The Three Rivers Cycle Tour Day One

Our BBF was in need of an adventure and so he decided we would cycle a route following three rivers. The suggested route started in Cologne and follows the Rhine North then follows the Erft to more or less its source and then the Ahr back to the Rhine. This morning 10 June it was overcast and rain was in the offing. The thought did occur to us not to go, but if we put it off we’d never go.

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Coming from the North to join this circular route we cycled to Grevenbroich to pick it up, some 15 kms. The rain was light, but steady which meant our BBF put on all his oilies or what ever cyclists call their rain gear. It was good that he did as the rain didn’t stop. The route took us down Konstantinstrasse in Mönchengladbach where there is Stadler a large cycle shop. Our BBF stopped here to buy a rain cover for his helmet and a pair of new Galoshes. The ones he had were missing a strap and not the best one could buy. The first pair with his shoe size wouldn’t fit so he exchanged them for XL which did. Then after using their toilets we set off again. 

The route followed minor roads but with a fair amount of traffic which made it noisy. The cycle path out side of town was more often than not on the other side of the road. It got colder as we progressed so at a bus stop hut we stopped to put on another layer under the water proof jacket. In Grevenbroich we had a bit of a problem picking up the new route to follow the Erft, but eventually found the right way. 

Now the route was along one bank or the other of the river, through woodland where we were afforded some protection from the rain. At just the right time we came across a little hut with a bench where we stopped to have a sandwich lunch. Sadly opposite us was parked very a noisy soiled water tanker which had stopped to pump out the rain water drain. 

Were it not for the rain the route would have been pretty with places to stop and enjoy the river. We cycled on though. After some four hours of cycling our BBF was tiring and decided to find somewhere to stay. He found a small hotel in the middle of Bergheim and so we went there.

The hotel when we got there was all shut up, so after calling the proprietor we sat in the Italian ice cafe opposite to await his arrival. Our BBF indulged in a Coffee ice cream which was far larger than he expected!

The bike was parked in a garage and locked up and we made ourselves at home. After a wash and brush up our BBF had a nap. 

We found a Cafe not too far from our hotel for a meal and an isotonic drink. 

It has stopped raining as we write, but the forecast is for more of the same. Not nice but all part of life’s adventure our BBF says.