Category Archives: Biking

Riding Along the Rhine

Overcast, foggy and cool: a typical, late September day in Germany; but perfect for bike riding. Determined to bike along the Mittelrhein Wine Region this year, I could only hope for the happy coincidence of a break in the rain, and some free time. At least the rain held off, in spite of the leaden clouds overhead.

While I couldn’t pick the weather, I could pick the route. Having once taken a day cruise through the world heritage site of the Upper Middle Rhine, I decided to bike through the area for a closer look. It was a perfect choice as the Rhine Cycle Route stays on the left bank of the Rhine throughout this entire stretch. I narrowed it down even further. By starting at the edge of Boppard, near the vineyards, and ending in Bingen, I managed pass through or see two wine regions: the Mittelrhein, and the Rheingau on the opposite bank; and visit the best-known wine villages and river towns along the Upper Middle Rhine.

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Rhine Cycle Route – Upper Middle Rhine: Trail in a Nutshell

Trail Name: Rheinradweg (German)/Rhine Cycle Route, also known as Eurovelo 15

Trail Type: Long distance cycling trail; This segment is completely paved, well maintained, and much of it follows a dedicated trail for bicycles. The specific route marking is not always easy to see, but bike signs to the next town/destination are abundant. (Otherwise, just go with (or against) the flow, literally.)

Length:

Total: over 1200 km/circa 760 miles

Segment: circa 45 km/ 30 miles

Convenient to: Bingen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

Marking:

Rhine Cycle Trail and town distance markings
Rhine Cycle Trail and town distance markings

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The Main Bike Trail: The Main and Wine

The resolve to bike along the Main River began with an earlier visit to the Veitshoechheim Palace and seeing the wide, asphalted bike path on the opposite shore in Margetshoechheim. The Main has always served as a commercial trading artery; barges, ferries, and even cruise ships nowadays, ply the waterway in an unending parade of river life. The Mainradweg trail offers bicyclists a fabulous opportunity to see all this activity, as well as some of Franconia’s most iconic vineyards and wine towns, on a leisurely ride along its gentle banks. It is easy to see why the 375-mile trail, which follows the river from east of Bayreuth to the Rhine at Wiesbaden, consistently wins awards in many categories: The route is well-marked, well-maintained, well-organized with bike-tourism services, and marvelously laid out – passing through idyllic countryside and picturesque villages and towns. It is extremely popular with German tourists, many of whom, judging from the overloaded panniers, complete several stages over a period of days.

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Alto Adige: A Trail of Lagrein and Sauvignon

The Alto Adige is Italy’s name for the province beginning north of Trento, and continuing north to the Austrian border. Formerly a part of Austria, this bilingual region has another name for itself: the Suedtirol (South Tirol). In this area, grapes grow on the sunny side of the Dolomites mountains. To highlight its wine-making culture, landscape and traditions, the region has developed three biking circuits that allow wine-enthusiast bicyclists to explore this beautiful area.

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Biking Franciacorta’s Green Route

Green is supposedly a calming color, I recalled as I cycled along Franciacorta’s Percorso Verde (Green Route). There could be some truth in that: The amount of green on this route seems to have created the most relaxed, carefree people I have met in a long time – and I count myself among that group on that delightful day.

I first noticed it in the town of Paratico, on the hill overlooking Lake Iseo. As I was photographing the incredibly blue lake spreading out in the distance, several runners came uphill behind me. Male and female, of all ages and sizes, they were obviously enjoying themselves on a group “fun-run”, and wanted me to photograph them as well.

Lago D'Iseo from Above
Lago D’Iseo from Above

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Biking the Magical Weinsagen Tour

 

Hills and hidden dales, fields and dark forests, quiet vineyards and orchards, the Ortenau wine region is quite enchanting. Set in the foothills of the Rhine-side of the Black Forest in the state of Baden, it has a long history of wine making. When I recently came across a wine-themed bicycling circuit, the Weinsagen (Wine Myths), I had to try it.

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Weinsagen Tour: Trail in a Nutshell

Trail Name: Weinsagen Tour

Trail type: A medium-distance cycling circuit; mostly paved, some hard packed earth, well maintained and marked, albeit with only standard bike route indicators in some places.

Length: Total: 40.5 km/25 miles

Convenient to:

Baden-Baden, Baden-Wuertemberg, Germany

Strasbourg, Alsace, France

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Luxembourg’s Velo Vinum

Little country, big sparkling wines, and a mid-sized bike trail. Luxembourg, tucked between Germany, France, and Belgium, is a small jewel of a place. It has taken the best of French and German wine-making and culinary practices, and incorporated them into its own. This is especially true of its sparkling wine production techniques.

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Valtellina Trail

Biking Through Valtellina

 

 Italy’s Valtellina wines are amazing, but even more amazing is the Sentiero Valtellina, a mostly paved bike trail beginning near Grosotto, in the Alps, and ending on Lake Como in Colico. It is an unspoiled 95 kilometer stretch of trail born of a cooperative venture among the valley communities, well-maintained, signposted in most spots, and enjoyed by walkers, joggers, and roller-bladers, as well as bikers, young and old.

Vineyards and Villages
Vineyards and Villages

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