September 12, 2022
Day 21: Eurovelo 15 - the Rhine river (source to sea)
Orsoy to Arnhem
What I initially thought was a kids' sideshow alley turned out to be a precursor to the main event - a techno music festival, just fifty metres from my room. I briefly considered joining the crowd, who somehow seemed to be enjoying the spectacle (probably the musicians' parents), but techno isn’t real music is it? Their repertoire of three songs, played over and over, spoiled whatever magic there was.
11:34 p.m., 11:35 p.m., 11:36 p.m ...
12:02 a.m. - where are the rain, thunder, and lightning now?
12:25 a.m. - surely someone has called the Mayor of Orsoy!
12:45 a.m. - hold my beer!
Finally, the noise ceased around 1:02 a.m., and I finally got to enjoy my pillow.
My body clock woke me around 6:30 a.m., and I had arranged breakfast for 8:00 a.m. The hotel normally didn’t serve breakfast until 9:00 a.m. on Sundays, but they made an exception just for me! At 8:00 a.m. sharp, breakfast was served - a feast! I honestly thought a half-dozen others were joining me. I felt guilty not being able to make a dent in all the offerings … and then the chef brought out a specially made omelette!
Apologising for not finishing the meal, I hit the road.
The riding conditions today were superb. The rain had disappeared for the next 24 hours, and it was foggy and cool - a perfect day for cycling. The bike paths were near perfect, too.
The first part of the trip took me through nature reserves, where the paths were lined with cobblestones. I wasn’t the only one out early; I passed a lagoon described as a waterbird’s paradise, and several photographers and birdwatchers seemed to agree. However, the fog was so thick that the photographers were just sipping coffee instead of shooting images.
I then moved into another nature reserve recommended in my Mike Wells’ book. This one was off the official EuroVelo 15 trail and very peaceful, with only a few walkers and dog owners around. The paths alternated between smooth new bitumen on the dikes and older paving below the dikes. I passed an ancient arched wall - an enormous construction in its day, though its purpose remains a mystery to me.
Shortly afterward, I encountered two sheep blocking my path. It was a classic Mexican (German) standoff! After a moment of consideration, I declared I’d become a vegan, and they let me pass.
I soon arrived in Xanten, the only town in Germany that starts with the letter X! It’s a beautiful place, and if it weren’t so early at 10:30 a.m., I might have considered staying the night. Instead, I stopped for morning tea and a look at some of the town’s fortifications.
I spotted a fantastic playground with an amazing dragon-shaped climbing structure. I tried to snap a photo, but a kid was climbing on it - some parents really need to learn to control their children!
The bike path out of town followed the shore of a large lake, and it was absolutely beautiful. I have a habit of judging towns by how friendly the people are - maybe a bit harsh, but I like to say hello to everyone as I ride. Some people beat me to it, some respond as I pass, some seem surprised, and others look disinterested. In Xanten, everyone responded, and most even got in first! OK, so not exactly a scientific measure of community happiness, but you get the idea.
As I paused for a quick drink by the road, I watched a crow pick up a seed pod, fly high, and drop it, hoping to crack it open for the food inside. When the seed didn’t crack, the crow positioned it on the road for a car to run over. I’ve seen Australian crows do the same thing - is this nature or nurture? Could this be a learned behaviour shared by the same species of bird on opposite sides of the world? Enough philosophising for one blog!
I’ve heard about the strong westerly winds that cyclists face on the EuroVelo, but once again, the weather gods were smiling on me. A half-dozen wind turbines stood completely still, and without wind, my ride was much easier. The dikes I cycled on today were perfect, rebuilt after significant flooding triggered infrastructure improvements in recent years.
I passed Wunderland Kalkar, a theme park built inside a nuclear power plant. Yes, really! The plant cost €3.5 billion to build, but operational issues during construction, coupled with the growing strength of Germany’s Green movement, delayed its commissioning. The 1986 Chernobyl disaster was the final nail in its coffin. A Dutch billionaire bought it for a reported €3 million, and it became an amusement park. From a distance, you can see people riding in and above the cooling tower - one man’s nuclear plant is another man’s theme park!
I arrived in Grieth on the Rhine and stopped for lunch, trying to figure out my destination for the day. I found a van selling pizzas next to an ice cream stall, both attached to someone’s house. I can only imagine what the neighbours think. The owner, an older gentleman, looked like he’d started this business out of boredom in retirement. As I waited for my hand-crafted, custom-made Margherita pizza, I assessed my travel plans. I felt good - 43 km down already, and another 43 km would take me to Arnhem. Deal done!
Before long, I crossed into my final country of the tour: the Netherlands. The border crossing was so unremarkable I missed it entirely! The Rhine splits into several branches here, and I’ll be following the Nieuwe Maas and Nieuwe Waterweg to the Hook of Holland and the North Sea, where the Rhine officially ends.
For now, I caught two ferries on my way to Arnhem. It was a fairly straight ride into town. One thing I noticed immediately is that Dutch drivers, in my brief two-hour experience, seem to be the most aggressive I’ve encountered so far. They drive fast and don’t slow down for cyclists, very much reminding me of home in Australia.
Tomorrow, I’ll finally take a real rest day before heading further west to the North Sea!
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