Originally, this trip was planned as a follow the Rhine from its source in The Swiss Alps for 800 miles or 1,200 kilometers to where it exits into the North Sea. Once I began researching the route along this historical, cultural, artistically endowed, scenic and majestic route it became apparent that with only 3 weeks available the distance must be pared back. What with it’s picturesque and quaint medieval towns and home to ancient cathedrals, churches, monasteries, castles and museums, all chock full of artifacts dating back to 200AD it would require far more than the 3 weeks I was allotting myself. What was originally conceived as a leisurely cycling tour quickly emerged into a cultural and religious pilgrimage. Based on this, I decided to omit the lower portion (northern section) of the river from Mainz Germany to the Netherlands and return to complete this section at a later date. While there are many sources of information covering this historic river route the single most informative publication I read was The Rhein, written by Roland Recht a former professor of Art and History and director of the Strasbourg Museum. This is a 380 page masterpiece describes many of the sights and historical facts with hundreds of color photos and descriptions of most every significant point of interest along the way.

Getting to Andermatt Switzerland:

Andermatt can be reached by train from Basel or Zurich Switzerland. From either of these cities you will begin a 3-hour train ride to Goeschen; here you will connect to the red train to Andermatt. This short ride through the pass is the most scenic part of the trip thus far. In Andermatt, I was to meet up with my nephew Gerry. We had a room reserved at the Hotel Baduz, which is just a short walk from the station. This was the only reservation we made for the entire trip but I was thankful I did this as it turned out some of my luggage was lost and I was able to advise the airline where I was staying so it could be forwarded to me. The following is a review of each day’s travel with approximate mileage, as my computer was not registering properly for most of the trip. [Ed. Note: They seldom do.]

Day 1: June 7 - Andermatt: 16 local miles.

I greeted this day with a little apprehension as when I arrived in Munich for my connection to Basil my bike was not amongst my luggage and I was informed it would be delivered to the hotel where I was staying in Switzerland. Low and behold, breakfast was interrupted by the arrival of the package. Thank you Delta Airlines! It was drizzling rain so we assembled our bikes and by noon the Sun came out and we headed off for some local riding out to the Realp and Gottard Passes. Once back in Andermatt we boarded the train to the Oberalppass, which is a 6.6-mile ride and 2,000-foot climb. Descending from the top we would test our brakes on the ride back to town. During the planning of the trip I labored with the idea of whether to begin the tour climbing this section with loaded bikes or simply take the train up and after this trip down the decision became easy. Why kill ourselves and possibly wreck my old and tired knees in the first 6 miles of the tour, after all there will be plenty of hills to climb ahead of us.

Day 2: Andermatt to Bonaduz: 52 miles.

We awoke this day to 40-degree temperatures with heavy fog and drizzling rain; this reinforced our decision to begin the trip with a train ride up to the Oberalpass. We arrived at Calamont, elevation 6,700 feet, to be met with 42 degree temperatures and more rain and fog. From here the route is on the main road to Disentis and despite the weather it was a great downhill ride. We encountered a few cars and a herd of cattle being moved further up the mountain. At Disentis we were greeted with sunshine and warmer temperatures. Here though, is where I quickly realized the company I was traveling with was going to be a part of the adventure. While scouting the town Gerry comes upon a flight of steps leading to a church we want to visit and he descends these on his loaded bike full bore, a couple of steps at a time. While mine is not a mountain bike I search for a more conventional route, Gerry’s comment when I finally meet back up with him was, where did you go. After a brief visit to this small chapel we head through town to the Benedictine Monastery, Kloster St. Martin. After our visit here we head off to find the Rhine Radweg [“bike path”] that follows the Vorderhein, one of the tributaries that converges with the Hinterhein just outside Bonaduz to become The Rhine. The mapped Radweg takes us off the main road and through tiny villages, much of this is to be on hard packed roads and muddy trails but the scenery makes it all worthwhile. The next highlight along this route was a visit to the small and beautiful golden gilded chapel of St. Anthony. This is in Cavardiras a tiny village situated atop a short but steep hill. I read about this chapel on website trip report written by Lenore from Australia. From here the major portion of the trail to Bonaduz is mostly dirt roads except in the villages and follows a route through forests and farmland, which are reminiscence of the scenery in the movie Heidi. All the climbs, of which there are many, are rewarded with great vistas and rapid descents. Our final climb of the day brings us to an elevation about 1,000-foot above the river where we are treated to a spectacular panorama view of Le Grand Canyon de la Swisse. From here it was a 6-mile coast downhill to Bonaduz. Our route leads us to the center of town and the Hotel Alte Post where we were greeted in the street by our hostess. She not only offered us a room but also offered to do our laundry. We gladly handed over our mud-laden clothes and later that evening found them at our door clean and neatly folded. And for all this there was no extra charge when we settled the bill. (What a Deal!)

Day 3, Bonaduz to Bad Ragaz: 54 miles.

We set off early after breakfast for a side trip 12 miles north to Via Mala (The Evil Way), which is a 300 foot deep, narrow gorge just outside the town of Thussis. On the way we encountered a long climb with two long tunnels after exiting the second one we arrived at the gorge with its cascading water. This small river is the Hinterhein, which converges with the Vorderhein in Tamins to become the Rhine. This is a fantastic sight and was all well worth the trip up. Heading back we took the path along the river and found this route better for returning to town, though I would not recommend riding it up as it is a steeper climb than the road. Even with the tunnels the main road is better for the climb up. Returning to Bonaduz we collected our gear and headed toward Tamins. From here the ride was quite simple. We passed through the center of Chur, which is a busy little town then headed to Bad Ragaz, a quaint resort town. On the way through the town of Zizers we missed a turn and found ourselves on a tree root exposed, horrible, muddy 3-mile tail. Once back on the road in Landquart we navigated a couple of steep climbs through the towns of Milans and Jenis. At Jenis, it began raining heavly enough that we sought shelter in a local Biergarten where after a couple of Biers the weather cleared and we headed off. From here it was mostly downhill and we were treated to a lovely view of the plush green valley below as we headed into Bad Ragaz. We took a room at the Hotel Bakeri, dined at a local pub and then roamed through the streets of this quaint town with its half-timbered homes till after dark.

Day 4, Bad Ragaz to Bregenz Austria: 52 miles.

We awoke to a dreary drizzly morning and figuring our hotel was associated with a bakery the rainy weather will be offset by a lovely breakfast. Not to be as this too was dreary and very basic, simply rolls and croissants with packaged butter and jam. First stop after breakfast was the local bike shop to replace worn brake pads and then to the local supermarket for bread and cheese. Gerry had learned from the previous day’s ride (where we had a good breakfast but failed to stop for lunch and ultimately caused us to bonk) that having snacks in our packs was a prudent move. Good move Gerry! Now the skies are clearing and we head for Vaduz, Liechtenstein. Though it looked like a straightforward route out of town and over to the Rhine we somehow wound up going through the town of Sargans. While this was fine it seemed like we added a few extra miles crisscrossing through the fields. Once we found our way back to the river we were treated to a paved bike path where we met a group of cyclists who started their trip in Andermatt by biking the Oberalppass. They remarked that if they were to do it again they would take the train as we did. We crossed the river heading into Vaduz and stopped for lunch at the Castle Restaurant. Our waiter recommended our next stop should be Bregenz, Austria a small resort town on Lake Constance. Good move on his part, it was pretty much follow the Rhine all the way. Just out of Vaduz the path is shared with a cow pasture where at first look it appeared the path was strewn with cow pies and this was not something I wanted to ride my bike through, at closer look it became apparent that most of this was simply chunks of dirt kicked up by the tractors. We continued on the path to Fussach where it flows into Lake Constance (The Bodensee). Here we left the Rheinweg and headed east to Bregenz. We quickly found a room at Hotel Sonne by checking the options and availability at the Tourist information board located at the train station. After checking in we headed off by foot to take in the sights. I remembered reading there was a gondola that transports people and bikes to the top of the mountain which at 3,490 feet is 2,200 feet above lake Constance. We found the tram station and read bikes ride free between 9:00 & 10:00. It became a no brainer as how to begin the next day. Bregenz is a neat town with an abundance of outdoor cafes and terrific restaurants.

Day 5, Bregenz to Konstance: 51 miles.

Following breakfast we left our panniers at the hotel and headed to the tram for a ride up the mountain. Once at the top we were treated to a spectacular panoramic view with Lake Constance to the north and the Swiss and Austrian mountain ranges to the east and south. The ride down was a 6-mile coast where after this we retrieved our gear and headed north along the eastern shoreline where our first stop was Lindau. This small German resort town is situated on an island with parks, museums, richly decorated building facades, and grandiose hotels. There is a small protected harbor offering shelter to boats and is encircled by a waterfront promenade. From here we continued north stopping next at the village of Wasserburg. Here we found a fruit stand with the most delicious strawberries I’ve ever tasted, we then bought meat, bread and cheese for [our short boat ride to Freidrichshafen]. On our arrival at Freidrichshafen, home of the Zeppelin Museum, we first picked up tickets for the ferry and confirmed the departure time, then took in some of the sights of the town before boarding the ferry to Romanshorn, which is about a 10-mile, ride across the lake. After disembarking we continued along the lake to Germany and the town of Konstance. On arrival, we rode around looking for a hotel and eventually found our way to the tourist information bureau. Here while checking out the information board for hotel choices we were approached by the elderly Frau Hirsh who offered us a room in her apartment. The only drawback I could see to this was the lack of having coffee and breakfast before setting out in the morning. I must say Frau Hirsh was very persistent and - what the heck - at $15.00 per person we succumbed to her advances. This was about a third of what we could expect to pay in this resort Mecca. That evening we wandered around town, had dinner complete with a flambéd dessert and crashed early.

Day 6, Konstance to Zurzach Switzerland: 72 miles.

We awoke early at the Hirsh residence and quickly set out for breakfast at Stein am Rhein. Somehow I calculated the distance to be 10 miles and figured this was doable on an empty stomach. Somewhere I made a mistake in my calculations and the distance was in fact double this. Still not a bad call though for Stein am Rhein has to be the quaintest fortress-walled village in all of Europe. You enter via a stone bridge crossing the Rhine and turn left into the most picturesque plaza with multicolored hand painted fresco laden rows of 16th and 17th century half-timbered houses. What a setting for breakfast. The only vehicles allowed in the plaza are bicycles and these must be walked. After breakfast and a walk around town we were off to the Rheinfalls near Schaffhausen. The Rheinfalls is a waterfall that spans 500ft. across the Rhine and plummets thunderously 60’ below where there are many vantage points for viewing this spectacular scene. From here the Rhine flows west to Basel Switzerland where it then becomes a prominent navigable waterway flowing 600 miles north through the center of Western Europe to the North Sea. From the falls we continue along the river viewing more picturesque towns and covered bridges. A short distance beyond the falls at the town of Flaach we encounter a long climb and make a rest stop at a grocery store with ice cold Gatorade and fresh fruit. After this, we are rewarded with a very steep and long downhill run back to the Rhine where we cool off with a swim and watched fish hawks soar high and serene along the river in search of their next meal, From here it’s on to Zurzach (Not Zurich). From past experience I found the hotels in Germany to be less expensive so when we arrived in Zurzach we elected to cross over to the German side of the Rhine and look for a hotel there. At the border we asked the guards if they could recommend a place for the evening and to our surprise they advised us there were no guesthouses in this town. Determined to help us they were more than 5 minutes on the phone making inquiries about Zimmer Fries (private rooms for rent) in neighboring German towns. At this point, I advised them we would go back across the bridge to Switzerland and they replied, but it is so expensive there, none the less, they let us go. Zurzach has to be the first town that I have entered where I did not easily find a place to stay. The first three hotels brushed us off. Finally, we found a map of the town with the listing for the Pensione Regina, one of the places listed in our guidebook. Unable to reach them by phone, we rode to it and were graciously welcomed by Regina who took us in, did our laundry, and served a lovely breakfast the next morning. (Again - no extra charge for the laundry).

Day 7, Zurzach to Basel: 51 miles.

We headed off along the Swiss side of the Rhine through Koblenz then crossed over to the German side. From the maps this seemed the easiest and most direct way to go, it was mostly trails and at times we would ride on the main road B34. Up to this time, except for our fist day in the Alps, the temperatures were in the 70 to 80 degree range but by the end of this day we saw the 90s. While the trail followed the river for the most part it does take you through some of the more desolate areas and in some cases sends you on detours through the back streets of small towns. In retrospect, we might have been better off staying on to the main road. In fact, at one point, we encountered another touring cyclist who while traveling slower than us but staying on the road continued to stay ahead of us as we followed the signs. We arrived in the outskirts of Basel by 2:00 PM and figured this would allow us time to find a hotel, settle in, and do some quality sightseeing. Finding the hotel part was not that simple. The tourist information board listed in the guide only provided transportation service with schedules so we were forced to head out on our own looking for a cheap sleep. This was not to be found in the outskirts so we headed for the center of town and found a nice but expensive $157.00 hotel room located in the heart of the city. One nice feature was the price included an unlimited trolley transportation pass, this we used extensively. Basel is definitely a cosmopolitan city and this became more evident as the sun went down. It is laden with great outdoor cafes, lots of style conscious well-dressed young people. All smoking, talking on cell phones and out to meet Mr. or Ms. right.

Day 8, Basel to Ebrigen / Freiberg: 61 miles.

We departed Basel staying on the East side of the Rhine until the town of Markt where we then crossed into France to ride along the Grand Canal d’Alsace heading for Mulhouse and lunch. This was a lovely introduction to French canal touring. Somehow, we missed the turn off to Mulhouse and traveled 2.5 extra miles before doubling back through the industrial portion of town. We followed the signs instead of heading directly for the church steeple and eventually found our way into the market square. At the beginning of the trip I told Gerry, if you see a church steeple when approaching a town head directly to it as all roads usually meet here. The food and atmosphere in this quaint French town made this detour off the Rhine refreshing. With the sun beating down and temperature on the rise, it was fortunate that the route to Ebrigen a town just outside of Freiberg where we are to meet relatives of Gerry is through a forest making it slightly cooler than if traveling on the main road. At Ottmarsheim, we crossed back over the Rhine and the last hour of the ride was on the open road with the temperature in the upper 80s. In Ebrigen, we meet Paul and Lisbeth, relatives of Gerry from his moms side of the family, and are welcomed with open arms. We overcame the language barrier and after cleaning up we were given a tour of this region, which is on the outskirts of the Black Forest, and the evening ended with our hosts treating us to dinner at a small farm restaurant at the base of the mountain leading to forest. Here we shared a table with a couple of other families who were thrilled at the opportunity to practice their limited English. On our way towards the forest we saw many cyclists of all ages riding through the hills and were told this is a favorite exercise of the residents of this region. Gym’s are just not in.

Day 9, Eberigen - Freiberg - Merdingen: 16 miles.

The morning began with a trip with Paul to his vegetable and flower garden where beneath the tool shed floor he has wine cellar, the existence of which until she reads this review is unknown to Lisbeth. After making our rounds through this small town where we deliver flowers to Paul's daughter and exchange pleasantries with a few of the residents we head off by auto to into Freiberg for a grand tour hosted by Lisbeth. This medieval city with its majestic cathedral dating back to 1250AD (and was 300 years under construction) is a masterpiece in itself. We visited on a Saturday when all the local merchants together with the vendors at the farm market set up a market in the cathedral square brace themselves for a long day of shopping by the residents from here and surrounding villages. While this city received more than its share of destruction during the course of W.W.II and many other wars through out the centuries, the scars are hard to find. About 1:30PM we are met by Gerry's cousin Marco who escorted us by bike to the town of Merdingen where he lives and where at our arrival we are greeted by a crowd of about 20 relatives hosting a barbecue in our honor. The festivities lasted into the night mind you the sunset in this region is about 10:30PM and Gerry had his introduction to true German hospitality. One note of mention here is that it seems whenever a plate or glass of a guest is empty it is believed you must still be hungry or thirsty and are encouraged to have more. I explained to Gerry, trick here is when you are finished always leave a little on your plate or in your glass. Another thing, Merdingen is a wine producing town and when Gerry was asked if he preferred water or wine with his meal he responded either is fine, with this Marco responds here in Merdingen we buy the water so would you like red or white. The party lasted late into the night and a great time was had by all.

Day 10, Merdigen - Breisach (Sightseeing)

This day began with breakfast at Doile’s, Gerry's great aunt with visitors coming and going. We then attended Sunday Mass at the Church where Gerry's grandmother was baptized. After this, it was off to the local fire station for a tour of the house and its equipment that includes an 1846, vintage, hand-wheeled, pumper and then off to the town garage where they have an 1854, vintage, hand-pulled, pumper in storage. From here it was on to Breisach am Rein by auto for a cultural tour of this town. This is another medieval town that had seen more than its share of wars as it is western perimeter strategically situated high above the Rhine, with France on the opposite shore. St Stephens Church, a cathedral that sits high on the hill overlooking the Rhine, on one side and on the other side of the town are artifacts and murals dating to the beginning of its construction which began in the 13th century. On our return to Merdingen, Marco pointed out the route we would be taking the next day to bring us back to the Rhine Radweg. Thank you Marco it would have been confusing finding the way without this local knowledge. That evening after diner at the home of Doile, our host, we toured town walking up into the vineyards. Along the way, we were greeted by a sign, “Welcome to Merdingen, Home of Jan Urlich.” Remember, I mentioned seeing an unusual amount of cyclists on the way to the Black Forest, well it seems that team T-Mobile spends a bit of its time training here and Jan who originally hailed from East Germany has made this his home.

Day 11, Merdingen to Strasbourg: 65 miles.

With an early departure, we figured we could reach Strasbourg by early afternoon to allow us time to take in the city. With Marcos directions, we easily found the Rhine and headed north along the Rheinradweg. Well, the temperature began to climb and we somehow missed the signed route. We began tacking on extra mileage. This route is not all that great and I would recommend following the road through the various towns, as it is more direct and possibly more scenic. [Ed. Note: I heartily agree!] Eventually, we found our way through Oberhausen, then Rust and crossed the river by ferry at Koppel. From here we picked up the Canal du Rhone au Rhin, which is a lovely route leading into Strasbourg. By now, the temperature was in the mid 90s and it was taking its toll on us. Arriving in Strasbourg, we headed directly to the tourist bureau located across from the Cathedral and asked for the nearest hotel with a vacancy. We were directed to the Cathedral Hotel across the street and here we were given a private air-conditioned suite and with breakfast cost $149.00. A bit expensive but it provided a breathtaking view looking out over the Cathedral, which is an architectural masterpiece, both from the outside and within. That evening we toured a section of the city, which is somewhat like Venice with its array of canals and narrow streets.

Day 12, Strasbourg to Au am Rhein: 50 miles.

Morning came early as our lovely suite overlooking the Cathedral was directly opposite the bells that began their toll precisely at 6:00AM. With an early breakfast and a walk around town - then a tour of the Cathedral, our departure was delayed till noontime. Unbeknownst to us at the time, this was not good for we were about to experience the hottest day this region had ever recorded during the month of June. We were planning to head for Worth am Rhein and the most direct route seem to be on the German side of the river. Unfortunately, this route was very zigzag and what was 30 miles as the crow flies was to be more like 60 miles. By mid afternoon, the thermometer on my bike read 99 degrees and not long after it peaked at 102 degrees. After 2 flats, many rest stops, and ongoing water stops, we decided to look for a room at the next town we hit. We met a jogger who directed us to the town of Au am Rhein, which was on the map but did not have any guests houses listed. Here he told us we would find a room at a local Gasthaus that served fine food and beer. He was right on all counts. Total bill for dinner, beer and breakfast was 49.00 Euros each. One other cycling guest was staying here and I heard him suggesting to the host that they should have themselves listed in the Radtourenbuch and they would surely see more guests. There goes this good deal!

Day 13, Au am Rhein to Deidesheim: 53 miles.

After a not so good night’s sleep, as it was hotter than hell, we headed towards Speyer. We are now entering familiar territory to me for I was here the previous year with my German cousins who introduced me to a great Biergarten that is popular with the locals and tourist alike. The route is pretty straightforward. We wanted to cross the Rhine as early as possible and were told there was a ferry about 6 miles up the trail. When we arrived there was a sign indicating service started at 10:00AM so we elected to ride further north to where there was a bridge. This wasn't so bad and in fact became very interesting as we came to a pedestrian bridge that is about 30 feet high, accessed by a steep staircase that had a small track attached to the steps for wheeling bikes up and down. While this is fine for unloaded bikes the pannier,s with an extra 40 pounds it proved interesting and challenging. One thing about this section of the Rhine though, is there is no such thing as, “as the crow flies;” there are many detours to contend with. Entering Speyer by following the Radweg was a mistake, rounding the bend just outside of town I saw the dome of the Dom (Cathedral) and I should have followed previous instincts and headed directly for it as the trail adds another 4 or 5 miles to the route. Speyer is a neat town and well worth visiting. If you do, the Domhof Biergarten is a must for lunch or dinner and a climb up Altportal, which is the gate tower, offers a spectacular view of the town and surrounding area. At Speyer, we depart the Rhine heading through the back streets and after passing beneath the Alportal pick up the trail through the Nonnenwald Forest. From here, we head west to Neustadt on the Weinstrasse and head north to Deidesheim where we will again be staying with relatives. This detour works well as it takes you away from the industrial cities of Ludwigshafen and Mannheim bringing you through the vineyards and small quaint towns of the Rheinpfalz region. As we enter Deidesheim, we meet up with the operator of the local fruit and vegetable stand and load up with Spargel. Spargel is a white asparagus that is grown entirely below ground and considered a delicacy. It is available for only a few weeks June. Next stop is at the home of my cousins where we are greeted by Johanna and Heiner and two of their grandchildren and shortly thereafter their children (my riding buddies from earlier visits) will soon arrive to meet Gerry for the first time, meanwhile Gerry and I go for a tour of the town.

Day 14, Deidesheim: 24 miles.

Deidesheim is a small town on the Winestrasse surrounded by vineyards and full of half-timbered homes. My Cousin Gunter, a vintner, meets us early in the day to give us a tour of the Co-operative winery where he is employed and uses for processing his grapes. After this and a tasting, we ride north to Wachenheim where we visit what little remains of the town castle that overlooks the vineyards and is now a Biergarten serving lunch during the day and in evening has food and entertainment. Here we have a couple of beers then head back to Deidesheim for an evening of essen and trinken. During our evening meal Gerry remembers to leave food on his plate but the glass that is often empty was always quickly refilled. Good time was had, and lots of stories told.

Day 15, Deidesheim to Worms: 45 miles.

This is a rather special day for us and almost everyone else in Germany as the World Cup Soccer matches were in progress and USA was playing Germany. Soccer is big time here and we figure if we leave at 9:00AM we can reach Worms for the 1:00 o'clock game time by heading along the Weinstrasse through Bad Durkheim to Bockenheim then east to Worms. In theory, this seems good but I know from past experience there is no clean route east and after wandering onto a road which prohibits bicycles and then getting lost in the fields were my handlebar compass came in handy we finally arrived at our destination. Worms is another great Cathedral town with lots of historical significance but sightseeing and finding a room will have to wait. In Worms, we head for a sports bar on the bank of the Rhine where we claim a couple of stools to watch the game. When we entered the pub, most of the seats at the tables were taken and we chose the only two stools that would not block the view of the other patrons. The owner of the pub came up the bar and began removing the remaining stools and with this we told him loud enough for all the patrons to hear, that he couldn't do that as we were saving these for seven American friends who would be joining us. With this all the customers realizing they had a couple of Yanks amongst them let out a great roar. I quickly told them we were joking about the 7 more Yanks coming but added we would make enough noise for 7 more, they laughed realizing our presence would make the game all the more exciting. For those who don't remember USA lost 2-0 but not without putting up a good fight. After the game, the owner bought rounds for the house, Americans included, and we settled our bill for lunch and headed towards the center of town to find a room and take in the sights. The timing of our arrival in Worms was perfect as there was evening street festival with plenty of food, drinks and music.

Day 16, Worms to Mainz 34 miles.

This is a straight run along the Rhine and it is a bit more interesting as we now see a good bit more ship and barge traffic. Once in Mainz, we look for a hotel and a bike shop so we can scrounge up boxes to pack our bikes into. Gerry has a mountain bike requiring a full size box and mine is a Trek 520 touring bike with S&S couplers that allows it to be broken down into a smaller box. I take care of the room and Gerry goes off to get the boxes. After the bikes are packed up we are ready to celebrate our completing over 700 miles through five countries in 16 days. Mainz is a busy town about 12 miles outside of Frankfurt. And guess what? There is a festival going on so we celebrate our last night with plenty of food, wine, beer and entertainment. The streets were wall-to-wall people and around 11:00PM I lost Gerry in the crowd so I headed back to the hotel as the flight out in the morning was early and it promised to be a long day ahead.

Rhine Tour 2002 wrap up:

All told we covered more than 700 miles, visited five countries, quite a few towns and villages, experienced many verities of food, visited many churches and cathedrals, some massive others small and quaint. Gerry was able to meet many relatives who before this he had only heard about.

The touring guides we used were La Suisse A Velo, for the Swiss portion of the trip together with the Bikeline Rhein Radweg # 1 which covers the Rhine from it’s source in the Swiss Alps to Basel and Bikeline Rhein Radweg #2 for the part from Basel to Mainz. Inland, we used the ADFC maps.

While the signs for these routes are plentiful, when you need them most they are often hard to find. Pay special attention when traveling through busy towns and when approaching turnoffs. Remember, don't be afraid to ask for help and when asking directions simply open the map to where you think you are and point to where you want to go. You'll find everyone helpful. [Ed. Note: Amen to that! Good job, Bob!]

Bob Smith