Breakfast at our hotel was earlier this morning, so we were able to get on the road by 8:30, good thing as we had a lot of miles to cover.  It was a very chilly morning with a rather stiff head wind.  The same wind we enjoyed at our back yesterday, we will pay for today.  We started down a beautiful bike path that quickly changed to mixed paved and gravel.

And though there was a mix of every kind of road/path surface today as we pedaled south UP the Rhein we were still afforded pretty fields of poppies,

old stone churches

and precious little lambs.

The river and tributaries are very low, due to lack of rain, but the swans

seem perfectly happy. In fairness, though, we must point out that most of the ride today was through industrial areas

but it was still a pretty ride, except for that blasted head wind.

We took several detours today, trying to find our way.  Since so many people bike here, EVERY path is a bike path; finding the one WE are supposed to be on has proven to be difficult.  Though we brought a book/map with us for this intended course, it has not been terrible helpful.

We finally found someone that spoke English AND knew the way into town.  He directed us across the river for a scenic

and quite ride through farm fields and by small villages.  Small villages just outside Dusseldorf were very enchanting

and almost lured us to stay. But we made it to Dusseldorf, Germany’s richest city.

We strolled the streets and watched WAY too expensive cars enjoy the afternoon drive.  Another Italian dinner, it’s the only thing we seem to understand on a menu, and in for the night.