arctic-cycler.com

Cycling through the sun with Dirk Tenhündfeld. We climbed the Drachenfels and rolled along the Rhein – Dirk on a heavy public rental bike. The sunset in Koblenz was amazing.

Tomorrow the big purchases must stop. I now have a new webcam – one that works. I also have a new helmet – one where the strap can be tightened.
Today I had a new cycling companion – Dirk Tenhündfeld, an old friend from the Aachen days, who now lives in Bonn. He came with a clunky Call-a bike, all ready to make it up the steep Drachenfels near Bonn.

Drachenfels is an imposing hill on the Rhein River with a ruin perched on the top. There’s also a train that goes up, and lots of tourists (like us). The view at the top is pretty special looking along the Rhein in both directions. The ride down was even better – a good road, and panoramas rolling out in front of us, opening out around each corner.

My ‘Drahtesel’ – as the German newspaper calls my bike – is much better than a call-a-bike (rental city bike). Poor Dirk had to struggle the whole way, and the pace got slower and slower. I wanted to make it to Koblenz today, and so we parted ways, Dirk took the train for the last 35km, and I sprinted to burn off some built up energy. We met for a lovely dinner in the market square in Koblenz.