Along the Rhein there are signs that show how far you are from, I presume, the source of the river. The numbers get bigger as you go downstream. Where we stayed yesterday, it was 512, and today's sign is 568, so we have cycled 56km today. Not as tired and sore today. I think that I should aim for 65km tomorrow. George is having to hold back so that I can keep up.
We did a little side trip up the vineyard covered hills today behind Lochre. My legs don't seem to want to do up and I had to walk some of the steeper bits. The view from the top was awesome though, and really nice to get off the main road for a while. We came past the bed and breakfast that George stayed at 5 years ago. It was his first stop and 70km from Frankfurt. The B&B is empty and up for sale so the aging owner may have passed on.
On the way we saw the cycling family in a camp ground. They are tenting as well as cycling. We also met three nice lads in their early 20's who were debating whether to cross by ferry to the other side of the river. The had set themselves a challenge to get to the border with the Nederlands in 4 days but were dissapointed with their progress thusfar. George encouraged them by saying that he cycled that distance if 5 days, when he was 5 years younger and a bit fitter. So fit blokes like you should find it no problem.
This section of the Rhein River, between 526 and 593 (Koblenz) was made a UNESCO heritage site in 2002. This is the part where the river flows through a gorge and there are lots of castles everywhere. These castles used to reinforce a toll system on passing ships. If you didn't pay up then they would lobb nasty things at you. Needless to say todays trip has been very scenic, the only problem was an ever increasing head wind.
We are staying in Kamp-Bornhofen (really that is what this place is called) today, in a private boarding house. I think that we are the only guests. Bit of a shock after a full day's cycling to be faced with two flights of stairs. We do have a view over the river, and a reasonably large bed, always a bonus if one of you is 6'4".
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