2009 Euro Tour -- Ride Day 36 — 4 August 2009 — 67118 Geispolsheim (Strasbourg) to 76227 Karlsruhe

Although all flat, a beautiful ride through lovely countryside and villages along roads normally with little traffic or along bike paths bordering canals on the Rhine River. Not finding many bridges across the Rhine, we weren’t sure how we would get across, so when we saw a ferry boat we happily stopped to wait a bit for it.

We found really nice cycling and no traffic roads along the Rhine. Just beautiful.

Early in the day, we followed the Canal du Rhône au Rhin into Strasbourg and went by the cathedral. Just magnificent.

North of Strasbourg, we again tried to take a canal path…and we ended up west instead of north. We probably added five or six extra miles to our trip. Also during that portion, we got onto an unpaved section that was a minor challenge, whether walking or riding.

Route:

N83 North from hotel to

D222 and unnumbered road Southeast through Eschau to

Canal du Rhône au Rhin North into Strasbourg

Various roads north through Centreville and by Cathedral to

D468 Northeast to La Wantzenau

Canal path west to Vendenheim

D226/D64/D301 East back to La Wantzenau

D468 Northeast to Seltz

D28 East to Rhine River

Paths and local roads on west bank of Rhine River Northeast to ferry just a bit south of Karlsruhe near the French town of Mothern or Lauterbourg and maybe D89

Ferry across Rhine River from France into Germany

Various roads and paths south of Karlsruhe with helpful guides 

East to Ettlingen and then Northwest to hotel near intersection of A5 and A8

Background:

My wife and I have been doing self-supported tours in Western Europe (a majority in France) since 1993.  This series of rides covers our 2009 4.5 month route through parts of France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and then back to France.  Our beginning and ending point is near Chadurie (south of Angouleme) where our friends have a farm with Gites and Chambres d'Hotes.

We rode our Dawes touring bicycles purchased in 1993 heavily loaded with 700Cx32 tires.  All of our riding was on paved roads, mostly with very little traffic.  Pretty much the only unpaved sections were some bicycle paths in Germany and Austria. Sadly, that wasn't so great as Helen fell a number of times on the unpaved paths.  Fortunately, though, no serious injury.

If any questions, feel free to email me at jeffkadet@netdiving.com

Jeff