deanbike

After leaving Pfortzheim Ray and I have spent the last four days on bike paths staying in villages along the way. Pension one night, a gasthaus the next, hotel the next (Bad Tenach, Oberndorf, and Donaueschingen for the map nuts out there). We have been averageing about 50 to 70 k a day, but yesterday we did a nice 100 k in order to reach Konstance on the western end of the Bodensee. From here we plan (I say plan because screw-ups are easy) to take the ferry east across the lake to Bregenz in Austria, which is on the way over the Alps to Italy. Got to catch the ferry. Later... read more

We made 68 ks today, so we are starting to increase the mileage (kilometerage?) Gradually, the kinks with the bikes and our bodies are being worked out and we can spend more time on the road instead of in bike shops and catching up on sleep. A national north-south bike route, the Heidelberg-Black Forest-Bodensee Fahrradweg, down to Switzlerland looked like a good deal, but turns out to be poorly signed and totallz confusing, so we have decided to take minor auto routes. There goes my time at the Internet Cafe. More later.... read more

Made only 50k yesterday. Must do better than this or we will never make it to Milan. Stopping frequently for pictures and general horsing around. Stopped at a bike shop about along the way and Christian treated us quite nicely as all here have done since we arrived. When I jokingly asked him why people were so nce, he said "We are in Hesse". Sounds like a good reason to me. The energy-giving nuts we brought are wonderful, but very heavy so we are serious nut diet to lighten our load. No serious hills so far, but several have described the up-and-down nature of the Black Forest roads. The way has also been described as extremelzy beautiful. Gradually we are discarding stuff that is proving to be more hindrance and help. Anti-chafing powder, laundry soap, items ... read more

Both Ray and I arrived at Frankfurt Airport within an hour of each other as planned and even ran into each other after a couple of hours. Our bikes arrived in pretty good shape with just a couple of details that can be worked out at the bike shop tomorrow. We got on the subway at the airport and took a short ride to a suburb (Langen) to find a hotel. Cycled for a few minutes to find a hotel. Must get some sleep so we can get on our way to Heidelberg. Bike gear all over the room.... read more

Leave for the airport in 45 minutes. Bike box is overweight. Carry-on is overweight. I'm overweight. How much extra will I have to pay AA?... read more

Let's see. Frankfurt to Milan. Sightsee Heidelberg. Cycle through Black Forest. ("Arduous", says a cycle website). Go around the Bodensee. ("Absolutely beautiful", say some friends.) Pop over into Austria for some pictures. ("Come on. Another country", says Ray.) Over the Alps passes to the vicinity of St. Moritz and down into Italy. ("Fat chance", say I). A thousand K in three weeks? Problematic. Disassembled the bike and fitted it and most of my gear into my big, home engineered box. I carefully zip-tied everything up snug like the videos on You Tube say. (How did we do without the Internet when I was a kid? Or when I was an adult?). Trying mightily to keep within the 50lbs checked luggage maximum. Still have got to pay $100 for oversize. I must get a throwaway carry-on to ... read more

The last few days have been spent getting ready for the September 7 departure. Making a bike box, acquiring rear panniers that fit the bike rack, and deciding what clothes to take. (Got a very visible, orange jacket at REI!). Everything I take has to be pulled over the Alps so must travel light. I am trying to get by on less than twenty pounds which includes bike bags, bike maintenance stuff, and all clothes. Also have assembled a small but complete pharmacy to ward off and/or control various ailments, the most important of which is the inevitable cold that airplanes seem to provide me. Let's see, touch as little as possible, wash hands frequently, keep hands away from face, use anti-bacterial hand solution, choke down some Airborne, and no sucking on door knobs. And then ... read more

The idea for this trip originated about a year ago in a phone conversation with Ray, an old California friend. By the time we met as ESL teachers in Japan in the early 60s we had both traveled the world extensively, Ray as a merchant seaman, and I as a hitchhiker and odd job holder in Europe and Asia. In Japan, we hung out together, shared teaching materials and classroom experiences, talked endlessly about our love and admiration of Japan, and spent a few evenings carousing Kabukiza and Dogenzaga, Tokyo entertainment areas. This friendship was aided by like world views, somewhat similar dysfunctional childhoods, and shared hysterical amusement at some of humankind's many foibles. After nine years in Japan, I left in 1972 for grad school at the University of Arizona while Ray stayed on to ... read more