So much of what happens in life is about timing. Racing for a departing bus only to have the doors close can set a chain of events cascading into the future. Missed bus causes late arrival that causes cold dinner that causes hurt feelings . . . Often we try to time our events to avoid mishaps or gain advantage. We know rush hour begins about three. We move our schedule around to be off the road by that time, making a cross town trip at midday even though we would rather do it in mid-afternoon so we can combine it with a visit to a friend's house. Timing. We can use it to our advantage. But it doesn't always work as planned.
Yesterday, Sally and I got a late start, especially compared to our normal schedule. We like to be up at 5:30 am and on the road by 6:30 am. It is cool and quiet at this time of the morning. We hit the tourist areas before anyone else is there, ride the streets before the traffic builds and enjoy the beauty of the early morning light. But, our car ride to the train station in St. Gallen was not possible until about 11:30 am, putting us on the road a little before the afternoon. This put us out in the full force of the afternoon wind, which we fought for 13 miles up the lake shore.
This morning we were intent on improving the timing by rising early and getting miles down before the winds rose as the day progressed. We were up at 6:00 am, quietly whispering to each other as we deflated the sleeping pads, stuffed the quilt and packed the tent, trying not to disturb the 10 occupied tents within 30 feet of ours. As we swung our legs over our bikes and pushed off we noticed that the wind we had hoped to avoid was already rustling the leaves in the trees overhead. So much for timing.
We were only a mile short of the city of Konstanz at the end of the Bodensee, and we were anxious to see its towering cathedral and the building the pope was confirmed in back in the 1500s. We were in the city by 7:15 am and found both locations. As a bonus we found the farmers market setting up and bought a pastry and some plums. Utilizing the GPS, we found our way back to our cycling route, the Eurovelo 15, and we were on our way again. For the next 15 miles we rode along the south shore of one of the arms of the Bodensee, headed for the town of Stein em Rhine, the best preserved gothic city in Switzerland.
We had hoped our early start would translate into wind free cycling until noon. This was not to be. The wind was as tenacious as yesterday afternoon, blowing against us every inch of the way. Resigned to our fate, we kept our head down and pushed on. We made a number of stops along the way, as usual, to see enjoy a snack, examine something that caught our eye more closely or scan the view.
We reached Stein em Rhine, walked the Main Street and enjoyed lunch of bread, cheese and fruit on a bench in the street, the wind swirling down the street through the crowds of tourists. Stein em Rhein is the best preserved medieval city in Europe, and a Workd Heritage Site. During this time we met Eric, a 42 year old film professor from the Baltimore area, our first American since Paris. He has a childhood German friend that he has visited in Germany every other year. He now brings his family of two pre-teen kids.
The Rhine has been a lake for the past 35 miles, but at Stein em Rhine it begins to visibly flow again. For the rest of the afternoon we cycle next to its banks, occasionally moving inland and rising over a low ridge before descending to the river bank again.
Finally, we see Schaffhausen come into view and know the Rheinfall is just a mile downstream. We have been traveling on the north side of the river since crossing at Stein em Rhein, but here we cross to the south side and backtrack a mile up river to our camping platz for the night, but not before stopping at a grocery for onions and cabbage to add to our soup for dinner.
The sky looks threatening as I put up the tent and layout the sleeping pads and quilt. Sally takes a nap while I head to the showers to get rid of today's accumulated sweat.
A sprinkle of rain sends us into the tent just before dark, all our gear hiding under the front vestibule out of the weather.
Today's 35 miles could just as well have been 50, with the wind we bucked the whole day, but we are positioned well to visit the Rheinfall tomorrow morning before the crowds, plus it was a beautiful day of cycling and scenery. The wind has died off, but there is rain in the forecast for tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment