As my journey nears the Moselle and Rhine rivers, I’ve now had to install a new app on my phone. Poor weather over recent weeks has caused major flooding in Germany, with both the Rhine and Moselle affected.
I’ve already read reports from other tourers of detours having to be made or plans changed, but I was hoping that once I got to Trier the situation downstream would be improving. If not I may have to “bail out” of the plan to ride down riverside routes.
The morning started dry for once. But soon signs of the heavy rain were obvious
Of course it started raining again but not for long, so I could enjoy the various sights along the way, including a couple of tunnels, with trains running alongside the cycle path
The route today was meant to be mainly downhill, but there was still the odd lump (in fact 500m) to negotiate. Including a rather challenging 13%. I had to admit defeat and get off
The previous weeks cycling had obviously taken it’s toll and I found it hard work today, but this should be the last day of any significant climbing. There was one more bit of the route I was worried about @2km of supposed rough track that ran alongside the rather full river ! I needn’t have worried, the water was only lapping at the edges of the path !
By lunchtime I was making good progress, and regular stops for coffee and biscuits to keep me going. Favourite stop opposite a lively old station, now a house.
Along the track there was plenty of evidence of recent flooding and landslips, so I was crossing everything hoping I’d not hit problems.
So with some relief I hit the outskirts of Trier, but as my route passed through a rather unattractive industrial estate it suddenly dropped me onto a cobbled track which was very muddy. I wasn’t happy, them I noticed a dirty brown tide mark on the plants nearby and the river the other side. Clearly the water had been some metres higher recently and the track submerged.
Carefully navigating my way through the mud I eventually came to a closed and locked barrier which I managed to limbo under and continue on my journey -except I couldn’t, it was clear all the bikepaths to the river were blocked.
At this point I should explain my hotel and the town itself were on the other bank, with the bridge for cycles and pedestrians some 5km upstream. No worries I thought I’ll just use quiet roads except I couldn’t they all went into a dual carriageway/motorway system. Other than a very long (probably 20km plus detour I was stuffed. Looking at the map, I was really struggling with what to do. Then I noticed the rail bridge crossing the river. Working back I found a nearby station, checked on google and sure enough it was one stop to the centre of town. Plotting a new course, headed to the train station, hauled the bike up three flights of stairs, worked out how to get a ticket and eventually after 20 mins got on a train.
10 minutes later I was the right side of the river and 2km from my hotel. Now checked in and relaxing with a beer at local Balkan restaurant …..
Tomorrow I’m going to relax and look around Trier, plus plan my next steps. Which sadly won’t involve riding the rivers.
Steady Pedals 