DAY 35
SATURDAY JUNE 4 2005
This morning I got a late start, but was off and pedaling to Bonn by noon. I have said it before and I will say it again the cycling part is by far and away the easiest thing about this trip. I thought it would be the hardest, but it is no hardship for me to get on and pedal for five hours.
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These pictures show what some of the trail was like for me today. I must say it was never boring. One minute I would be cycling through an industrial area and then through green fields and farms or towns. When I'm cycling I always have a window with a view.
In this picture you can see the Rhine, my trail, and a transport ship. If you look at the sky you can see a storm coming. And it did too! All day I had been biking against a headwind, but I didn't mind because it kept me cooled off. Eventually, though, it turned into a storm. A wild ride of a storm. Two hours of wind, rain, and trees rattling all around in circles. It was highly invigorating. So much better than being cooped up in a bus tour! With the wild weather all around and me sailing through it on my bike, I felt alive. You know?
Sort of like sailing in bad weather. When I was a member of the Alaska Sailing Club I would always take the boat out even in foul weather. (Secretly, I liked that the most.) It would be a wild white cap joy of a sail that would leave me laughing, drenched and invigorated. The sailing club would always mention, please don't do that alone, but I would always go whether I had anyone with me or not. Today was like that.
When I left the hostel this morning the British check out girl looked straight in the eye and said I envy you. She was referring to my cycling trip in general and my ride today to Bonn in specific. I raised my eyebrows in surprise and thought to myself "Well, that's a first, I am the one usually envying people. Well, folks, she was right. It was such a wonderful, crazy, invigorating ride. A joy to live through.