Day 22: Miltenberg to Reicholzheim

August 12, 2015

We really enjoyed the romantic and historical aspect of sleeping in an 800+ year old building. And to be sure, the sanitary facilities had been upgraded to modern German standards. On the other hand, small space and few windows took their toll, as we shared with people of the middle ages what it was like to cook on the top floor of a stone oven like building.

We also had the joy of being in the middle of a town, so Dodie shouted (fairly mildly, I thought) at people making noise in the street at midnight.

In the morning, the old lady and what may have been her daughter, set out a reasonable breakfast, though as connoisseurs we could mention only two kinds of jam, non seeded buns, no fruit, and only one plastic tub of yogurt as major flaws. On the other hand, the old ladies (even daughter seemed old) doddering out with small pots of coffee and peppermint tea, etc. seemed to add to the authentic experience.

I got in one quick shot of the main street (hohestrasse) with no people and maybe one parked car, before people began to flow in. These were mainly credit card cyclists. I am not sure where they spent the night or how come they were swarming "our" bakery in tho main street so early.

Miltenberg in the early (ish) morning, before any tourists hordes have arrived.

A look back at Miltenberg reveals schlosses rather than bakeries.

We left town and continued the pleasant but uneventful path, arriving soon at Freudenberg. Freudenberg is compressed along the river beneath a cliff, and has had to build walls to hold back high waters of the river. There are panels all along the river front explaining the town, the flooding, etc. I know this because I read them last year. This year, as we entered town, one of a strange species of resident attached himself to us (to me, really). This species does not speak a word of English, and upon supposedly seeing that you do not speak his language, continues to jabber along, imparting all sorts (presumably) of critical information about where you are going, or should be going. a lot of smiling and waving goodbye seemed to have no effect, but in the end the man shook my hand and drifted away. There is no way I would be rude to a well meaning and kindly old man, but sheesh!

The walls of Freudenberg, designed to hold back the river when it floods.

Wertheim was the next major town, and it is a significant one. It is at Wertheim that the Tauber joins the Main, and where the Taubertal Radweg starts. The Radweg comes in three flavours - the Klassiker, the Sportive, and rhe Weinradreise. The Klassiker just plain goes up - classic! The other two go up and down and up and down - forget it!

By this time, with our distance again lagging behind the temperature (which had shot up over 40) Dodie was again feeling wilted. In fact, she was talking about taking a train to the mountains, or any place cool. The weather forecast calls for more of the same temperatures tomorrow, so we plan to get up early, say 4 a.m., and get in some cycling before it gets too wilting.

As we entered Wertheim, I was suggesting some sitting in the shade at an eis cafe time, But Dodie (probably delirious) claimed that she was now beyond the therapeutic effects of sitting and of eis. Well sitting is neither here nor there, but in my view eis is omnipotent. Stubbornly, Dodie pressed on, suicidally (I thought) heading back out onto the broiling path up the Tauber.

What saved the day was that the path did enter some shaded forest. Also, very quickly, the first (and maybe last for awhile) camping appeared. It is called Camping Forellenhof, and is just 5 km up the river from Wertheim. No matter, at 2 p.m. we popped up our tent and hit the showers. Now we are sitting in pleasant surroundings, slowly moving our chairs as the sun tries to sneak around the shade trees. We ate our last "Pick Up" cookies, but we have an outside hope that the Biergarten here might have torte. We do have noodles to cook for supper, so it's not like we are going to starve out here.

So far the Tauber experience looks like a much wilder one than the Main. The valley here is narrow and wooded, and it must be the wilderness, because none of our three SIMs is able to pick up much of an Internet signal. If you are reading this, it of course means that at least text got through. And maybe there are even photos here. If not, they will come soon.

Wertheim, by the Main, and where the Tauber enters.

A pedestrian street in Wertheim. We did not see much, because "some of us" wanted to just blow through.

The Tauber, near where it enters the Main. This will be our first time on the "lovely" Tauber Radweg.

The signs we expect to follow for 100 km or so.

Oh, oh, we have not seen many "gefahr" signs so far this trip, but this seems to warn either of a plague of frogs or of one dangerous giant frog!

The best part of this campground is a bird feeder by our tent.

One More Thing - German Lessons (or not)

We had only two Pick Ups in stock, and those were destined for dessert at supper. So what to do about the need for kaffee and kuchen in the afternoon. The Biergarten here looked mostly closed, but I did see two people get a beer, so I ventured inside. It was dark and not too inviting, and the main product around seemed to be used books. But a lady came out and asked me what I wanted. This of course was in German, for no one here in the Tauber wilderness speaks a word of English. And I - know certain words, but could not string two sentences together for the life of me.

So I said (in some which way) "I heard a rumour you might have torte here". (this could have been a drug deal)!) The lady said "Not torte, but kuchen". "That's great, I replied "Can I see the goods". "Just can't have it out or drag it out for anybody - are you serious about wanting some?" "Well, yeah!" "Eat in or take out?" "Take out" "Ok, do you have a plate". "Yes, I could go look for it". "Well, get on it!"

So back I went to tell Dodie we had to unpack our whole cooking gear to find a plate. A plate to us, of course, is a silicon folding bowl.After absorbing a lot of flak from Dodie about unpacking the cooking gear, I was back with the lady and my bowl. "You call that a plate", she laughed. "Oh well, let's give it a shot". So now out came the pie shaped rhubarb and wild strawberry kuchen. The lady cut one piece, paused, and piled on another. "Do you want whipped cream?" "No?" it will make it much yummier - so why not?" "It will make my plate dirtier" "Oh pshaw, here, Iwill just put a bit". Pffft Pffft.

So that's how a half dozen words of German can negotiate two pastries out of a beergarden! Oh, on the way back, I nearly tripped on a dog. entschuldigen said its owner. This meant nothing to me for about 2 minutes, and then the light went on. "Excuse me" he had said. Sandra had taught me that word two months ago. Making progress!

A sudden though brief thunderstorm decided to come along, and we scrambled to put all our stuff into storm ready mode. The campground lady saw us doing this, and suggested (German only) that we could move our lives into the garage. so we passed the storm happily cooking supper and blogging in the garage. The lady even moved her car to make room. Really nice!

Today's ride: 40 km (25 miles)
Total: 1,123 km (697 miles)

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