Day 343 – GERMANY: From Winden to Karlsruhe


Today’s distance / 今日の走行距離: 39.7km
Average speed / 平均速度: 15.0km/h
Time on skateboard / 走行時間: 2h 39m
Total skateboarding distance to date / 今までスケボで走った距離: 93.52km (plus 400km)
Total cycling distance to date / 今まで自転車で走った距離: 11,800km
Ascent / 上り: +130m
Descent / 下り: -130m

Thank you to the Wallers once again for their kind hospitality last night. The Wallers are part of the YFU network here in Germany. They have travelled extensively around the world, and entertained me with stories from Tibet, Tansania, Turkey, and other exotic places.

After updating the website and uploading photos, I got away at about 9:40am. By the time I had arrived in the small town of Haueneberstein after almost 6km at 10:30am, there was a strong tailwind helping me along. This tailwind stayed with me all day, and gave me some extra confidence as I skated on the main road due to the absence of a cycle path.

Between the small towns of Haueneberstein and Kuppenheim, the usually impeccable cycle path was non-existant, but cars gave me a wide berth, no doubt startled by my bright fluorescent vest attached to my pack.

After 13km at 11am, I had a snack break of 15minutes. Even though it wasn’t particularly cold, I had to find shelter out of the wind behind a large cherry tree to keep warm. At this stage my average speed was a rather nice 15.2km/h.

The town of Malsch was perhaps one of the most drab I have seen so far in Germany. I rolled through there just before noon, and admired the symetry of same-shaped houses.

German town (Malsch, Germany)

The town was all but deserted, with only the more daring locals braving the dark cloudy weather to venture outside.

After 25km, at noon, it was high time for a lunch break. Just a few minutes before stopping I had been tooted at by a highway maintenance van for skating on the road when there was a cycle path next to the road. The cycle path was in such bad condition however, that it was impractable to skate on it.

Since I only had a few more kms to go until Karlsruhe, I took a long lunch break. Three hours long. I slept for most of it. By lunch time my average speed had increased to 15.9km/h. Tailwinds are my friend.

Karlsruhe is a funny place. At 4 o’clock I arrived, and didn’t quite know what to make of it. The city center is a busy place, with pedestrians and trams bustling and jostling for dominance in the open square. And there is a stratling disproportionate amount of people eating icecreams.

Icecream eaters in Karlsruhe, Germany Icecream eaters in Karlsruhe, Germany

Icecream eaters in Karlsruhe, Germany Icecream eaters in Karlsruhe, Germany

Like, usually you don’t notice people eating icecream. But I tell you, they are everywhere in Karlsruhe. I think the icecream vendors in Karlsruhe must be putting something in the mix, if you know that I mean…

Castle in Karlsruhe, Germany


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15 thoughts on “Day 343 – GERMANY: From Winden to Karlsruhe

  • Murdo

    I guess some people might mistake you for some young rebellious skateboarder who has little regard for social etiquette. That is usually the brush with which most skateboarders get tarred.

    Have a great weekend on the board man

  • Chris J

    Hi Rob,

    Maybe you should try eating an ice cream as you skateboard? Perhaps easier than trying it on the old bike. Also the bored cops with nothing better to do would maybe leave you alone. "Hey look at that shady guy on the skateboard!" "Oh wait, he has an ice cream, must be a local, let him be…"

  • carl w.

    Good to see your ticking along and having fun in process, been at work for the last couple of weeks so first look see in ages.

    all the best from darkest surrey

  • akimoto

    Hello Jollynut,

    there icecream eaters everywhere in Germany in summertime, and pizza eaters and döner eaters and burger eaters, lots of.

    It seems you did not turn to Straßburg, which is a pitty because of its fantastic "Münster" (cathedral), but maybe if you pass Speyer, you have the chance to visit the DOM of Speyer, which is beautiful in its own way.

    Most of the tourists that come from abroad visit HEIDELBERG, mostly Americans. Well, it has its history.

    The further you go now, the bigger the cities will get. I hope traffic will not be too much for you. Good luck

    Akimoto

  • patricia

    Hi Rob,

    as a ex-karlsruher….did you check out how the ice-cream shops look like? They just pile ice-cream in beautiful waves of colours…if you walk by a shop you really feel the urge to eat one. And the best part is that mostly they taste great too….I think that is because they are mostly owned by italians though….:) And I think I put on between 5 and 7 Kgs in the year I was living there.

    Wish you lots of tailwinds!

    Patrícia

  • Eoin

    Hey Rob

    I cycled through Karlsruhe on my way to Budapest a few years back. I seem to remember the cycle path signs in the city being a bit misleading – watch out! Also if you get a chance there is a pretty cool "raft bridge" over the Rhine just to the south of where you are (so unfortunately you have probably already skated past it). It is located in between Rastatt, Germany and Seltz, France carries cars across the river, yet is completely engineless – it relies entirely on the power of the current to move! Worth a look if you have time.

    I also recall attending a cracking warehouse rave in Bretten (North East of where you are now).

  • Daniel N. Lang

    Hallo Rob! I am in Tehran right now and have found a really interesting page: http://www.onebag.com/ – I will study it and hopefully leave another few kilos back by getting new ideas how to reduce luggage and that is weight.

    BTW: Samuel (samu.cat) told me that his rucksack is 18kg heavy when he gave me a new pair of socks (he had 5 with him 🙂

  • Scott

    Hey, Rob! Going strong, eh? I'd like to hear a bit more about how your stove is working out. You've inspired me to make one, and the epoxy is setting as I write this. What has your experience been like? Do you miss a more conventional stove? I'll be playing around with my Pepsi can stove over the next few days.

    I'll be facing some freezing temps, which I've heard are a bit of a challenge. What about fuel doses?

    Anyway, a discussion of your cooking activities would be much appreciated.

    Cheers,

    Scott

    The HP Velo Bro

  • Rob Thomson Post author

    No need to send out the search parties. I am currently about 100km from Wim Hargig's (http://harwig.wordpress.com/) place, where I will spend some time getting to know a fellow recumbent rider and interesting family, and updating all the recent action.

    I am in Wuustwezel, Belgium sheltering from some massive head winds. It is a tough day today.

    @ Scott – I will do a write up on the stove when I do a big update on the site. It's going great and do not miss the MSR stove at all!