Day 65 (4/8) - Rest and relaxation and recovery in Koblenz

After getting to sleep at 7am today was a rest day. We woke around 2pm and spent the afternoon riding around Koblenz, taking it easy and trying our best to avoid the 36c weather.

Fort something or other over the river of something or other. Can you tell we are feeling pretty meh.

Sleep well

Day 64 (3/8) - Nature One (Festival 4)

We had a lovely sleep in and a tasty breakfast at our German guest house, trying our best to keep things neat and in order as not to upset the funny German chef. We took the day easy as not to tire ourselves out for our 9pm music festival. Just a 40km ride from Sankt Goar to Koblenz. 

The festival, Nature One, was held in an old military bunker in the middle of what seemed like nowhere. The bus took an hour to drive us there from Koblenz and then it was a 45 min walk to the entrance but it was all worth it. 

The Germans certainly know how to party hard, lots and lots of atmosphere and energy. The sound was the loudest we had ever heard it.18 stages, about a third in concrete bunkers, the others spread around the site, some on top of hills, it was a maze full of military hardware. We had to be careful not to fall over or down one of the hills in the dark (we opted for low alcohol consumption to stay on the safe, alert side).The bunkers were about 5m across and about 40m deep, solid concrete walls, so so so very loud. The main stage set was so impressive. We had both never danced so hard, about 3am we were exhausted but pushed on until 5:30am when the first shuttle was heading back. Hard to believe people stayed until after 9am when the last DJs stopped playing.

About to depart at a healthy 9am

Anne-Marie showing off an enormous cuckoo clock (and bear by the original teddy bear makers).

Reuben is too busy taking pictures of castles and rides straight into a flower bed (who puts a random garden in the bike path anyway? I ask you (and then fills it with sharp volcanic gravel just for good measure)), bike lands on his head. Anne-Marie the ever dutiful and loving wife immediately whips out the camera to take plenty of photos prior to helping the poor injured husband with his numerous injuries. (seriously the 40kg bike landed on my head (remember all that wine we bought yesterday?)).

In the background is the wonderful castle I was taking pictures of (here washing my cuts out).

Nature one tickets YEAH (Dreamworks grin)

Dreamworks grin for reference LOL

Stepping between bunkers

Anne-Marie dancing with the light men

Reuben gets down in the black light

All smileys

Can you say Hardcore? Bam Bam BAM. Seroiusly back to '92 here I come!

A short highlight clip from the main stage at N1.

6am at the entrance, a night is called.

Day 63 (2/8) - 230km in 6.5 hours Great cycling Bad trains. Oh and lots of CASTLES

Reuben was still feeling a little under the weather so we decided to take it easy. We slept in and then decided to catch a train and bypass some boring parts of the river. Only 200 kms, it can't take too long... 6 trains, 7 hours, a cancelled service and two late trains, it did. We found ourselves stranded at rural stations with strangers. Canceled trains make friends of travelers like little else can. Finally we made it to Bingen, Germany at 7pm and rode for 30 kms on what was one of the most beautiful sections of the Rhine river; castles, quaint villages and lots of outdoor beer festivals.

Anne-Marie showing of the bruises on her legs and the impressive space on some of the German trains for bikes

Having a couple of 2 euro champagnes during one of our unplanned 45 minute stopovers on our train journey.

Suddenly Art.

Finally ready to ride, off the train, there's castles in the background I promise.

Castles!

Ok, I really love castles (Reuben).

Castles!

Castles!!

Castles!!!

Caststles!!!!

Castles!!!!! (and bikes <3)

Day 62 (1/8) - Tasty Castle day

Today we decided to skip riding and stay in picturesque Strasbourg for another day. Reuben was still a little weak but Anne-Marie convinced him an organised wine tour of the Alsace wine region would be a rest. She was wrong. We climbed up a castle in the 35 degree heat and spent an hour exploring. The castle was pretty amazing, well restored and military, no pretty princess fairy-tale abode but a proper defensible fortress in amazing condition that you could explore and enjoy. We then visited 3 towns for sightseeing and wine tasting. Once again much to our disgust we came away tipsy with another four glorious bottles to carry around in our panniers. By the end of it we were exhausted and had an awesome day although Reuben never got the rest day he was promised.

The view from our hotel room into the amazing old pub next door.

The Cathedral across from our hotel room. Amazing detail.

Lovely in the stairwell

And again

There's a dragon lick'n my head

Polearms! Halberds! Oh My.

Meet my little friend.

These crazy french people put flowers on everything.

Reuben with the wine maker of a fabulous Grand Cru Riesling we enjoyed.

One of the prettiest towns in France

More fabulous wine tasting.

Day 61 (31/7) - To the beautiful city of Strasbourg

We rode from Biesham to Strasbourg along more canal paths, around 75 kms. Even though we were still in the Alsace region we still never saw any vines, just corn and potatoes and very pretty canals. 

Strasbourg is a completely lovely city and our last stop in France for the holiday. Our hotel was just opposite their cathedral, the main tourist attraction in town. We were upgraded to a room with a view of the cathedral and the joys that came with it; buskers from early morning until night and the musical/ light show spectacular that occurred at 10 till midnight each night. Such a beautiful city and we were very glad to have stopped for more than just a few hours.

Figolu, the french version of squashed fly biscuits, cycle food of champions... well Reuben anyhow.

Strasbourg's little France

The cathedral is too big for our camera.

This french food is almost German, dinner of Six Meats on about 3 kilo of  sauerkraut. I feel so manly right now.

Day 60 (30/7) - Back on the bike in France

We said goodbye to Basel and Switzerland for the last (fifth) time as we continued our journey, somewhat along the Rhine. Following our book it suggested a much more pleasant ride following canal tow paths instead of the river proper and east a bit through the Alsace region of France. All we knew of Alsace was they make wine (and that awesome pizza thing) so we were happy to go with that plan. Although a pleasant ride we didn't see one grape, as you can imagine the disappointment was quite severe. There was lots of fields of corn and wheat and some war memorials. We did stop at a pretty amazing fortified town along the way to be touristy and then do some washing and get tips on were to go to dinner and after 70 kms we ended up at the town of Biesham for the night. Reuben starting to feel a little unwell after the exertions of the last week, too much alcohol, rich food and, well, partying really.

I hurt here... and here, here, here and here.

These bike paths are amazing

They like to be called Canard!

GPS saves us hours if not our lives

Those bags even look heavy even from here. Note to self don't buy wine, DON'T BUY WINE.

It doesn't look like the cheese.

That's a serious iced treat.

Day 59 (29/7) - Back to Switzerland (again)

We were up early for our flight out of Brussels. The shuttle picked us up at 8 am and dropped us off at the airport. We were handed a Tommowland bag with food for the journey home. As we progressed though the airport we saw hundreds of festival goers asleep in corners of the airport, we wondered if they had been there all night or were just as completely shattered as us. Easy-Jet got us safely back to Switzerland, Reuben managing not to snore the entire flight. We found our bikes safely where we left them in the sci-fi bike park and stepped outside, pouring rain, like really, bucketing down. We only had to ride 5 kms to our hotel but by the time we arrived we were saturated and completely hammered and we hit the hay at like six PM.

Roo at the airport trying to have a little sleep without sitting down

Just some of the 'Tomorrowlanders' in the background

Planning the next day with some Flammechueche (Thin crust white cheese pizza, Anne-Marie's favorite specialty in the region)