Auntie Helen's Cycle Tour of Germany

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Auntie Helen

Ich bin Powerfrau!
So... Auntie Helen is off to Germany (on Sunday 24 May), to cycle along the Rhine and Moselle rivers and anywhere else that appeals at the time.

I'm going on the overnight ferry from Harwich on Sunday night to the Hook of Holland. On Monday morning, when I arrive in Holland, I'm taking the train to Cologne... and from then I will go south down the Rhine, probably to Mainz, then up the other side of the river to Koblenz, then along the Moselle to Trier and back again to Koblenz, then cycling all the way back to the Hook of Holland. I don't have my return ferry ticket yet and I have a maximum of three weeks.

This is my first ever cycle tour and I'm doing it on my own. I'll stay in B&Bs and hotels as I do like a bit of comfort and don't camp.

I've read lots on here about touring and what to take and have thought about what I personally feel I might need. Today I laid everything out on the spare bed to see how much stuff I have... and here it is (except I forgot to put my SPD sandals and deodorant in the photo, everything else is there). The trike has two reasonably sized panniers, plus the Trice Sidepods (at the top of the pic) and I'm pretty confident all that stuff will fit in OK.

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So... does anyone have any comments about what I've got. Too much? Too little? Forgetting something vital?

In case you can't tell from the pic, this is what I'm taking:

Cycling tights
2 pairs cycling shorts
2 short-sleeved jerseys
2 vest tops
2 pairs knickers
2 bras
2 pairs socks
Armwarmers
Gloves
German phone & charger
English phone & charger
Garmin 205 & charger
Passport
Travel insurance
Money
Antibiotics (special ones I have to take if I get a deep cut)
Wash kit
Fluorescent vest
Cycle helmet
Buff
Sunglasses
German flag
British flag
Pyjamas
Waterproof coat (not cycling one)
Casual trousers (not cycling)
Top
Lightweight trainers
German dictionary
Bikeline books for Rhein and Mosel
Bett & Bike book (with cycle-friendly places to stay in NRW, Saarland and Rheinland-Pfalz)
Book on Rhine touring courtesy of ComedyPilot/theDoctor
Ferry tickets
80 teabags (the Germans have hopeless tea)
Abus Granit lock
Armoured wire to go with lock
Trice sidepods

I also have a waterproof covering for the two additional panniers.

Any thoughts/comments appreciated. I don't yet have handwashing liquid/powder/flakes. I'm wondering if I can use hotel shower gel for that.
 

Haitch

Flim Flormally
Location
Netherlands
You are not allowed to take a bike on a train in Holland (except in the weekend, on public holidays and in July and August) before 9 a.m. Unless they've changed the timetable in the past couple of years, the ferrry arrives in Hook of Holland quite early so you may want to take some reading material with you.
 
OP
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Auntie Helen

Auntie Helen

Ich bin Powerfrau!
Thanks Alan, I was aware of that. I had a very complicated time discovering if I could take recumbents on the trains at all - eventually I was phoned by NS who said that I could but that I had to avoid the rush hour, as you said above. So I'll find myself some breakfast somewhere. If I'm raring to go I might cycle to Rotterdam as I'd have to change trains there anyway to get the train to Venlo.

The wait would give me a chance to read the Rhine book and do some planning, I suppose!
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
Is it me, or can I not see tools/repair kit/pump?

Also, take a handful of zipties and a length of gaffer tape (you can wind some round something rather than take a whole roll) for emergency repairs.

Take the teabags out of the box and put them in a plastic bag, to squish down better. If you don't mind the odd weakish cuppa, only take half the number and use each one twice;) (although if you need to carry one between cuppas, you'll need a separate bag for it...)

A couple of clothes pegs - for hanging washed smalls up to dry and also just a useful thing to have - you'll never work out what for, until the day you realise it's just the thing you need.

Compass? I see you have a satnav, but a little compass isn't much extra, as a back up.
 
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Auntie Helen

Auntie Helen

Ich bin Powerfrau!
Camera - I have, I was using it to take the piccie!
Hairbrush is also on the bed but hidden behind my helmet.
Cycle tools/puncture kit/cyclaire pump etc is all still on my trike as I am using it - but well remembered! It already has gaffer tape and cable ties, etc.
Clothespegs was an excellent suggestion, thank you!
I am planning to decant the teabags before I go but the dog will have at them if they're just in a placcie bag now.
Corkscrew... no point for me, I'm teetotal. Which makes a tour of the Riesling Vineyards a bit silly, but I can still eat their cakes and chocolate!
Think I have a mini compass somewhere, I shall go and see if I can find it.
 

Davywalnuts

Chief Kebab Taster
Location
Staines!
"Dutch" courage? or is that too cheesy! hehehe!

Mmmm, mini first aid kit and that stuff you have if you get stung? I've still got a lump on my head from a bee sting last week!

Travel plug? Talc? Another pair of socks? Vaseline?

Good luck too btw!
 
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Auntie Helen

Auntie Helen

Ich bin Powerfrau!
I wanted the flags so people know in which languages to speak to me. They seemed pretty keen on flags when I was there for the World Cup and the European Cup!

I'm going to stick them on my main trike flagpole as a bit of extra visibility too.
 
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Auntie Helen

Auntie Helen

Ich bin Powerfrau!
Davywalnuts said:
Mmmm, mini first aid kit and that stuff you have if you get stung? I've still got a lump on my head from a bee sting last week!

Travel plug? Talc? Another pair of socks? Vaseline?
Haven't got a first aid kit but I tend to avoid getting stung - I can pop into a chemist if something happens. I have travel plugs. And why would a recumbent rider need vaseline? :tongue:
 

rafiki

Retired Brit living in Spain
Location
Seville
Auntie Helen said:
Thanks Alan, I was aware of that. I had a very complicated time discovering if I could take recumbents on the trains at all - eventually I was phoned by NS who said that I could but that I had to avoid the rush hour, as you said above. So I'll find myself some breakfast somewhere. If I'm raring to go I might cycle to Rotterdam as I'd have to change trains there anyway to get the train to Venlo.

The wait would give me a chance to read the Rhine book and do some planning, I suppose!

My OH is originally from Venlo so if we can help let us know (not about routes though as she is 'navigationally challenged'). :tongue:
 
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Auntie Helen

Auntie Helen

Ich bin Powerfrau!
Tetley Drawstring is the BEST tea :tongue: PG tips is too strong for me, plus doesn't have the drawstring which means you don't need a spoon!

I'm not going until Sunday night, just trying to organise myself and check my kit-list first (which has been most useful, thanks all).

Rafiki, all I'm doing in Venlo is getting off one train and onto another, although that can have its own excitement as I'm manhandling a laden trike. I have the Rail & Sail ferry/train ticket which takes me to any part of Holland so I picked Venlo as it's the most suitable border crossing for Germany (from what I can gather). I shall buy a Deutsche Bahn ticket there and pootle on to Koeln, via Moenchengladbach.
 
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