Location: Koeln
Distance since last post: 15km
Weather: Brightening. Still 100% cloud

As I was leaving Bonn this morning I passed a trio of mountain bike riders. They where looking closely at one of the bikes and I heard them say ‘I think the gear has broken.’ My army-pattern bike might be heavy but its as solid as a rock!

Journey today was rather short and uneventful. There was little traffic on the paths apart from the  occasional animal and a rather stupid (and probably deaf) old man that cut across me to turn into a side path. You do NOT want to be hit by my bike! Fortunately we passed each other safely and gave each other a friendly wave (sort of!)

I didn’t get more than about 10 minutes computing power from the sun today. It was hopeless even stopping to try! Tomorrow is the last day for collecting solar energy and I am praying praying praying for just a few hours of sun to take me through to the finish line in Duesseldorf at midday on Monday.

I have updated the route map with a few more images. Hope you enjoy them.

Crossing the Rhein on a tiny Ferry (below)

Distance since last post: 40km
Weather: Mixed, cloudy. Hazy. Warm 20-22 degrees
Notes: Feeling really good. No aches. Pushing harder today. Cant stop eating sultanas! The hills on each side of the Rhein are getting bigger!

Winter is coming…If you take notice of the geese that is. I saw a flock flying south (following the River perhaps) this morning and wondered if they knew something that I didn’t. Its was lovely and warm yesterday and its pretty much the same today. Is there some nasty weather around the corner or did they get an SMS from some Geese mates in Africa telling them to come early?

Although its been warm its been very cloudy today. Much cloudier than yesterday and yet I still managed to get some charge into the Li-Ion battery and (I think) something into the lead-acid battery. Despite that though I’m using my spare battery and thinking carefully how to use the UMPC more efficiently. Daytime use (like now!) is not the best as the backlight needs to be turned right up. That’s draining an extra 2 watts compared to evening use when I can drop the backlight to minimum.

I felt very strong this morning and powered the 85KG bike/baggage combo through to Mainz in much less time than I had planned. It was really enjoyable. While the clouds where thick I kept on cycling and ended up in Eltville where the was a lovely Rhein terrace restaurant serving Spargel Suppe (Asparagus Soup.) I stayed for an hour while the solar panel and bike rested by a tree and then layed myself down on a bench for an after-lunch nap. After buying, writing and sending a few postcards I carried on the journey. The Rhein-side path was pretty bumpy and at every chance I tried to find another route but this was really the only sensible offering, the other being a trek up to the hills! Then, after about ten minutes I heard a crash behind me and stopped as quickly as I could. I looked back to see the battery packs and cables strewn across the path along with the shattered container. Shit! I gathered it all together, repacked it and then checked everything out.I think I’ve been lucky. Everything seems to be working still so I think it was just a warning from above to tell me not to take afternoon naps!  

Only about 20km to go until the campsite and having looked closely at my plan, it appears that I’m ahead in terms of distance but behind in terms of energy capture. I need to take longer breaks. But no afternoon naps!!