September 10, 2022
Day 19: Eurovelo 15 - the Rhine river (source to sea)
Bonn to Dusseldorf
The forecast warned of rain throughout the day, so I was bracing for an interesting ride. Over the past weeks, I’d encountered a few light showers but nothing like what was predicted. Spoiler alert: I didn’t get rained on!
The ride through Bonn yesterday and the exit today were both scenic and easy. The bike paths follow the river through a small industrial section but are mostly surrounded by parkland.
This morning, I received a WhatsApp message from David, whom I’d met on the road a few days ago. He was in Cologne and heading to Düsseldorf for a two-day stay. My original target was Cologne, but if the weather held and both bike and body stayed in decent shape, I might push on to Düsseldorf and catch up with him for a beer and dinner.
My biggest concern beyond the weather was Myrle (bike Myrle, not human Myrle) not breaking another spoke. I rode more gently than ever, standing up to shift weight off the back wheel over bumps and slowing down on rough ground. Fortunately, most of today’s ride was on good road and bike ways, so I didn’t lose much time.
I’m now in the industrial part of the Rhine, and while some have suggested alternate, more scenic routes, I wanted to see the Rhine in all its forms - 'warts and all.' I want to experience the sights, sounds, and even the smells of this essential river, including the industrial bits!
Approaching Wesseling, the ride passes through a few kilometres of serene forest before emerging onto an excellent bike path. Towns seem to be competing for the best bike paths, and Wesseling does a great job here.
A few kilometres north, I encountered shared forest trails for around 4-5 km, with no one else around - another moment of peacefulness.
As I rounded a corner, the Cologne Cathedral’s spires came into view, still some distance away but dominating the skyline. At one time, it was the tallest building in the world. My wife, Kathy, and I visited here in 2019, so I didn’t plan to stop long, but I did want to see the Cathedral again!
Feeling good and with no rain yet, I decided to press on and stop only when the rain arrived. Unfortunately, camping was out of the question again.
For a quick sugar boost, I dug into a bag of gummy bears - a gift from a hotel for skipping room service and reusing towels. Almost immediately, I had the worst bout of indigestion. It felt like a lump of concrete in my stomach and lasted until I reached a pharmacy for antacid relief!
The ride into and out of Cologne is straightforward, with paths along the river even through the old town - no road riding required. North of the city, the paths remain good, cutting through parks and light industrial areas. I also passed the Ford Motor Company’s massive estate - acres of parking just for employees!
The hours passed quickly as the ride followed the river and ascended onto dikes for a long stretch towards Dormagen. After that, the track narrowed (hold your breath when passing other cyclists!) to Zons, where I caught a ferry across the river.
There were a few hotel options between Zons and Düsseldorf, but with only 20 km to go, I decided to push on. The rain finally arrived with 10 km left, so I ducked into a bus shelter until it passed a few minutes later. Then, I made the final dash into Düsseldorf.
David and I met up for drinks - beer, wine, and an Iranian meal. A great night!
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