Day 17 - Nierstein Germany - 83kms The not so pretty Rhine !

In a near record performance we were packed and ready to get underway just after 10.00a.m. - the weather not only threatening but now dammed cold as well !

Reliably informed by the `Source` that we were in fact heading up the Rhine not down it we left Bacharach in much higher spirits !

We don`t normally create international incidents so early in the morning but decided to buck the trend when accosted by as group of German tourists who made a large `WOOO`sound as we walked a pedestrian crossing with our bikes against the little red man !

Considering all sorts of possible intelligent replies I simply gave a `WOOO` sound in return causing a giggle and thus avoiding WW3 ( H predictably adopted the role of Switzerland during all of this !)

Passing through Bingen saw the end of the picturesque Rhine scenery as the path deviated off the water heading towards Mainz. A section though of 1-2 kms in the mud kept us entertained as we slithered and slathered generally dirtying the bikes we`d cleaned the day before !

Entering and exiting Mainz was painful. A big & not so pretty city (80% destroyed during WW2) it was easy to get lost looking out for signs that often vanished by the next intersection. Both German cyclists and the public though were incredibly helpful much more so than you would reasonably expect back home !

Finally clear of Mainz the cycling picked up even though the scenery was pretty basic. A section of path / road following a canal was superb and seemed endless with our only issue being that of H being attacked by a couple of dogs.

With the days cold weather we both started to tire. Checking the maps we sought out the nearest town of Nierstein requiring a crossing of the Rhine by ferry.

On the ferry we met an interesting cyclist who indicated that he was as about to embark upon his yearly 400 km canoe ride down the Rhine to Holland the following weekend.

He indicated that it wasnt too strenuous as in doing nothing the Rhine still takes you at 10 knots - not a bad strategy considering he was also planning on drinking 2 bottles of wine a day !

In Nierstien we found a hotel had dinner, a poor impersonation of a Stroganoff, and walked a small section of the Rhine having an obligatory ice cream despite the very cold conditions

We expect the next 2-3 days similarly to not offer too much scenery as we work our way through industrial areas and towns that border the Rhine.