Off to Mainz

Boat four passing the Lorelei Castle

Started counting how many boats we passed today. Gave up after the fourth boat. For one, it didn't seem fair on the boats because passing them was easy. The other reason was that we stopped to take a photo and a boat passed us again - so do you count it again (i.e. number 5) when you catch up or not (i.e. was the fourth boat, so stays the fourth boat)? Bingen was a very pretty town with lots of cafes and restaurants along the Rhein. Unfortunately at 9am they are all still setting up and not open for business. So we carried on.

Castle ruin with big hole. Cannon shot?

The cycle track on this side of the Rhein is much better than on the other side. On the true right there wasn't always a cycle track, here there is. The road is also further away from the river bank in most places. Apparently this was the road that the Romans pushed through and which was later altered and widened by the French to allow for greater troop movement. In the narrow gorge part of the Rhein the river can rise several metres and flood the lower-lying houses. Most recent big flood seems to have been about 2005.

Sometime soon after Bingen the signage was non-existant and we just picked a likely direction. This eventually led to the town of Ingelheim, where we followed some equally lost German cyclists until we eventually found the Rhein again. Then it was easy to Mainz - just follow the signs. We got here about 1pm, and only 60km since we started. It really doesn't feel like a full days cycling, but not much point going on Frankfurt is only about 40km on and we have accomodation booked for the 31st and September 1 - so that gives us two days to get there.

Salvadore Dali crucifix in Dom Treasuary


Dom tower with amazing scaffolding


Fantastic statue/fountain - wasn't working unfortunately




Just some notes for that Nice Mr John Key, Prime Minister of New Zealand, about cycleways.



Having now cycled over 1500km in three countries we'd like to contribute to the debate. Yep we think cycleways in New Zealand are a great idea, but there are some things to keep in mind.

Track surface - best surfaces are smooth tarseal or concrete, as you get the most speed for effort and least bum numbness. Broken seal (e.g. tree roots), cracked or uneven concrete and smooth paving stones induce a certain degree of bum numbness, and the lumps slow you down. Uneven paving can be very uncomforable and cobble stones shake your fillings loose, induce saddle sores, and are not recommended. A hard packed sandy or gravel surface is very tiring and slow going. Loose sand and gravel are just about impossible on a bike, so please avoid. Mud is also hard going, with the added option of the bike sliding out from beneath you. It at all possible, have nice easy gradients to prevent that burning thigh syndrome.

Traffic management - we felt safest where the cycleway was well away from road traffic, such as separated by a berm of at least 2 metres. Armco barriers also provide a certain amount of reassurance. A painted line on the road, to separate cyclists from motorists, especially on busy roads, is downright scary and requires that the other road users are sympathetic towards cyclists - which is unlikely to happen in NZ. The worst of all options is having to cycle on the road without any bike facilities at all. In Nederland everybody cycles and the road rules state that if a cyclist is hit it is the fault of the motorist regardless (guilty until proven innocent). Will be hard to instil this sort of sympathy in the New Zealand psychy so will need to tackle it by making sure that the cycle way has under or over passes for busy roads, or specific signage or traffic lights to give priority to bicycles. In Nederland they have traffic light pressure pads that pick up on cyclists and can change the lights on approach. It does take quite a bit of energy to get a bicycle back up to speed again - so provision for continuous cycling is preferred.

Signage - make the signs bigger rather than smaller - we've missed quite a few on this trip, especially in Germany and Belgium. A4 should be the smallest size, and preferably bigger. Green on white is sometimes hard to spot, red on white is much better. Put the signs at cyclist eye height and on every turn and all junctions. Distance to next place is very useful, and include the next major town in that general direction. Allow advertising by industries that support the cycleway such as bike friendly hostels and hotels, cafes and restaurants and bicycle repair shops.


Routing - It is particularly nice following landscape features such as a river. Tracks through the forest were also nice provided the track surface was of a high standard. Interpretative signage is a nice touch but has to be big enough to capture the eye of a cyclist in the Zone. You're past small interpretation signs before they've registered. Once a few cycleways have been developed ensure that the GPS track can be downloaded for free to help cyclist plan their route. Oh, and make sure there are plenty of coffee shops selling cake along the way! Maybe even include these as downloadable GPS points:-) Adopting the European outdoor cafe style would allow anxious cyclists to keep a watchful eye on their bikes, plus it is fun to drink coffee while sitting in the sun (or shade) outside.

Hazards - In NZ the storm water drain covers have slots that run parallel to the road. They are great for getting your bicycle tyres stuck in them. Here the slots are either at right angles to the road or 45 degrees, so even if you are forced into the gutter you can just cycle over the top of them. Make sure the tracks are kept clear of overhanging vegetation, especially nettles (visitors probably won't appreciate ongaonga stinging for a week or more) and things like blackberry. Puddles can be a hazard if they are deep and have hidden ruts. They are mostly just messy and get your shoes wet.

If we were to mark the countries out of ten, we'd score them as follows:

Holland - 10. The absolute best country in the world to cycle and cycle tour. An example to follow. Lots of cycleways, well sign posted, and priority for cyclists. Plus being mostly flat and having heaps of coffee shops selling cake is a bonus too.

Germany - 7. Good effort, especially along the Rhein. Signage can be improved to keep riders on track. Additional cycleways are warranted to other interesting places such as the Nurburgring, and more coffee shops that open early in the morning.

Belgium - 5. Tries, especially around cities but touring in the countryside is downright dangerous. A lack of places to have a mid morning coffee in the countryside too.

New Zealand - 1. Not recommended anywhere except maybe the rail-trails on mountain bikes. Touring on State Highways is practically suicidal. And as for coffee shops, likely to die of thirst and hunger before you get to the next one.