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Adventure Sports

with Stefan Nestler

Kisses from heaven

Nice bike path, less nice weather

I know every rain is a kiss from heaven. But there are days when you do not want to be kissed, at least not from above. Unfortunately no one asks. This morning in Bad Ragaz, I had to pack my tent already wet. I started to ride in rainwear. After all, the involuntary shower ended after half an hour. I cycled down the Rhine with my folding bike for a long time on the dike top of the right side of the river. So I made flying visits in two other countries, first Liechtenstein, then Austria. Again and again some drops fell, but I could not bring myself to put on the rainwear again.

Along the “Old Rhine”

The “Old Rhine”

In contrast to the previous day, when landscape continued to change, I felt the area was rather monotonous. This was mainly due to the fact that the mountains on the right and left side were covered with clouds, so I only saw the Rhine and the bike path. Near the Austrian village of Koblach, I changed the river side and thus also the country. Now I went back to the Swiss shore. Just as I paused under a bridge to eat an apple, there was a thunderstorm. This is called luck. In addition, the short, but violent downpour cleared the sky and the sun appeared for the first time on this day. I enjoyed the ride along the “Old Rhine”, where it had once flown into Lake Constance. Today, this part of the old river bed which was separated by the river’s degradation is a nature reserve.

Great bike paths

It can be so beautiful

When I finally reached Lake Constance, I saw the next rain front and thought it would hit me, but again I was lucky. I just got into the fringe of the rain. It was hardly worth to wear the rain gear. Afterwards, it became sunny and warm again. April weather in September. The beautiful bike path along the shore of Lake Constance earned the sunshine. In terms of the quality of the cycle paths, the Swiss can almost compete with the Dutch, and the sign posting is also exemplary.

Behind the curtain

The disaster is approaching

In the end, however, the rain caught me, just before the town of Romanshorn. This time there was no escape. Saint Peter opened the flood gates. I tried not to be impressed and continued cycling in raincoat and rain pants. In Romanshorn I passed a farm, which had laid apples for sale in front of the barn. I went to the farm. The farmer signaled to me from the window that I should throw the money into the box on the table. He did not want to set a foot outside. His wife then watched behind the curtain whether the man hooded with rainwear really paid. Otherwise for sure she would have chased her husband out.

My tent at the lake

After 20 minutes the rain was over and the sun was shining again. I enjoyed the cycling, if one can still say that after 100 kilometers in the legs. My tent is pitched at a campsite in the town of Kreuzlingen, right beside the lake. My balance on the second day of my donation bike tour “School up! River down!”: 115 kilometers. The rain probability of tomorrow’s Wednesday is, by the way, unfortunately still higher than today. Heaven will kiss me again, whether I want or not.

Date

12. September 2017 | 23:08

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