Wednesday 25th - Thursday 26th September

Drusingen - Dudenhofen

Dudenhofen - Nierstein

Total distance - 201kms

As we rode along yesterday, I was becoming increasingly concerned that there would be little to comment on. The banks (dykes)) on either side were unremittingly green with occasional glimpses of the real river and it's traffic. However, I need not have been overly concerned, as at around four in the afternoon the sh one t hit the fan. We had reached Germershein which is where we had planned to stop for the day. We found the first hotel and I found I had a flat tyre! Hid in a little corner for Al to carry out necessary tube change. Atmosphere a little testy but half an hour saw me riding again! Repair man extraordinaire.

We returned to our original intent, which was to find a bed for the night. Over an hour later we had exhausted all the options in town and took the decision to head for Lingenfeld some eight kms further on. Story was the same - all full! I had the great good fortune to receive unconditional help from a couple of youngsters in the final hotel. Sensing my anxiety ( it was now gone six and getting dark) they made copious phone  calls on my behalf, all with the same response, full! Until finally a positive response from an hotel in Dudenhofen some 18 kms further again. No option but to book the room, fix the lights to the bikes and ride like f…… By 07.30, we had taken the fastest shower ever and sat down to a meal.

Quite tired last night!!

Today, we had no intention of repeating punctures or lack of accommodation so designed a cunning plan to call ahead and book. That being the case the last 20kms were not ridden at lightning speed.

It has been a pretty gloomy day both in terms of weather (rain) and the scenery or lack of. There have been some very beautiful sights in the towns of Ludwigshafen and Worms which boast some fabulous architecture but much of our route ran next to the river. 

An interesting aspect of travelling with push bikes, is that we often see the beautiful and the not so beautiful. The latter, though, are providing the wherewithal, in order that society may function efficiently. Mind you, notices informing you that you are entering a danger zone and should the alarm sound you should move calmly away from the installation - (run like hell, more like) are a bit scary. No siren and we are still here to tell the tale but sobering nonetheless.

We are back on the banks of the Rhine now in a pretty place, looking forward to a bit more of the wet stuff tomorrow on our continuing Trek.

Viking River Cruise