In a day of firsts, the sun was out for the first time in two weeks, we departed at a record early time, cycled a 127 km day and had dinner with Asphalt on the menu !!!
It was an early start on day 20 from Seltz making some much needed brake adjustments on the bikes before departure.
We had a quick ride along the Rhine before heading inland to ride beside a high levee banks and small canals for 25 kms - a moment of humour when I prompted H to consider how the canal boats could get up and over the weir spillway .. `spose like salmon` said H not seeing the loch around the corner !
At last some scenery cycling through forests where we came across a small restored pill box / fort that served as a link on the supposedly impregnable Maginot line - 5 men facing the German army - no thanks !
We got lost momentarily before finding our way into Strasbourg along the Robertsau before then getting lost again trying to get out (I hate cities !)
With some help we finally succeded connecting with the magnificent Rhone Rhine canal lined with beautiful tress and a fantastic cycling surface
We continued until the 90 km mark (5 pm) stopped for a team meeting and at the call of Captain Courageous (H) elected to cycle another 30 + kms to shorten tomorrows ride to Basle.
Riding with astonishing strength (I suspect armed with either illegal tablets or mistakenly taken Viagra) H pumped a solid pace till black clouds and with respective sore asses ( nothing to do with the above) we called it a day in Marckolsheim at 125 kms + - well done H !
The canal ride was uneventful other than one incident when H shouted `beaver` ... not knowing which of the many cycling terms this referred to I narrowly missed embedding myself in him when he came to a complete stop to point out a beaver swimming in the canal !
We found a pension in the quiet town - or at least was quiet until a convoy of Turkish wedding cars stopped in the middle of the town with the whole wedding party then dancing in the middle of the road with someone filming - expect to see it on YouTube !
With little open (this is France of course) we took to the local restaurant for dinner ordered some food and asked the local waitress to explain what Asperges was in English .. when she came back with a language dictionary to explain the word meant Asphalt we said no thanks and settled for a steak
Leg one is nearly complete at just under 1500 kms. We cycle into Basle tomorrow meet up with Kiwi Ross and after 11 consecutive days of cycling take a well earned rest day !
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