Bike Tracks

September 9 thru 15 Amsterdam Layover

Day 254 – 259

Amsterdam was booked, the IBC (International Broadcasters Congress) is having a convention and Amsterdam and they booked anything that looked like a hotel in the city. Larry was forced to reserve a room at the Golden Tulip in Rotterdam 40 kilometers away.

So after flying from Denver to Chicago to London to Amsterdam in 11 1/2 hours, he now had to find me, and drive another hour then locate a hotel in a strange city. What a guy!

We had a great room (thank you Sandy!), actually a suite overlooking the busy harbor city of Rotterdam. By the way, Rotterdam at night is a spectacular city.

Day 2

We only stayed one night then headed back to join the group who was now locating themselves in a great hotel in Noordwijkerhout. The Odyssey schedule was a rather crazy one. Due to the convention taking all the rooms, we had to camp for a night, then move to a hotel for two nights, then go back to the camp for another two nights before returning to the hotel for a night. Five years of planning and this is what we get????

Oh well, I’m trying to learn to take the lumps as they fall. I will not be the one to initiate change in this “organization”. We have come to the realization that even though most people assumed the trip was planned in advance. It was not. It has been planned as we go, sometimes things work out, sometimes they don’t. This chaotic schedule was not the result of planning, so we suffer. All we can do is make the best of it. Who would have ever thought someone could take on a endeavor of this size and “wing it?”

We are now on the count down to Australia and I have a ton of work to do. Before we board the plane, everything I own must be cleaned, not just for my comfort, but because the country will not let us in dirty! Seriously! They do not want us importing spores and nasty things into their beautiful country. This means I must get rid of all the lovely dirt I have been collecting over the past 8 months and 5 continents.

Well, actually I did wash my camp stuff in Washington, D.C. last May. It’s time to do it again. Of course the hotel and the nearby town do not have a laundry mat. I opted to do the tent, the fly, the ground cover and tarp all by hand in the nice big bathtub.

Rub a dub dub, away the dirt I scrub! It took most of the day, first washing then putting it tent up in the hotel’s banquet room to dry. Outside was a cloudy overcast day and it would still be wet, had we put it out there! I kick myself for not taking a picture, as I remember the scene, by mid-afternoon the banquet room was blossoming with at least 50 tents. I bet that was a Golden Tulip Hotel first!

My bike cleaned up rather easy, luckily the washing just 2 days ago got off most of the grime. I now only had to do a little work to bring it back to pristine…well sort of! I was thinking I was done when Merlyn came up, ran his finger under the fender…oops! Back to the wash tub, the fender was caked with so much crud, they would have deported me from Australia for sure!

We were all out back of this big convention center hotel, performing our tasks. The staff was breaking down everything in the trucks, the big canvas tent, the showers and all the other support stuff that goes with us . They had to clean and dry everything too. It was a huge job.

The funniest part was when Paula started pounding on something, it sounded like and American Indian’s drum. Rene, another staffer was dancing. We all teased them about doing a “rain dance” and requested they do a “sun dance” instead. They continued for awhile enjoying themselves, then a miracle happened. The sun came out!

The dance worked, the stuff all started to dry in the sun. Success! Way to go Paula and Rene!

Larry and I cleaned up and fell into bed for a much needed nap. I was thinking he was probably wondering why he traveled across the ocean to do camp laundry. Poor guy!

Gloria Anderson arrived with a wake up call to invite us to go “to town” with them. After having a leased van for 93 days, they were now returning it. I think she needed someone to help pry Gary’s hands from the steering wheel. As an experienced “pryer” I got the invite!

This picture was taken in the German wine cellar. Gary, Gloria and Sandy are following a different path. They have been good friends and I will miss them very much.

Happy trails….until we meet again!

(Gary, Gloria, Me and Sandy)

Actually Gary and Gloria are planning to stay in Europe and are not going to Australia and Asia with Odyssey. They had just downsized their large vehicle and rented one with better gas mileage and one they could take into the former Communist block countries, if they wanted. We all wanted to go with them and Sandy and see Amsterdam before they all took off.

Amsterdam is a very cool city. Looking at a map, one can see it is a spider web of canals. The layout makes it very difficult at first to understand, but very interesting to look at. I loved seeing the pleasure boats cruising the canals. Couples would be passing under the arched bridges enjoying the view of the city by night. I could see their candle lit tables, complete with wine, waiting to be enjoyed when they docked. I wanted to jump in the boat with them! What atmosphere!

We were all hungry for a nice dinner so on the advice of Sandy, we searched out an Indonesian restaurant. It was a new experience for both Larry and I. We ordered the rice plates, and all we served multiple dishes family style. The hot dishes were put on a hotplate to keep them warm, though they need not worry with Odyssey riders, we eat faster than air can cool! The food was delicious, a little spicy but not uncomfortably so. We all enjoyed it.

After dinner we walked the streets all the way into the famous Red Light District. It was rather shocking and strange. Ladies (and Men) of the night actually stood in strangely lit windows showing off their “goods”. All were dressed rather scanty, but they were dressed. The ladies came in all shapes and sizes the only thing they had in common was the bored look they wore on their faces.

None of them seemed to be getting any customers. It made me wonder if the whole thing was just a tourist set up to get people there to sell them the customary stuff you buy in a place like that. Could it be a “movie front” set up? Maybe it was just because it was Sunday night and early….

I noticed the strange layout of the buildings, noting the “usage” demands. It would be hard to resell any of these buildings to another type “user”. What type of user would need a building with 2×4 rooms and street level windows, red luminescent lighting and lots of bedrooms? These buildings are definitely for “specific use”.

Welcome to Amsterdam.

[flickr album=72157605969124565 num=50]

Day 3

The laundry is not finished. I still have all my clothing and a sleeping bag to do and so do Rich and Jane. We hoped in the car and drove over to Haarlem to look for a laundry.

Yes, I know. Most people go to Haarlem to sight see and enjoy the wonderful city. We go to do laundry. Everyone has their priorities. Ours is to get all it clean!

The street outside the laundry mat was fascinating. We were in a local neighborhood setting, it wasn’t a tourist area, we know because Jane went out to buy a t-shirt and couldn’t find a tourist shop in the entire area!

Across the street was an area filled with flea market vendors, selling everything from food to the typical “antique” junk. One side of the street was filled with normal everyday shops, several bakeries, a butcher and small specialty grocers. The other side of the street had mostly sidewalk cafe bars. It was a very busy area, full of life. Some people drove cars, but most were on bicycles, even some of the flea market vendors.

Jane and I at one point filled up every washer in the entire laundry mat. It was sad (but happy) to see the looks of disappoint on the faces of the regular customers when they arrived to see there was no room for them to do their wash. I was happy we were the lucky ones, but sad we used up so much space. Then the washers were not all that big. We couldn’t help it! The wash only took 3 hours to do. It was a good feeling to be done with chores, after two days of cleaning! Now it’s time to see the city.

Our plan was to take Rich and Jane’s car back to Germany to avoid the huge drop off fee if it was dropped in the Netherlands. Since Larry and I didn’t have a room and Larry is still allergenic to camping, we figured it would be fun to drive north, perhaps to Den Helder to see the penguins than go to Germany, spend a few days waiting until the group came to leave in Cologne.

We took Rich and Jane back to the hotel and said our good byes then headed north.

We rode across a 30 kilometer dike, as seen on the very top of this map. It was an amazing piece of engineering. The Dutch continue to reclaim land from the sea and keep it back by building huge dikes. We drove over in the early morning sunlight, riding alongside fishing vessel in the Nordsee.

This photo was taken at 8 am. The sun was shrouded in clouds over the Nordsee

The whole point of driving north was to see the penguins and have a place to sleep. We found a place to sleep after several tries, but when we asked where the penguins were, the people looked at us strange. No one seemed to know where the penguins lived, they thought we were kidding. I guess the 3 young men I met were either pulling my leg or going to see penguins in a zoo.

Day 3

Larry drove over the dike and headed toward Germany. Somewhere along the way we both started feeling sad we had not seen much of Amsterdam. We decided to risk going in to do a couple things, knowing all the while we would have to drive out to find a place to stay. We were ok with that and headed back to the city. I’m so glad we did.

My choice of two things to do were 1) visit the Vincent van Gogh Museum and 2) see the Ann Frank house, which was now also a museum.

The Van Gogh Museum was a wonderful new building that was very open and light. I never knew much about the famous painter other than to be able to recognize his work and the fact he cut off his ear. Ouch! After seeing his works in person, I will be an advocate. He was a very talented man, becoming a painter only 10 years prior to his death (he killed himself). In that time he completed over 800 works of various styles. He never gained popularity in his life. Although one of his painted netted $82 million at auction, he died bankrupt, feeling he was a burden to his brother who cared for him.

I have often fantasized what it would be like to bring back to life a person who died, so they could see how things are now. I wonder if we were to bring Vincent back, would he then be happy with his fame, or would he still be tormented by his perceived lack of perfection? It’s hard to say.

Anne Frank lived a different kind of life, dying in a concentration camp at the age of 16. She wrote a diary that brought the world to tears. To this day, hundreds of people visit the house where Anne and her family were hidden from the Nazi’s during the war. It still stands today, enveloped in the protection of a museum.

Otto Frank, Anne’s father worked for a company that manufactured jam. The warehouse was rather large and above it there were several floors. Towards the back of the building upstairs there was an apartment with living quarters large enough to house two families in semi comfort. Comfort from the outside elements, but not the comfort of freedom. They lived this way without going outside ever. During the day when the warehouse was busy, they had to sit still and silent with the fear of being detected. After years of living this way, they were found and sent away to a concentration camp. Otto Frank was the only member of his family that survived.

Anne had hidden her diary, miraculously, it survived.

The Diary of Anne Frank affected me many years ago as a young student and a female. I felt much pain and torment for Ann, her plight and the troubles of the Jews. Being in her house didn’t seem to affect me further until I read one of the displays on the wall. It was written by Nelson Mandala. Nelson spent 26 years of his life imprisoned because he was a black leader in South Africa. Nelson wrote “We had the Diary of Ann Frank on Robbins Island. Many of the prisoners read it and found strength and hope in it.”

I gasped, tears came to my eyes. The fight for freedom and human rights is not over. There are still people in this world being murdered, imprisoned and tortured because of the color of their skin, religious belief or other preferences. Man’s need to feel superior over another continues. It saddens me to think we still haven’t learned that lesson.

We left Amsterdam feeling not finished, but satisfied we seen some of it. The time had come to head south and find a place to stay. More surprises were in store for us as we cruised along the highway. Larry drove 90 minutes before stopping at a hotel. It was full. We continued further, stopping several more times, only to learn the IBC convention had not just filled up Amsterdam, but the entire country of the Netherlands as well!

One receptionist likened the situation to “grasshoppers arriving”. We were spreading in a plague like manner filling the hotels in an ever-enlarging circle. Finally we gave up and drove all the way to Cologne where we found a room at midnight across from the Bahnhof. We were back in Germany, far away from the IBC convention. Success!

This fellow is known as the “statue of no liberty” He was found in front of the Rijks Museum.

Advertisements are sometimes hilarious. This sign is actually a cigarette ad, I think. Or is a “only you can prevent forest fires” type message?

Very clever.

It reads “Never throw a CAMEL from a moving car.”

The Camel a cigarette no doubt, but the picture is of a poor old camel, plastered to a brick wall.

.

September 7, 2000 Mol to Kamperland

Day 251

The actual camp ground is below sea level. It was really a trailor park that was letting us pitch our tents on whatever grass we could find. The owners of Camping de Molenhoek were nice enough to give us canvas bags with their advertising on them to carry around our toilet paper. Yes, we were back to “BYOTP!” It was a very basic place, but at least they supplied us with a roll.

Lynne and I arrived early enough, I was able to clean my bike to perfection before having Merlyn replace the rear wheel. When he was done, it really looked great and I was very anxious to ride.

After dinner we were treated to a presentation by the Mayor of Kamperland. He brought a slide presentation about the area and it’s development. I didn’t stay because I couldn’t hear him will enough. Others found the information very interesting. Oh well!

Once the Mayor’s presentation was over, the Odyssey film guys, Michael and Mark showed the second Odyssey video. It’s the tape that starts in Africa and takes us through the next 3 months of the trip. The video was much longer and very different than the first one. I really enjoyed seeing the places I’ve temporarily forgotten about! It was a refreshing journey down memory land for us. We have done so very much this year.

My senses are on overload. I need to stop, digest and recharge before I can continue to absorb.

September 8, 2000 Kamperland to Rotterdam area

Day 253

A lot of things are happening today.

The most exciting occurs this afternoon sometime, Larry is coming to visit me, after being gone for 10 weeks. His plane lands sometime this afternoon, I forgot to ask exactly when, but he plans to come find me at camp as soon as possible.

Today is also the last day of scheduled riding in Europe. At day’s end today, we will be finished with the European continent as far as the tour is concerned. We still have 5 days here in Holland and then 2 days back in Germany, but this is it. After 5 + months, we are leaving.

The schedule has changed, we are not going to Rotterdam, but to another location further north on the coast of the Nordsee (North Sea) called Noordwijkerhout. Noordwijkerhout is considered by TK&A to be our Amsterdam location. It’s 50 kilometers away.

Because of this change in schedule, two DRG routes have been tacked together, with no alterations. Looking at a map, it was easy to see that by going the route, we would be adding unnecessary kilometers to the day. It was stupid to have to take this route. I decided immediately to find my own way.

Listening around the breakfast room proved I wasn’t the only one who felt that way. One of the riders is from this area of the world. She said there is a bike route called “LR1” that follows the North Sea route the entire length of the country.

That piece of information was good enough for me. I knew I could find the route, and if not there were probably a hundred other bike routes to follow. Heck, north is easy, just keep the Nordsee on my left and peddle! Who needs a SEVEN page DRG!

Fact: the Netherlands has more bicycles than people.

Fact: the Netherlands has more bike paths than roads.

Fact: The Dutch are proud of their bike ways (and should be).

Fact: The Netherlands is a cyclist paradise!

Fact: The Netherlands is flat!

It was a glorious morning when I left Kamperland. The mist was so thick it felt like rain on my face. The color of the sky and sea blended into one surrealistic landscape. In the distance faint outlines of windmills twirled like ghosts on the horizon. I wanted to photograph everything so I would never forget this day and the way it made me feel. I love Holland.

My first hour was one of up lifting solitude. Just knowing Larry was at the end of my day and it was my last day in Europe was exciting. Then to top it off I had a hellacious tailwind. What better conditions could I ask for? Oh yeah, sunshine would have been nice, but then 3 out of 4 is not bad! It started to rain, actually it was so damp without raining I had pulled on all my raingear, just to stay warm prior to leaving camp. I kept it all on for awhile, but then I was using so much energy to make best use of the tail wind, I got overheated and had to slow down, finally stopping to remove a few layers.

My pristine clean bike of yesterday, was now covered with a layer of sand. It was the first time I have ever kicked up sand. I had sand on my seat, the rack and panniers. It was a gritty mess! The good news was, my brakes worked so smooth. I couldn’t remember the last time I braked without that thump-thump-thumping. Now they felt funny because they worked properly! Something new to get used to.

I rode with Christine and Steve for awhile, navigating the path to find the LR1b. (The “b” route goes north and the “a” route goes south, making the signs easy to follow.) We found it easily, as all the bike paths in Holland are so well marked. Actually the bike path signs in Holland are marked better than most streets in the U.S. I was very much impressed.

We meandered through the most darling villages where the homes were so well cared for. I enjoyed seeing the magnificent gardens. The first stop of the day was at the best bakery ever! We ended up having so many cyclists stop, we blocked the roadway. Bakery stops are mandatory!

We crossed several very large bodies of water traveling north. The first three were very easy, we took bridges across, using the bike lanes that were large enough to drive a car on. The last body of water, we ferried across for a small fee. By doing this we saved so much time and continued in almost a straight line north, riding with the wind!

Along the way I passed many cyclists. They were either going about their daily business or traveling like myself. Holland is a serious bicycling country. They use the “old fashioned” upright bikes, most have no gears. Of course gears are not really necessary. What is necessary are the saddle bags, shelves and baby seats they attach to their bikes. These folks do everything by bike.

On multiple occasions I saw parents toting more than one child on the same bike. Sometimes they would have two kids on their bike and one or two more kids following on their own bikes. The riders were always carrying something, groceries, briefcases and flowers were common. Some of the unusual things I saw was a ladder and a huge carpet, all folded up after being purchased at the flea market. It was amazing.

My favorite site was getting caught in what appeared to be kindergarten bike traffic. It was noon time and all the little ones were going home from school. Mom peddled the big bike and the little ones on the tiny little bikes ferociously peddled alongside. They learn young!

On the Nieuwe Waterweg ferry, I got to talking to three young men who were traveling fully loaded mountain bikes. We kept playing leap frog with them, so it became a perfect time to chat. They were from Brussels and were headed up to the top of the Netherlands to a town called Den Helder to see the penguins. They were planning to be away for only 6 days, taking the bike paths all the way. We got to talking and of course they were amazed to learn that I had seen penguins in South Africa. Actually, I don’t think they believed me, but I did give them my www.biketracks.net business card. So I do hope they log on and see that I’m not some crazy old lady making up stories! (Hi guys! I hope you found your Dutch penguins!)

These young men were just a few of the folks along the bike path who were traveling just by bike. We found out later the largest hotel chain, the Golden Tulip offers a bike and stay package. You get to ride from hotel to hotel, having breakfast and dinner with them for only $99 a day. The route is 40k each day. (That’s not a typo, that is 40k not 140k!) Now that sounds like a real vacation to me! (Of course now that I have “the legs” what would I do with all that extra time?)

Of course the most popular time to visit Holland is in the Spring when all the flowers are in bloom. After seeing the pictures of it and the postcards, I’ve put it on my “to do” list.

After the ferry we began to ride closer to the sea, along the dunes. The sea was almost always hidden from our view because the dunes or the dikes block it. It is how they keep the water away. The entire country is diked, not just along the sea, but inland as well. The Dutch have reclaimed the land from the sea and continue to do so to this day. It is truly amazing.

Another incredible discovery were the huge greenhouses that line the canals. Acres and acres of greenhouses that would cover the area of a small farm were growing everything I could imagine. From cactus to tomatoes to vegetables and probably all the flowers that are put into the window boxes in Germany, Switzerland and Austria! At one point I could see nothing but greenhouses for as far as I could see. It was obvious that Holland does not get the hail storms like we do in Colorado!

The Dutch are big on horses too. It seemed everyone had a horse or at least a pony or two. They were well cared for and many looked to be thorough bred. Not far from camp we got to see a horse show in progress.

The day went fast in some respects, but in others it dragged. I was anticipating Larry’s arrival, but I didn’t know exactly when he would be there. I worried that he would get there and start riding the route backwards, looking for me. If he did, he would not find me. Rather than let it trouble me, I put the thought in the back of my head, and just enjoyed the day. We would connect, he would find me somehow.

We rode by The Hague (Den Haag) and the famous boardwalk or whatever the Dutch equivalent of a boardwalk is. It was not busy, but evidently a popular place to be in the season. We were just a couple days too late. Once out of Den Haag, the terrain got rather hilly with sand dunes. After being on pancake flat all day, it was fun to take off working the hills like a roller coaster. I raced the final 15k to the turnoff really pushing myself. This was to be my last day of riding for 10 days.

It was a perfect last day in Europe.

Larry was not at camp when I got there. I instinctively looked everywhere. Along the road I found myself searching the passing cars, looking for him. He just wasn’t there, yet.

To pass time, I took a shower, did my hair (that means dried it with a dryer) and put on some makeup (that means lipstick). I pulled my clothing bag out of the locker and gathered all the stuff I needed to go to the hotel. It started to rain, so I shoved it under the locker truck. Larry still wasn’t there.

After all this was done, I was starving, so I decided to go up to the hostel where our dinner was being served and wait. I barely finished having a glass of wine, when he walked in. After 10 weeks, I even recognized him! He found me.

Success!

September 3, 2000 Luxembourg to Luxembourg

Day 247

This morning the skies were overcast, promising another day of rain, but I was anxious to get back on the road again, so I left the cozy sanctuary of the winery and headed southwest, towards Luxembourg.  My plan was to ride along the Mosel River for 20 or 30 kilometers, then catch a train to the Luxembourg border, cycling the rest of the way in.  It was a terrific plan, I didn’t have a map or a DRG but I knew the general direction of the city.  It was another day and another adventure, on my own.

I am riding with a heavier load than normal, my bright red panniers are almost full.  I am hauling more than the average cyclist, a computer, pocketmail device, digital camera, cd player, two sets of bike clothes, 2 jackets (1 light, 1 Gortex), rain pants, 2 spare tubes, tools, a water bottle, cosmetics and some snacks. If it weren’t for the tech equipment, my load would be much lighter, but I couldn’t waste the time off, the website needed to get caught up and the only way to do it is to park some place for a day or two and work.

Riding with full panniers and being autonomous, is a great feeling.  I could change my plans at a moments notice and go anywhere I want, I had all I need.  It is a great feeling of empowerment, one that I prefer over being told where to go each day and having to keep up.

Once I arrived in the country of Luxembourg, I stopped at a gas station to find some food.  All I had on me was  a 100 mark bill, I got a carton of milk and the attendant gave me back change in francs, 2100 of them.  It was a new country and now a new money mindset.  The exchange rate for Luxembourg is 41.658 francs to the dollar.  Now when I see prices I must divide by 40 to get an idea of the cost.  Germany was much easier, I only had to divide by 2.

But Germany is behind me now, at least until we fly out of Koln next week.  For now I will be traveling in the Benelux countries, everything changes again, the language, the road signs and the money.

September 4, 2000 Luxembourg Layover

Day 248

The problem with traveling at the pace we are traveling is speed at which we are receiving information and input.  I’m in a new and wonderful country, but I’m tired.  Not so much physically tired, but mentally tired of the grind of sightseeing.  Every once in awhile I feel my brain just can’t hold anymore information.  I’m afraid the “hard drive” is going to crash and I won’t remember all that I’ve seen so far.  Today is one of those days.

It’s Labor Day back home.  A day I would normally get up very early and drive to Colorado Springs to watch the balloon festival.  I have been going there for 2 decades, mostly I love to watch and if I’m lucky, get to help with the RE/MAX balloon.  It’s a tradition that has become part of what I associate with Labor Day.  After the balloons finish, we go for a nice brunch somewhere, then go home and take a nap before having a bar-be-que.

But one problem, right now I’m in Luxembourg, a small and very old principality located between Germany and Belgium. I don’t think they do Labor Day, but they were doing some sort of celebration went I reached the downtown area.  All  the stores were having a “sidewalk” sale.  I think it was a back to school sale, because there were kid-type things everywhere.  It was the next best thing to a festival for me, so I walked the streets enjoying shopping for a bargain.  Or course I  need nothing, but still it’s fun to look.

The popular food items were waffles and sausage.  The waffles were the fat type we think of as Belgium waffles, they were serving them cold, topped with either whipped cream or powered sugar.  The wonderful aroma of the waffle was hard to resist, so indulged myself enjoying one as I walked the streets.  It was good, but I would have preferred to have a hot one with butter and syrup.  I wondered if they ever thought of that?

Luxembourg has many tourist attractions, including a mini tram that tours the area.  I didn’t take any tours, I was just not excited about making the brain work.  Please don’t take this as a bad reflection on Luxembourg, it was just me and my mood, not the location.

September 5, 2000 Luxembourg to Barvaux, Belgium

Day 249

Team Bahnhof was getting ready to leave just in time for me to join them.  Jane had a bike trail map of Luxembourg, so we had a plan, sort of.  Luxembourg only lasted 50k or so before we hit Belgium, then we would need to plan, plan “b”.

The temperature is getting chillier each day.  Today was overcast with a stiff breeze for the north, yes it was the direction we were headed.

The traffic in Luxembourg on Tuesday was much more significant than it was on Monday. We were sure it was a “Labor Day” holiday the day before.  We carefully navigated out of the city, riding half of the time on the sidewalks to avoid close encounters with cars and trucks.

As we rode we kept watching for the bike trail, but it was not showing up.  After exiting the city we decided the trail must be a myth since we could not find it anywhere.  By this time we were far “off route.”  We decided to just continue north, eventually we would find the trail.  It took 25 k before we found a continuous trail, as we guessed, it turned out t be an awesome trail, worth waiting for.

The trail was wide slab of concrete.  I traveled through the forest where the trees were so tall and the air was cold and crispy.  Then we passed farmer’s field after field.  It was sp peaceful, just traveling to the sound of the birds over head.

After a while we were dumped back on a country road again.  The traffic was so sparse it was still a pleasure riding.  We caught up to the TK&A route having gone 18k out of our way.  All the riders were long gone, but he locals were still curios about the “yellow heads” and would wave to us.

We were all hungry and kept looking for a cafe to grab some lunch.  Nothing was open in village after village.  These people take their afternoon time seriously, stores close from noon until 2 or 3.  Time off is more important than making money.

We lucked out when we stumbled upon a camp store that was still open.  They had a small stock of goodies. so we all had a “junk food” lunch, while sitting on the steps of the camp store.

Jane C, Rich, Valerie, Me and Jane M.

Yesterday I had Merlyn the mechanic fix my brakes.  He tightened them much more than I’m used too.  All day I’ve been trying to remember to squeeze gently so I don’t go head over tea kettle on them.

Well today I almost had a major crash.  Going down a hill there was a curve at the bottom, I went to break and my rear brake locked up.  I went into a skid, the back tire was going sideways. I let up  quickly, came out of the skid and made the turn all in one piece!  Jane Carter watched this whole incident and was more frightened by it then me.  The rest of the day she kept reminding me about the brakes.

I felt like a race car going up Pikes Peak, I love when they slam on their brakes before the turn so the rear wells slide in a line with the road. Of course I was going downhill and fast.  I came very close to laying the bike down.

I got a taste of adrenalin today!  I didn’t like it.

As soon as possible I am going to replace the rear wheel.  Merlyn told me it’s time to consider a new one.  the flat spot in it makes the brakes grab.  It’s getting worse.  TK&A is charging $275 for a new rear wheel.  I hate to pay the inflated price when a good bike shop could build a new one from my old hub for about $100 or so.  But today after nearly leaving some skin on the pavement, $275 doesn’t seem so bad!

Everything is relative.

September 2, 2000 Koblenz to Wintrich

Day 246

Wintrich was a small town where the group camped.  I spent the night back at the winery with Gary, Gloria and Sandy.  We liked where we were, but stopped in to take care of business with TK&A.  After seeing the camp ground and the soggy tents, I knew once again I made the right decision.

There would be other times to enjoy camping in the rain.  Tonight I would have to suffer indoors in a warm, dry bed.

In 6 days, Larry returns!

September 1, 2000 Bad Durheim to Koblenz

Day 245

Today is a very special day, today is Elbert Pence’s birthday.  He is rider # 159 and today he turned 80 years old!

This is what a very happy 80 year old Odyssey rider looks like….

Go Elbert, you are so cool!

What does it take to ride at age 80?  Elbert can tell you, it’s not easy.  He gets up everyday and backs out of his tent.  It’s easier to back out, because he is so stiff from arthritis.  It’s the arthritis that forces him to back down stairs and hills when he is walking, it’s easier on the knees.

But everyday, he gets up and gets on his bike.  He loves to ride, sometimes he rides forward in the sag vehicle, sometimes he gets lost.  Actually he gets lost a lot, but then so do I!  In England, Elbert got lost and didn’t get into camp until 1 a.m.  He was tickled about getting lost, because he said every time he gets lost, “young” girls stop and help him.  (I wonder how young, young is?)

He never has a mean or cross word to say, he’s happy all the time.

In the Czech Republic he was trying unsuccessfully to get a certain coin.  I was able to help him by purchasing something and telling the lady we needed 4 coins like this.  Elbert was happy for the help, because he is saving coins for his grandchildren.  I asked him how many grandchildren he has and I nearly fell over.  Elbert has 40 grandkids!  Saving coins for that bunch could break the bank!

Elbert has been an inspiration to us all.  He is a favorite by virtue of his attitude on living and life.  Keep spinning Elbert, you will make it, one stroke at a time.

Back with Team Bahnhof the planning was a little rough going, we didn’t have a bike trail map and it looked like we would have to ride the TK&A route today.  We started out with a much larger group this a.m. because the word was spreading, this was the team to ride with!  But the team didn’t have it’s act together and I was getting bored waiting around.  Finally, I decided to leave,  I wanted to ride alone.

Alone on the road I could go as fast or as slow as I wanted.  I didn’t need a conference about when or where to stop and how much to eat or not to eat.  It was my day and my day alone.

I rode about 60 k then hopped on a train, conveniently the TK&A route took me right by a Bahnhof.  I couldn’t resist.  My initial plan was to ride a bit closer back to the Rhine valley then get off and peddle the rest of the way.  But then, that was before the rain started.  Instead, I just stayed warm and dry and took the train in to Koblenz.

I met an interesting gentleman on the train who was an American, living in Germany for 18 years.  He was taking off for the weekend to skate the Rhine River path.  He was about as happy as I was about the rain.

In our conversation he told me he has not owned a car in 18 years.  He uses public transportation and it costs him approximately $500 a year for an unlimited bus and rail pass.  What a different lifestyle a German can have.  The train system is so well designed people are accustomed to traveling by train and bus saving so much money, not to mention pollution of the environment.  The U.S. is so far away from ever being able to do that.

Once I reached Koblenz I checked on the schedule to Cochan, where Gary and Gloria were staying in a ferienwohnung in the Mosel Valley.  There was a train leaving every 20 minutes or so.  I decided right then and there I would join them that night, rather than waiting until the next day.  I rode into camp, through the puddle soaked streets, packed my panniers with a change of clothes and my computer, then returned to the Bahnhof.

It was a day of empowerment for me.  I purchased a ticket, boarded a train within an hour I was off loading my bike.  My feeling of personal achievement while rolling the bike off the train was very satisfying.  Here I was all alone in Germany.  I didn’t understand the language, nor had I ever been here before, but I felt sure and confident.  If I couldn’t find the Anderson’s, I would go to plan “b”, I just didn’t know what plan “b” was at the moment.

Quickly checking my trusty compass, I knew the direction to head.  There was only one way out of town, so I took it.  Before long I came to the bridge crossing to the south side of the Mosel river.  I crossed over, knowing now I only had to go approximately 15 kilometers before getting to the village of Mesenich.

The road was narrow, but a bike path followed the river, making a perfect surface for me to follow.  There was village after village, each one more attractive than the next.   Harvest of the grapes is only two weeks away and the entire countryside is celebrating by having wein fests.  Each village has a weekend in which they put on a festival.  Buses arrive from all over the country to drop people off.  Traffic stops and if cars need to pass, they need to drive around the village.

For recreation, folks ride bikes through the vineyards.  I discovered a route by accident, when I missed a turn on the bike path.  Instead of following the river road, I continued on riding right through the middle of a grape vineyard.  It was such a special place to be, with the full, juicy looking grapes hanging from the vine.

There are many special times on my trip when I am so happy to be exactly where I am at the moment.  This was one of those times.  I will always remember the moment and the feeling.  It was good to be alive.

Just as my odometer clicked toward 15 kilometers, I reached Mesenich.  By looking at the town directory I was able to determine the direction of the winery where the Anderson’s where staying.  I rode around looking for the sign and hoping to see their car.  The town only has about 350 residents, it is not huge, but just the same I couldn’t see the winery.

I stopped the bike for a minute, when I saw Gary and Gloria driving toward me.  They had just returned from the train station, where they had gone to find me.  I was actually standing in front of the winery.  Talk about destiny, I was meant to be there!

The ferienwohnung where they were staying is also known to us as an apartment or perhaps a town home.  It was a nearly new unit with 2 full size bedrooms, each having a private bath, a fully equipped kitchen, living room with eating area and a patio spanning the full width of the unit.  There was also a TV, unfortunately it too only spoke German. The cost of this unit was only 110 marks a night, less than $55!

Ferienwohnung are preferably rented by the week or more.  Gary and Gloria discovered the owners didn’t want to rent them for a night or two.  They stumbled onto to this unit by accident, after being turned down by a few others.  When the owners asked them how long of a stay, before they asked how many people, they got the hint and said a week or more.  Magically the unit became available.

It is located over a winery, complete with a wine cellar and restaurant.  A family runs the place, doing all the work themselves.  They grow the grapes, tend the vines, harvest, ferment, bottle and sell.  The place is not large enough to product wine to sell on the open market, they sell what they bottle right in their own winery.  It is very exclusive.

The best part of living in the unit is the slower pace of life here.  There isn’t much to do but relax, ride the bike or walk around the country side.  As a cyclist, it would be easy to spend several weeks here, either in one place or touring the river valley, spending a night or two in the various zimmers (rooms for rent) along the way.  I would love to stay and read a book or two.  Just hang out.

The grocery store is so small and compact.  The owner seems to know exactly how much the town will purchase and she carries just that.  Gary walked down to purchase our breakfast of rolls, fruit and yogurt.  The grocery closes at 2 p.m. on Saturday and will not open again until Monday morning.  We had to plan our Sunday breakfast ahead of time.

For dinner we ate in the wine cellar downstairs.  Momma owner cooked a fabulous steak with hot potato salad and a tart sauerkraut.  We shared a bottle of wine and when dinner was done the price was only $8!  The owner’s daughter is Anja, a beautiful women who was Wein Queen and got to go to Las Vegas to represent the Wein.  Anja played the accordion while the other customers in the wine cellar sang drinking songs, swaying back and forth.  It was quite a day of atmosphere. I didn’t even mind the fact that it continued to rain.

August 31, 2000 Rheinmunster to Bad Durkheim

Day 244

Back in the pack I rode with a group we named “Team Bahnhof”.  In German Bahnhof is the name for “train station.”  It seemed fitting.  We are now designing team jerseys that will have the name for “train station” in every language.

Our strategy today was to ride along the Rhine River route until it was time to get back to camp, then hop on a train to get us there.  We did not want to ride on the road or the TK&A route.  That is exactly what we did.

Our map no longer covered the area we were riding in, so we had to rely on signs and locals for directions.  At one point we were in France and a nice French cyclists stopped his BMW to get out and tell us we were going the wrong way.  We were certain he was wrong, what would he, a local know anyway.  So when he was done talking, we thanked him and continued going the same way.

He was right!  A few kilometers down the road we discovered we were at a dead end. We were not following the Rhine, but a tributary, so we turned around and made our way out and back to where the nice French man told us to go.  Oops!

After awhile it was time for a bakery break, we found a cute village and parked our bikes in front of a bakery, only to discover another bakery across the street.  The bakery across the street had indoor seating so we left our bikes and went.  I felt bad parking in front of one store and eating at another.  I had this vision that the bakery we were shunning was owned by the nice French man who gave us directions that we ignored!

Back on the road, we managed to get really lost.  But while doing so we found a really neat park with some very significant sculptures in it.  I don’t know much about the art work, other than it was new and the theme was Man’s past, present and future.  We couldn’t exactly figure out the meaning of all the sculptures, but were very much intrigued by them.

When we finished  viewing the park sculptures, it was time to get serious about finding the trail again.  The group started going off in a totally wrong direction.  Me with my handy compass kept saying we need to be going north, this is not right.  Finally, after exhausting all possibilities, we found a nice couple on bikes who offered to help us.

After trying to tell us in German how to find the trail and not succeeding, they led us there.  It took them at least 4 kilometers out of their way, but they were glad to do it and we were so happy they did.  That one section of trail was not well marked and so complicated only a local might know how to do it.  We were delighted to have found our way.

Riding on the trails is so peaceful.  The view is always changing, sometimes it follows the river, other times is meanders through farmland or forest.  The trail is well used by hikers, bikers and bladers.  I can see if I lived in Germany, I would want to live by the trail, if not on it, I would use it all the time.

We kept riding long after we should have found a train station.  At 3 o’clock, we decided to sprint to the Speyer the next town and catch the train at 4 o’clock.  Well, it sounded good, but the reality was we were to far away even at 23 kilometers to make it.  If the Bahnhof had been on the trail and the trail been consistent we could have made it, but of course it was not.

We sprinted as fast as we could, but the turns and towns slowed us down.  Arriving at the turnoff first, I asked a nice gentleman in my best German how to get to the Bahnhof.  He immediately corrected my pronunciation with indignation.  I gave him my best “forgive me for murdering your language” look and tried to understand his.  Pointing works best, keep it simple, do kilometers is my strategy.  So far, most people can understand what I want if I don’t use too many words.  The more words we use the less we understand each other.  We communicated and off I lead.  We still had 7 kilometers to go.  We weren’t going to make it.

Arriving in Speyer we were all impressed.  It was a magnificent town with many spiral steeples, cobblestone streets and new buildings made to look old.  I know nothing more of the town other than it did impress me and obviously the hundreds of other tourists on the street.  None of who know where the Bahnhof was.

We kept going in the general direction until we spotted a bus turning onto Bahnhof Strasse.  Success!  We followed the street and found the station.  We had missed the 4 o’clock train but were just in time for the 5 o’clock train.  There wasn’t enough time to stand in line to buy tickets, so we boarded the train.

In Germany as in most countries in Europe they have the honor system of purchasing tickets.  Here is it interesting because even though you can buy tickets on the train from the conductor, sometimes the conductor never comes to sell or check for tickets.

On this train, that is exactly what had happened.  All 6 of us were waiting for him to come so we could buy a ticket.  He never came.  We exited that train and got on the next connection.  There a conductor came and sold us tickets.  We purchased them for the correct stop, even though he never would have known.  I was rather nervous about this whole process since I had never got on a train without purchasing a ticket first.  It worked out alright, he even took plastic.

We rode on three different trains to get to the camp arriving in time for dinner, but too late for the wine tasting.  Darn!

August 30, 2000 Zurzach to Rheinmunster

Day 243

We never got to Rheinmünster, with the change in schedule we stayed in Steinach a small town in the Black Forest.  There was 6 of us staying in a cabin.  We had to dress and leave the area to find breakfast, since we were officially off route on the route!  (figure that one out!) The Odyssey group was taking the bus, we were riding the route, unsupported because we wanted to see the Black Forest by bike, not the seat of a bus on the Autobahn.

The route was very hilly today.  We climbed for a long time before ending up on a ridge running for many kilometers.  The view of the mountains from the ridge was wonderful, even though the day was rather over cast.  The climb was not really bad, since we were in the shade most of the time and temperature was cool.  I don’t mind climbing as long as it’s not to hot.  Today was a perfect day for that.

At the summit, there was a town marked on the map, but it was nothing more than a tourist trap.  Hundreds of buses and parked cars lined the streets, while people ate and walked around a lake.  It is nearly the end of summer and everyone seemed to be taking advantage of the nice weather.

My biggest disappointment was I never got to eat Black Forest Cake in the Black Forest.  Where ever we ate we asked, but they never had it.  Bill Wiggans found a place at breakfast and thrilled the staff by having a piece for breakfast.  They were so tickled at the crazy American cyclist eating cake for breakfast.  I was bummed I didn’t stick with Bill for breakfast!  I am still jealous!

Having a couple days away from the big group was good.  When I rejoined in Rheinmünster, it was late in the afternoon.  The camp ground was so huge and amazing, it was probably the most amazing place we have been yet as far as campgrounds go.

There were 99 toilets, or so they say, I didn’t count them, but I believe it.  The facility nearest my tent was very large, holding nicely appointed toilets and showers.  But also there was a room for washing the children.  It held a ground level trough like place where you could put the child in and shower (hose) them down.  How perfect, a car wash for kids!

An outside entrance to the building there was a dog wash for the pets.  It was definitely a full service campground.  There were laundry facilities with the standard “take forever washers and dryers”, that was a disappointment, but other than that I was very much impressed.

Rheinmünster is part of the Rein Wein Strasse route.  We left there and followed along the route with grapevines and winery’s for miles and miles, all the way back to the Rhine river.

August 28, 2000 Salavaux to  Zurzach

Day 241

The town of Bad Zurzach has a thermal waters, where people go to take “the cure.”  It was a great place that welcomed us with directional signs, all the way to the campground.  It was great, because getting off the train I looked up and saw an Odyssey sign and arrow.  I followed them, never having to look at my DRG.

The locals were delighted to have us visiting them.  The local tourist bureau set up a booth complete with local info and even cycling jerseys for sale.  A singing group performed folk songs and gentleman played Alpine horns.  We gave them a resounding applause for their efforts and they continued to entertain us long after most riders went to bed.

A few of the riders took turns in trying to play the Alpine horns.  I never laughed so hard at their efforts.  Danny couldn’t get it to make a sound, others like Jason and Dave could make sounds, but the sounds they made were more like Elk mating calls.  They all needed more practice.

Since my bike path/train group was so late getting in, I was setting up the tent in the dark, something I haven’t had to do in a very long time.  I forgot how much I don’t like doing this at night!  It’s time to go to a different part of the planet.

August 29, 2000 Zurzach layover

Day 242

When TK&A amended the schedule to give riders more time off, they added a bus day every week to take us forward and have an additional day off from riding.  The day we were skipping today was the ride through the Black Forest of Germany.  I along with a bunch others really didn’t want to miss this day of riding, so we made other plans.

My plan was to take a train to the middle of the forest and then ride the last half of the route to camp on day 2.  So I paired up with Allison and took the train to Steinach, some 110 kilometers away.  When we arrived we spend an hour looking for overnight accommodations, finding them at the camp ground where TK&A had us staying on the original schedule.

We had a great cabin which was really a mobile home with 6 beds.  Since 3 Bills and a Jim were riding in, we shared our place with them.  It worked out great, the guys had a room with 4 bunk beds and Allison and I had a double.  The cabin even had a TV, kitchen and washing machine.  It would have been a nice place to spend a week relaxing.

August 28, 2000 Salavaux to Zurzach

Day 241

Today is to be the bike path day, finally!  Rich, Jane, Roma, Sue and Valerie all ended up following the bike path.  It was a wonderful route going along Trail #5 & #8.  For the most part the trails are well marked and it is almost not necessary to have a map, but we did.

At lunch we found a wonderful trailside cafe with outdoor seating.  Since the menu was in German, I wasn’t exactly sure what pointed to, but when the server brought out the most delicious pork chop with a green sauce, I was a happy camper.  Germans do salads, sausage and pork very well.

We had such a good time on the trails, not hurrying and laughing a lot.  The trails follow the river and wind through farmlands.  Going this way is so much easier than constantly worrying about traffic and not being able to ride together.

We even saw a group of Wallabies (little kangaroo like animals) on a farm.  They were in a field with some Llamas.  A passerby stopped to chat with us and said the Doctor who owns them likes animals and has all sorts of different species on the farm.  I was feeding them cookies.

At  four in the afternoon we were still far away from camp, we found a train and hopped on.  After two more train changes, we made it in to  Bad Zurzach.  It was a good day.

August 25, 2000 Geneva, Switzerland continued…

Day 238

Geneva was easy to find, I just followed the lake around from France.  I was halfway around the “big lake” when I realized it was Lake Geneva.  I haven’t been paying attention to maps, dates or even places.  I have been getting up in the morning and following the DRG.  Most days I couldn’t even tell you what day of the week it is.

I do know the date.  It’s 2 weeks until Larry returns!

Al the alien wanted his picture taken by the Begonia ducks.  He really thought they were cool.  The water in the background is Lake Geneva

We are not camping tonight.  We have beds, bunk beds or should I say bunker beds?  We are staying in a real live bomb shelter.  It is not any ordinary bomb shelter, this place has given sanctuary to  the refuges of the world, including most recently the Bosnians.  Now the Odyssey international athletes are taking up residence for the next 36 hours.

I couldn’t help but think what would happen if tonight the world was destroyed.  The only people left would be Odyssey riders to rule and repopulate the earth. For the rest of our natural lives we would be forced to be together.  I see a revolution in our future.

There is no Coke machine down here.  I guess there’s no point in putting in a machine you cannot make deliveries and keep it full.

August 26, Geneva Layover

Day 239

Geneva will always be remembered by me as the place where I slept in a bomb shelter.  When I arrived at end of day checkpoint I didn’t know where to enter “bunker 42”, so I went looking for the “check in” desk.  There wasn’t one.  Bunker 42 is located under a school building, to get into it, you go down a ramp, like entering a parking garage.  Of course now that makes sense.

It took several sections of ramps to enter, then I proceeded through a series of hallways with heavy steel doors.  Thankfully the staff had prepared directional arrow signs, so I knew where to go from there.  Once inside the bunker, I grabbed a set of sheets and located the bunker bunk bed I wanted to use.

There were plenty of beds, each section had 48 beds, there were 3 sections on our side and another of the same setup on the other side of the bunker.  At the end we had a trough with multiple faucets for tooth brushing and several toilets.  For showing we had to go back up stairs one flight to the “gang shower” type room, males and females were separate, thank you.

Also upstairs was a large area with two picnic tables, obviously the recreation area.  You needed to bring your own recreation, because none was provided.  The place was not pretty, it was definitely utilitarian.

I imagine it must have been a very safe and satisfying place for the refuges it has sheltered over the years. Bunker 42 was like living in a cocoon.  You had the bare minimum of what you needed to live, bed, water, air  and a little space.  What was missing was natural daylight or actually any connection with what was happening outside.  I learned later we had experienced a thunderstorm that night, we never heard it down there.

In the middle of the night, some one had turned off the lights in our section, all of the lights that is.  When I woke, needing to go to the restroom, it was so dark, I honestly think it was lighter when I CLOSED my eyes!  I really couldn’t see a thing an it was scary.  I was afraid to walk down the hall because we had our junk scattered everywhere.  Then I discovered the light on my watch was enough to give me some perspective in the dark.  Lucky for me once I emerged the curtain at the end of our room, there was a small light on, as well as in the bathroom.  It was a very unnerving experience.

In the morning I left bunker 42, the feeling of cool fresh air on my face was wonderful. I took a deep breath and let some life in my lungs.  For me, I felt my senses had been deprived, I like fresh air, noise, rain, sunshine and wind.  Give it all to me, don’t lock me up in a cave. Yuck!

August 27, 2000 Geneva to Salavaux

Day 240

The previous night I talked with Barb and learned all about the bike paths leading to the next camp ground.  Barb had purchased a couple of wonderful bike path map books.  They showed all the bike paths in Switzerland and Germany.  We made copies of the appropriate pages, for my self-made DRG.

The TK&A route looked like it was going to be a nice route leaving Geneva, but I was interested in taking advantage of the network of bike paths.  I was excited about doing something different.

While I was getting ready to leave, it started to rain, a hard heavy rain.  We have been so lucky for the past few months, the rain has not been a big factor.  I hope this is not a sign of things to come.  While waiting for the rain to stop, we decided to get on with the program, perhaps ride to the train station and take the train out of the rain.

So we did just that.  Rich, Jane and I found our way to the train station.  When we arrived a bunch of other yellow heads were just finishing their ticket purchase.  By the time I got to the window the clerk was very short with me.  He refused to give me information about where and when to catch the train.  He just said the other people in your group have the information.  Nice guy, little did he know they were not in my group, we just all look alike to him.

My strategy was to ride the train to Trail #5 heading north.  I would then get off the train and ride the balance of the distance to camp.  When we got to the stop, it was still raining,  the clouds were thick and heavy, not a good sign. We stayed on the train and got off a few kilometers from camp.

Part of the excitement of this trip is arriving in a strange place and finding our way around.  This time, the group I was with wanted to find a pension (Bed and Breakfast) to spend the night.  We started by asking at the local hotel, which turned out to be rather expensive for our needs.  After asking in two places, we found a great place that would rent to 5 folks for a set fee of 200 francs.  This was acceptable to the group.

I decided I wanted to set up my tent, so I passed on the room.  After the Bunker 42 experience, I had a deep desire to be alone in my tent without people nearby.  So I set it up, crawled in with my newly acquired “It’s Not About the Bike”, by Lance Armstrong book. I was happy as a clam and almost forgot to go to dinner that night.

Solitude is good.