Epic European Cycle : 2015-06-05 : Rhine Route / EV 15 to Rastatt

Activity
Type Name Description Service Provider Cost Kms To Date Total Notes Actions
Cycle EV 15 / Rhine Route to Rastatt $0.00 30.00 30.00 Day 23: 30km: Total 986km
Accommodation
Type Name Service Provider Confirmation Location Cost Notes Actions
Hotel Hotel Engel Random walk-up Rastatt, Germany $80.00 Really nice place and great value for the money. The room is huge! It must have been a small apartment in a previous life.


Trip Log

Notes Actions
Today was our second day setting out without a proper map and information. We weren't sure where breakfast was going to come from because we'd eaten ourselves out of supplies. The campground had a small dep, but the lineup for coffee before it even opened at 8AM was frightening, so we decided to take our changes on finding something in Stollhofen. We rode in, but it looked like another summer bedroom community with no amenities. Suddenly, a café started to open so we went and sat at the outdoor tables... then the lady who was setting up the tables closed the doors and left. We were off down the road, thinking that we'd make do with our 8 cherry tomatoes, chocolate bar and two remaining inferior power bars until we could find something decent. There was a sign for a "Bäckerei", which looks suspiciously like "Bakery", so we decided to give that one last shot before leaving town. We detoured to the "Bäckerei", and lo... a wonderful Dep! A bakery, coffee shop and grocery shop all in one heavenly little place! Our day (and my attitude) were saved.
As we progressed up the Rhine today, stumbling around, we debated where to stop and try to find a book or map of the Rhine route. This whole "figuring it out" thing just wasn't working out. I was pointing us in the direction of Karlsruhe today, but because I didn't have accurate information, it was further than I anticipated. We had an opportunity to take a short detour into Rastatt, which we did, where we managed to find a map book of the section of the Rhine that we're riding. Hallelujah! We'd already ridden 30km, and there aren't really any good accommodation options for another 30km beyond Rastatt, so, with another 35C day, we decided to stop in Rastatt for the night. It is such a relief to have a map and information again! It is crazy how much of a difference it makes for decent planning and route finding, even with an extremely well-marked velo route.
Way #1 to tell that you're in Germany and not in France: Finding a store where Brent can replace his crocs. Yep, today he managed to find himself a replacement set of crocs which are even more hideous than the last pair of crocs!


Photos