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Got off to a slow start today.
We had a look around Eltville. But we couldn't see the river due to the early morning mist.
I broke my cycling glasses. We lost the iPhone charger. But, worst still, I noticed (after some pedalling), that I only had one glove: the right. We returned to the hotel but no one was there do we had to wait until someone turned up. Unfortunately, the glove was not inside. Where was it?? Lost!
Forgetting the glove, and having taped up my cycling glasses (now my 'Jack Duckwort's), we set off.
We soon stopped at Nettos to pick up some calories (fruit, nuts and sweets) then set off again, only to notice a cycling glove in the road. It was a proper (ie expensive) gel glove and complimented mine perfectly. Not one for second hand clothes, I just took the find with glee.
Then we got lost in Mainz, which meant that it was nearly 11 am before we really got going! However, we found and bought a second hand iPhone charger from a stall in a car boot sale on the banks of the Rhine.
The morning mist burned off and a second really hot, sunny, day ensued.
We headed for Ludwigshafen, because it had a long name and sounded vaguely interesting. It was. Unlike the previous Rhine towns, it was new and one could 'smell the money'. We arrived just as a rock band were doing a cover of Whole Lotta Love on the riverside. Not bad! We ordered a beer and settled down to be entertained. A jet ski zoomed past us, up the river. This was a modern 'happening town' .
It transpired that Ludwigshafen is the home if the world's biggest chemical company: BASF. Most of the town have some contact with the company. It sponsors the buses. It appears on road signs. There are thousands if BASF cycles all over the place.
At the end of 2013, the company employed more than 112,000 people, with over 52,500 in Germany (mostly here in Ludwigshafen). Last year, BASF posted sales of €73.97 billion and income from operations before special items of about €7.2 billion. This is a one company town. And rich to boot!
Whilst we ate our meal, a firework display went off. Probably courtesy of BASF. Like everything else here.
We cycle at a 'good clip'.
Over the course of the last few days on the Rhine, we've caught and passed dozens of cycle tourist each day. So far no 'tourist cyclists' have passed us. We try to keep up 16 mph. One or two boy racers overtake, but not many!
- comments
Clem Sounds like you did not take my advice & got plastered last night! I think BASF bought out ICI's chemical division a few years ago