July 9, 2023
Hanau -> Worms
Biking through Germany's Central Valley
Today my parents and I were leaving the extended family behind and continuing our bike tour down the Rhine. Because Europe was now experiencing a record-breaking heat wave, we decided to get an early start. The Junge's, first treated us to a delicious breakfast spread with broetchen from a local bakery. As well as assorted cold cuts.
After stressing out at the Hanau bahnhof, and almost engaging in the act of "schwarzfahren" (riding the train without a valid ticket), we figured out the Deutschebahn kiosk and bought our regional tickets for the SBahn.
My parents, my bike, and I arrived at the Mainz Hauptbahnhof around 10:30, and by now I really had to use the bathroom. I used the train station bathroom to relive myself, and change into my bike clothes. However, in this process, I managed to leave my phone behind on top of the toilet paper dispenser. I realized about a minute after I walked out of the bathroom what I had done. I ran back into the bathroom, and waited for the man who was now in my stall to come out. As he walked out I frantically asked "Gab es ein Handy?" (was there a phone?), he replied "Ja", and pointed at my phone, still on top of the toilet paper dispenser. Holy shit that was close.
After mentally recovering from this near disaster, I helped my parents get their bikes from the Fahrradparkhaus. My dad couldn't figure out the ticketing system, and then neither could I. It was Sunday, so there was no attendant to ask. Thankfully a random woman passing by showed us that you could simply walk into the parkhaus without scanning your ticket. You only needed to scan your ticket to leave. Was there any signage denoting this? Of course not.
We then began our bike journey to Worms. As we pedaled along vineyards and riverside levees, the temperature began slowly creeping up. By the time we were half-way to worms, we needed a food and water break. Thankfully we stopped at a biergarten and got lunch. My dad and I both drank Maß Radlers, and had some sausages. My mom ordered kaese spaetsel.
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After lunch we got back on the bike path. By now the temperature was really getting hot (about 95F). I spotted a good swimming hole coming up on Komoot, and we turned off the bike path. The water in the Rhine was clear and not that cold. It was a perfect place to cool off from this heat wave.
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After getting out of the water and drying almost instantly, we decided to push through the last hour to Worms on our bikes. On this last stretch, we passed a very large industrial center on the Rhine, where a malt roasting factory was located. Thankfully when we arrived at our hotel room, it was nice and cool. We recovered from the day's ride before my dad and I explored the Altstadt of Worms together on foot.
We visited the oldest church in the city: Magnuskirche. It is objectively, the smallest, and least impressive church in the city, but it has been there since the 700s AD. This was also the church that Martin Luther preached in during the 1520 Diet of Worms. This unimpressive building had so much history that I had to see it. I'd say it's worth a stop if you're in the city.
After touring the city by foot, we returned to our hotel where we ate dinner on the Rhine. I had a currywurst and more glasses of Apfelwein.
Today's ride: 35 miles (56 km)
Total: 742 miles (1,194 km)
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