We were up bright and early and ready to ride.  Unfortunately, the 7:00 am breakfast didn’t actually open at seven, closer to eight.  Had to stay as we had not paid the bill, so might as well eat, too.

At the garage, where we store our bikes, we meet Mennno and Esther

a very nice father/daughter biking team from the Netherlands.  They were traveling down the the Rhein, so we shared information on which way to go, goods and bads, etc.  We could have chatted for hours with them exchanging stories, but we had a 50 mile day ahead of us and it was a late start already.

There are two route choices from here up the Rhein; cross the river and ride in France through small villages or stay on the Germany side and ride a straight (though quiet) bike trail all the way to Basel.  Given our experience with the lack of signs in France’s small towns and Menno’s recommendation, we stayed in Germany.

What a wonderful choice.

Yes, we missed small French towns, but the bike trail was anything but lonely.  Right away we saw dozens of swans

easily floating single file down the Rhein, enjoying whatever it is they eat for breakfast.

The trail was a high bank along the river, occasionally offering glimpses

of the narrowing river.

We saw deer …… we know, this doesn’t count as wild, but look at that face

……….. and sheep

with their shepperd as well as the real worker, the German Shepperd, amazing to watch (missed that picture).

We saw bicyclists all day (the most since Amsterdam), most of them touring and all of them enjoying themselves,

but were a bit taken aback when Vick and his 21 year old steed

pulled up beside us.   Turns out Vick rides bikes as well, but with a horse as beautiful and spirited as Derby, it would be tough to get on a bike.

Shortly after noon, we approached some pretty rapids,

since we’d packed a lunch, it was a perfect place for a picnic.

A few more glimpeses of the river,

before our course started us on our approach to the city.

With the exception of a swan and her ‘ugly ducklings’

the ride in was through a very industrial area.  Even the border crossing from Germany to Switzerland was under such heavy construction, there was nothing to photograph.

Basel is a big city

and though we reached it by one, it took us another hour to get to our hotel.  Finally out of the industrial and into the sightseeing.

There is a holiday today (can’t translate the details) and everything is closed.  So the usual umbrella lined cafes are missing and with it some of the magic.

But there is a cathedral!

Surprised though, that every single large church and/or cathedral we have been close enough to photograph has been under some kind of major renovation.

We try to shoot around the scaffolding.

The Münster Cathedral dates back to the 1100’s.

There is excavating under the cathedral and it’s a bit bizarre to see items from 900 A.D., just laid out neatly numbered.

One of the several bridges that join the city divided by the Rhein has a guardian dragon.

Maybe he’s checking out the people below.

That’s all the sightseeing for us today.  Tomorrow we continue up the Rhein but our direction in the next couple of days is up in the air.  There are many ways to connect to the Danube and sights “sort of” along the way.  Who knows where we’ll end up, we sure do not.  But the ride shall be interesting as Basel is at the beginning of the Alps.