Plans, decisions and moving on

So glad I did and MBA - though somehow it didn't prepare me for the decisions I have needed to make on where to cycle here... Work is easy by comparison...

I have learnt so much about reading a map, fixing my bike, asking for help and being on my own.. but now it get moves to a new level.

Tomorrow, Monday 1st May I make my way to Luxemburg. This will be a bigger test than what I have already done as there is no cycle path/route to follow. Just the following rules:

• Whilst I can cycle 80-100ks in a day I spend a lot of the day reading the map and this is the cycling map... for this next stage to Luxemburg I'm having to use road maps -
• I ride on the white or yellow roads and if there is a bit of green next to them then its a nice road...
• Don't go anywhere near the red or orange roads - Simple?
• Try to find the blue lines as this is a river and tends to be flat and
• if I see a > on the map its a hill,
• if a see >> its a bigger hill and
• if I see >>> find another way!

The rest of the decisons have been about how far south do I ride? I have spent the best part of a day looking at maps and have now come up with the following plan... Of course it wil change but some idea is good. I have also booked my ticket to Iceland. Once I made up my mind on my options here then the rest of the trip has or will fall into place...

Iceland - I have decided I need 6 weeks in Iceland. This lets me have a rest day on average every 6 days. I have also assumed that I'll only average 60kms/day and I need to ride around 2000kms. To get to Iceland I need 1 week (6 days) by ferry which I have now booked. I leave on the Sat 24 June. I have 3 days & 2 nights in Torshaven. I arrive in Seysdisfjordur on the 29th June at 8am - What a great time to see land!

Returning I leave Seysdisfjordur on the Thu 10th Aug and arrive in Bergen on the 15 Aug at Noon after 2 days in Lerwick.

I then have 3 weeks to get myself back to Frankfurt via Oslo, Kobenhavn and Berlin.

Just in case your wondering where I'm going after Luxemburg? I have to find a way to Berlin and I have around 29 days to do this. If I get to Berlin early I'll store the bike and take the train to Prague...

Some of you may be laughing at my change in plans - no Eastern Europe trip... The 8 weeks needed to visit Iceland has eaten into my 22 weeks and I have found out whilst it is really easy to catch a train - I just haven't riden enough to want too - okay call me odd, but my mood is best when I'm riding my bike and I don't see sitting on a warm, dry, fast, visual & comfortable train as much fun as a cold, wet, slow, very visual and comfortable bike - not to mention sitting in my small tent in a camping ground...to a dry & warm bed with hot food on tap!

Now it will be a while before I can next update this site so sit tight and I'll let you know how I went getting somewhere east soon...

Also thanks for all the great comments... Its so encouraging

PS: Spell check is again not working and i have had to re-type this log twice trying to get it to work -

Photo's, editing & spelling

Hi folks

Updating this weblog is very time consuming. I just spent the past two hours trying to get some photo's loaded'. It has told me 3 times that it worked but I can't see them so no idea. As for spelling and editing I'm not checking what i type... it costs $5 euro/hour to use the web so I'm typing very fast and not checking - bad i know but hay i'll type less from now and try harder on the spelling...

Okay loading one photo at a time works - you can work out where I might be in the photo to the text earlier

Visiting in Vlissingen (Thursday 27th April)

Where have I been?

Rest days in Amersfoort
My first rest day in in Amersfoort began with a bit of a sleeping in and a breaky surrounded by maps of where I could ride too next.. So much fun so many decision - Wonder if I should ask my boss for a more leave? Just kidding David if your reading this!

I repacked my stuff and found that I could send back some spare stuff. I was to discover that I I could send back 5kg in total at a cost of $51 Euro. For the maths minded you will also realize that this cost me $48kg Australian to bring it here in the 1st place! Just know remind me...

When shopping! Lots of fun spending money in the biggest camping store I have ever seen. Bruce you would love the place they even have free coffee for customers whilst you shop.. And I 'm told that the German Globetrotter is even better!..Can't wait. I bought some Gortex shoe covers and riding pants for Iceland, a silver mat cover to make life in my tent warmer, some wool sox and a fuel bottle. I now know why you need a fuel bottle, yes the plastic bottle that the Metho comes in is wonderful, strong and will last for years - but after an hour of trying to open it with the child-proof lock and having to ask someone to open your bottle of fuel is just a bit of a piss-off enough to buy a fuel bottle.

Also when for a 26kms ride (yes I know it was a rest day but no load on the bike). My friends live on the outskirts of their town and it was a really country ride very nice. Even got to see a lady in traditional dress.

Next rest day - the guys (Wiebke & Henk) took me to Amsterdam. And no deb I didn't partake in substances but could have. I soon discovered why when I 1st arrived in Amersfoort I got strange looks from people when I asked for directs to a coffeeshop..This I now know is where you get your drugs from... I should have asked for a coffeehouse. I really like Amsterdam. Thebuilding are wonderful so tall - about 5 stories, yet skinny, perhaps only 3 meters wide and all touching. Some are leaning a bit too much and it makes you wonder how the funiture is sitting in the house... It was a bit of a raining day but a great time - we had coffee and just walked around of course Wiebke and I did the canal tour 1st

Last rest day was a bit of a fast day. I packed my excess stuff up and Wiebke and I went to postoffice. 45 minutes later it was all sent. Then the final shop for the waterproof pant. In the morning I had checked the bike and then we loaded it into the van and that arvo Wiebke and I drove to the Hostel south of Haarlem - Noorwijk. It was strange saying goodbye and being back in a hostel. I went for a walk to the North Sea beach and like all true Australians just had to put my feet in the water... This is the only part of me going into the water - my god it was cold... But at least I can say I have done it. I went to bed that night a little lost for company - don't know why as the room I shared - unisex to boot - had 4 other bods in it...

ANZAC Day - Somewhere near Leiden
Bloody bad night sleep the 6ft joint happy block snored all night!.. But I was keen to make it a good day. I was in the area where the Tulips grow and was to do the Tulip ride. I managed to get going reasonable early 10.30am. The ride was great it started at the door of the hostel and you could see and smell the flowers for ages. Perhaps its the air or light but the colour was outstanding... I just road around field after field - I didn't ket to the big park called Keukenhof - but he 50 tour busses put me off so I kept going. I was after 30kms just a bit over flowers. I managed to find my path south the LF1 path that would follow the North Sea to Vlissingen.

It was a wonderful sunny day which is quite a change!.. The LF1 is a bit like following the cycle path north from Freo to Hillary's - and in the peak season it would have so many more people on it. But for me it was largely empty and I was free to just ride and imagine what it would be like with all the people. At 2pm I was getting a bit distressed about camping. I'm so used to having to make camp in Australian around 3 or 4pm due to the light I for get here that its not getting dark until 9pm.. Anyway I took some advice from a local and doubled back from the dunes to a camping spot called Duirell. I nearly died when I got there. This place was like camping at Adventure World - not for me and the cost for $20Euro a night. They picked me a mile away and gave me the name of a smaller camping spot called Maaldrift. This was perfect. I called Fritz who lived near by and had been giving me advice along the way and planned to have coffee. I sent up camp and cooked my dinner. Fritz, if your reading this I'm so humbled by the hospitality your showed me. I truly hope I can in some way thank you. For the rest of you and perhaps only cyclists will understand, when Frits turned up at my camp he brought me, bananas, tea, biscuit's and a small bottle of wine, plus maps to help me on my way. We had tea and applepie in town and chatted about cycling - a wonderful night.

Relaxed somewhere near Rockonje
It rained last night. I didn't want to get out of bed - but I did. I packed eat my banana and made my way back to the LF1 path. Now for the non-cyclist and cyclist alike when I say cycling path I don't mean path - generally I have my own road where the cars if they have to cross it have to give way to me... This is my kind of cycling. Though it is changing as the small 50cc bikes are also allowed to use the paths and this is at time very annoying...

The maps Fritz came me showed all the camping spots to Vlissingen so It made for related riding as I didn't have to wonder where I was going to put up the tent. Riding along the dunes there were many fresh water lakes it was very nice. The towns I road through where a bit like the Gold Coast but for me empty... When I got to The Hague (Den Haag). I had a wonderful welcome by the locals who thought I was tough and very brave cycling Europe and they wished me well. The Hague I didn't really see - just road through the outer part past all the very expensive houses and cars. I didn't some food shopping at the port and continued on. In a need of a loo I was told that the beach cafe's might be able to help. Now until now I thought Iwas on the beach riding through the dunes - but just over the dune I road down on to the beach to a cafe that was wonderful. It had a wooden deck and was right on the beach with bali style lounge chairs outside - very nice so I stayed and had a coffee.

I continued on and eventually I ended up riding along the Maas River again. I crossed this by punt (very big punt) but before hand that guys I met as I first arrived in the Hague where also along the river eating lunch - it was like meeting old friends again!... The next part of the ride took me to the best sea village I have seen and I soon 5.30pm found my camping spot at a mini-campsite a farm. Very nice spot and I cooked my dinner again.

Stressing in Sturzelberg

Bit more of where I have ridden...

Stressing in Sturzelberg
This was not such a good day for riding basically a very industrial area - but the big highlight before I got to much in to the industry was Koln and it's cathedral. Amazing building and so was the number of visitors considering this is off-season. The size, stain glass windows and gothic design is something to behold. I didn't stay inside very long as I was worried about the bike locked outside - there were may people around.

I tried to get money but not luck as my debit card is a bit odd here and I need to make sure I use a bigger bank not the smaller ones. I found a map that would get me to Netherlands via the Rhein or going over to the Maas River.. (more on that) and I then left the city bit overwhelmed by all the people..

My camping spot is nice and only $5 euro but not shower! I couldn't cook as no food so had honey bread for tea.. It was a very cold night and I had to sleep in thermals and pants and still was cold in the tent in my 4 season sleeping bag with silk liner... What's Iceland going to be like?

I got a bit stressed about which way to go from here to the Netherlands continuing to follow the Rhein was not an option as it was getting more and more industrial. I needed to cross over to the Maas River but which way to go. After some phone calls I settled on a the green line on my map not to be confused with the red, orange, yellow, grey or black lines on the map or the blue or lighter green - Great I'm sure I'll find the way

Kranky in Klein Virk (Arcen - Netherlands)
87kms today and didn't set up tent until 8.30pm - bit pissed off with the place I ended up camping. The day started out great but I didn't leave early enough. The camping owner gave me the best map I have used so far for getting to Venlo (Netherlands) from Neuss (Germany)... Just follow the greenline. And I'm not kidding once I was in Neuss a bike rider told me the whole route is painted on the road in green you just follow it. When they can't use paint as the route is dirt green posts are put in the ground. It was so very simple. This route is nice to ride - it takes you along waterways, forests and farm land sometime on dirt but so simple to follow. It takes a northwest direction and is not that direct but flat and easy to ride. At 2.30pm I made a decision to continue on to Venlo hoping I would find camping in the town and not make for the hostel in Monchengladbach. I think this was a good decision but finding camping in Venlo was not so easy and I was given bad information. This information had me ride 20kms further north of Venlo to a big commercial camping ground called Klein Vink.

When I got there at 7.30pm it was shut. I had to use an intercom on a boomgate to findout where to camp. I was very stressed, tired hungry and not at all happy. I managed to overcome all this and get my camping spot and set up camp and eat food that I had bought that day. It was fine once I was in my tent...

Enthused @ Eldorado Camping Ground (Thursday 20th April)
I was still flat in the morning, rang both sets of Friend in the Netherlands for advice & rang Ron just to hear his voice... I then decided that the only way I was going to buck-up was with coffee so I road back the 6kms to Arcen - but 1st I had to pay for my camping and what a way to upset me more... I was charged $23 euro more than a hostel. Not happy chappy!... Coffee was needed urgently.

I found a cafe in the divine village and sat outside drinking my coffee all alone in the sun. Henk called and it help make up my mind that I needed the company of friends. The ride to Amersfoort was 2days and the ride to Vlissingen was 3 -4 so Amersfoort was decided.

Henk told me to follow the LF3 route... Once I found it I was one my way. This was a loverly ride following the Maas River. Of which I had to cross 3 times by punt. By the time I got to the camping ground at 5pm the coffee and riding had fixed my mood. I cooked dinner and slept soundly in my tent.

Arrived in Amersfoort
This was going to be a big ride... 86kms in fact. It was shorter than the actual plan as I got helped so much in Nijmegen crossing the Maas & Waal Rivers that I didn't get to see the oldest town in Holland!... A bunch of racing cyclists help me get to a Dyke that would make my trip shorter. This mad up for getting lost in the morning on a mountain bike track and again later in the day when I got very lost in Ede!...

It was a great day riding I was full of beans (coffee kind)... I arrived in Amersfoort after following a canal for about 15kms and ended up in the middle of the town only 20kms from where my friends live. They road into to town to get me... It was wonderful chatting again after 2 years!...

Arranging in Amersfoort

When last I wrote I was telling you about my 1st Castle visit... I have moved on a bit now.

Klimbing in Koblenz
This day (15 April) was a big day I road 65kms but it was loverly watching all the castle along the Rhein... I arrived in Koblenz to discover the hostel was a castle on the top of avery big hill up the steepest hill I have ever seen... needless to say i didn't ride but walked, pushed laboured & endured getting the bike to the top of a 3km road - the only 3 words that comes to mind to explain the event was FUCKing hard work! I was not alone in my struggle as 5 young German kids were doing the same.. we all ended up in the same dorm and it was a good night of chatting... I also met my 1st Australian here and based of his trip on the trains I'm so glad I'm cycling Europe I have freedom to decide where I want to go.

Raining in Remagen
It rained all day... Until I got to camp ground in Remagen where I had plenty of sunshine to fix my flat tyre... I left hte hostel early as a girl was snoring and had woken me early. I was on the bike by 8am and it was a lovery time to be up. I decided I would attempt to see something as a tourist. I went to the big monument on the point I could see from the castle - my god this made the big banana, big ram and big prawn look like matchbox toys. The Germans know how to build BIG.. It was a horse and man built after the war out of respect for the past events of the war...

It continued to rain and I was sitting in a very old court yard or village center in Koblenz, it is Easter Sunday and the bells begain to ring everywhere. I would have to say that this image will stay with me for some time it was magical. I had planned to go the butterfly meusem but it eas back over the river, the rain was getting worse and I had to double zip my jacket as it was cold and wet so my meed was a bit low in attempting to find the place so I road out of town.

My Gortex jacket is wonderful here the best thing for cycling and everone is wearing them. I also discover I have a wonderful ability in holding my bladder! With flat tyre, full bladder, cold rain I continued riding for 15kms until I found a loo.. what a releaf!

I had dinner tonight in the local cam pub and was invited to have coffee with Volker and Marion(?). It was a great converstation and very nice to be chatting with locals.

Kool in Koln
I camped again to night. And fixed my 3rd flat. But should be over now as I have finally put the touring tyres on the bike and got rid of the racing slicks something I should have done before I left... Today was not such good riding I'm more in the industral part of the Rhein. When past my 1st working necular power station complete with 1000 solar panel on the ground and 4 wind-turbines.

I'm camped 7kms out of Koln. I cooked dinner for the 1st time

Kool In KÃlamn

Now updating this site is going to be a tad harder than expected or I'll have to learn to read German as unlike hotmail is done's convert to English... On top of that the keyboard is a little different to use as the y & z are swapped and things like shif work differently.. But u don't want to know any of this.. u want to know where I have been for a week or perhaps not.. Highlights of my week below:

Exhausted in addressing
My kingdom for the ability to tighten bolts... I had got Patience together all right as long as I didn't want to ride her with any load... To cut a long story short and spare u the details of the two phone calls to Ron... I managed to get the bolts tight (but wait until tomorrow)... I left Frankfurt at 2pm thinking its only 40kms to Mainz I'll make it... I didn't even though I had a great cycling map... I think I new I was a bit done in when that thunderstorm hit at 4pm... I didn't get too wet, but it did my mood for riding #... Then I came to the hydro station bridge simple to get a fully loaded bike up three flights of stairs on your one... I was assisted but in the process I got my 1st flat for the trip... I fixed this but it was now lat 5pm... I needed to get some lodgings... Lucky for me 16 yr old Mark and his dad came along and found me a place to stay on a Greek restaurant...Wonderful

I had a meal and met Linda & her husband who bought me dinner as a thank u for the attention their daughter had in Oz last year... Great stuff..

Made it to Mainz
So the next day 5kms out of addressing.. The suspension giveaway (hope your reading this Sats & Aldo)... Shit In the middle of nowhere I spy a car dealership called Mitserbishi and yes a mechanic who kindly cleaned the bolts used lock tight and tightened them for me... So far and 200kms later fine... And yes I did get to Mainz hostel

Terrific in Trechtingshausen
Big day and my 1st night in the tent... Coffee in the morning helps with one's mood... Got lost in the morning and road up hill through a Forrest very nice found the river again with some help. This was amy best day so far as the sun came out and the flowers started on the trees it was so very nice. However I now know what the red sign Hochwasser means the hard way... I road the bike through what looked like a shallow lake but it soon turned nasty and deep. It was over my front hub complently and it took all my ability to ride through the current... I got through but things were very wet as I was to later find out... But sleeping bag was dry so I was happy... I do hope the hubs are water tight..

I visited my 1st castle today above the camping ground called Burg Rheinstein not bad

Frankfurt April 11 2006

Made it! And not even tired... Not sure why as I didn't get much sleep on the plane... But at least I did sleep. I caught a taxi from airport on good advice from Barbara...On 35 euro... I managed to find a nice court yard in the sun to rebuild bike.. Have some snaps to load latter on... Bike when together well I only suffered 1 bruise...

at 6.30am it was 3.5 degrees here. The sun has a nice warmth to it when you can get in it in fact the sun feels warmer than Perth... But the air is cold. Should be fine for riding if I rug up.

General observations so far are:

• Trees have no leaves
• Generally everyone speaks English and its only my slang that makes it hard
• Lots of bikes everywhere - no helmets

The part of Frankfurt I'm in is quaint. Get the feeling its a tourist area, lots of markets, small stores with specialists foods, good English

Plan for tomorrow is to start riding to Mainz on the Rhein. I have bike map and will study tonight

Packing

Only 5 sleeps to go... Last Saturday was the somewhat stressful event of packing down Patience. Alas I had hoped I wouldn't need to remove the steering head system and cables, but alas the bike was just too tall to fit into the QANTAS bike box - so it was undone. I am reasonable confident to getting it all back together again... but will plan to do this somewhere very quiet and with lots of space.

Now just in case your wondering what I'm taking the following is a summary of my bits. The colour reference is to the small ziptie I have added so I can tell the bags apart:
Large Blue Panner 4kg
Sleeping bag
Small Raincoat
Underwear
Bottomes
Gloves

Large Red Panner 4kg
TopsDress/Shirt
Trangia & kitchen stuff
Tent pegs

Small Green 2kg
Cables
Mirror
Seat rope
Flags
Manuals - Rohloff, spd clips, iRiver
YHI Book

Small Yellow 2kg
16 x 1 3/8 AV 4 Tubes x 3
20 x 1.50 AV 6 Tubes x 3
Patches
Oil
Levers
Bolts & tools
Kean shoes

Red Duffel bag 7kg
Tent
Iceland lonely planet
Manual - camera
Diary
Bike seat padding
Pillow
Towel
Toiletries

Bike Box 31 kg
Patience in bits
2 spare tyres
Therarest
water blader

Those reading this will note that my total travel weight is around 50 - 52 kg. QANTAS give me 25 for free and the rest is at $48/kg... The price goes up to this rate on the 8th April and I fly out on the 10th April. I'm looking at $1000 to $1200 in excess charges one way to take my bike. Whilst its too late for me to change my plans others may want to consider the options of buying a bike over there.