Accomodation Costs Averaging Down: Not by Choice!!: Colmar to Dannemarie
The day started well, with the CN maneuvering us out of Colmar without a hitch. This turned out to be the most straightforward part of the day. We were immediately on the Eurovelo 5 and went through some stunning Alsace wine villages. It seemed like they would never end. Hint: they did.
Before that though, came the first navigation error. The Chief Navigator's GPS directed us to ride up a path in a vineyard that was a cliff like grade. It was also gravel. I valiantly rode until the third time I nearly lost it in the gravel, and then started pushing. Keith saw this as a photo opportunity which did nothing to make me more cheerful about the situation. Then he started pushing his bike and I immediately felt better. The ponies simply couldn't make that kind of a grade in gravel. Then followed a few bumpy kilometres until we descended into a gorgeous little village along the wine route.
Once there it was smooth sailing along the bike route with a stop at the Ritter Chocolate manufacturer. Loved the free samples, and the marketing ploy worked, we bought some for the road. Then we came to a lovely town we couldn't seem to leave. Most of our navigation issues are negotiating our way through larger towns. The GPS was flaky and the GTW had no opinion, so the Chief Navigator was on his own and there were many stops and starts including a complete circuit of a large college. The third time we went over the same overpass I started to think we would be spending the night. At that point Keith suggested the D road which worked well for the most part.
We stopped for a picnic in a cute spot at 1 PM and that is when I started to notice the total absence of accomodation. We carried on, found the bike route, but missed the unmarked turn. Another 5 km out and 5 back, although it was phenomenal riding...especially back which was a slight downhill grade allowing us to free wheel to where we should have been.
Back on the D road we had a wonderful ride, but village after village had nothing for accomodation. Keith checked on his iPhone and Dannemarie seemed the place to go. We pulled into town expecting choices, and there was nothing. We were directed to Jean Pierre's house as he rents rooms. Quaint is a kind term, but it sure beats sleeping under a bridge. The eccentricities of the owner are what really make it fun. He made us remove our bike shoes because of the cleats for fear they would damage the sixty year old linoleum. I think the towels predate the linoleum as they are almost transparent. No towels in the shower, which is downstairs and down a hall, and Keith dried himself off with his sweaty t-shirt. Then Jean Pierre called from the lower level to tell Keith he needed to walk more softly. We do have a sink in the room. I have told Keith if I need to go in the middle of the night I am using it. The toilet is down one level via an ancient staircase and I don't want to break my neck. JP will never know. Almost forgot, JP told Keith his socks smelled and he needed to wash them! We can't wait for breakfast and we have been explicitly told, no luggage at breakfast! All this for 40 Euro. No wifi of course, so you will read all this tomorrow.
On the bright side we just had an amazing wood fired pizza and beer at a local restaurant, the only one in town open. I restricted myself to one beer...you can guess why!!!
Why don't we have bicycle paths like this in Victoria?
Our lunch stop. This was where we began to realize these small towns had no accomodation. Not a problem with a car, but on a bike...we rode into each subsequent town, and they were all lovely, with high hopes, only to be disappointed. We think because we were so close to Mulhouse these towns cannot support a hotel.
The Blue Room. That is what it said on the skeleton key. There were at least ten rooms, but we were the only guests. Note, it looks way better in the picture than real life. And no, that is not a charming stone chimney, that is faded wallpaper!
The toilet room. Barely one step above the facilities provided at the Pender Open Golf Tournament dinner venue (an outhouse). The pink toilet paper was a nice touch though.
