September 10: Muden to Reil
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We awake to rain, but by 9:00 it's stopped. Temperatures have dropped into the 60's when we get on the road around 9:45. We wear our rain gear just to make sure it doesn't start again.
About an hour into the trip, we have a flat (the only one of the trip). The Slime in the tube prevents the puncture from resulting in an immediate deflation, so we pull off the trail and patch the tube. A few curious walkers stop to inquire about out trip - we respond in our best Marcel Marceau German. We pedal on into the small town and make a short stop for a cup of soup and some hot chocolate.
By noon, we've reached Alf, where we stop for a snack of bratwurst, fries,
and beer. 
Back on the road, we're headed for Reil when the rain starts again. After an hour or so, we take a break in a shelter and consult our maps. We meet two gentlemen who are on a "sporting vacation" tour of a couple hundred miles. We visit for a while and get some route suggestions, then head back into the rain.
Man does not live by wine alone... you can't forget the
beer. Whether you choose a light pilsner or a dark hefeweizen  ,
German beer is quite tasty. |
As we pass through the vineyards on route to Reil, we spot signs advertising the Gastehaus Emil Dauns which professes to be bike-friendly. When we reach Reil, we check the information map in the town center for directions. Along the Mosel, the river bank rises quickly, and of course the gastehaus is located at the top of a very steep hill - so steep that the trike's slick tires can't get a grip on the wet streets, forcing us to get off and push for a few hundred meters. But the walk is worth it. By the time we reach the top of the hill, the rain stops. The Dauns family are winemakers and offer us a taste of their wines when we arrive. Our room is clean and spacious, and only 38 euros, including breakfast. There are nice views of the vineyards and the river from the gastehaus. We take a short walk downhill and pick a restaurant for a pleasant meal. As we are walking through the town, we see a couple on recumbent bikes (the only recumbents we will see on this trip) zipping through town. We yell and wave, but they are too focused on their travels to stop and chat.
