Nathan's Babbles: Bikin'

Probably one of my favorite activities here in Germany has just been riding my bike. I dedicated a few posts earlier during my time abroad to my adventures on the bike, and now is no different. The weather is absolutely perfect for being outside and procrastinating on every piece of homework assignment and reading, so hey, thanks awesome weather. The days we've been having here are the rare days back home; these crisp, low-humidity days of sunshine and warmth, without the sweat, happen maybe two or three days a year in transition from Fall to Winter, but now I'm having the benefit of week-long stretches of uninterrupted sunshine (Note: some days it does get completely cloudy and gray where the sky has no depth. It shocks me back into winter mode and I don't leave my room except for class). I try to take every opportunity like it's my last to go bike riding.

This past weekend I took a new route in my attempt to ride as much of the Rhein river as possible before leaving Bonn. In the past I've been to Duesseldorf and Koblenz, both day-long rides totaling about 6 hours on the bike (I camped out in Koblenz in my tent because I couldn't make it back in time before the sun setting and took a train back from Duesseldorf). I woke up, scrambled some eggs, had a glass of multi-vitamin juice and some toast with Nutella, and packed my bag with some water and two sandwiches in preparation for the ride. I set off by train for Duesseldorf's train station, which would mark my beginning point and head northward along the river route. Initially I was planning only to ride to Duisberg, 30 km north and then back. but while riding the sky opened up, everything warmed up, and I felt like conquering the world, so I just kept going.

Usually the route is well marked, and I tip my hat to whoever's idea it was to mark the trail so generously with signs (you really can't get lost even if you tried), but because of some new construction the signs were out and I was riding in circles for about 10 minutes before I happened upon another biker, aged about 60 with a walrus mustache and thick framed glasses pedaling his possessions, in the same situation. We teamed up and rode to our stopping point, making conversation along the way. He had a thick accent (either from southern Germany or learned German as a foreign language...couldn't make it out) so all I got from him in our ride together was that he had already ridden 450 km along the river heading towards Amsterdam, staying in hotels and eating at restaurants along the way. What a life! I told him I'd do the same exact thing he was doing if I had the money to, but for now I had to stick to day trips and homemade peanut butter and jellies. We parted ways in Duisberg and I headed to find a grocery store to stock up on some calories (which ended up being chocolate milk and a huge streussel treat from the bakery) before heading out again.

I often ride while listening to new music, but for this ride I felt the moment was just better spent taking in the landscapes, little German villages, fields of vegetables and flowers, and diving into my own thoughts. It was a really reflective bike ride spent appreciating everything these past 10 months have brought me and all that I'll miss when I have to give it up.

After hours of riding, another stop at a grocery store to buy water, lots of chance interactions with fellow bikers and townspeople enjoying the weekend, I made it to Emmerich, the town I didn't think I'd make it to when I set off for the day. I was really proud and started hoopin' and hollerin' along the path with my fists raised that I had ridden 120 km in a day, and not to mention, crossed the border from Germany into the Netherlands! I boarded a train in the tiny town (luckily the last train of the night, with only 5 minutes to spare before it left) and in 3 hours was back in my dorm room, showered up, and chowing down on all of my leftovers in the fridge trying to replenish calories. I'm setting my sights now in the other direction on the Rhein: south. My next goal is to start in Koblenz and ride to Mainz, about 95 km away, but in so doing will see about a dozen castles along the Rhein in what is supposedly the highest density of castles anywhere in the world. I can't wait. Not sure what other adventures lie ahead with the bike, but I look forward to whatever they may be!