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Sunday, April 27, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Its a good thing I was an only child and had to learn to entertain myself...
I spend a great deal of time on my own, obviously. Luckily I am very good at keeping myself entertained. One game is to make up catch phrases for German signs, pretending that they are in English. Let me see if I can explain… For instance, 'Exit' is 'Ausfahrt' - which is the type of flatulence experienced by Austrians. 'Entrance' is 'Einfahrt', which I assume is special gas only passed by Einstein. There is a German bank called Sparkasse (shparkaasay). Which I can gather is only for people with hot bottoms. I could go on, but I have a feeling its only fun for me…
I think very interesting things. Oh yes, very interesting… such as the witty banter that I would have had onstage with Ani DeFranco had I been on tour with her as a burgeoning young solo artist in the mid '90's. We would’ve been great pals. I have developed a new video game that pits the cast of Star Wars against those of Star Trek. I have special moves figured out for all my favourite characters and everything. Star Wars would win every time of course, although the Borg would be hard to beat. You cannot steal this idea.
My favourite game is simply called `Dodge`. It, obviously, involves dodging things. With my bike. Usually it is a simple version called `Dot Dodge` where I dodge either the light spots in the pavement, or sometimes the dark ones, or sometimes both, depending on the challenge I am looking for. The stakes are higher if there is a lot of goose poop or glass on the trail. When it rains, snails crawl out onto the bike paths and then there are actually lives on the line. Its very intense and should only be attempted by those confident on a bicycle.
Also, due to my lack of actual human companionship, I have developed very close personal relationships with inanimate objects such as my tent and sleeping mat. In fact, I learned a very important lesson from my mattress the other day. I will try to be brief, because I am sure you don’t care. It used to be that you bought your thermarest with a bag. Nowadays you have to buy the bag separately (marketing genius at work). I bought the bag that the thermarest fit in most closely, hoping to conserve space in my kit. The problem is, of course, that you can never ever pack the thermarest as small as it comes from the manufacturer. Thus, every morning I have the same argument with my thermarest. “Why don’t you just FIT” I say. “Every morning we go through this and you eventually fit in this bag. So just get on with it and quit wasting my time”. Then one day I realized: this is not the fault of the thermarest. The thermarest is what it is, and cannot change. I am the one who chose the bag that it is supposed to fit in. It was my idea of what the mattress was supposed to be that was causing the problem, not the mattress itself. If more people applied this lesson to their interactions with others, the world would be a better place. I now refer to this as the thermarest rule. You can steal this idea.
So there you go. A window into what goes on in my head while on the road. Anyone wondering about the state of my sanity need not worry any longer. It is completely gone.
I think very interesting things. Oh yes, very interesting… such as the witty banter that I would have had onstage with Ani DeFranco had I been on tour with her as a burgeoning young solo artist in the mid '90's. We would’ve been great pals. I have developed a new video game that pits the cast of Star Wars against those of Star Trek. I have special moves figured out for all my favourite characters and everything. Star Wars would win every time of course, although the Borg would be hard to beat. You cannot steal this idea.
My favourite game is simply called `Dodge`. It, obviously, involves dodging things. With my bike. Usually it is a simple version called `Dot Dodge` where I dodge either the light spots in the pavement, or sometimes the dark ones, or sometimes both, depending on the challenge I am looking for. The stakes are higher if there is a lot of goose poop or glass on the trail. When it rains, snails crawl out onto the bike paths and then there are actually lives on the line. Its very intense and should only be attempted by those confident on a bicycle.
Also, due to my lack of actual human companionship, I have developed very close personal relationships with inanimate objects such as my tent and sleeping mat. In fact, I learned a very important lesson from my mattress the other day. I will try to be brief, because I am sure you don’t care. It used to be that you bought your thermarest with a bag. Nowadays you have to buy the bag separately (marketing genius at work). I bought the bag that the thermarest fit in most closely, hoping to conserve space in my kit. The problem is, of course, that you can never ever pack the thermarest as small as it comes from the manufacturer. Thus, every morning I have the same argument with my thermarest. “Why don’t you just FIT” I say. “Every morning we go through this and you eventually fit in this bag. So just get on with it and quit wasting my time”. Then one day I realized: this is not the fault of the thermarest. The thermarest is what it is, and cannot change. I am the one who chose the bag that it is supposed to fit in. It was my idea of what the mattress was supposed to be that was causing the problem, not the mattress itself. If more people applied this lesson to their interactions with others, the world would be a better place. I now refer to this as the thermarest rule. You can steal this idea.
So there you go. A window into what goes on in my head while on the road. Anyone wondering about the state of my sanity need not worry any longer. It is completely gone.
Photo Album 4: Feiburg to Vienna
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Feiburg to Vienna
Oh yah! I'm getting good at this game!
According to my calculations, I landed on foreign soil 36 days ago, have been actually covering ground on my bike for 24 of those days, and have peddled 2,113 km so far. For those of you interested in such things, my maximum distance in a day has been 132 km, the minimum is 52 km, and the average is just under 90 km. My average speed is roughly 18 km/hr. I have replaced one inertube and one set of break pads. I have fallen over three times, but never hard enough to break the eggs in my saddle bag.
I have completed the first two phases of my journey: the Rhine River to Freiburg and the Danube River to Vienna. The third phase is to get myself to Malta, but I haven’t quite figured out how I will do that yet. I have roughly two weeks to get there, so riding my bike the whole way may not be an option. I will let you know what I am doing next as soon as I have figured it out.
The Danube (or Donau as it is known locally) flows through some exceedingly beautiful country. The landscape alternates between wide, lush valleys full of freshly seeded fields and small villages with red roofed houses to narrow corridors created by steep sided mountains which are speckled with cliff faces (should have brought my climbing shoes) and covered in forests. Even in the mountainous areas the bike path is flat, following the shore of this impressive river. I feel much like a proud parent as I have watched it grow from a trickling little stream in Donaueschengen into a huge behemoth at Vienna, flowing quickly by on its way to the Black Sea. Part of me wants to keep riding with this river all the way to its end, but that’s kind of the wrong direction. As a side note, I don’t know who wrote that famous old song “The Blue Danube” but they were obviously one of the 7% of the male population that suffers from colour blindness. Its more browny green than anything.
Since Freiburg my movement has been more or less continuous. Aside from spending a few lovely days in Regensburg, I covered ground every day. It is getting warm now, and I have experienced the flavour of what it will be like to ride in the heat of the summer. So far the only weather that can put a cramp in my style is a strong headwind. I spent one day riding into one, and it slowed me down to less than 15 km/hr, which was frustrating. I should note that the next day the wind decided to change directions, and it pushed me all the way to my destination. I didn’t even have to peddle and I went 15 km/hr!
I miss everyone at home, but am so grateful for the comfort I find inside myself. There have been times on the trail when I am overwhelmed by my experience. Sometimes the combination of the scenery, the secret life of the local people around me, the music of nature, my thoughts and feelings (and maybe also the music I am listening to) combine to make some of the most potent experiences of my entire life. My throat clenches and tears well in my eyes. It is these times that I wish for your company. But that is the nature of my journey… the paradox that I am living in now. To experience the things that I wish I could share, I must be alone. Life is a mysterious and wonderful thing… I am happy I will never fully understand it, because I love so much to uncover its secrets as I grow.
Thank you for reading this, I carry you all with me as I go. Right on the front of my handlebars where you can get the best view.
With much love from Vienna: Devon
According to my calculations, I landed on foreign soil 36 days ago, have been actually covering ground on my bike for 24 of those days, and have peddled 2,113 km so far. For those of you interested in such things, my maximum distance in a day has been 132 km, the minimum is 52 km, and the average is just under 90 km. My average speed is roughly 18 km/hr. I have replaced one inertube and one set of break pads. I have fallen over three times, but never hard enough to break the eggs in my saddle bag.
I have completed the first two phases of my journey: the Rhine River to Freiburg and the Danube River to Vienna. The third phase is to get myself to Malta, but I haven’t quite figured out how I will do that yet. I have roughly two weeks to get there, so riding my bike the whole way may not be an option. I will let you know what I am doing next as soon as I have figured it out.
The Danube (or Donau as it is known locally) flows through some exceedingly beautiful country. The landscape alternates between wide, lush valleys full of freshly seeded fields and small villages with red roofed houses to narrow corridors created by steep sided mountains which are speckled with cliff faces (should have brought my climbing shoes) and covered in forests. Even in the mountainous areas the bike path is flat, following the shore of this impressive river. I feel much like a proud parent as I have watched it grow from a trickling little stream in Donaueschengen into a huge behemoth at Vienna, flowing quickly by on its way to the Black Sea. Part of me wants to keep riding with this river all the way to its end, but that’s kind of the wrong direction. As a side note, I don’t know who wrote that famous old song “The Blue Danube” but they were obviously one of the 7% of the male population that suffers from colour blindness. Its more browny green than anything.
Since Freiburg my movement has been more or less continuous. Aside from spending a few lovely days in Regensburg, I covered ground every day. It is getting warm now, and I have experienced the flavour of what it will be like to ride in the heat of the summer. So far the only weather that can put a cramp in my style is a strong headwind. I spent one day riding into one, and it slowed me down to less than 15 km/hr, which was frustrating. I should note that the next day the wind decided to change directions, and it pushed me all the way to my destination. I didn’t even have to peddle and I went 15 km/hr!
I miss everyone at home, but am so grateful for the comfort I find inside myself. There have been times on the trail when I am overwhelmed by my experience. Sometimes the combination of the scenery, the secret life of the local people around me, the music of nature, my thoughts and feelings (and maybe also the music I am listening to) combine to make some of the most potent experiences of my entire life. My throat clenches and tears well in my eyes. It is these times that I wish for your company. But that is the nature of my journey… the paradox that I am living in now. To experience the things that I wish I could share, I must be alone. Life is a mysterious and wonderful thing… I am happy I will never fully understand it, because I love so much to uncover its secrets as I grow.
Thank you for reading this, I carry you all with me as I go. Right on the front of my handlebars where you can get the best view.
With much love from Vienna: Devon
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Photo Album 3: Oppenheim to Freiburg
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A note to lovers
Just in case any of you lovebirds out there are searching for a romantic getaway, may I make a suggestion? Fly to Frankfurt, take a train to the city of Mainz, rent a couple bikes, and head north along the Rhine (this way you will be heading downhill and will have the wind at your back). You dont have to be as intense as I have been... two bags will suffice: one for a few changes of cloths and the other for your picnic and several bottles of wine. You needent camp as hostels are generously distributed along the route. There are also several castles that have been converted to fancy hotels if you want to splurge for a special occasion.
Two weeks would easily be enough to ride all the way to Koln without overexerting yourself (it is roughly 140 km, which would mean you only have to travel 10 km a day. To give you an idea, I travel at an average of 20 km/hour fully loaded). And if you get tired of the back of a bike, there are river cruises as an alternate form of transportation. Visit some castles, taste some wines, explore cathedrals and villages, take plenty or rests in the countryside. You will not be dissapointed. Just thinking about it is so romantic... excuse me while I go and seduce myself.
Two weeks would easily be enough to ride all the way to Koln without overexerting yourself (it is roughly 140 km, which would mean you only have to travel 10 km a day. To give you an idea, I travel at an average of 20 km/hour fully loaded). And if you get tired of the back of a bike, there are river cruises as an alternate form of transportation. Visit some castles, taste some wines, explore cathedrals and villages, take plenty or rests in the countryside. You will not be dissapointed. Just thinking about it is so romantic... excuse me while I go and seduce myself.
Photo Album 2: Dusseldorf to Oppenheim
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Dusseldorf to Freiburg
Guten Tag!
Well, I have been on the road for a couple weeks now, and am loving my time. I have many stories that I want to tell you. Like these ones:
I left the luxury of Reiner and Gitta Luttgens on March the 27th and almost immediately got lost. Making my way back to the Rhine River proved to be difficult, but I made it. I am so grateful for the kindness of strangers. Many are free with directional information (which seems to be accurate about 75% of the time), and one nice fellow even rode with me for several km on my way to Koln (Cologne). Koln is a beautiful city, with a really fun hostel. This is where they invented perfume (I might be making that up…). The chapel in Koln is absolutely fantastic. And only took about 600 years to build. No big deal.
I kind of got stuck in Koln for a few days. I just rode my bike around during the day exploring and gathering information and supplies (including camp fuel). The weather changed from snow to rain and then to sun, which made everything a bit easier. You can buy big bottles of beer here for roughly 50 cents at the grocery store and drink them while you walk home. Canada could learn a few things… I met lots of nice travelers in the hostel and generally had a great stay. But the time came to leave, and I did so with a vengeance, a strong wind at my bike. What ensued were some of the most spectacular days ever.
This area of the Rhine is famous for its beauty, and it didn’t disappoint. This is the wine growing region, with castles on every other hilltop and quaint villages nestled in the valley bottoms. My pictures will have to testify to the true nature of the place, because I don’t have the words to describe it. Also, spring has sprung. Just like that. Green on the trees, blossoms, birds singing, the works. The spring had sprung in me too, and I rode hard all day. Which is good, because I had to make it to Koblenz, over 100 km away and I hadn’t gotten started until noon. I made it there just as dusk was falling and slept in a hostel located on the grounds of an old German castle on a hilltop. It was okay.
The next day I took it a lot more slowly, stopping for many breaks. I passed one of the few German castles that hasn’t been bombed or otherwise altered since its construction in the Middle Ages. I stopped there for lunch and, since you had to splurge for a tour of the inside, I chose to scramble my way around its walls looking at its outside. It feels a lot like a dream now.That night I stayed in a campground right on the water. The son of the owners is scheduled to head to Canada with three of his friends in May, so they bought me a beer and we talked about cultural differences (ie: beer prices and drinking on the street). The next day I got into more industrial areas that weren’t nearly as exciting. And, again, got badly lost. Also, the only campground around was closed, so I had to squat there. Thankfully I found a local grill where I ate half a deep fried chicken and pomme frits and a really big beer. That made me feel better.
I’ve started to meet other bike tourers now. Well, three. On April 2nd, just south of a place called Spayer, I crossed paths with a German fellow named Thorston and we ended up riding together for a few days, into France and on to Strasbourg. It was really nice to have the company, and his grasp of the German language got us through a difficult section of trail full of detours due to construction.
Strasbourg was okay, but I have determined that you need two of three things to have a good time there: the ability to speak French, disposable income, or friends. All of which I am in short supply of at the moment. So I left after a day of exploration. What I found in front of me was the most quiet low-maintenance stretch of trail so far. I barely saw anyone, and even though there was a strong headwind all day, I enjoyed the solitude and freedom. My pace is easy now, and I am not rushing anywhere. I have aches and pains, but movement cures all.
And now I am in Frieburg, my transition point between the Rhine and Danube Rivers. I have been fortunate enough to line up a couchsurfing host named Cathie, and it has been such a wonderful experience. So much cooler than a hostel. I will spend a few days here getting mentally prepared and then head into the Black Forest to find the headwaters of my next river companion.
For those of you who read this far: I bit you adieu.
The Devomobile
PS: For the purposes of historical accuracy, I need to correct a mistake in my last missive. Romans did indeed pave their roads. But I guess somewhere along the way their empire fell apart and subsequent authorities did not keep up a proper maintenance schedule. Thus, the nice Roman pavement turned to dust. Likely the same dust which covered my tires and wore my brake pads down to little nubs.
Well, I have been on the road for a couple weeks now, and am loving my time. I have many stories that I want to tell you. Like these ones:
I left the luxury of Reiner and Gitta Luttgens on March the 27th and almost immediately got lost. Making my way back to the Rhine River proved to be difficult, but I made it. I am so grateful for the kindness of strangers. Many are free with directional information (which seems to be accurate about 75% of the time), and one nice fellow even rode with me for several km on my way to Koln (Cologne). Koln is a beautiful city, with a really fun hostel. This is where they invented perfume (I might be making that up…). The chapel in Koln is absolutely fantastic. And only took about 600 years to build. No big deal.
I kind of got stuck in Koln for a few days. I just rode my bike around during the day exploring and gathering information and supplies (including camp fuel). The weather changed from snow to rain and then to sun, which made everything a bit easier. You can buy big bottles of beer here for roughly 50 cents at the grocery store and drink them while you walk home. Canada could learn a few things… I met lots of nice travelers in the hostel and generally had a great stay. But the time came to leave, and I did so with a vengeance, a strong wind at my bike. What ensued were some of the most spectacular days ever.
This area of the Rhine is famous for its beauty, and it didn’t disappoint. This is the wine growing region, with castles on every other hilltop and quaint villages nestled in the valley bottoms. My pictures will have to testify to the true nature of the place, because I don’t have the words to describe it. Also, spring has sprung. Just like that. Green on the trees, blossoms, birds singing, the works. The spring had sprung in me too, and I rode hard all day. Which is good, because I had to make it to Koblenz, over 100 km away and I hadn’t gotten started until noon. I made it there just as dusk was falling and slept in a hostel located on the grounds of an old German castle on a hilltop. It was okay.
The next day I took it a lot more slowly, stopping for many breaks. I passed one of the few German castles that hasn’t been bombed or otherwise altered since its construction in the Middle Ages. I stopped there for lunch and, since you had to splurge for a tour of the inside, I chose to scramble my way around its walls looking at its outside. It feels a lot like a dream now.That night I stayed in a campground right on the water. The son of the owners is scheduled to head to Canada with three of his friends in May, so they bought me a beer and we talked about cultural differences (ie: beer prices and drinking on the street). The next day I got into more industrial areas that weren’t nearly as exciting. And, again, got badly lost. Also, the only campground around was closed, so I had to squat there. Thankfully I found a local grill where I ate half a deep fried chicken and pomme frits and a really big beer. That made me feel better.
I’ve started to meet other bike tourers now. Well, three. On April 2nd, just south of a place called Spayer, I crossed paths with a German fellow named Thorston and we ended up riding together for a few days, into France and on to Strasbourg. It was really nice to have the company, and his grasp of the German language got us through a difficult section of trail full of detours due to construction.
Strasbourg was okay, but I have determined that you need two of three things to have a good time there: the ability to speak French, disposable income, or friends. All of which I am in short supply of at the moment. So I left after a day of exploration. What I found in front of me was the most quiet low-maintenance stretch of trail so far. I barely saw anyone, and even though there was a strong headwind all day, I enjoyed the solitude and freedom. My pace is easy now, and I am not rushing anywhere. I have aches and pains, but movement cures all.
And now I am in Frieburg, my transition point between the Rhine and Danube Rivers. I have been fortunate enough to line up a couchsurfing host named Cathie, and it has been such a wonderful experience. So much cooler than a hostel. I will spend a few days here getting mentally prepared and then head into the Black Forest to find the headwaters of my next river companion.
For those of you who read this far: I bit you adieu.
The Devomobile
PS: For the purposes of historical accuracy, I need to correct a mistake in my last missive. Romans did indeed pave their roads. But I guess somewhere along the way their empire fell apart and subsequent authorities did not keep up a proper maintenance schedule. Thus, the nice Roman pavement turned to dust. Likely the same dust which covered my tires and wore my brake pads down to little nubs.
Photo Album 1: Amsterdam to Dusseldorf
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