when I woke up in my wee apartment flat in Mainz I considered making myself a coffee but the rooms cups were all too small, most independent hotel rooms I had been to so far didn't have coffee making facilities so i was used to just getting up and getting packed, even though I was up at 08:30 as usual it was around 9:30 when i was lugging my gear down the five floors and out into the street, where I had the bike locked to a lamp post, thankfully the Auld girl was still there i don`t think there is many bike thefts around these cities but there must be some? I was OK with risking it with the cheap bike lock with the Auld girl but was thinking that morning I would be a lot more worried about my new bike I have ordered, i decided once i start using the new bike for trips like this a new lock will be required
I cycled around town just to be a tourist there is some nice sights another beautiful Rhine side city, yet again on this trip I wouldn't have long enough to explore the city properly, I done my usual photo stops then had a cafe coffee with a roll before cycling down to the Rhine side, once there I had a look at the map and distances to make some decisions?
I had options but this days objective for me was all about getting to Mannheim to see my son, I was looking forward to that and knew he would be working in the morning I wanted to time my journey so that I would arrive at his house for around 2-3PM, the cycle path sign post said the distance along the Rhine to the next town was 22km, I had a look at my maps this next town was still a long way from the next decent sized town and then still a long way from the final destination, I could have potentially cycle up the Rhine to a place called worm and then got the train from there? or I supposed I could have got the train to worm and cycle to Mannheim from there? but I felt if I was going to take a train anyway! I decided it made sense just to take the train from Mainz direct, I would be as`well getting the train there then i would have time to find my way from Mannheim main station to where cammy lives, until he got home,
this is what I opted for also it was a cycle back a fair way up through Mainz to the train station and i was guessing a faff once I got there with the bike, the ticket seller said it was no problem with the bike on the local trains it required no ticket or booking, I had to leave the loaded bike propped up in the busy station unguarded whilst buying my ticket which seemed a long time, there is three types of trains there`s the Sbahn trains that stop at every station on the line, the RE bahn trains that are faster and stop at a few stations and the Ice trains which are fast but only stop at main stations,
I was on the Sbahn 11:50 arriving at Mannheim at 13:15 and stopping at countless stations along the way, usual German train efficiency it was all on time and working perfectly, on arrival I had to find my way to Cameron's town in the suburbs it looked about 10 kilometer, I had to use google maps and ended up going in the wrong direction for 3 mile! once back in the right direction north east of the city, I had to take shelter and put on my poncho for the first time as a quick thunder shower happened, this was welcomed by me as a chance to trial the poncho for the next trip, I looked like a FUD in it but it kept me dry and it was soon off as the rain stopped and it was clammy hot,
I eventually found a good cycle path out to Viernheim the town in the suburbs where Cameron lives, I got to his house less than ten minuets before he arrived home from work, beers were cracked and it was great to see him he got me settled to where to put my stuff where I would be sleeping then helped me put the bike away in the cellar, i put a washing on then hung it out on his balcony cycling stuff to be left for next time,
then we headed out, a quick march to his local train station cammy showed me where you stamp your tickets on the train. he said if you don`t you can be fined 60 euro on the spot fine, we got of at the main train station where there`s a big Irish bar called Murphy's law that he frequents, he had checked out some vegan food options for me i town for dinner, I opted for the Mexican place a ten Minuit walk away, we walked a little then spotted some scooters the electric ones I had seen in every city along the way but wasn't sure how they worked, it was easy though cammy quickly showed me how to upload the app to my phone it scanned my credit card and within 5 minuets we were powering through the cities cycle lanes at 20 kmph such fun, dinner was perfect for me, then after dinner we went out into the street retrieved our scooters you get a map of where they all are around you in the city should someone have used the ones we had left. this time was even quicker you just scan the head-post with the app the bike is then linked electronically to your phone and your off, back to the Irish bar until shutting time just missing the last train back taxi it was then! an excellent night out and the purpose of the cycle here now achieved
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