September 5, 2022
To Rastatt
I woke this morning still nervous about Vivien George’s front brake. Although Max and the guys at L’Hirondelle thought my brakes would be fine for a week in the Black Forest, they had not mentioned finding and/or repairing a leak. I did a short inspection last night before going to bed, looking at the place where Jan had identified leaking fluid. Despite the fact that Vivien George had stayed in place for 36 hours, there was no oil on the floor or dripping from “Jan’s spot”. The brake lever seemed to depress a bit more than yesterday, but it stopped well short of the handlebars. I went to bed hoping all would be fine.
My train to Strasbourg left Gare d’Est at 9:25, about a thirty minute ride from my apartment to the other side of Paris. I left home about eight, right in the thick of school and work traffic – which in Paris means a lot of children on scooters and commuters on bikes. Morning delivery trucks were stopped along the curbs, blocking both car and bike traffic – it was a time for all senses to be fully engaged and brakes in top working order. And the brakes worked great – both of them. Stopping when activated, little to no squeaking. I was relieved and overjoyed.
The train ride to Strasbourg was nice – good bike accommodations, a seat near Vivien George, and another cyclist to chat with. It eleven-thirty when I left the Strasbourg station for the 38 mile ride to Rastatt where I would meet Suzanne. I made my way through the city and urban ring on dedicated cycle paths. There was a bit of lunch hour traffic as well as a major traffic jam caused by cars and trucks waiting in line to get gas. I later passed a gas station ringed with red tape – it seemed there might be a gas shortage in this part of France, but I could not find more information.
Once I cleared the outer reaches of Strasbourg, I made my way north through small towns and cornfields along the eastern border of France. It was sunny and warming, and I started looking for a nice lunch spot in the shade – after many miles of futile searching, I settled for a concrete stump in a parking lot in Offendorf.
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Before long, I’d reached the shores of the Rhine, a bit confused as to where to go next. My route directed me past a gate and down a ramp into the water, but that didn’t seem right. There were some cyclists on the levee, but that clearly was not going to get me across the Rhine. By then, other cyclists had pulled up to the gate and it dawned on me that this might be a ferry crossing. Bingo! The ferry pulled in a few minutes later and before you knew it I’d said Au Revoir to France and Hallo to Germany.
I was welcomed to Germany with a delightful stretch of small-road cycling - following the curve of the river past marinas and yacht clubs, through cornfields and small towns. Just past Stollhofen I picked up a dedicated bike path that ran adjacent to a highway the final ten miles into Rastatt. Not very interesting, but it got me where I wanted to go.
I was just hauling my panniers into the hotel when Suzanne bounded down the stairs with a big smile and arms wide. She’d arrived at the hotel about thirty minutes before I did, and after a big hug she directed Vivien George to the bike storage room. Dinner was Italian, seated outside on a very pleasant evening. Good food, great conversation, a wonderful touring companion – too bad my camera battery died. You’ll just have to imagine the two of us having lots of laughs and loads of fun.
Today's ride: 38 miles (61 km)
Total: 2,550 miles (4,104 km)
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