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Published: August 11th 2011
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Gerri, Jurgen, and Linde
Jurgen and Linde were our hosts in Frenkendorf, Switzerland, near Basel. (Hey, that's me, Robbi, just behind Gerri.) Hi, I’m Robbi, a Swiss cow -- or perhaps a bull; it’s hard to tell. Just as Bill and Gerri were leaving this morning, Linde gave me to them. I had heard all about their bicycling adventures during the past two days, so believe me, I was eager to go with them. Gerri attached me to Lady’s back rack and off we went. Frankly, I was a bit disappointed today as there was no real adventure.
Jurgen and Linde biked the first few kilometers with us, keeping Bill and Gerri from getting lost. The four of them bid farewell to each other in Pratteln, thankful for another across-the-ocean friendship. We then headed for Basel, about 20 kms. away, mostly on a gravel bike path. From there we crossed into France and headed up the west side of the Rhine after a brief stop at a bank to change our few remaining Swiss francs into euros.
We knew we were in France because everyone was saying, “Oui, oui” and because the bathrooms no longer supplied toilet paper. I have lived all my life in Switzerland and I am bewildered by the lack of TP in France. Makes no sense to
me, and I’m just a cow (or a bull, or whatever).
All in all, I rode 85 kms. or so on the back of Gerri’s bike. (I was riding backwards; made me a bit nauseous). We were almost entirely on paved bike paths the rest of day, riding along a lonely canal surrounded by trees. Though we went through a few small villages, we saw very few people or buildings. They did find a grocery store to stock up on cookies and cereal for the next few days. But as I said earlier, a bit boring. I mean, after hearing Bill and Gerri’s stories, I figured we’d get lost a dozen times and see something more interesting than trees and water. I figured that it would at least rain or something, so I could see them scurrying for shelter amidst thunder and lightening. But alas and alack, we didn’t get lost even once and the sun shone all day. Of course, that made them happy.
Tonight, however, I will experience a bit of adventure as this is my first night ever sleeping in a tent. The campground here in Neuf-Brisach is adequate (at least that’s what Bill says) and cheap (and, of course, lacking toilet paper -- BYOTP). The city is old, surrounded by three set of massive fortified walls, and confused as to its identity, having changed between allegiance to France and allegiance to Germany five times in the past 150 years.
My masters walked into town for a dinner of doner -- salad, meat, and fries -- delicious, nutritious, and cheap. They left me alone in the tent; I explored a bit and decided that I’m going to sleep next to Gerri in order to stay warm and, just in case I get frightened, she’ll be there to keep me safe.
Tomorrow we head north, probably to Strasbourg, where they have been before. I’m hoping that they get lost or that a storm moves through or something -- I’m ready for adventure!!
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