional temporary crossings. The presence of a bridgehead across the Rhine advanced the Western Allies' planned crossing of the Rhine into the German interior by three weeks.
Today's ride: 40 miles (64 km)
Total: 69 miles (111 km)
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