Day 24 Rees, Germany - Lots of Treats for our last day in Germany

Joan's View

Found one!

Very warm yet here, but since we were unable to check in to our next room until 3, we started a bit later and made several fun stops with tasty treats today. A surprise for us was on the first 6 miles of the ride. It began with a steep hill to properly burn the legs into action and then onto a gravel path. The bumpy gravel continued through some woods.

Bumping along

We did find a large stretch of wild black berries along this bumpy path, but most needed more ripening. I did manage to find one to sample. 😁

At one point the route told us to turn right onto this grassy area. That was a no go. Tony searched and saw that the gravel path that we were on would come out at the same point as the grass supposed path. 

Turn onto this?

Morning bakery

We went through some serious woods.

Back onto typical bike trails, we later rode into a small village and found yet another delicious German bakery. 

That boost of energy took us several miles farther until we came upon a rural farm with a sign for strawberries. We just had to investigate. We discovered their large inviting barn store, and while they had no strawberries, they did have tons of other goodies. We bought some dried blueberries, roasted hazelnuts, their strawberry wine, and Tony got a bottle of hazelnut whiskey after he sufficiently sampled it. The owner of the farm was outside and when he saw us, he gave us two frozen strawberry popsicles made purely of strawberries.

Another generous business owner

A large selection of hazelnuts

I love superfoods!

Strawberry everything 😀

He wanted us to also see what he called an exhibit. In another part of that barn behind a door, he flipped a switch and lit up this huge room full of lighted handmade tables and metal lights crafted by his sister. It was magical. They are all for sale. If we lived closer, we might have bought one.

Tony amongst the lighted artworks

Riding a little farther in the increasing heat, Tony decided that he needed to cool down in the next shaded spot. That happened to be the next small village square. Across the street was a bakery/cafe. Tony bought a pastry along with my requested sausage of which he decided to get one for himself as well. That was our yummy lunch. 

We pedaled some more and in the next town was Eiscafe Lisa. We shared a appealing variety bowl of ice cream topped with fresh raspberries. Tony went inside to use the bathroom and came back out with an ice cream cone after eyeing all the flavors inside.

Tony on his second serving

As if we were back home on familiar turf, we merged back onto the EU bike trail 15, and we could see the Rhine again. We really were taking our time on our ride though since the earliest that we could get into our room was 3. We were near to our Airbnb room which is technically a hotel. Close to our destination we stopped at a small rest area overlooking some parks and part of the Rhine. Near there a group of bocce ball players were just starting their match. This is especially for the Huths and the Vanderhorst, since us girls usually dominate during our bocce games especially on vacations, because this group was using metal balls and picking them up with an extended magnet. I yelled a greeting out to them in German because they saw that we were intently watching them.

Players using their magnets to pick up the bocce balls.

At the rest area

We arrived at the hotel a little before 3. No, our room was not ready. Tony canvassed the place and saw where our room would be and how to get the tandem inside. 3:30 came and our room was still not ready. Tony was getting grumpy, so they offered him some coffee. He bit back that he did not want coffee at this time of the day, but he would take beer. They gave us each a free beer of which Tony managed to finish both. Almost 4:00 and our room was ready. The desk clerk started to show me to the room while Tony brought the bike around. She told us that it is not safe for the bike to be outside, and they have a garage. Tony asked if we could put it into our room. She said that she doubted it would fit. Haha. After lifting it up over a ledge and bringing it into the patio door, our tandem is safely with us for another night.

Coffee? Tony wanted free beer.

Tony's Extras

Most people who know me, know that my patience could be better. It is amazing how my patience improves with free beer. Hazelnut whiskey really tasted good. I found it when I was looking at these fresh hazelnuts, picked today. You can see the bottled nestled in the basket. Then I saw a help yourself sample table. I tasted it and a few others and this one was excellent, smooth and tasty. So, I went to the display and took that one. Now I have something to sip on. Probably open it tomorrow as we leave Germany and enter Netherlands.