Day 4, Worms to Karlsruhe, 113 km

So the first time I left I thought, That's the quickest and easiest yet on this trip that I've left a town and found the route, until I remembered my water bottles left on the hotel sink. I cycled back 4 km to get them. It was 8 a.m. the second time I left.

That being said it was a terrific day. I'd received a positive reply on Warmshowers, so I had a host for the evening. The sun was shining and temps were perfect. I really am loving riding next to the Rhine, but also the little paths cut through nature parks/forests, and the flood rules type of no man land, where it is so quiet, it is just me breathing, the sound of my tires, and birds.

My first glitch was the bridge from Ludwigshafen to Mannheim. Totally lost the route after a series of detours and highway overpasses. In fact, I thought I'd crossed the Rhine there were so many ramps etc. But, no, I stopped a poor guy who in English told me no, I was still in Ludwigshafen. I couldn't escape. Finally I saw another cyclist who, though he had no bags, didn't look like a commuter either. I asked him and he said he was looking for it too. He told me to follow him. My new favorite phrase. He got me over into Mannheim, and really after that I was able to use my phone and paper maps, and of course the signage, without too much difficulty. 

Highlights: the Dom in Speyer. I could see it in the distance rising up above the fields and flood dykes. It was so beautiful. I spent about an hour there eating lunch and buying postcards. Leaving again, not much of a problem.

After Germensheim I was for a long distance in a remote area, just me on my bike. I couldn't exactly see the Rhine as I was in the flood plain. At Leimersheim I caught the ferry, my second of the day, and once on the other side--it just felt golden. The lowering sun, the coolness of the forest and grasses. I loved it. 

My phone brought me all the way to my host's apartment, a student dorm.. He's not home, so I'm staying in his room with about 10 other flatmates. I'm like a grandma to these kids, but they all want to hear about my trip and are amazed that I cycled over 100 km in one day. Obviously not a lot by USA standards.

The spires rising up

The golden road