July 2, 2023
Day 1: Strasbourg to Rastatt – 50 miles
One of those touring days when you just can't seem to get a break
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I set out on a perfect cycling morning from La Grand Hotel in Strasbourg. The first five miles were spectacular, pretty much a view of all the buildings I saw from the canal cruise but up close from the bike. Unfortunately, I misinterpreted a detour and circled back to almost to the beginning of the ride. After about five miles, I cycled through a vast area of forest for countless miles.
The first half of the ride saw me cycling through one small village after another. The homes had a very Germanic appearance. I was still in France in an area of France that Germany occupied for years. It left a very Germanic influence. As I neared the midpoint of the ride, I was to take a ferry to the east side of the Rhine. It was out of service.
Tourism France was set up with a pop-up tent and display. The location is where cyclists and visitors enter France from Germany. The people at the table recommended cycling up the west side of the river which is also marked Eurovelo cycle route 15. This was the case of locals giving advice that proved to be inaccurate and incomplete.
I quickly lost the route 15 signs and ended up of a series of country roads. It this route was not working for me. The Eurobike app had no way to route Eurovelo 15 on the west side of the river. Eurobike had not given me a German map to devise an alternate. Strava and Ride with GPS had nothing.
My option was to rely on Google Maps. Google Maps gave me quite a ride. I biked through farm lanes and many miles of rough gravel before I got to the Rhine cycle path. I was only able to ride it for maybe 10 miles.
I crossed the river on a railroad bridge turned into a auto bridge. Maps did a better job on the east side of the Rhine. At one point however, It recommend I cycle on what they called a Forest path. Not A good idea. I abandoned the paths only miles from Rastatt and cycled on roads. My 40 mile day turned into 50 miles.
I was pretty beat up by this ride with all the gravel and grass. The highlight of the day was the restaurant at the ferry terminal. It was an excellent French restaurant. I enjoyed sitting in the sun on a beautiful day with a view of the Rhine.
Today’s Trivia
The Germanic-speaking area of France, particularly Alsace-Moselle, has a unique cultural heritage that blends French and German influences. This can be seen in architecture, cuisine, and local traditions, which reflect the historical and linguistic ties to both Germany and France.
Today's ride: 50 miles (80 km)
Total: 332 miles (534 km)
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