Day 62: Mulhouse to Montbeliard

September 21, 2015

I woke up in the middle of the night with a severe sore throat so I will be trying to fight off a likely full blown cold today. I almost always lose those fights. However, iI was a help that the day came up sunny, though a little cool. I think I can trace the cold to the chill coming down from Rohr in the rain the other day.

Despite there having been no rain, our tent was completely soaked in the morning, the effect of dew alone. (Dodie also adds there was the effect of heavy breathing in the night. I am sure she could not mean me!) As I am writing this bit, we have stopped at mid day and have hung all the tent pieces in the sun. It feels good to see them drying so nicely.

Our tent has to dry by the canal side at mid day - even though it was not rained on.

Today's ride, and maybe for a while after that, will be along the Canal du Rhone au Rhin. The idea of the canal is easy to see, because with it one could go by boat from the Mediterranean to the North Sea. The canal is heading out west from the Basel area and will eventually dip south to pick up the Rhone, which exits Lake Geneva and soon turns south for the Med. We of course will leave this canal eventually and keep going west.

We will follow this for all day today at least

Unlike in Italy, the authorities at least try to set out safe cycling ground rules. 20 kph is really slow for the lycra crowd.

The canal tow path is paved and level, and totally car free (except for very rare appearances from the canal authority vehicles). Today there is a clear sky and no wind, so the ride is the most peaceful experience possible. Other than a few local riders, our company is various forms of waterfowl, including ducks, swans, and herons.

One of our main sources of company today - a heron

There are all sorts of ducks in the canal

For the first 15 km out of Mulhouse the side of the canal was graced by panels created by school classes. They are very professionally done, and cover topics related to the plants and animals along the canal and the canal history.

The information content of these panels is right at our level, while they do contain some French words and terms that are new to us. We are reproducing them here to give an impression of what this great feature was like. French readers might like the information. And Evee and Amelia will surely like the story of the princess and her governess.

Look at how long the arm is on this excavator - Amelia and Evee!

The tent seems pretty dry now, and we have eaten our baguette and cheese. It was our first baguette on this phase, and it sure was great. The cheese was the last of our stock from Luzern, incredibly. So it's time to head on up the canal!

The bag from our baguette today - with a historic recommendation to use these bikes for picking up your baguettes

There is no excitement to report, as we cruised a further 30 km along the canal. The best I can do is to say that the way was barricaded at one point, and we needed to detour through a town. The detour signs did not cooperate in generating some excitement by disappearing. Rather they just dutifully took us back to the canal.

We decided they were really serious with this claim that the route is closed.

On the detour we saw houses like this. Fachwerk is common in Alsace, particularly at Strasbourg

Even when we went off route to find Decathlon and some Campingaz, there was a bikeway right to the door. So no risk to life and limb to get gaz. Decathlon had the gaz, and Dodie even came out with a Ritter Sport, my favourite chocolate. Yikes, I hope something bloggable happens before we reach camping or a hotel!

(Dodie adds that we did try a huge Intersport for the gaz before going to Decathlon. Intersports sucks, we are now sure. That is, unless you want clothes or shoes. Especially in France, the home of Decathlon, it is the place to go.)

The bikes wait in vain for Intersport to carry real sporting goods.

We decided that with me now being more or less officially sick it would be best to sleep indoors tonight. We noted on Booking some hotels around the 50 euro range, and two in the old town at 62. We headed for the old town, since that is always the most pleasant and also most likely to be near our track. The first hotel claimed to have no vacancy. That might have been true since it jived with what Booking said, but on the other hand the lady was looking at a board covered with available keys when she gave me the news.

The second hotel was the Bristol, really in the most pleasant part of the small old town walking area. Dodie went in, since she is overall more pleasant and likely to get good results. They told her 69 and she said ok. When I asked about what happened to 62, she snapped at me. Later analysis showed that actually she had bonked just then. It took a giant plate of kebap and an Orangina at a place just down the street for her to feel better again. I also split my Ritter Sport!

The kabap also afforded the power to stoll briefly down the walking street. We found an Orange store, Orange being a cell phone/communications provider. We had brought several USB chargers from home, with European adapters. There were two problems with this. Firstly, one of the adapters was clearly meant for heavier duty, and did not fit all outlets. And second we were forever leaving the adapters behind in the plug and only remembering at the last minute. Finally, we did lose one, leaving us with a much weakened charger situation. (Dodie adds, "Whatdayamean "we""!) The charger we found at Orange, for 13 euros, has two outlets - one with 2.4 amps and one with 1 amp. It's a teeny bit big and heavy, but it is a great addition to our stock of native European electronics. We feel very suave and European to have native and not adapted equipment!

By the time I had written the text above, Dodie was in bed and asked to be read it as a bedtime story. She never made it through. So I am happy to think that you, dear other readers, are still with me. Unfortunatly, I too am ready to quit. But fear not, I will upload the photos first. Don't miss the story of the princess...

Bonus - Need Sympathy

I had declined to publish the photo of Dodie's recent injury, saying why do people need to look at something like that. But tonight it is still pretty impressive, and Dodie says she needs sympathy. So if you are so inclined, send in those commiserations!

Today's ride: 59 km (37 miles)
Total: 2,865 km (1,779 miles)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	0
Comment on this entry	Comment	0