If you’ve ever wondered, due to lack of access to running water, whether it would be a good idea to use wet wipes as a method of washing up….don’t do it, you get sick!!

Also, whoever invented the Snickers bar should be Knighted. The most energy giving, delicious snack that you never bore of….genious!

So we left you last time as we entered Germany and straight away the hills were upon us.  Two days into our new found washing up method I found myself getting a little queezie, so we stopped for a couple of Rot Wines to toast crossing the border.  A couple more hills later and after asking a helpful couple if we could camp in their field, we awoke to a groggy Tommy/Horse.  The next day was to be our day off and we’d spotted a great campsite in Rourburg so headed on to be greeted by a wonderful campsite on a reservoir run by the lovely Kristina.

Wild camping a la farmers field

Our day off arrived with the most tremendous wet weather, literally a sheet of rain that was to continue for the coming two days.  On hearing about our trip to NZ, the magical Kristina offered us a disused porta cabin to get us out of the rain so we could have some proper rest.  We didn’t quite know what to do with all the space and got a great couple of days rest and recovery on the generosity of Kristina….massive thank you for a fabulous stay and hopefully see you in Sri Lanka Come Jan 😉

Magical Kristina

Our refuge from the rain

It was a sad goodbye then off around the reservoir into the Vineyards of Southern Germany.  After three days off the bikes in was great to be back in the saddle and with some gritty off-roads, post the downpours, we were back in our stride again.  The good weather wasn’t to last and that evening delivered a spectacular performance of thunder and lightning.  We’re not sure whether it’s related but one of our sleeping mats decided to explode mid rolling thunder and Brian woke up very confused, all a good giggle though. Cycling through the wine regions down to the Rhine was another fantastic day on the wheels.  The wine in this region rarely leaves the state so we made sure to have a tipple.  This is absolutely an area we’d go back to some day and would recommend a visit if you’re ever in that neck of the woods.  Eventually joining the Rhine bought us into a Unesco Heritage Site for around 50k of the river.  Castles and medieval towns certainly delivered on the label and we had a couple of nights camping surrounded by scenery that would make prince charming weep!

Brian thought grapes would grow well in Ireland because they thrive best in conditions where they suffer

Step aside prince charming

We left the beauty of the Rhine and headed towards Dormstadt to try and replace our mat (boom boom bang bang).  Again on sharing our story with a lady in the campsite we took that night, she insisted on paying our way.  The German generosity has been a real surprise and delight…another big thanks to Bibi and another postcard promised when we arrive in New Zealand. Dormstadt was succesful, replacing the mat and cutting down the stand to my bike and then it was back on the road to take a rest day in Miltenberg.  Chips and German red wine flowed (all to the strictest budget of course) and we caught up on our sleep.

Medieval madness

More wild style camping on the Mein

We stuck to the River Main the following day until we met the Tauber, a couple of nights wild camping then took a break from river side for the day (which means hills in 35 degree heat, yummy) and connected with the Altmuhl river by the end of the day.  Yesterdays cycle was a scorcher and we’re having another baking day off by Altmuhl See today, which is keeping the hoofed team cool at least.  Torrential rain tomorrow evening so it’s all change and the next post should hopefully be in the Czech Rep Somewhere.

It’s great to write the blog for both of us and it’s a chance to think back over the last week or so.  With cycling everyday, dates and days tend to blur into one and we often find ourselves feeling like we’re in a bit of a daydream.  Riding through mountains with deers bounding across our path and swimming in the Rhine surrounded by castles is all very surreal and of course a blessing.  We think about everyone often and the only thing missing on occasion is a familiar face.  Safe to say we’re getting on grand though and settling into team Donkey and Horse 🙂

Three Things we’re loving this entry:

Our new niece Poppy Hope Thompson, well done Paulie and Alice!

Becky for being base control and bringing out our new credit cards to Romania….love upside ya whoopsie!

Snickers, Snickers, Snickers

Three things we could live without:

The smell of our cycling shoes

Sugar in our Coffee (because we eat too many Snickers, we topped out at 4 bars the other day)

Popping sleeping mats

That’s all for now from us, hope you’re all well and enjoying the summer/winter wherever you are.  Hope you got home safely Mum and Dad Thompson.

Spread the love, spread it thick

Tommy and Brian XXXX