geeteetravels

As usual we can’t believe how quickly time flies by when on a cycling holiday in Europe. This last day was planned to be short as we are taking the train to Paris early in the morning and we have to disassemble the bike and sort out the rest of the luggage. Fortunately it is not the end of the vacation as we are spending a long weekend visiting with much of our Danish family before flying home.

The theme of the ride was vineyards, and déviation. It was beautiful wine country to ride through, as we skirted the large hills to the west, and rolled along more gentle slopes. We could see châteaux high on the tops of many, even most, of the hills at times.

Then we got messed up by a couple of detours (déviation) due to construction. Part of the numerous little fix ups to the roads seem to be for the sake of the Tour de France route, but others are more major. So we tried to get around the construction but messed up a bit and did a bit of backtracking. No problem. All that GPS tech helps but sometimes the right map would work even better.

Bike disassembly went smoothly, we did a bit more wandering and eating, and said goodbye to our friends who are going home directly tomorrow. Adieu and auf wiedersehen to all the swans, zeppelins, storks, and châteaux.

Return to Strasbourg part 1

Return to Strasbourg part 2

Not only grapes but lilies too

Storks still looking for a warm meal

Pro help really helps

We’re not big on “the church” but we do like churches. Au revoir Strasbourg.

Today’s ride took us along the Alsatian wine route and into several very beautiful towns with colourful and decorative buildings and homes along cobblestone streets. Unfortunately we can’t be sampling wine while riding, we wait until the evening. Also today (and tomorrow) we were mostly on one leg of the Tour de France which comes here next week. Spray painted yellow, green and polka-dot bikes line the route. It’s a very big deal here.

We had one small bicycle breakdown today. Our chain broke while we were were climbing a steep hill with all the gear so we almost fell over and started rolling back down, it was quite a surprising thing to happen just when we were cresting the hill. However George (with Tara’s help) was able to insert a new link and off we went again.

Here are some photos of the day.

Vineyards and a chateau

Cyclist in the vineyard

Kilometer 100 for that day of the Tour de France

Bikes and jerseys

This bike isn’t likely to be an advantage for hills or speed

Creative door signs

Part of the ancient wall of this town

One of the many town gates we passed through.

Most of the towns have pedestrian areas for easy strolling

Creative decor

Cyclists strolling also

Detailed carvings

Lovely timbered homes in many colors

Window boxes everywhere

This was another extra ride we had to do because we clearly had not done enough climbing on this trip. So…up we go into the Alsacien hills (Vosges) and vineyards on another sunny hot day. The climb was steady over 800m of elevation gain but doable without all our luggage.

We encountered many cyclists today and enjoyed the interactions, getting passed by the e-bikes going up but passing them on the way down.

A significant stop was at a memorial to a dreadful first world war battle between French and German troops at Linge. They were at it in the trenches for 4 months in 1915 and 17,000 soldiers lost their lives. It reminded us of the Vimy Ridge memorial, with much pause for thought.

Cycling down we got terrific views (“no view without the climb”) of the valley which comes out back at Colmar. We rested at a café in Munster (home of the “Maison du Fromage”) and I noticed two storks with their nest on a nearby roof. I thought this was cool as I hadn’t seen nesting storks on the trip. I got up to get closer for a picture and looking around I began seeing that storks were nesting on the rooves of all the buildings around us. It reminded me of that quiet scene from “The Birds” just before they attacked. Crazy.

Storks with their huge nests

A place marker where a body was recently exhumed from the Linge battlefield

The tallest hill is called le petit ballon. Le grand ballon is somewhere in the hazy background. They are so named because of their smooth rounded shape. Munster is below.

Another reminder of the ‘circus’ imminent approach. We rode today over part of the route.

German trenches at Linge

At the top of the climb with many cyclists and hikers

A relatively recent collaboration between France and Germany created a single home for multiple anonymous german military gravesites. A lot of effort went to identifying the fallen and putting names on the crosses

One of the beautiful buildings in Colmar from the middle ages

More storks…

Today was a solidly downhill ride on a lot of canalways and smooth lightly trafficked roads. It also saw the break of the heat wave with a very loud and wet thunderstorm and a few minutes of marble sized hail thrown in.

We had thought this was going to be a hard day of over 80km and more sizzling heat but the plan changed. We short cutted off some of the smooth dirt track canalside pathway in favour of asphalt and a trip to the grocery store as we hadn’t any food for lunch. The pathways are usually peaceful.. but we also like to see life in the villages and café stops.

The heat did start to build but then as we were enjoying a café stop the thunderstorm began. Right, we’ll just ride through this as we took off after a Dutch couple on e-bikes. When the hail started we headed for safety under a forest canopy and watched as finally about 10 days of plus 30 was halted for an hour or so.

We are staying on the ground floor of a house in Colmar for two nights, which totally suits our needs. In the brief view we have had prior to finding supper Colmar appears to be charming.

Swans can get really pi**ed off when cornered with 9 cygnets

That umbrella was somewhat helpful as we escaped to the forest out of the hail and rain

Swans on the pathway edge

Un selfie pour quatre près de nos souper

C’est la même chose partout où vous allez

One week and two days before the circus arrives; we’ll be long gone

Some very nice smooth and peaceful pathways

These flowers on a large tree looked like hand-painted miniature orchids

In the Petite Venice area of Colmar

More freakin’ Swans…