Remagen to Andernach (part of the track to Koblenz)

[caption id="attachment_920" align="alignleft" width="225"] Bridge of Remagen - what is left over[/caption] Yesterday was one of the worst days since I started cycling. I already thought in the morning about taking the train to my parents and take a loooooooooooooong break from cycling. There was no specific reason, just a bad day. I thought I would quickly cycle to Koblenz and decide then what I would do. The weather was OK, april-like with wind again and temperatures, so that I was taking on and off my different jackets constantly. I think the cycling itself was OK, too, except for my right packing bag which has been squeaking for days now and was not exactly helping my headache. I tried to change the location of the hook but nothing helped. It kept on sqeaking.... [caption id="attachment_922" align="alignright" width="300"] Bad Breisig, Rhine promenade[/caption] The first town I passed was Bad Breisig which I like a little better than Remagen but maybe that was only because it wasn't as crowded as Remagen the afternoon before ;-) [caption id="attachment_923" align="alignleft" width="225"] Spring time[/caption] I still had some good moments where I enjoyed my surroundings and the spring time one can hardly overlook, even in a bad mood. I also passed Andernach which is definitely worth a visit and a lot of pictures (historic city center) but the first thing I came across was another car exhibition event (lots of cars, lots of people, no way to cycle) and being in the mood I was, I just wanted to get out and have my peace and quiet. So I didn't stop for pictures and also didn't visit the Geysir museum which hosts the highest cold water Geysir in the world (50 - 60 m) . But my app liked it there and quit recording for the day....maybe I should have done the same ;-)) The things to come were not exactly highlights but they are always good for something. [caption id="attachment_925" align="alignright" width="225"] shift cable, almost broken[/caption] I wasn't really surprised when my shifting system stopped working in Weissenthurm and, when I took a look, my shift cable was dissolving into it's wires. Actually, I was feeling relieved and already planned to bring the bike into the bike shop and have a real excuse to take the train or find a hotel and have a break until Monday or Tuesday. But lucky as I am, I found a bike shop which was still open for about 40 minutes and the guy had my bike fixed, including de-lubricating my chain, filling up my tires and giving me real helpful tips (for not lubricating my chain) in 30 mins. [caption id="attachment_926" align="alignleft" width="225"] Koblenz[/caption] So I cycled on and eventually reached the first city limit sign of Koblenz. Once again, this was not the end of story but the beginning of another one: Somehow I found myself - again - in an industrial and shopping area and the only way into the city center seemed to be via a city highway. For at least half an hour, I cycled around looking for any other way but all the roads led to the city highway and not one sign for cyclists to be seen.....GREAT! (I hope you hear my sarcasm here) I took the last road I hadn't tried yet and met an older gentleman cycling towards me and he explained the way to the city center me.....Thank you soooooooooooooo much! After some more cycling around, I found the city center and even a hotel room. Even in the first hotel I walked in and at a reasonable price (for a bigger city, city center and Saturday night). The hotel was....OK (you could hear the neighbors and everybody in the street talking and could understand every second word and the train was passing about 200m away) but it absolutely clean and nice and had very nice staff, helping me with all my stuff getting into the elevator :-) Having myself stressed out the whole day, I took the rest of the day off and just got some Italian soul food and watched some good old Hollywood action movie and suddenly the world was looking a lot brighter again.

Remagen to Andernach (part of the track to Koblenz)

Bruehl to Remagen