Heidelberg

I am writing from Heidelberg where Valley and I have just finished checking out the magnificent, even if partially destroyed, namesake castle.








Last night we had a particularily bad experience with a rat eating a few holes in one of Valley's pannier. Tonight we have to cross ouor fingers and hope that putting our pannier up high they will not be able to reach them. Our mistake was leaving food in the vestibule.

A note about the bier. It is delicious of course and it changes by region. On the Rhine we enjoyed what seemed to be the flagship bier of Köln, Reissdörf Kölsch. Further up the Rhine we found a Dark wheat bier. Heffewisen Dunkel. Here I enjoyed a bier which I believe the label called a black or dark beer. Seemed like an ale of some kind. I will get more tonight.

Our current plan is to make for stuttgart along the Neckar and take a train from there to Italy, via what cities we do not know.

The Rhine

From Eitorf Valley and I ventured back west to the Rhine and travelled from Bonn to Mannheim before turning up the Neckar River.

Over 50% of Germnay's cultivated lands are vinyards along the Rhine.


The area from Köln to Mainz is perhaps the most beautiful as the river narrows and the adjascent hills rise. There are many castles along the way overlooking this mighty river including the most well perserved, Marksburg.


If you are travelling by bicycle in Germany be sure to bring a bell, especially if you don't know how to ask someone to move over in the native tounge. There are many cycletourist and people just out for the day. It is amazing to see so many older individuals as the pasttime of cycling seems to be lost on adults in north america. And I am not talking about mountain biking or even serious road cycling. I mean just taking a sunday roll as opposed to a drive for example. In fact, we are some of the youngest people on the road!

Eitorf

Valley and I are now visiting my Father's mother's side of the family (Kreuzer). They live approximately 50 kms east of Köln in Eitorf. They live in the central building of a Castle estate in the 13th century. In other words the building is 800 years old and there are 5 levels. The castle is surrounded by a mote and Jorg (My fathers cousin)is restoring the grounds to a real estate once again. The stable has been converted into garages and apartments for. There are 8 members of the household. My great uncle Joseph, my father's cousin Jorg and his wife Betty, 4 children, and Gita the cook/housekeeper/aid (one of the family really).

Jorg has shown us incredible hospitality, taking us out to a traditional German restaurant in Köln. We sat at the same table as Bill Clinton when he was in Köln. We have been drinking lots of Kölsch (local beer) and eating traditional food. I have not had a Berliner (jelly donut) I like as much as the ones from Orono bakery.

At the Kreuzer Castle (berg)

Amsterdam to Köln

So Valley and I took an overnight ferry to Amsterdam where we stayed in the budget hotel (dirty hostel) for a couple nights. The free breakfast was actually really good. Amsterdam was interesting to say the least.

Valley in Amsterdam


Bikes at central station


Anyway after two nights there we took the train to Düsseldorf and found the hostles full so we road out of the city and camped on the Rhine. The next day we rolled into Köln and checked into our hostle and walked around the city and checked out some of the older sights like a small roman tower dating to 50 AD (or was it BC). Also a 12th century Jewish Bathhouse and of course the famous and dominant Gothic Cathedral which we are going to check out again shortly as it is lit up at night. Soon we will be on the road to visit my relatives in Eitorf. From there we plan on getting back on the road and doing some more touring. We have only logged 500kms at this point. I look forward to doubling that before the end of the month.

Roman Tower


Köln in the background


The Dom

Vancouver to UK

Well updating our blog has been non-existant. Valley is currently trying to upload our photos to a photohosting sight. Check out photobucket user abier622 and look in the folder "Europe" which will have other subfolders.

Kilometer 0


So we landed and Glasgow and got a hostle and hitailed it out of there pretty quick. The hospitality of the Scotish was immediately apparent when a fellow invited us to his house for dinner with his wife and daughter in the town of east Calder. We stayed in a campsite just outside of town there. We saw some decent countryside that day and covered about 70kms. The next day we headed to Edinburgh. It was amazing. Some nice riding into the city and the Castle was something to behold though we didn't go in. The old town is pretty awesome and probably the most immpressive thing we have seen yet. the next day was 90kms to Berwick upon tweed, England where we had to stay in an overpriced Caravan (RV) park. It was a long day and we saw some amazing countryside including the alpine-esq. Lammermuirs which reminded valley of the shire as described in the Lord of the Rings.



Berwick is a particularily well preserved town with 3 bridges. one is very old (500 yrs?) The town is surrowned by a fortified wall and there is reminants of the old fort and almost nothing from the castle. Being england's northernmost town it has had a tumultuous past changing hand between the English and the Scot's something like 13 times. My rim cracked in town in the morning after our first night there which resulted in us staying an extra night. The rim failure was probably a result of running to high of tire pressure and the rim being somewhat dished with wear. I ended up taking the train to newcastle that day and bought a mavic 719 touring rim and DT double butted spoked and relaced it to my old hub on the train back to Berwick. The fellow in the one local shop was kind enough to let me use his shop and I tensioned my wheel and installed a new granny chainring I bought from him so I coulud give valley my 24 tooth as she needed it badly.



So we set off south for newcastle (day 6) and road about 50kms to seahouses where we waited in a huge line up for fish and chips at what seemed to be "the place" to get your deep fried dinner. We also arrived late and left early at the decidedly casual campground so we didn't have to pay. We also Bamburgh Caslte that day which is one of the most majestic in England positioned on the sea and still in pristine conditions.



In stark contrast we saw a destroyed castle the next day and a couple others our way to ashinton where we again came in late and left early for free camping. This area was ugly and smelly and we did not like it much. Valley was getting anxious to leave for Europe and the next day we rolled into Tynemouth (near newcastle) and caught the ferry to Amsterdam overnight). The was a cool castle in tynemouth aswell and we have some photos but didn't get to see inside any as we never planned on the England thing in the first place and wanted to get to Europe ASAP.



A few notes about the UK. If you plan on cycltouring here there is a national cyclenetwork including the coast and castles route which we took from Berwick to Newcastle. However, there are many offroad parts that would be better suited to a proper trekking bike or mountain bike. Our old vintage steeds made the trip, but I felt it was rough going. The routes are well marked and pretty nice however and take you close to all the attractions and camp sites.

Preparations

Here begins a blog to document the journey Valley and I will take from Glasgow, Scotland to Switzerland Via The Netherlands, Germany, and Austria.

We are riding out Nishiki International Touring bicycles from the mid to late 1980s over a two month period. I would like to document some of the technical aspects behind the bicycles. Both bicycles feature double butted chromoly main frames with hi-tensile steel stays. The forks are chromoly as well.

The Nishiki International in the late 1980s was an entry level off the shelf touring bike with all the braze-ons necessary to mount fenders and racks although Valley's '89 only barely accommodated a 32mm tire with fenders.

Both bikes are equipped with 700c wheels and cantilever brakes for excellent stopping power.

Note that to bolts fastening the racks are mounted in reverse so they can easily be removed if they snap off.



Other extras include home made leather mudflaps treated with neatsfoot oil to protect our feet and the rider in the rear.



Both bikes are equipped with Brooks B17 saddles and we are carrying ardvark waterproof saddle covers to protect them from the elements.

We are also using steel water bottle cages like these Delta Inox cages, which hold Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel water bottles



The handlebars have been raised above saddle height for comfort after long hours in the saddle. We are still utilizing drop bars as they offer the greatest variety of hand positions.

I will be riding clipless mountain bike pedals from the 1990s while Valley has chosen to stick with clips and straps. I am running Continental contact tires which are near impossible to locate in North America while Valley is running Schwalbe Marathons in the new tread pattern. It will be interesting to compare tire performance.

Individual bike Specs:

Anthony's ~1984 Nishiki International




Frame: DB chromoly main and fork, hi-ten stays, powder coated green
Post: 26.6mm Sugino SP-H
Bottom Bracket: 122.5mm syncros titanium
Cranks: 175mm specialized (sugino?) 48/38/24
Saddle: Brooks B17 Special honey
Pedals: Onza
Headset: Shimano 600 arabesque
Shifters: Shimano 8S SIS/friction
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore
Front Derailleur: Shimano Deore DX
Wheels: Shimano junk on mavic T224 (cross fingers)
Cassette: Shimano 8 speed custom with 30T big ring
Chain: Sram PC-68
Tires: 700x32c Continental Contact
Handlebars: Ritchey Pro 44cm
Stem: Cheep Adapter w/ Axiom chromoly 130mm
Brakes: Dia-compe royal gran compe 982 w/ koolstop pads and tektro R200 levers
Tape: Cinelli Cork w/ cloth
Rear Rack: Radical Explorack
Front Rack: Blackburn
Rear Panniers: Pre-2000 Ortlieb backpacker classic
Front Panniers: Pre-1997 Ortlieb Front roller classic
Bar Bag: Ortlieb Ultimate 5 Plus

Modifications:
1. Threaded rear brake cable housing stop with barrel adjuster


2. Added plastic cable guide under BB shell for front shifter routing only


Valley's 1989 Nishiki International (found stock)



Frame: DB chromoly main and fork, hi-ten stays
Post: 26.6mm Kalloy
Bottom Bracket: 122.5mm cheepo
Cranks: 165mm Sugino AT 48/38/24
Saddle: Brooks B17 Standard Black
Pedals: Koyokuto Pro Vic II w/clips and straps
Headset: hatta
Shifters: Suntour power barcons, ratcheting
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore XT
Front Derailleur: Shimano Mountain LX
Wheels: Suzue sealed on araya 700c 40H rear 36H front
Freewheel: Suntour winner 6 speed
Chain: DID
Tires: 700x32c Schwalbe Marathon
Handlebars: Ritchey Comp 40cm
Stem: Cheep alloy riser
Brakes: Dia-compe 962 w/ koolstop pads and tektro R100 levers
Tape: Grey Synthetic
Rear Rack: Blackburn
Front Rack: Nagaoka
Rear Panniers: 2007 Ortlieb backroller classic
Front Panniers: old seratus waterproof