August 8, 2019
On the bike in Konstanz
Rain turned into a perfect day! The ABC Constance provides a wonderful European breakfast to start the day. I opted to walk the 2 KM to Radweg Reisen, my bike tour provider, after breakfast. My first in-person contact with this company went pretty well. My bike was ready to go, as was the bikes of my touring companion. It is equipped with a large touring handlebar bag with a waterproof map holder, waterproof pannier, and hand pump. The pannier had a spare inner tube inside. One of my companions had a full repair kit in their pannier. One repair kit is provided per touring group. I took a test drive and found it to be in pretty good working order.
The Radweg Reisen representative was friendly and helpful. He answered every wqestion well and was quite accommodating. The rental facility was clean. It was obvious that this is a major bike rental/tour provider in the area. There were hundreds of bikes in the garage and a staff of mechanics working in the bike shop.
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My companions an I were off to a day playing tourists in the old town section of Konstanz. This is a very bicycle friendly city. The ABC Hotel is just a few blocks off Peterhauserstrasse which crosses the Rhine and becomes Schottenstrasse. I can best describe this route as a bicycle superhighway into the city. The road is shared with cars with bikes outnumbering the automobiles. It is a safe route into the the heart of Konstanz.
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It took a typical tourist loop through the city. We started at the harbor and watched a large ferry bring 100s of people to the city. The streets were busy with tourists as we wandered the cobblestone streets. It is easy to see why this is a popular tourist destination. The buildings have a definite German fairytale look and feel. There are countless restaurants and shopping spots, as with most tourist destinations.
After a dinner of schnitzel and beer, my touring companions and I were off to our hotel to plan out first day of cycling. This was my first chance to look at the Radweg Reisen tour documents in detail. I must say they are done up very well with clear directions and mapping. Attractions along the way are noted with good descriptions. Tomorrow's ride involves a ferry ride. Our voucher for the ferry and a time schedule was included. The documents are nicely bound to fit into the the bike's handlebar bag map holder.
I regret that I did not take photos of the bike and it's touring setup. I will do that tomorrow and include it in my post. Tomorrow's ride takes us to Stein am Rheim via Insel Reichenau. The weather forcast is for a sunny warm day, perfect for cycling.
Today's ride: 5 miles (8 km)
Total: 5 miles (8 km)
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