Saturday Morning, Düsseldorf

Saturday morning in Düsseldorf. The washing is done, time for a bike ride to Holland. It's a little grey and drizzly, but nothing too extreme. This will be the first bike ride without being able to Czytaj więcej
Meerbusch

As planned, I make it to Meerbusch. From here I want to go to Willich, however I'm on the road to Kaarst. Kaarst isn't on my map and I'm not sure if it's the right direction. I start to question my Czytaj więcej
Kaarst

In any case, I carry on to Kaarst.
Geese for Sale

Geese for sale and I'm lost.
Korschenbroich

Pentair. Where have I heard that name before?
Mönchengladbach

From Korschenbroich I follow a sign to Mönchengladbach. The centre is swarming with football fans wearing black and green. I don't stop and take a picture; I realise I've been heading south-west, Czytaj więcej
Viersen

Viersen. I find a sign for Viersen and realise it's a stop off point on my homemade map. I have but a few hours of sunlight left, so I have to get a move on. I don't know my way to Roermond, so Venlo Czytaj więcej
Utopia

A buss station. Utopia. Quite!
Dülken

Dyck

Lost in Dyck and the light -- in so far as there was any -- is starting to fade.
Lobberich

In Lobberich I see a bike sign for Venlo and start to feel optimistic for the first time in hours. Still, the sun is really starting to fade now, and I know to get to the Netherlands I have to pass Czytaj więcej
Hinsbeck

I get to Hinsbeck and the tyre is deflated now to the point where I can no longer side down and ride. I have to get off and walk. I'm in two minds, head back to Lobberich or walk the remaining 10 Km Czytaj więcej
Lobberich

I walk back to Lobberich in the dark and chain my bike up on the square in front of the church. Now what? I entre a Italian restaurant and ask for directions to the nearest train station. 'There isn't Czytaj więcej
Breyell

I get to Breyell , buy a beer and wonder what to do about my bike. It's chained up, with a flat tyre, miles from Düsseldorf. It doesn't fit in my car, I don't have a pump, the shops are all closed on Czytaj więcej
Düsseldorf, Saturday Night

An hour later and I'm back in Düsseldorf. The train, strangely, follows roughly the same route I had on my bike, stopping at both Viersen and Mönchengladbach.
Düsseldorf, Sunday Afternoon

A late start, and the weather has deteriorated with the rain a little heavier today. But I find a bike pump (two actually) in the new apartment, and decide I better finish what I've started. I put the Czytaj więcej
Breyell

An hour after leaving Düsseldorf, I'm back in Breyell.
White Heron

I walk from Breyell, through the wet, flat countryside, to Lobberich. I see a white heron. A white heron? A White heron, really?
Lobberich

Back in Lobberich. Pump, pump, pump.
Hinsbeck

I'm back in Hinsbeck, the little village I made it to the day before before turning around. It's dark again! I had two inflated tyres, which is more than I had the day previous, but I still need to Czytaj więcej
Glabbacher Bruch

I'm in the forest, and yes it's dark.
Venlo

19 hours after I originally sett of from Düsseldorf, I arrive in Venlo. I've made it from the Rhein to the Maas, from Germany to the Netherlands. I feel a sense of accomplishment, but wow it was not Czytaj więcej