Category: Europe 2023

Tuttlingen to Ersingen via Sidmaringen

Posted on September 9, 2023September 9, 2023 by mikebike

The beautiful Danube valley.

Dolomite formations line both sides of this valley.

Beautiful valley farms

Not a day without a big climb or two.

Hilltop castles.

Horse and I had lunch at this beer garden.

Sigmaringen castle

Home that makes me want a Yodel!

Horse has a good nose for Bakery’s.

Reflections of the Danube.

Yep – did that

Nice and cool in the cave.

Into the morning mist we go 😎.

Castles around every corner.
Thanks for following me on this wonderful journey through Europe.
Take care, Freebird

Uberlingen Germany yo Tuttlingen Germany.

Posted on September 7, 2023September 7, 2023 by mikebike

Okay, I’m a slacker. I took another day off the bike to enjoy the beauty of Lake Constance or Lake Bodensee as they say in Germany. I turned out to be a good decision to take another rest day before climbing up and over and through the Black Forest Mountains that was today’s ride. My GPS App said “most difficult “ and it was totally correct. Holy shit, what a climb it was today. Reminded me of the Rockies In Montana and Idaho. Anywho I only crashed once and I was just about bug speed (about 4 mph) . Other than a skinned up left knee and elbow no worse for the ware. I can screaming down the other side of the mountain at break knock speed holding on tight with a big grin on my face.

Uberlingen church. Cera 1385

My first sign that tells me I have left the Rhine Valley headed north and east ( which is the wrong direction but necessary to get to the Danube valley.

The start of the Black Forest trail- going up

Da Black Forest trail. Beautiful and shaded. And up and up.

This is where I thought I was at the top. Wrong !

Okay, this is where I thought was the top. Wrong again 🥲.

Okay, this is the top cuz it’s where the skiers ⛷️ get off in the winter time . Finally the top. 😅😅😅. It’s beautiful up here.

The beginning of Danube is tiny ( smaller than the Yahara) and I will follow it to Passau where it will be a great river.

Beautiful architecture of Tuttlingen near my hotel. Yep, I’ll be in a comfy bed and in a coma tonight.

My Route to Passau along the Danube. Only 550 kilometers . Yikes, what was I thinking 🤔 😂.
Take care. Thanks for your comments, sorry I don’t have much time or energy to answer .
Freebird and Horse ( horse is the name of my bike)

Schaffhausen Switzerland to Uberligen Germany.

Posted on September 6, 2023September 6, 2023 by mikebike

Wow! I’ve done some pretty rides but this one tops the list. The ride along the azure blue Lake Constance with the Swiss Alps in the background is stunning. Made it difficult to pay attention to the bike trail ahead of me which was filled with e-bikes and pedestrians.

Town entrance. And breakfast.

Crossing the Rhine on da wooden bridge.

Horse and I and Lake Constance. I know, I look thinner because I am. And legs 🦵 have no fat. I saw a sign “burn fat not gas” 😄.

Horse and I on the ferry ⛴️ from Konstanz to Meersburg.

I’m missing my boat 😄😂.

Looking back towards Switzerland. It’s a postcard.

It’s much prettier than this picture.

A sunset swim in Lake Constance and then I crawl in Camp Happy and for sweet dreams.
I hope your day includes some sweet memories and dreams. Take care, Freebird

Schaffhausen Switzerland rest day

Posted on September 4, 2023September 4, 2023 by mikebike

It was time for a rest day and laundry. Also had time to explore a little of Schaffhausen which is one of the oldest cities in Europe. Only my second day off in three weeks. Yah, what was I thinking. The weather has been hot but not much rain. Now that I’ve reached the Narrows of the Rhine it very pretty and very hilly .

Hardest decision of the day- lounge chair or hammock?

City center.

More city center

And more city center. Beautiful architecture everywhere.

Hammock saves the day !!😃
Hopefully you had a chance to recharge a bit today too. Take care, Freebird

Basel Switzerland to Feuerthalen Switzerland via the Rhine Falls

Posted on September 3, 2023September 3, 2023 by mikebike

A couple things to note about the last couple days. Switzerland 🇨🇭 is beautiful. Switzerland hills.

There are water fountains everywhere and it good stuff on a hot day.

A nice view of the Rhine from above.

Funny barns built long ago and still standing.

Pretty little villages along the Rhine.
Da Rhine Falls
More Falls

Falls from above.

I love the cool mist created by the falls.

Next stop Lake Constance. Thanks again for the comments. I’m finally getting now that I’m at a campground with fast internet. Take care, Freebird 😃😎

Strasbourg Germany to Basel Switzerland 🇨🇭

Posted on September 1, 2023September 1, 2023 by mikebike

Welcome country number four (Switzerland 🇨🇭. ) Where I met and chatted it up with a lady on the trail , I know- it doesn’t sound like me. Anyway she mentioned that I was going up hill and into the prevailing wind. And then off she went down river and down wind. I made a quick note to myself for next time 🤣.

More castles than I can count.

A rest stop in France along the wonderful canal trail. I was thinking it would be boring, but it turned out to be wonderful and fun. The French know how to make excellent food.

Canal boats converted into home.

Miles and miles of canal trail. Mostly gravel but well maintained.

When you have to 💩 follow this sign.😂. I love it

Mountains in the distance. They get a little closer every day. So I think I’m going the right direction.

And much closer by days end. .

The wild Rhine were I took a midday dip to cool down 😎.

My great campsite on the Rhine for my first time camping in Switzerland.
Good wishes to all of you. You are loved 🥰. Mike

Lauterbourg France to Strasbourg Germany.

Posted on August 30, 2023August 30, 2023 by mikebike

All is well on the western front . Ya only get that if you watched Hogan’s Heroes as a kid.
The Rhine splits the border between France and Germany here as I go back and forth on across the river.

The bike trail has everything today. Gravel, mud, rocks, and some beautiful smooth areas. There was rain and wind as well. All in a day’s ride.

My first view of the foothills of the Black Forest of Germany of in the distance. But I got lots of time before I have to think about the climb.

This house was built in 1395. Long before American was discovered by the Europeans. Now that’s a fixer upper 😂.
Thanks again for sharing the ride with me. I’m headed toward Basel, from there i take a left and follow the Rhine almost to Lake Constance. Then I head north and east in the Black Forest and follow Danube to Passau and the head south ish to Salzburg. Then over over over to Austria and the Italy to a little town of Groddo about 100km east of Venice where I’ll dip my tire in the Adriatic. It’s all a dream at this point 😃. Love you guys. Mike

Mannheim Germany to Lauterbourg France

Posted on August 29, 2023August 29, 2023 by mikebike

Viva le France and country number three.
Drive through clock tower. I’ll suggest it to the Mayor of Stoughton.
Not sure why the city is named Speyer🧐.
More Speyer’s in Speyer and a bike shop where I replaced my biking shorts 🩳. It’s a long story full of Irish ☘️ truth. 😂
Horse and I getting our morning pie.
And chewable orange juice. They even gave me a spoon for the OJ. Very thoughtful and delicious.
Bulletin:::. I found a sweet little hotel in a sweet little French village ( Lauterbourg) and took the sweetest nap in the sweetest bed ever. When you’ve been tenting for two weeks a real bed makes you cry. Viva le France.
I hope you have some sweetness in your day. Mike

Mainz Germany to Mannheim Germany

Posted on August 28, 2023August 28, 2023 by mikebike

Mainz at sunset from my camp 🏕️.

Beautiful ride through the vineyard. I think people pay to do this. But is on my route, so it’s free. Too bad the grapes 🍇 aren’t quite ready, but don’t think I didn’t try one.

More vineyards nestled in between storybook villages.

Even the church is surrounded by grapes 🍇.
I love these quaint little villages. But the cobblestone not so much.

I just want to live in this house for awhile 😃.

Evidently it has a security guard. I believe she’s wood. Or dead. Happy trails to you all Mike in Mannheim ( actually outside the city in a camp on the Rhine).

Koblenz to Mainz Germany

Posted on August 27, 2023August 27, 2023 by mikebike

Took a rest day yesterday and met a couple of German guys. Their daughter was an exchange student in Whitewater WI they went to visit her a view years ago. He liked Door County the best. He had the Wisconsin flag on his camper, so I had to ask. It was a wonderful conversation.

Beautiful castles on hilltop’s. Some are fixer uppers 😂.

I love castles.

And a gingerbread church.

Raining cat and dogs, but horses and I take cover and a beer garden and have lunch and what out the rain.

Blue skies return and I stop for pie and good conversation with a biker from Switzerland 🇨🇭. We ride the rest of the day together. My Holland buddies and a day ahead of me because of my rest day. Tomorrow Mannheim is on the radar. Thanks for following me.