Blunters for company

Day 4 and I awake to the internal hum of James Blunt singing. This often happens to me for no good reason and I am now quite familiar with his songs.  What amuses me is that it's like someone has left the iPod on shuffle of all his songs and I just happen to wake up at some random point in the playlist.  Odd but helpful when you are travelling solo.  I know some people have chosen to carry radios on trips of this nature but I shall happily stay with James. 

So another fast wet (Dew!... No rain today) packing away of the tent and off to break fast with Jack and Dianne. Jack cycled with me through Venlo. The picture shows one if the oldest town halls in history. (I can't remember the date but when I get home I'll ammend this detail. ) 

We cycled together as far as the German border where I had to say goodbye. Take care Jack and I hope to see you in the not too distant future. This time it's your turn to make the trip to Kent.  

I wasn't sure what to excpect of this part of the trip but I hadn't excpectd to find it such a contrast to the green luscious countryside I had become accustomed to.  I realised that this was the industrial norther region of Germany. Skirting around Dusseldorf for speed and because i knew it was not a simple cycle through city I had to remain focused as the traffic was heavy.  The cycle paths were there but it didn't feel quite so laid back as Holland so I was vigilant.  I had decided to take today at leisure and spin my legs to give them some recovery which was just as well because the journey was somewhat stilted and broken.  Where's a good canal path when you need one?  No sooner said and I turned south to find the biggest canal going.  Well ok so it's the Rhine!  In the picture you can just see Dusseldorf in the distance. . 

I spent a good half hour sitting in the sun watching the huge tankers go by. We just don't have this scale of river traffic in England. Well not that I've seen anyways.

I made a detour into the small medieval town of Zones.  I'm pleased I did as it was as pretty as had been promised. I felt quite a fraud as I snapped my pictures without taking the time to learn about the various buildings.  But alas the idea of an ice cream had taken over my brain and it was going to have to be satisfied.  

I hope however if you are reading this blog and you have a mind to, when you are travelling down the Rhine, take a pause at this village.  It is definatley worth it.  

Now as I have been cycling thinking about what to write each day I decided it would be amusing to make a list of "all that has crossed the road in front of me ". A sort of why did the chicken cross the road moment.  So my list to date: chicken...(she started it! Blame her, I was happy with just Blunters for amusement) caterpillar, toad, orange slug, black slug a hedgehog and a mink that hadn't quite made it. Lovely!   Today was however topping the list! This fellow thought he could cross the road but hadn't quite worked out his trojectory and hit me splat!  He then decided to cadge a lift for long enough for me to stop and take the picture. 

As I continued down the Rhine I was aware if the beauty in nature but also the beauty of the industrial infrastructure that runs along it's edge. It's not all the time but the light is spectacular here and has the ability to turn an ugly building site into something worthy of comment. 

I wasn't sure where I was going to camp tonight but as luck, the Universe or fate would have it just as my battery on the Garmin was bleeping I happened across a small campsite opposite a bar.  And this will be my view tomorrow. 

And finally, the "chicken" list has been added to quite spectuarly. Cycling away from Zones and down a tourist clad street a woman opened her car door and let her dog out just in front of me. Now the dog was following the rules of how to get onto the list by attempting to cross the road but what literally caught me out was the fact he was on an extendable lead.  So I took a 'paws' and concluded that with my wheels, disc brakes and the dog might suffer so I opted for the lead. Fortunately the brakes are pretty good but not so good that I couldn't avoid hitting the dog who had decided not to play the game after all and wanted to get back in the car. 

Good thing was I was wearing mirror sunglasses so the woman couldn't see the icy stare I gave her as I unceremoniously toppled off my bike.  The dog you will be pleased to know lives to play the game again another day. Me? Well it all about the Woofs but I too was unscathed just a little shaken.  And I thought it was only the car doors I was to avoid. 

Another stunning day in the saddle and the promise of more musings from the musette tomorrow.