Dusseldorf to Geilenkirchen

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When we got downstairs this morning we found out breakfast wasn't included in the price we had paid last night so that was another extra. Nether mind, it's just one of those things.



Just for a change we were heading south west today. Much of it was pretty urban being through Dusseldorf, Neuss and the edges of Monchengladbach. We crossed the mighty Rhine very early in our journey and followed it south for a few miles. We have many happy memories of our trips down the Rhine. It didn't look at it's best today , being very low and having grey sky around. One of the varges passing was full of new cars heading to Europort.



Our lunch stop was probably the quickest break we have had given that we were sat on a wet bench, in wet clothes and it started to rain again.



The weather has definitely turned and we had a mixture of sunshine, grey skies, showers and torrential rain for a few minutes about seven miles from the hotel. The forecast was a 100% chance of rain for the whole day so it wasn't as bad as expected. The first twenty four miles were completely dry. However, the prevailing westerly winds has reverted to coming from the west so there was a strong headwind all day.



Our ride was shorter than originally planned due to its different starting point but given the weather that wasn't a bad thing.



The owner of the hotel had booked us into the Italian restaurant, next door to the hotel, so we dined there. It was more expensive than some but very nice. We wouldn't have got in if it hadn't been booked.



Geilenkirchen is situated near the border with the Netherlands, on the river Wurm. The town gives its name to nearby NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen. The base is home to 17 E-3A airborne early warning and control aircraft manned by crews from 14 nations. Maybe that explains the ear plugs next to the bed.



42 miles today.

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