Shaffhausen to Stein Am Rhein 23km - 15mi 🤭🤙
As promised yesterday, today evolved from being a 'regular pedal' to a 'tiddler'.... and what a tiddler it indeed ended as, at just a snip over 20km..... but what an incredible 20km..... much of it in beautiful Rheinside woodland (hinterland!), very quiet country lanes, and then, the 'piece de resistance', a beautiful stretch that I cycled with Dsve Micklewright on our 'LongWayOverChallenge2012' to Venice, Italy.... that being from Shaffhausen to Stein Am Rhein.... both incredibly beautiful places conjoined by utterly stunning countryside! Shaffhausen with its breathtaking RheinFall waterfalls to Stein Am Rhein's inimitable architectural exquisitary!!🥰🤙
After a pleasant lie in, we got rolling about 0930 with the promise of a swim(s) at our planned end stop of Stein Am Rhein. Barely on the outskirts of Shaffhausen we stumbled across a most delightful riverside café, and indulged in 'Swiss Priced' (dear...!) Coffee and Patisseries.... very good indeed, but very expensive!!
After our quick coffee break we rode the final 9 miles(🤭🤙) to our one day premature RestDay in Stein Am Rhein.... as I remembered for Dave&I ever so fleeting visit, the place is simply unmissable! And after today's visit its unmissability-ishness have increased from ¹⁰/¹⁰ to ³⁰/¹⁰..... in other words, 'don't ever consider missing this place, unless you're on your way to A&E, even then consider how tge patient may benefit from 'the waters'!🥰
Upon arrival in SAR we walked all around the beautiful streets&lanes before hitting upon a small restaurant/cafe for our lunch. After an elegantly simple lunch at this small but quietly sophisticated off the beaten track restaurant, we continue our meanders.... after a short while we found 'la rivera' side of town! Paul disappeared upon arrival and ultimately reappeared bearing two Toblerone ice cream bars!! 😋
You know, I've always had issues with obeying my 'olders&betters' and today is no exception!!!.... Within 30 minutes of eating my lunch I disrobed down to my cycling shorts, and dived off the jetty side into the crystal clear waters of The Rhein.... the clarity of which would rival any tap water east of The Volga.... no agonising cramps overwhelmed me, no throwing up, convulsions or any other malady apart from pure unadultered pleasure..... and indeed when I had barely emerged from theccooling waters a voice landed upon my ears (one with hearing aid.... and one without..... you got it, I dived in with my hearing aids in place.... so now I must explain to my GP how I came about to see one of my two hearing aids head off to the depths of The Rhein....🤦♂️FFS!!) telling me that it is not only permittong to dive off the jetty, but also OK to dive/jump off the bridge some 200m further upstream...... and so you have it, once again I disregarded advice of an elder by NOT diving or jumping off a bridge designed for carrying not only cars&trucks, but also cyclists and pedestrian from one side of this often fast paced river, to the other in complete safety......and here is where I introduce 88yr old Ruth into the story!!🤩
Imagine, I would expect to be told off for doing something many would see as wreckless, and here's this 88 yr old Ruth telling me to take my adventurousness spirit to the nearest bridge and throw it off the highest point into the river below..... needless to say, I did not!! Paul picked up on her good command if english and asked her about it, and she, most interstingly gave us 30 minute potted history of, "Life According to Ruth!! A most delightfully interesting, and well spoken lady she is! She talked about her 4yrs in Toronto at the TD Bank at Spadina&College in Toronto, and then the 4 yrs after, in NewYorkNewYork (a city so nice they named it twice).... also about her Italian 1st husband and her beloved son Marco, and also of her adventurous travels back&forth accross America in pursuit of her dreams with Hubby #2. Ruth met Fritz under rather unusual circumstsnces ('POM') and they married at once upon his release from his debt! She is an incredible lady, looking not a day over 74 yr of age, complete with a series of life stories that could only come from someone beyond the age of 127yr of age, and willing to be most engaged to tell 'her story'!!
After our Life Lesson by Ruth we made it to the campsite by 4pm, we set up camp and went for a long swim amongst the swift Rhein currents just off the campsites edge!!! Neat!!
Dave knocked up a pork belly&sausage meat cassolet with cannoli beans, cream fraische, smoked and regular paprika, all washed down with a Stein Am Rhein rosé (50cl) appetiser, and a Reiling Salviner white to go with the main course
!!
So ends another marvelloud day!!
Doug&Paul
PS - Remind to do a video diary from inside of my tent one night..... all the world's great bloggers seem to do those from to time!!🤣👍
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