clairedavieswriter

It was all go on the garage forecourt this morning (and indeed much of the night):

But at least Bernard’s neighbours didn’t keep him awake

The theme of today was incurring the wrath of Guillaume, because for whatever reason he seemed determined to route us onto main roads when the cycle network suggested otherwise. And one thing I’ve learned over the last few days is to trust the network (and the signs). In fact I’ve got so used to being siphoned off the road that it feels wrong to ride on it at all.

Technology can be baffling sometimes: the same gadget that can tell within a few feet if you’re off course can also somehow fail to spot a virtually traffic-free service road alongside the main road, and going to the same place. Because why wouldn’t you choose to ride on this path instead of the busy, fast main road in the woods on the right?

It was a stunning day to be riding a bike, from the start:

Through the middle

To the finish:

The cycle paths were as good as ever – this one even had lines painted on it:

And all along the way there were picnic tables and shelters for cyclists – of whom there were many today, both tourers and day-riders, this being Saturday. To be clear, this below is a cycle path, not a road:

It was glorious to have sunshine after days of cold and wet. It even got so hot I was grateful to be under trees

I enjoyed this whimsical cow with orange wellies and a startled look, warning people to keep the countryside clean, lest you harm the animals:

After a sensational Schokobrötchen at breakfast (10/10, no notes), my afternoon snack from the same bäckerei (Happ in Welkers, if you’re interested) was a squidgy ball of slightly cinnamony deliciousness – word of the day Quarkbällchen – that kept me topped up with sugar for the last few miles

Other highlights included this artwork depicting walkers – the man looking dapper in a hat, the woman with an impressively narrow waist, her hair flowing behind her as though they’re striding out at a lick:

Having climbed out of the Fulda valley, we loved the thrilling descent from this, our highest point today, just below 500m asl:

And reaching Bavaria felt like a big moment – a bit like crossing into Scotland on the way to John O’Groats. And just like that milestone, I quickly realised that Bavaria (like Scotland) is huge, and we still have a long way to go. The regional border is unmarked, but lies in the middle of this bridge over the unfortunately-named river Sinn

And speaking of rivers, I was excited to cross the Main, our first major river since the Elbe, way up by Hamburg. This freight barge was so large, it had room for a car and a speedboat on the back deck:

For the life of me, I can’t remember why I chose a campsite 3k beyond that (in the direction the barge was travelling – off my route for tomorrow, and uphill) rather that the site right under the Main bridge at Gemünden. But it’s good to be here, despite the glaring absence of either a picnic table or a gazebo. It’s my last night under canvas this trip, and I’m hoping it’ll be the first without rain: