I appreciate the comments folks are leaving me. It’s fun to have little messages throughout the day. Maybe I’m not quite the recluse I believe myself to be.
By the way, I determine where I am for the titles of these posts by looking at the weather app. Google maps packs too many place names into little areas where campgrounds often are.
Tonight I am camped at what appears to be a nameless lake. It’s really small and super close to the river. The campground, or shall we say compound, has the tightest security I’ve ever seen for such a place. To get in I had to ride the metal fenced perimeter until I found the one and only entrance. Which I think gets locked completely at some certain time in the evening. Seems crazy and maybe I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure not.
I had a lot of uncertainly about campgrounds before getting here. I didn’t know how many there’d be, if they would be reasonably priced or not, and whether they would be full and/or bike friendly. Turns out they are everywhere, quite cheap and readily available for humans with bikes. They may not be the beautiful plots of nature like in a lot of North America, however they are exceptionally clean and well taken care of.
Plus there are interesting and chatty folks at them. Tonight Michael, a Dutch guy a few years older then me roaming Europe in a car on his 6 week summer holiday. I think he’s a landscaper and sometimes does horse and buggy rides with tourists. He hinted he’s a little lost in life right now. This morning a older German guy with the deepest voice I’ve ever heard and a squinting right eye who offered me a coffee and wanted to hear about my trip. Last night a young Colombian woman on a two month cycling tour who is desperately trying to ride somewhere without rain. I don’t know if I’d meet folks like this if I were staying in hotels.
A lovely day for riding. It rained three or four times (with another one pending right now) and when it came down it came down hard. Five minutes later the sun would be out and everything would be steamy. Not a bad compromise. Soak me and dry me in 2 hour cycles. And there was a double rainbow at dinner time.
I rode through Mainz and then Frankfurt. The latter in particular was looking quite festive. I was on the other side of the river from the good stuff, but snapped a few pics as I rode along.


After Frankfurt I crossed the Rhine and began following the Main. The crossing happened over this bridge. Pretty narrow path for bikes and humans.

The riding conditions along the Main were pretty similar to those along the Rhine if a little less scenic. Now that I think about it, that may well be the case for this segment of my ride. The Rhine is popular for a reason, after all.
Late in the day I passed Seligenstadt, with its old city coming right down to the water and bike path. Unfortunately there were throngs of tourists so I didn’t stop. A couple days on quiet bike paths makes scenes like that rather intense.
I dropped my bike twice today and I happened to be on it both times. Once trying to do too tight a u-turn for a bakery 🧁. The other when I accidentally went off route into an area where the path was covered with steel plates. When wet, those things may as well have been sheets of ice. Kind of amazing it took 5 days to make myself bleed. Usually it’s a daily occurrence.
I passed more hobbit houses!

Thunders cracking so time to climb in the tent. Night night

Sounds like another great day. I miss hearing about the food you had. What it uninspiring? Sleep well and pedal on tomorrow.
A sandwich in Frankfurt with bread, cheese and salami that have been in my pannier for 2 days. Then pesto from a grocery store. It can’t all be glamorous curry wurst! Some good bakery treats though. I’ll take a picture next time.
Found a recipe for your curry wurst……from the sauce ingredients I can tell why you like it so much. I already sent the recipe to Karen.
I love the “railway bridges with castle” photo. Looks like the album cover for some post-techno German band.
Always u-turn for a bakeries!
Glad you’re getting some good weather and meeting interesting folks, too.
Those little Hobbit houses are called “Schrebergarten“, since owning property is rather the exception in Germany, especially in cities, people lease these micro-plots for a number of years and can grow some heavily regulated plants (Germans love heavily regulating all kinds of things).
I had a feeling you could explain these things! Do people generally use them like cottages?
Hey Chad:
I’d be interested in hearing your comments regarding “weather resistant” and “weatherproof” gear. What of your gear is keeping it, or you, dryest, and what is the biggest, soggy, letdown? Any surprises here or tips for cold rainy days? (has the rain caused you uncomfortably cold rides or is the summer season mitigating what might be miserable riding at other times of the year?
I’m enjoying my trip with you so far, Chad, although a little carb heavy…
Be well!
Iain
Iain
WaterPROOF panniers are absolutely critical. I have ortliebs and they are probably the best. At least 2/3s of all people here with panniers have ortliebs. Of course they are German made. Jeans are terrible but I’m committed to them so suffer through. My raincoat is ok but when you are riding for hours in rain you are going to get wet one way or the other. So sometimes I don’t even both to put it on. But sometimes I do, especially when it’s cooler because at least then it also provides some warmth.
I’m also in a committed relationship with Levi S., Chad. This is very helpful, so thank you. Also, I’m glad to hear that generating warmth hasn’t been a hardship for you.
Happy Trails!
Iain
Long live denim!
Really enjoying the photos you post, Chad, as well as the stories of the interesting people you’re meeting. I’m curious about how you cross borders. I presume you have to pass through checkpoints and have your passport reviewed and approved?
I think the European Union did away with most border checkpoints but we shall see
curious if you’re planning on going to go into any of the cities to tour around,
is the trip tightly scheduled?
I will likely stop in some cities, certainly for lunch or whatever and maybe once or twice overnight. Not sure which ones yet. Prague comes to mind, though, and I’ll need at least a day in Budapest. I hear good things about the Jewish quarter in the latter.