what country?

[Bodhbh]

Let us know how you get on. The Bikeline books are about 10" x 4" as they are designed to fit in a bar bag. The front covers are largely blue.

Well in the end I didn't manage to pick up a book in time, despite passing thru Rotterdamn, but I didn't try too hard, was a little nervous about shopping while leaving the loaded bike parked up. Initially, I headed down the Rhine in Holland anyhow, but then thought the Rhine route took in alot of cities and didn't really have the time or money to do them justice. My general route went down the German-Dutch/Belgian border, something like Hook - Rotterdamn - Ultrect - Nijmegen - Kleave - Venlo - Aachen - Eupen - Trier - Saabruken - Karlsruhe.

Main regret was lack of proper rest days, only got 1 day off in Trier. Highlights were the pretty dutch villages, winetasting, coming over the Ardennes, the country side between Trier and Karlsruhe particularly the view coming down out the Pfalzwald all the vineyards and Rhine plane stretching out for miles.

Germans have to say were extremely helpful and friendly. Numerous times got people offering direction when studying the map, suggestions, and alot of general interest about where I was going and what I was up to. Seemed often to be from Germans who'd done some touring themselves. Didn't go out my way to follow a particular cycle path route, but ended up on them probably 50% of the time, the rest mostly following the paths by the road side.

Only beef with the cycle paths is they sometimes finish and dump you on the left side of the road, which for a Brit is a very easy place to remain, till that HGV comes at you head on and you wake up...

 

[Andy in Sig]

That sounds like a pleasant enough tour. If you go again next year, I really recommend that you have a stab at one of the German river valley routes. The big cities thin out on the Rhine route S of Cologne. One simple trip is to fly to Friedrichshafen or Basel and then do the Rhine route back to the Hook.

 

[domtyler]

I thoroughly recomend Germany too. We did a route from Munich down through Garmisch Partenkirchen, into Austria and then back up to Hohenshwangau, it was great. The German drivers are just unbelievably considerate to cyclists, it is a real eye opener but a real downer when you get home again though!

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

Germany is agood place especially in the summer. I will tour there again for sure. I think a cool trip might be to get the boat to esjberg then ride down into Germany and spend some time on th eislands of Fohr and Sylt (assuming good weather), then down along the Dutch coast and th ebeaches along the LF1 & LF10, then pick up the rhine radweg at the Hook and follow it down to strasbourg...then decide either to head west into france and over to the lot/dordougne and home along th eatlantic coast, or keep going to basel and then head east up to the bodensee and along the donau across to munich etc

...I think I'd probably head west at strasbourg (simply because I have already done much of th eother route)

 

[samid]

I thoroughly recomend Germany too. We did a route from Munich down through Garmisch Partenkirchen, into Austria and then back up to Hohenshwangau, it was great. The German drivers are just unbelievably considerate to cyclists, it is a real eye opener but a real downer when you get home again though!

Funny... I live in Canada, and toured in the UK this summer. While our Canadian drivers are not bad, my impression was that UK drivers are more considerate to cyclists. E.g. in the UK, on a few occasions I rode on narrow roads and had a line of cars form behind me which had to crawl along for some time before they could pass me safely. Still, nobody ever honked at me - which happened in similar situations here in Canada quite a few times even though roads here are wider and hence the situation is much less common. During my tour, only once somebody shouted something from a passing car (and I'm still not certain what it was - could be just a cheer, even though it didn't sound like one). It is hard to imagine how heavenly the German drivers must be

 

[rich p]

I too found Germany and Germans to be an incredibly positive experience last year. Is it the same in what was East Germany? Are the people and drivers as friendly and are the campsites as good?

 

[bonj2]

what do you mean, what WAS east germany? There's still east germany. it may not be a separate country/commies any more, but it's still 'east' germany as in the eastern portion of the country of 'germany'..

 

[rich p]

what do you mean, what WAS east germany? There's still east germany. it may not be a separate country/commies any more, but it's still 'east' germany as in the eastern portion of the country of 'germany'..

Hence the capital letters, Bonj, and the phrase "what was East Germany"you plonker

 

[Andy in Sig]

He's got you bang to rights there Bonjy.

(Particularly amusing given the title of the thread.)

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

I would imagine that there are more of the dreaded cobblestones in eastern germany

 

[snorri]

I would imagine that there are more of the dreaded cobblestones in eastern germany

I don't recall seeing any this summer, I was impressed with the quality of road surfaces.

 

[TheDoctor]

Oddly enough, this thought occurred to me as a possible project the other day. Buy your hosts dinner and/or alcohol, doss in the spare room or on the sofa, it's got to be a laugh.
Didn't someone do this in C+ a few years back?

 

[Amanda P]

I too was going to suggest end to end.

Britain does have some fanatastic scenery, and the best way to see it is from a bike. You should get to know your own country as well as some others.

And you've said, Bonj, that you're not bothered about it being flat, or what drivers are like, which are probably the only two serious objections.

Except for transport: it's probably easier and cheaper to get yourself and a bike to most parts of Europe than it is to get them home from JOG.

 

[bonj2]

I too was going to suggest end to end.

Britain does have some fanatastic scenery, and the best way to see it is from a bike. You should get to know your own country as well as some others.

And you've said, Bonj, that you're not bothered about it being flat, or what drivers are like, which are probably the only two serious objections.

Except for transport: it's probably easier and cheaper to get yourself and a bike to most parts of Europe than it is to get them home from JOG.

yea but it is at the end of the day, britain. It's about seeing a different place, and a place isn't just about the scenery and the landscape, it's about the establishments, the people, the towns and villages, etc.

 

[Andy in Sig]

Culcha.

Thasser word yer looking for innit?