Mainz to Middle Rhine

We left Erfelden rather late in the day due to the Roth Family Research.  We found ourselves on a variety of bike-path surfaces including this rather tooth-loosening one. There were very few other travelers which made for a quiet trip while we chatted about our amazing luck.  We had our picnic quickly, seeing several storks grazing in the fields, and hurried on due to the dark clouds looming again...

The bike path into Mainz took us over this railway bridge, a new experience for us, but uneventful. 

We stopped for a cup of tea at a lovely riverfront cafe and, look what Sal spotted there. Why on earth?  We never did find out because we needed to find our hotel in the Old Town.

Another narrow cobbled street in the maze, with another intricately tooled metal sign.  The pretty pink building with crooked dormer windows at the end of the alley became our landmark.










The Kaiserdom Cathedral was lit up by the rays of the sun which sets very late this far north and at this time of year, giving it a warm glow.



The huge square is lined with other beautiful frescoed buildings like this one that houses a modern Apotheke or pharmacy.

But, was ist dies?  We see colorful flag-draped people rushing across the square towards some loud music with a strong beat and, of course,  we must investigate!

In a nearby square, a big party was going on and everyone was having a good time listening to the music and dancing under the watchful eye of Mainz' favorite son,

Johannes Gutenberg, inventor of movable type and father of the printing press.  He has been rated by some as the most important inventor in over 1000 years. 

Sadly, our energy level and the late Sunday morning opening of the museum meant that we did not see the many fine Gutenberg bibles and other works.

We waved goodbye to Mainz from the top of the bridge over the ever-widening river Rhine.

The river runs East-West at this point in a region known as the Middle Rhine,  a World Heritage site and a region known for its wine,  roses and Castles!  Here is one peeking out from behind a tree in in Eltville.

We had some more adventures on the bike paths which we will show you in another post, :)  but shortly afterwards we happened on a wine-tasting booth where seven local wine growers take turns each week in offering samples to passers by.

We had been noticing the hillsides were covered with rows of lush green vines, which are reputed to produce excellent white and rose wines.

A happy customer

Another ferry (much more fun than a bridge) took us to the other side where we overnighted in Bingen.  No, this is not our hotel but the Klopp castle up the hill. 

With imposing views looking north, the Rhine narrows to a gorge lined with forty or more Castles and fortresses in as many miles. 

Arriving Bacharach

Bacharach

City gate

More castles,  high and low!  Perfectly smooth wide paths along the river allowed us to make a fast "passage" as we crossed latitude 50 degrees N and arrived in Boppard for the night.  Who could ask for a better view from their window?

Roth Roots

We planned to travel the east side of the Rhine north of Worms so I might find some information about my grand father Jacob.  Little did I know the treasure trove of information about the history of the Roth family that awaited.
We started at the Reidstadt Rathaus (City Hall) where a helpful woman who could speak some English let us know that the records we needed (prior to 1875)  were at the museum or church in Erfelden and that they were closed for the next four days. Disappointed we explored the town and took some pictures of the church and Museum.
The next morning as we were planning to leave, a conversation with a hotel employee resulted  in an appointment with the museum Curator to visit the museum and view its files. What we discovered was a treasure trove of the history of Erfelden and the Roths.
Erfelden in Hessen, Germany was home to the Roth family for several centuries.   With the help of a most gracious bilingual translator from the hotel we had stayed at, we were able to learn of multiple generations of the Roth family in Erfelden.

Erfelden Rathaus now the village museum.

The Curator Walter Glock, Ken and Monica looking at the ancient records, many hand written in a barely readable old German script.  Without Monica's translating skills, we would not have succeeded in gaining this family history.

Among the many documents from the past was this 1909 photograph of the fishermen of Erfelden.  From the left: Heinrich Roth,  Ludwig Kessel, Adam Roth, two unknown, Ludwig Roth, Peter Elmer, Michal Shatner, Philipp Roth and the boys Johann Roth,  Peter Roth, and Valentin Roth.  

The stacks of binders in the little museum were impressive for such a small village.

We worked at reading the documents.  Some were hand written and others, while typed, were still in a format we were not used to seeing. Walter knew what we were looking for and succeed in finding the link to the earlier Roths in the village. My Grandfather Jacob was there in the records along with his eight siblings.  The parents of Jacob, Johann, Christian ll  and mother Anna Margarethe Mathew. Johann's father and mother are also listed, Johann Wendel ll née 21.01.1784 and mother Magdalena Roth née 20.08.1785.
Many others also listed will take some time to sort out and to find the links with the present day Roths still living in Erfelden.

The Roths hard at work.

The Roths lived at Fischergasse 7.

Thank you Walter, you made my day!

Riding in the Rhine

Having left the sophistication of Strasbourg, we started through the drizzly countryside to our next destination. Without a picnic lunch, we found food and shelter at a campground before carrying on...   Grated cheese,  hard boiled eggs and pink sausages are not exactly chosen items on a plant-based diet,  but the bread and cucumbers were good.  We had ordered a mixed salad from the menu and this was what arrived :)

 In the next quaint village, we found a 2,000 year old log on display.

While waiting for a ferry to cross the Rhine, we met a fellow who thought we were the funniest sight he'd ever seen. Could he be right?  Our yellow tandem and yellow rain jackets, added to the insanity of riding 1380 kilometres, made him double up and reel around with laughter.

Once aboard,  he insisted on taking our photograph with Sal's phone camera which was obviously a new experience for him.  He simply could not hold it straight or keep his fingers away from the lens, but at least he didn't drop the phone!

His hilarity was contagious,  and all the passengers joined in.

We had soon crossed the rain-filled river and opted for the path near the Rhine.

After some more wet days,  the river had started to burst it's banks but, after seeing some intrepid souls approaching from the other direction, we carried on. At last the inevitable happened and we had to pedal cautiously through the water.

Here we looked back in disbelief at the underwater path and decided we had ridden in the the Rhine!! 

We encountered two sections or the Rhine Route that were in the River each lasting about half a mile in length only the other riders coming in the other direction gave us the confidence to continue our ride through the muddy water sometimes four inches deep.

Elsewhere we were fortunate to find the cycle path high and dry on the dike.  The beautiful scenery and wild life along the path made it all worth while.

Another ferry ride across the Rhine this time on an unusual ferry,  one with out an engine.

The ferry was tethered to a cable strung across the river and only the river current propelled it across to the other side.

We took a side road near a lovely riding school, and enjoyed lunch nearby in a pleasant cafe.