The Rhine and more

Castle at Kaub - Rhine river

Castle Mania on the Rhine

We have really enjoyed our time here in Frankfurt. On Friday we took a daytrip west from Frankfurt to Weisbaden, Rudesheim, Lorch, Kaub, and St Goarhausen; all part of the Rhine valley. With a day reaching near 30C and sunny we rode the autobahn and eventually narrowed down near Rudesheim to a 2 lane windy road in the valley. With vineyards on the right and the river on the left we rode north until past St. Goarhausen stopping in Kaub where we had spent a day in 2006. Kaub is home to a castle above the town and another in the Rhine river just south of town. It is a very picturesque place and the bicycling as well as motorcycling is very active there.

Castles at every stop and turn

A view from the dining terrace at Schloss Johannisburg

We have always talked about this part of Germany being full of castles and as the lead photo indicates there is alot of eyecandy to see.

Bike Break in Bernkastel Kues

Part of the Casements -Luxembourg

Jazz band in City Square They were great!

Chapel in the Gorge Luxembourg

Stained glass in Cathedral - WoW!

After a couple of hours of riding we were ready for some lunch so we stopped at Schloss Johannisburg just east of Rudesheim. Heiko took us there in 06 and we have looked forward to it’s best in class Riesling wine. As well Spargel  “asparagus” soup which is in season was on the menu. It was a superb meal. After an uneventful return to Frankfurt we headed back downtown Saturday afternoon for the Pealing of the Bells, a special celebration associated to the feast of the Pentecost. Here (hear) ten churches ring 50 bells in unison for ½ hr. and walk around to hear them in stereo. Simply something that can’t happen in North America.

Today with Heiko ready to ride, we headed out to Luxembourg riding the autobahn west for 80 kms then caching a great back highway through to the Mosel valley at Bernkastel Kues, then Trier and finally Luxembourg city itself. The video I shot of the winding road against the river is over 1 hour long with some excellent scenery. We arrived in Luxembourg at noon and went sightseeing in the afternoon taking in the casements, and the Luxembourg gorge. It is a very quaint and pretty city that dates back to 963 AD. Not a bad first day!!