Day 14: Germersheim to Seltz

April 9, 2018

Our hotel last night really endeared itself by not only having what could be the best breakfast buffet we have encountered so far, but also by inviting the patrons to prepare something of it to take away. Then even at the front desk, they had cakes and coffee on offer, and again a sign inviting people to carry some with them. This is really helpful for us, since after leaving a town we can not guarantee to be near another source of supply when hunger strikes.

It had not quite dawned on us before, but Gemersheim s the site of Spezi, the trade show for special bikes, or as their web site says: "world's largest show for recumbents, recumbent tricycles, quadracycles, folding cycles, tandems, family cycles, velomobiles, transporters, electrical bikes, special needs bikes, adult kick scooters, child and load trailers, customised designs and accessories." This year the date is April 28/29 so clearly we will miss it. But if anyone is going, we recommend the Hotel Gemersheimer Hof!

The famous trade show and place to try out special bikes

We thought yesterday's bit of the Rhine Radweg was really great, but if anything today was even better. For almost all of 60 km we had a clear and smooth paved bicycles only path through beautiful wooded areas. Most of the run was beside a dike which seems to be part of a system of pumping stations and polders working to control Rhine flooding. In effect we were riding down an open area, often containing the dike, with the woods nearby but not oppressively so. Sometimes we also cycled directly on the Rhine. Either way, it was really fine.

The path was like this much of the way, but often with the forest a little more distant.

Mistletoe is kind of decorative and was hanging in many trees

At frequent intervals along the way there were posters that described the bikeway, but also ones that suggested side routes. Basically any major stream that enters the Rhine supports a bikeway back up toward its source. We find these very attractive and need to dream up a way to include them in future trips. For now we are content to photograph the posters, which contain the web site references for further information.

From the French border to Seltz. "Vous etes ici" is a bit of a clue that we had crossed over.

Just a reminder of what this has all been about. If you can see it on your screen - the Rhine starts in the Alps and runs into the Bodensee, at the south. Then it goes out to Basel and turns north, heading for Netherlands. Bikeways, of course, extend over the whole length. Bikeline covers it in three books.

Looking more closely at the central German bit of the Rhine we see additional bike routes taking advantage of tributary rivers. There is the Ahr, the Mosel, the Nahe, the Saar, the Main (not shown), the Kyll, and others!

We passed by Karlsruhe, on the other side of the river, but had no reason to cross. Interestingly Wikipedia claims that both Karl Drais, the inventor of the bicycle, as well as Karl Benz, the inventor of the automobile were born in Karlsruhe.

We just happily spun down our side of the river, merely enjoying the forest. Near Lauterbourg we did run into something a little unique. It was a lot containing Suzuki cars. But this was not an ordinary parking lot. Rather, I would guess its size at 10 acres, and every car was a Suzuki Vitara. We know conceptually the power of mass production, and we can easily look up things like car sales figures, the sales of iPhones, etc. etc. But seeing 10 acres of the same car does set you back on your heels a bit. (By the way, since 2007 1.16 billion iPhones have been sold. Now wouldn't it be something to see those all in one pile!)

Lauterbourg has a clain to fame other than Suzuki storage. It is just inside the French border, since the Rhine divides France and Germany from this point south to Basel. Our passage into France was not marked in any way, a really casual approach considering all the border disputing that has gone on here in the last 200 years. We only knew for sure that we had changed countries when a bike path sign turned up in French.

Our target for the day was the little town of Seltz, about 15 km from Lauterbourg. We went into the town centre mainly to see if there would be a source of food there tomorrow. Though signage had told us we were in France, maybe we could have also guessed it, because everything we saw was closed, including of course the Tourist Information office. We did spot the bakery, and to be fair its hours include an opening at 4:15 a.m., and though closed it would be open again later in the afternoon. The town itself was attractive, and had some "Alsatian" style buildings, especially one very nice blue one with brown trim. If you look at this one, you will see the roof direction change which earlier had appeared with the cuckoo clocks.

Our hotel, the "Hotel des Bois" was just a little out of town, and we found it was close to a "Super U". Super U is one of the premiere supermarket chains in France, and we love them for their prepared salads, refrigerated puddings of many types, and cheap but good chocolate bars. Super U can almost make us forget we are no longer in Germany!

It took us a short bit to adjust to the Alsatian accent of the lady in the hotel, but it was ok. It's a bit of a tradeoff. In Netherlands and Germany a lot of people speak English, so we can get along. In France, far fewer speak English, but our French is maybe as good as the English of those in Netherlands and Germany. So again, we can get along. But in France we have to listen carefully, making it sometimes a strain. This time, the lady asked me if we really wanted the "Andy Capp" room we had booked. Say what? Oh, "handicap"! Well yes, if it's bigger. Oh, only the bathroom is bigger and the rest is smaller. Sure then, a regular room.

So here we are in our regular room. It is close to but not quite German standard. We are after all still within 15 km. Tomorrow we will push deeper into the land of baguettes. I'm sure we will be fine!

Appendix: Storks

This part of the world seems to be stork central. Yesterday we watched them picking over a newly tilled field and today we see them collecting nesting materials and checking out nest boxes provided for them in towns. No wonder they are part of the folk tradition here.

Today's ride: 63 km (39 miles)
Total: 744 km (462 miles)

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Bennie D. BarfieldI've been doing and following bike touring's for about 25 years now.. I can see why you prefer France, Germany and Austria.. There's no equal here in the US.. I did not understand before..
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6 years ago

Steve Miller/GrampiesYes, in the US the Rails to Trails assoc and ACA are trying but the difference with Western Europe is really night and day. One measure is that we are willing to pay a 50% surcharge through the exchange rate to be here. (Prices here in Euros are about the same as those in dollars back home, but the Euro is 50% more valuable)
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6 years ago