injebreck99
Free Member
Went on that very train, in the open sided carriage, a scary trip in places.!!
Helen the Hymer
- Thread starter Cleve
- Start date
Hello each,
Sadly, you are pushing at an open door. The "T" shirt I am wearing this very moment depicts the very railroad. To make it worse, I have models of one of the lines locomotives and a full rake of carriages. My job before last allowed me to travel (while working) in the USA. Another line I would recommend is the Strasburg up in Pennsylvania (it has a museum and some sadly rusting locos outside) but the railway and the exhibits are excellent. Fortunately for all I am away from base for the next 5 or 6 months drinking in France (and a little Switzerland) otherwise I would post a picture of a carriage with a most interesting name - in a naughty way. Another good place to visit is the Baltimore & Ohio museum at you've guessed Baltimore. The exhibits in the round house are well worth the visit (I am pleased to report that I have models of many of them in varying scales). I regret that from time to time this thread will be peppered with the railway topic. When I make it to the coast no one will want to see the beaches, well not the ones I will be on!
Having hit retirement I need to find somewhere to live and then hopefully in 2018 I can spend a few months in the USA. I am keen to do the trip East to West, I have done North to South and though I toyed with the idea of renting an RV it is cheaper to rent a car and stay in the Comfort hotels. I learned an awful lot about the Civil War when I did my road trip but that was over 10 years ago. Thanks for thinking of me and keep the suggestions coming, Durango will be seeing me again . Clive
Just to add, with this quick edit that I enjoyed the 1664 and have just finished the bottle I started yesterday. Thank you for your support.
Sadly, you are pushing at an open door. The "T" shirt I am wearing this very moment depicts the very railroad. To make it worse, I have models of one of the lines locomotives and a full rake of carriages. My job before last allowed me to travel (while working) in the USA. Another line I would recommend is the Strasburg up in Pennsylvania (it has a museum and some sadly rusting locos outside) but the railway and the exhibits are excellent. Fortunately for all I am away from base for the next 5 or 6 months drinking in France (and a little Switzerland) otherwise I would post a picture of a carriage with a most interesting name - in a naughty way. Another good place to visit is the Baltimore & Ohio museum at you've guessed Baltimore. The exhibits in the round house are well worth the visit (I am pleased to report that I have models of many of them in varying scales). I regret that from time to time this thread will be peppered with the railway topic. When I make it to the coast no one will want to see the beaches, well not the ones I will be on!
Having hit retirement I need to find somewhere to live and then hopefully in 2018 I can spend a few months in the USA. I am keen to do the trip East to West, I have done North to South and though I toyed with the idea of renting an RV it is cheaper to rent a car and stay in the Comfort hotels. I learned an awful lot about the Civil War when I did my road trip but that was over 10 years ago. Thanks for thinking of me and keep the suggestions coming, Durango will be seeing me again . Clive
Just to add, with this quick edit that I enjoyed the 1664 and have just finished the bottle I started yesterday. Thank you for your support.
scousebird
LIFE MEMBER
Clive, loving your blog & photos. Keep 'em coming 
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Jeudi le 4 mai (jour 6 et non "le force" n'est pas ici, où est Spok? Oui, je sais, je me préfère la belle Lai (?))
Hello from an exceeding damp Abreschviller. It threw it down all night and this morning. There was a gap when I visited the showers and how lovely that was. Nothing has changed though, still the only one here. Regarding the facilities here, for me they are perfectly adequate, they may be maturing but so am I and they all work (sometimes I wonder about bits of me). I particularly enjoyed my shower because it had a shower head on the end of a flexible hose, a mixer tap where I could set the temperature and I could just let it flow - absolute bliss. Having spent many showers forcing the small of my back to keep the knob pushed in and the water flowing I am surprised I don't have a little ring back there! Behave!
Not only was it damp but I think this must have been the laziest regarding getting up for me for absolutely years, 10.00, mind you I did take three cups of tea while relaxing there and reading the latest post on the forum. Part of my waking up routine. You just have to laugh at some of the responses and feel so sorry for the poor original poster but it is all in good fun.
So, when I did finally surface it was a morning of odd jobs and making a list of what I must do and what shopping I need to do. It looks as if I am teetotal in a few minutes time as I have exhausted the supply of drink and I don't plan shopping until Monday when I move on (merde). Meanwhile Tonto was looking strangely at the Lone Ranger ...
After a lovely salad lunch I am pleased to say the clouds peeled back and the sun emerged - hallelujah! I wandered round to the little station, only metres away and bought a ticket for the afternoon train. I carried on sauntering around and then I noticed that the advertised steam train had been replaced by a diesel - not good, I had bought a ticket for the "Orient Express" so I returned to the billeterie and confirmed. The maturing lady who I had found most helpful yesterday said it was OK and I could use my ticket on samedi ou dimanche so pas de problem. I explained that I have a model of one of the steam locomotives on the line and that was partly why I was here, would it be possible to look at the engine and take pictures, she basically told me to help myself, so I did.
Below should be a picture of a Jung 0-6-0 engine of which I have a live steam model (sadly I have not been able to run her for over 10 years because of working away and mine is green not black).
I took loads of photos as you would expect then sat on a bench to wait, watch and film the little diesel depart. I had examined the bench with my hand before committing myself to sitting on it and to all intents and purposes it felt dry. When I later got up to watch the train, I had that distinct feeling of dampness round my bum, I hoped two things, 1) that my coat was hanging low enough to conceal it and 2) people would not think I was incontinent ! Diesel below:
Following the departure, it had really brightened up a lot and I decided to explore "la ville sur pied", I did not walk very far in the time, about an hour and a half but it was good to get some exercise no matter how limited. First of all a view of the Gite adjacent to the site, this was originally a "moulin" (pas rouge).
I walked up into the "ville" and found out that there had been a covered market this morning. I would have drowned if I tried to go to it so not to disappointed. The church rings out the quarter, half, three quarter hours and then the hours. It is not unpleasant. I have no religious leanings, but I do like the architecture and the organ music, that apart what I am unable to grasp is the number and sizes of these churches when the population was so significantly smaller, I feel so sorry for those poor peasants working so hard, for so long and giving what little they had. We all have to believe in something but .... église below
I enjoyed my wander and ended up above the la ville (I was standing in the dead centre) and took a panorama shot, I don't know if these upload or not, let's see.
Well, there is something there. See if you can spot Helen, you will have to enlarge it to see.
Nice plod back, this seems to be yet another area where the "industry" of the past has disappeared. The large area where the cut timbers were assembled before transport have been stripped bare. Where are the jobs to come from in the future, thank goodness I am now retired, just make sure you all keep paying my pension. We don't appear to make anything any more, I disagreed with baling out the bankers in 2008 and think they should have been allowed to crash and burn, where else can you pay yourself bonuses for failure. They will be off like long dogs and leave us in the lurch.
(mini rant over).
The sun was really out when I got back to Helen so here is a picture of her nestling next to the sliver birch (which is probably dropping sap all over my nice clean roof).
The forecast for tomorrow is not brilliant but I will play it by ear. I hope to ride along the valley floor, they have made a cycle way of the old railway formation so the gradients where they exist will be kind.
I will let you know how I got on tomorrow. All the best Clive
Hello from an exceeding damp Abreschviller. It threw it down all night and this morning. There was a gap when I visited the showers and how lovely that was. Nothing has changed though, still the only one here. Regarding the facilities here, for me they are perfectly adequate, they may be maturing but so am I and they all work (sometimes I wonder about bits of me). I particularly enjoyed my shower because it had a shower head on the end of a flexible hose, a mixer tap where I could set the temperature and I could just let it flow - absolute bliss. Having spent many showers forcing the small of my back to keep the knob pushed in and the water flowing I am surprised I don't have a little ring back there! Behave!
Not only was it damp but I think this must have been the laziest regarding getting up for me for absolutely years, 10.00, mind you I did take three cups of tea while relaxing there and reading the latest post on the forum. Part of my waking up routine. You just have to laugh at some of the responses and feel so sorry for the poor original poster but it is all in good fun.
So, when I did finally surface it was a morning of odd jobs and making a list of what I must do and what shopping I need to do. It looks as if I am teetotal in a few minutes time as I have exhausted the supply of drink and I don't plan shopping until Monday when I move on (merde). Meanwhile Tonto was looking strangely at the Lone Ranger ...
After a lovely salad lunch I am pleased to say the clouds peeled back and the sun emerged - hallelujah! I wandered round to the little station, only metres away and bought a ticket for the afternoon train. I carried on sauntering around and then I noticed that the advertised steam train had been replaced by a diesel - not good, I had bought a ticket for the "Orient Express" so I returned to the billeterie and confirmed. The maturing lady who I had found most helpful yesterday said it was OK and I could use my ticket on samedi ou dimanche so pas de problem. I explained that I have a model of one of the steam locomotives on the line and that was partly why I was here, would it be possible to look at the engine and take pictures, she basically told me to help myself, so I did.
Below should be a picture of a Jung 0-6-0 engine of which I have a live steam model (sadly I have not been able to run her for over 10 years because of working away and mine is green not black).
I took loads of photos as you would expect then sat on a bench to wait, watch and film the little diesel depart. I had examined the bench with my hand before committing myself to sitting on it and to all intents and purposes it felt dry. When I later got up to watch the train, I had that distinct feeling of dampness round my bum, I hoped two things, 1) that my coat was hanging low enough to conceal it and 2) people would not think I was incontinent ! Diesel below:
Following the departure, it had really brightened up a lot and I decided to explore "la ville sur pied", I did not walk very far in the time, about an hour and a half but it was good to get some exercise no matter how limited. First of all a view of the Gite adjacent to the site, this was originally a "moulin" (pas rouge).
I walked up into the "ville" and found out that there had been a covered market this morning. I would have drowned if I tried to go to it so not to disappointed. The church rings out the quarter, half, three quarter hours and then the hours. It is not unpleasant. I have no religious leanings, but I do like the architecture and the organ music, that apart what I am unable to grasp is the number and sizes of these churches when the population was so significantly smaller, I feel so sorry for those poor peasants working so hard, for so long and giving what little they had. We all have to believe in something but .... église below
I enjoyed my wander and ended up above the la ville (I was standing in the dead centre) and took a panorama shot, I don't know if these upload or not, let's see.
Well, there is something there. See if you can spot Helen, you will have to enlarge it to see.
Nice plod back, this seems to be yet another area where the "industry" of the past has disappeared. The large area where the cut timbers were assembled before transport have been stripped bare. Where are the jobs to come from in the future, thank goodness I am now retired, just make sure you all keep paying my pension. We don't appear to make anything any more, I disagreed with baling out the bankers in 2008 and think they should have been allowed to crash and burn, where else can you pay yourself bonuses for failure. They will be off like long dogs and leave us in the lurch.
(mini rant over).
The sun was really out when I got back to Helen so here is a picture of her nestling next to the sliver birch (which is probably dropping sap all over my nice clean roof).
The forecast for tomorrow is not brilliant but I will play it by ear. I hope to ride along the valley floor, they have made a cycle way of the old railway formation so the gradients where they exist will be kind.
I will let you know how I got on tomorrow. All the best Clive
CWH
LIFE MEMBER
Just loving all the train stuff Clive, thanks!
Thought I'd spotted her, then you say she's under a silver birch so no, I hadn't.
) Clive
Excellent report........waiting for the next instalment, and love the trains.
Lloyd
Lloyd
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scousebird
LIFE MEMBER
Ditto
Thanks for sharing we are enjoying your reports of your travels
vendredi le 5 mai (jour 6)
Good afternoon from a mainly sunny Abreschviller. An early report today, aided by the fact I discovered that the adjacent Gite has wifi and I now have the clé. It is not quick but it will reduce the data I am using on my feel at home sim for the best part of 3 days now!
I only found out about because yesterday out of desperation I reset the lap top to go. Having just downloaded 4 Garmin apps that had been deleted (everything was gone except my "personal files" when I went to turn the laptop wifi off I was that this network (albeit weak) was available. I will see how it goes. I will find out soon enough as my Garmin Edge 1000 is downloading updated maps, when I left it estimated download time 3 hours. Thank goodness the Camper 660 is up to date. Back to today.
Late last evening I was joined on site by another Hymer, German registration and significantly younger than Helen. With the whole campsite empty apart from me, they parked just across from me.
I was awake relatively early and today was to be a cycling day, well morning at least. My plan was to cycle along the green cycle path to E LeClerc at Sarrebourg where I would collect three Michelin departmental maps and cycle back. The return trip a little under 36 kilomètres. My only concern was my lack of anti chafing material. I was right to be concerned.
This first photo is from yesterday's stroll and illustrates the industrial decay I had referred to, sorry for its late inclusion.
The photos that follow from this mornings bike ride were taken on the return ride. I must say the ride was very pleasant, the published route essentially starting at the train Touristique station and the down the old Rue de la gare. I dutifully followed this only to be confronted by some rather large lumps of concrete blocking my way. I turned around and road up to and joined the D44. After a few hundred metres I was able to join the cycle path which is laid on the old standard gauge railway formation. The surface is good and I made good time towards Sarrebourg. I had finally remembered to turn my virb elite on when I turned at the old gare. I made good time and arrived at Leclerc - brain in neutral I went to Brico Leclerc first, the past drive and finally into the one I wanted. The maps were in the cultural section and I was able to walk straight to them make my selection pay and leave.
On my way there I had thought of the Pet Shop Boys singing Go West and changing the words to Go Nads, as I was being made aware of the feelings from my delicate areas.
A view into sun of Hesse just out of Sarrebourg (I have walked over and am presently sat on the Gite office steps to get a better connection so when I get back to Helen there may be an edit to correct the spelling - just so you know, hope I don't get piles sitting here!).
another shot looking the other way (below) towards Sarrebourg
Another shot showing my steed below a panel giving details of the routes etc. This sun feels good!
The ride back was really pleasant and I passed one or two cyclists travelling in the opposite direction, one of them a girl or lady if you like, clearly on a cycling holiday. I shudder to think how many kilos she had loaded in panniers front and back but she did look fit (in the literal sense, thank you).
The next picture is for some of the ladies amongst us and perhaps the odd man or two.
Somewhere after this and I will hopefully edit the name in when I get back to Helen I spotted "Vélospace" , I took the next available right and right again and went back to get what I hope will be deliverance. This next picture was taken back at Helen.
Here is the edit, the name of the place is Barville-Bas, and 10€00 I was very pleased to spend.
Once again my luck seems to be with me. The next photo is one of the old stations changed into a home. There was an enormous amount of clutter here which you cannot see.
Just after this on the other side of the road I saw this old truck which I thought at first was an old Thames Trader but could see very quickly it was not. I do not know what it is. The photo was max zoom with the iPhone.
Then it was back to base and the final picture for today.
That is it for now. When I checked the Garmin update before walking over here, because of the speed of Internet it was saying over 9 hours.
Tomorrow is due to be a train day, hopefully filming the Jung 0-3-0 in action in the morning and using my ticket for the "Orient Express" in the afternoon.
Thanks for following. Clive
Good afternoon from a mainly sunny Abreschviller. An early report today, aided by the fact I discovered that the adjacent Gite has wifi and I now have the clé. It is not quick but it will reduce the data I am using on my feel at home sim for the best part of 3 days now!
I only found out about because yesterday out of desperation I reset the lap top to go. Having just downloaded 4 Garmin apps that had been deleted (everything was gone except my "personal files" when I went to turn the laptop wifi off I was that this network (albeit weak) was available. I will see how it goes. I will find out soon enough as my Garmin Edge 1000 is downloading updated maps, when I left it estimated download time 3 hours. Thank goodness the Camper 660 is up to date. Back to today.
Late last evening I was joined on site by another Hymer, German registration and significantly younger than Helen. With the whole campsite empty apart from me, they parked just across from me.
I was awake relatively early and today was to be a cycling day, well morning at least. My plan was to cycle along the green cycle path to E LeClerc at Sarrebourg where I would collect three Michelin departmental maps and cycle back. The return trip a little under 36 kilomètres. My only concern was my lack of anti chafing material. I was right to be concerned.
This first photo is from yesterday's stroll and illustrates the industrial decay I had referred to, sorry for its late inclusion.
The photos that follow from this mornings bike ride were taken on the return ride. I must say the ride was very pleasant, the published route essentially starting at the train Touristique station and the down the old Rue de la gare. I dutifully followed this only to be confronted by some rather large lumps of concrete blocking my way. I turned around and road up to and joined the D44. After a few hundred metres I was able to join the cycle path which is laid on the old standard gauge railway formation. The surface is good and I made good time towards Sarrebourg. I had finally remembered to turn my virb elite on when I turned at the old gare. I made good time and arrived at Leclerc - brain in neutral I went to Brico Leclerc first, the past drive and finally into the one I wanted. The maps were in the cultural section and I was able to walk straight to them make my selection pay and leave.
On my way there I had thought of the Pet Shop Boys singing Go West and changing the words to Go Nads, as I was being made aware of the feelings from my delicate areas.
A view into sun of Hesse just out of Sarrebourg (I have walked over and am presently sat on the Gite office steps to get a better connection so when I get back to Helen there may be an edit to correct the spelling - just so you know, hope I don't get piles sitting here!).
another shot looking the other way (below) towards Sarrebourg
Another shot showing my steed below a panel giving details of the routes etc. This sun feels good!
The ride back was really pleasant and I passed one or two cyclists travelling in the opposite direction, one of them a girl or lady if you like, clearly on a cycling holiday. I shudder to think how many kilos she had loaded in panniers front and back but she did look fit (in the literal sense, thank you).
The next picture is for some of the ladies amongst us and perhaps the odd man or two.
Somewhere after this and I will hopefully edit the name in when I get back to Helen I spotted "Vélospace" , I took the next available right and right again and went back to get what I hope will be deliverance. This next picture was taken back at Helen.
Here is the edit, the name of the place is Barville-Bas, and 10€00 I was very pleased to spend.
Once again my luck seems to be with me. The next photo is one of the old stations changed into a home. There was an enormous amount of clutter here which you cannot see.
Just after this on the other side of the road I saw this old truck which I thought at first was an old Thames Trader but could see very quickly it was not. I do not know what it is. The photo was max zoom with the iPhone.
Then it was back to base and the final picture for today.
That is it for now. When I checked the Garmin update before walking over here, because of the speed of Internet it was saying over 9 hours.
Tomorrow is due to be a train day, hopefully filming the Jung 0-3-0 in action in the morning and using my ticket for the "Orient Express" in the afternoon.
Thanks for following. Clive
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Last edited:
samedi le 6 mai (jour 8)
Hi all, welcome to today's entry. I hope you will enjoy.
I don't know if it is the fresh air, retirement or age but I had another really good nights sleep. I did wake briefly about 06.20 and looked out onto a beautiful morning - blue skies and sunshine, turned over in a world of contentment and back to sleep. Next thing it is 08.00 and I need tea!
Up, take breakfast and decide on a program, easy, shower, washing up, odd jobs, dream, trains. Yep that will do it. I will spare you pictures of the douche (I can't cope with the laughing and pointing) and washing up as we all know what that looks like.
The odd job, one of many I had intended to do before departure but prevented from doing because of Helen's absence, was to fit a window catch (missing since I bought her in 2015) to the kitchen window and a catch/support arm on the other side. The first bit went very well, sadly the replacement is not an exact copy of the original equipment so I had to drill an additional hole. This leaves one of the original holes open but that is down from two to one now so a step forward and I have a way to seal that in due course. Picture of finished No1 catch below.
Really it should be an arm and catch here but the bits that came with Helen did not include one for this side but did the other. I will get an arm in due course.
I then turned my attention to the other side, for which I do have an arm. Having discovered in the past, that it is a good move to lay out all required before starting the job, I did. This was when I discovered that though I had the arm, I did not have the plate it latches onto (part of my clearing out before departure to keep the weight down). That job now postponed and when I pass a Narbonne or similar outlet despite the expense I will pick up the appropriate arm for the other side and clip for this. The picture below shows the existing fitting which came with Helen in August 2015.
Until today this was the only thing securing the kitchen window. I think you will agree that the sooner I replace it the better!
By this time I am sure that you will have noticed the lack of brilliant sunshine, yes it decided to hide and late morning there was a hint of dampness. Fortunately not before I had taken my folding chair over to the gateway where the wifi signal is stronger and I could update the apps on my iPhone and iPad (20 in all, I am going to delete some of them).
Those bits done I popped my coat on and walked round the corner to see which engine would be in steam today. I am happy to say it was the Jung of which I have a live steam model. A picture of the engine just out side the shed raising steam below.
Needless to say I did not limit myself to this single photograph but I suspect this will be enough for the moment for most of you. Don't worry, there will be ancient monuments interspersed next week (I don't include me in those) and other stuff. Promise!
As I started back towards Helen I heard the sound of a diesel behind me, so naturally I turned to see what it was and below is what I saw - I felt a soft spot for it immediately. Apparently it is a Cockerall from sometime back in the 1920s.
So a happy boy wandered back round to Helen, had a look through the latest posts on the forums while taking tea. Then a healthy salad prepared and about 1400 back to the station for the 15.00 train. Though I had bought a ticket for the "Orient Express" I elected to sit in an open carriage which would allow me to take pictures of the locomotive in motion more easily. The other problem with sitting in a closed carriage on days like this is that people insist on breathing and covering the windows with condensation. (Météo has just been on, more rain tomorrow - still make my filming "atmospheric").
So here is my afternoon. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. It is a narrow gauge railway with some very tight curves and tough gradients. The Jung coped very well. You are fortunate I can't remember any of my YouTube login so you are spared the moving pictures.
I have to say that some of the houses along the line are very desirable but sadly beyond my means (mind you, there is too much rain here for me, trains or no trains). The road runs alongside the train for a kilomètre or two and I will be up along here somewhere tomorrow. There are trains at 10.30 and 15.00 tomorrow so I intend to overdose on them. Do not worry I will take pictures of other things like the salmonry not far from the picture above and the small herd of captive deer I saw beside the line which seem to be connected to a huge convalescent home or retirement home - it did not have the trappings of a hotel.
The above photograph is at the terminus in the forest. It was lovely to see the mix of families travelling and how the steam trains still capture the interest of children. The next picture is to justify my constant references to the, "Orient Express." You will notice that it is still raining and for the next shot everyone except guess who had retreated under the ample cover of the terminal buildings. There is a small gift and ice cream kiosk (I wanted a Magnum but in this weather, come on!). In a former, I imagine part saw mill, there is a static display of the mill equipment, a short video presentation (I found interesting) and of course various displays on the walls. OK, "Orient Express", that is what it says under the rear windows of the blue carriage (and on my ticket).
We returned, tender first to Abreschviller in the pouring rain. That did not detract from the beautiful sight of the very tall pines which form much of this forest. The many brooks and streams plus the beautiful blossoms.
All too soon we were arriving back at Abreschviller, I could not resist taking a shot of Helen from the train, sorry but here is one of them!
Hope I have not bored you all to death and frightened you away, don't worry, very little trains for you (if any) tomorrow. I will probably walk everywhere tomorrow. Not worth getting my sort of VTT bike off the back and I will probably be loaded up to the eyeballs with cameras and tripods etc.
Thank you for your interest, Clive
Hi all, welcome to today's entry. I hope you will enjoy.
I don't know if it is the fresh air, retirement or age but I had another really good nights sleep. I did wake briefly about 06.20 and looked out onto a beautiful morning - blue skies and sunshine, turned over in a world of contentment and back to sleep. Next thing it is 08.00 and I need tea!
Up, take breakfast and decide on a program, easy, shower, washing up, odd jobs, dream, trains. Yep that will do it. I will spare you pictures of the douche (I can't cope with the laughing and pointing) and washing up as we all know what that looks like.
The odd job, one of many I had intended to do before departure but prevented from doing because of Helen's absence, was to fit a window catch (missing since I bought her in 2015) to the kitchen window and a catch/support arm on the other side. The first bit went very well, sadly the replacement is not an exact copy of the original equipment so I had to drill an additional hole. This leaves one of the original holes open but that is down from two to one now so a step forward and I have a way to seal that in due course. Picture of finished No1 catch below.
Really it should be an arm and catch here but the bits that came with Helen did not include one for this side but did the other. I will get an arm in due course.
I then turned my attention to the other side, for which I do have an arm. Having discovered in the past, that it is a good move to lay out all required before starting the job, I did. This was when I discovered that though I had the arm, I did not have the plate it latches onto (part of my clearing out before departure to keep the weight down). That job now postponed and when I pass a Narbonne or similar outlet despite the expense I will pick up the appropriate arm for the other side and clip for this. The picture below shows the existing fitting which came with Helen in August 2015.
Until today this was the only thing securing the kitchen window. I think you will agree that the sooner I replace it the better!
By this time I am sure that you will have noticed the lack of brilliant sunshine, yes it decided to hide and late morning there was a hint of dampness. Fortunately not before I had taken my folding chair over to the gateway where the wifi signal is stronger and I could update the apps on my iPhone and iPad (20 in all, I am going to delete some of them).
Those bits done I popped my coat on and walked round the corner to see which engine would be in steam today. I am happy to say it was the Jung of which I have a live steam model. A picture of the engine just out side the shed raising steam below.
Needless to say I did not limit myself to this single photograph but I suspect this will be enough for the moment for most of you. Don't worry, there will be ancient monuments interspersed next week (I don't include me in those) and other stuff. Promise!
As I started back towards Helen I heard the sound of a diesel behind me, so naturally I turned to see what it was and below is what I saw - I felt a soft spot for it immediately. Apparently it is a Cockerall from sometime back in the 1920s.
So a happy boy wandered back round to Helen, had a look through the latest posts on the forums while taking tea. Then a healthy salad prepared and about 1400 back to the station for the 15.00 train. Though I had bought a ticket for the "Orient Express" I elected to sit in an open carriage which would allow me to take pictures of the locomotive in motion more easily. The other problem with sitting in a closed carriage on days like this is that people insist on breathing and covering the windows with condensation. (Météo has just been on, more rain tomorrow - still make my filming "atmospheric").
So here is my afternoon. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. It is a narrow gauge railway with some very tight curves and tough gradients. The Jung coped very well. You are fortunate I can't remember any of my YouTube login so you are spared the moving pictures.
I have to say that some of the houses along the line are very desirable but sadly beyond my means (mind you, there is too much rain here for me, trains or no trains). The road runs alongside the train for a kilomètre or two and I will be up along here somewhere tomorrow. There are trains at 10.30 and 15.00 tomorrow so I intend to overdose on them. Do not worry I will take pictures of other things like the salmonry not far from the picture above and the small herd of captive deer I saw beside the line which seem to be connected to a huge convalescent home or retirement home - it did not have the trappings of a hotel.
The above photograph is at the terminus in the forest. It was lovely to see the mix of families travelling and how the steam trains still capture the interest of children. The next picture is to justify my constant references to the, "Orient Express." You will notice that it is still raining and for the next shot everyone except guess who had retreated under the ample cover of the terminal buildings. There is a small gift and ice cream kiosk (I wanted a Magnum but in this weather, come on!). In a former, I imagine part saw mill, there is a static display of the mill equipment, a short video presentation (I found interesting) and of course various displays on the walls. OK, "Orient Express", that is what it says under the rear windows of the blue carriage (and on my ticket).
We returned, tender first to Abreschviller in the pouring rain. That did not detract from the beautiful sight of the very tall pines which form much of this forest. The many brooks and streams plus the beautiful blossoms.
All too soon we were arriving back at Abreschviller, I could not resist taking a shot of Helen from the train, sorry but here is one of them!
Hope I have not bored you all to death and frightened you away, don't worry, very little trains for you (if any) tomorrow. I will probably walk everywhere tomorrow. Not worth getting my sort of VTT bike off the back and I will probably be loaded up to the eyeballs with cameras and tripods etc.
Thank you for your interest, Clive
Attachments
'allo, allo
from the Abreschviller rain forest. I thought for some time today that I would not be getting out at all but around 14.15 it eased enough for me to become moist and not drenched so I ventured out.
I elected to follow the road alongside the railway track and make my way up to the very large building which I can now confirm to be a hospital (St Luc I think it said on google maps), I believe it is probably a convalescence type. The first picture is towards the salmon/trout farm.
This image above has just taken an absolute age to load. It was taking so long I shut everything down and went back to go without collecting £200. Had to do all my typing again, so that condensed it but it still took an age. Hope the next one is quicker. The next is at the fish farm. Perhaps things are slow tonight because of the election and everyone and his brother and sister are on line!
Well, that one seemed to take as long as the last one but it gave me time to think. These are files from a 20 megapixel camera not the iPhone so that may have something to do with it. This could take some time.
Well, no it won't because I just gave up. Please look on this as part 1 for today. I will be up early tomorrow (probably) and retry to upload the others then.
Tomorrows plan is to leave here by around 10.00, drive over the Col du Donon (1009 mètres) and on to the town of Schirmeck where I plan to stop at Intermarché and uplift gazole. I am showing a little over quarter tank and provided I don't hit any vertical climbs to interrupt the fuel feed I have plenty, it is only around. 33 kilomètres.
After that I will take the D1420 to St-Blaise-la-Roche where I take the D424 almost all the way to my destination at Volgelsheim.
I am looking forward to exploring the Vauban citadel here, plus a boat ride on the Rhin, some museums and some cycling.
Thank you for your patience, until tomorrow and hopefully back to high speed internet again!
Clive
from the Abreschviller rain forest. I thought for some time today that I would not be getting out at all but around 14.15 it eased enough for me to become moist and not drenched so I ventured out.
I elected to follow the road alongside the railway track and make my way up to the very large building which I can now confirm to be a hospital (St Luc I think it said on google maps), I believe it is probably a convalescence type. The first picture is towards the salmon/trout farm.
This image above has just taken an absolute age to load. It was taking so long I shut everything down and went back to go without collecting £200. Had to do all my typing again, so that condensed it but it still took an age. Hope the next one is quicker. The next is at the fish farm. Perhaps things are slow tonight because of the election and everyone and his brother and sister are on line!
Well, that one seemed to take as long as the last one but it gave me time to think. These are files from a 20 megapixel camera not the iPhone so that may have something to do with it. This could take some time.
Well, no it won't because I just gave up. Please look on this as part 1 for today. I will be up early tomorrow (probably) and retry to upload the others then.
Tomorrows plan is to leave here by around 10.00, drive over the Col du Donon (1009 mètres) and on to the town of Schirmeck where I plan to stop at Intermarché and uplift gazole. I am showing a little over quarter tank and provided I don't hit any vertical climbs to interrupt the fuel feed I have plenty, it is only around. 33 kilomètres.
After that I will take the D1420 to St-Blaise-la-Roche where I take the D424 almost all the way to my destination at Volgelsheim.
I am looking forward to exploring the Vauban citadel here, plus a boat ride on the Rhin, some museums and some cycling.
Thank you for your patience, until tomorrow and hopefully back to high speed internet again!
Clive
Clive I'm loving your descriptions of your trip! Sorry the weather was not so good . I can almost hear the sound of the train the photos are so clear. Thanks again! And the DIY catch on the window is hilarious!!
Good morning Part 2 of yesterday (I hope)
Thank you Anthea M for your kind words. Did you notice the piece of green plastic on the window surround? That is what I have been using (well last year and while fitting the new catch) to hold the window open. It is one of those plastic edge things for holding bits of A4 paper together (I can't think of the proper name - old age).
Thank goodness, hi speed is back! The above is after the fishery, the road is very easy and the nature superb. I kept hearing all sorts of sounds, there was a frog or a toad amongst that lot somewhere but I could not see him/her to take a photo! I know I said it before but I was just loving the air.
Further along I could see horses through the trees, not white but the girl singing the song came to mind and I found myself humming - perhaps I need help.
Next then, white flowers, I have no idea what they are, I wondered if perhaps wild garlic but what I remember about that from the "old country" was the odour and that was not present. Any ideas? I think there will be some others in a bit.
Hope you are lichen the photos!
Bambie and friends outside the hospital. There is a large fence between me and them, the camera lens is poked through one of the squares. I have good one of the stag (not visible above) taken with the telephoto on the DSLR but I have not uploaded that to this iPad yet (maybe I will include it out of sync later).
Pretty blue flowers, I have no idea what they are either (when I am in Switzerland next week I will be looking out for Heidi and eidelweis, though I guess she will have aged a bit and I don't know what that looks like either).
The next picture shows a creature in the shallow water. It took ages to get my compact camera out of my pocket so it had almost gone before I took the photo. It was ugly, slow moving and about 6 inches long. Open to suggestions, I may well have grown up in the country but it seems a lot of it just slipped by me.
Just under the blade of glass is I think one of its eyes and a little back from that is what I imagine it breathes through, where are you David Bellamy?
Just a lovely walk with the sounds of nature only very occasionally disturbed by the intrusive sound of man.
The road sign entering la ville, I left my country walk briefly to take the picture. The black diagonal (which I had not seen at any other villes ou villages), is showing solidarity with the terrible events in Paris and Nice. I imagine there were many many more originally and these are perhaps among those that remain.
This large rock with the cross mounted clearly commemorates someone or some event but I cannot say who or what. The date was in the late 19th century and the symbol must represent something but sadly my knowledge is wanting yet again. The older I become the less I know. I should point out, in my defence, that the markings are quite indistinct.
Hope the above were of some interest for you and look, no trains. I should not say this but it is not raining here at the moment. I am hoping that there will be parking adjacent to the Col du Donon later this morning so I can walk up there.
More later, Clive
Thank you Anthea M for your kind words. Did you notice the piece of green plastic on the window surround? That is what I have been using (well last year and while fitting the new catch) to hold the window open. It is one of those plastic edge things for holding bits of A4 paper together (I can't think of the proper name - old age).
Thank goodness, hi speed is back! The above is after the fishery, the road is very easy and the nature superb. I kept hearing all sorts of sounds, there was a frog or a toad amongst that lot somewhere but I could not see him/her to take a photo! I know I said it before but I was just loving the air.
Further along I could see horses through the trees, not white but the girl singing the song came to mind and I found myself humming - perhaps I need help.
Next then, white flowers, I have no idea what they are, I wondered if perhaps wild garlic but what I remember about that from the "old country" was the odour and that was not present. Any ideas? I think there will be some others in a bit.
Hope you are lichen the photos!
Bambie and friends outside the hospital. There is a large fence between me and them, the camera lens is poked through one of the squares. I have good one of the stag (not visible above) taken with the telephoto on the DSLR but I have not uploaded that to this iPad yet (maybe I will include it out of sync later).
Pretty blue flowers, I have no idea what they are either (when I am in Switzerland next week I will be looking out for Heidi and eidelweis, though I guess she will have aged a bit and I don't know what that looks like either).
The next picture shows a creature in the shallow water. It took ages to get my compact camera out of my pocket so it had almost gone before I took the photo. It was ugly, slow moving and about 6 inches long. Open to suggestions, I may well have grown up in the country but it seems a lot of it just slipped by me.
Just under the blade of glass is I think one of its eyes and a little back from that is what I imagine it breathes through, where are you David Bellamy?
Just a lovely walk with the sounds of nature only very occasionally disturbed by the intrusive sound of man.
The road sign entering la ville, I left my country walk briefly to take the picture. The black diagonal (which I had not seen at any other villes ou villages), is showing solidarity with the terrible events in Paris and Nice. I imagine there were many many more originally and these are perhaps among those that remain.
This large rock with the cross mounted clearly commemorates someone or some event but I cannot say who or what. The date was in the late 19th century and the symbol must represent something but sadly my knowledge is wanting yet again. The older I become the less I know. I should point out, in my defence, that the markings are quite indistinct.
Hope the above were of some interest for you and look, no trains. I should not say this but it is not raining here at the moment. I am hoping that there will be parking adjacent to the Col du Donon later this morning so I can walk up there.
More later, Clive
lundi le 8 mai (jour 10 (je pense))
Victory in Europe Day, celebrated here in France, I suspect rather forgotten in the UK. I knew something was up when there was no sign of life even at 09.00, and I had been holding back as I did not want to wake everyone and his sister up when I departed. So I did the washing up and all sorts of stuff and finally left at 10.15. Yesterday pm a very newish French motorhome appeared - possibly on hire and last night a second, more mature Autocruise had appeared next to me, about 21.00. The most interesting thing is that both of them parked next to me when the whole site was available. Maybe as part of my French education I will learn that it is their custom to park as closely to each other as they can, then there may always be a space for the late arrival. Doris Day - Kay Sarra!
Part of delaying my delay in respect of the delicacy of others caused the melaware thread elsewhere. Meanwhile back at the ranch :
A day without rain, well to start with anyway. I packed everything away fired up the trusty Mercedes 616 which is devoid of electronics and takes about 30 seconds for the glow plug light to come on and was set to go. Doris on for background info but lo what lack of light on yon was this. After spending ages fitting the dedicated Nextbase power supply to the unit yesterday on firing up today "rien", merde. I took the fuse out, could not be sure if blown or not - have I a spare, no chance. I look to rob one of my other supplies NOT ONE matches, plus merde! So no wonderful driving video to saveur later. Not only that, there is only one very brief set of pics en route. Now, how I envy you passengers (mind you the ones, with one exception, I have had in the past have had no interest in the wonderful scenery) able to look and absorb the beautiful scenery and sites en route while I am focused on the road and immediate environs. Pity about the exception.
I set off to follow initially the D44 to the Col du Donon. I am pleased to say the roads were quiet, a significant day over here, which was a great help. If the Nextbase had been working you would have seen a lot of trees, an awful lot of bends - many hairpin, I am convinced I could see the back of Helen from the front when I went round one of them! The road signs said "accoutement dangreux" and they were not kidding. Thank goodness there was precious little traffic, if an accident was going to occur it would be head on and thank goodness I am sat up here. The alternative was garuanteed serious injury or almost as certain death. My nearside just dropped away to the valley below, Michael Cain and the crew of the Italian job would have been nervous. I do not recommend this route.
Crossing the Col du Donon I entered the department of Bas Rhin, the change of department coincided with a change of administration and the single track road became suddenly a two lane single carriageway, what's more it was down hill now. It had taken about 1 hour to cover 13 kilomètres.
I relaxed and drifted down the hill to Schermeck where I entered the Intermarché to get gazole. Thank heavens for 24/7 paie à pompe. Intermarché fermé jour ferries. Filled up at about 1€18 a litre, rounded up to 65€00 for 55 litres. Off then towards Sélstat. There are many traffic calming 30kph humps through the villages and I took great comfort in one, can't remember the name, but an impatient blanc camionette homme decided to pass me on one of these. I had found out over a year ago that 30kph and these humps don't work for Helen so I was always down to about 20kph for them. Anyway our friend elected to take me out on this one. I cannot begin to tell you how gratifying it was to hear the very loud and damaging scrape he incurred on entry and the repeat as he passed me exiting the hump. I was amused to see his female being thrown forward and downward (possible bit lip/tongue there) and thought, your luck is out later mate! The only thing that could make it better would have been a trail of oil from a ripped sump. Happy days!
Now the only photos from the drive, in the town of Steige, there was a distillery and I was able to pull over and take the below. I am sure they will update the display from Paques soon.
On to the Rhin. The drive was easy, the roads good and well maintained. As I turned to follow the Rhin along the D50/52 I saw a chateau looking at me from Allemagne (I don't know castle in German, in fact I don't know anything in German) and knew I would be going over the border!
Arrival was straightforward and the staff could not be more helpful. I have selected an emplacement overlooking the Vauban fortifications. My arrival seemed to attract a huge flock of agneau!
That is it for today. Thanks for your interest. I am now like a f*rt in a colander and don't know which hole I will be coming out in tomorrow - there is so much, I have that which I planned but now I find I am by the maginot line and I begin to realise just how lacking my knowledge is. The combination of that and the various Vaubin fortifications I have seen along the way just hi light for me how our English taught history is so cherry picked.
à bientôt Clive
Victory in Europe Day, celebrated here in France, I suspect rather forgotten in the UK. I knew something was up when there was no sign of life even at 09.00, and I had been holding back as I did not want to wake everyone and his sister up when I departed. So I did the washing up and all sorts of stuff and finally left at 10.15. Yesterday pm a very newish French motorhome appeared - possibly on hire and last night a second, more mature Autocruise had appeared next to me, about 21.00. The most interesting thing is that both of them parked next to me when the whole site was available. Maybe as part of my French education I will learn that it is their custom to park as closely to each other as they can, then there may always be a space for the late arrival. Doris Day - Kay Sarra!
Part of delaying my delay in respect of the delicacy of others caused the melaware thread elsewhere. Meanwhile back at the ranch :
A day without rain, well to start with anyway. I packed everything away fired up the trusty Mercedes 616 which is devoid of electronics and takes about 30 seconds for the glow plug light to come on and was set to go. Doris on for background info but lo what lack of light on yon was this. After spending ages fitting the dedicated Nextbase power supply to the unit yesterday on firing up today "rien", merde. I took the fuse out, could not be sure if blown or not - have I a spare, no chance. I look to rob one of my other supplies NOT ONE matches, plus merde! So no wonderful driving video to saveur later. Not only that, there is only one very brief set of pics en route. Now, how I envy you passengers (mind you the ones, with one exception, I have had in the past have had no interest in the wonderful scenery) able to look and absorb the beautiful scenery and sites en route while I am focused on the road and immediate environs. Pity about the exception.
I set off to follow initially the D44 to the Col du Donon. I am pleased to say the roads were quiet, a significant day over here, which was a great help. If the Nextbase had been working you would have seen a lot of trees, an awful lot of bends - many hairpin, I am convinced I could see the back of Helen from the front when I went round one of them! The road signs said "accoutement dangreux" and they were not kidding. Thank goodness there was precious little traffic, if an accident was going to occur it would be head on and thank goodness I am sat up here. The alternative was garuanteed serious injury or almost as certain death. My nearside just dropped away to the valley below, Michael Cain and the crew of the Italian job would have been nervous. I do not recommend this route.
Crossing the Col du Donon I entered the department of Bas Rhin, the change of department coincided with a change of administration and the single track road became suddenly a two lane single carriageway, what's more it was down hill now. It had taken about 1 hour to cover 13 kilomètres.
I relaxed and drifted down the hill to Schermeck where I entered the Intermarché to get gazole. Thank heavens for 24/7 paie à pompe. Intermarché fermé jour ferries. Filled up at about 1€18 a litre, rounded up to 65€00 for 55 litres. Off then towards Sélstat. There are many traffic calming 30kph humps through the villages and I took great comfort in one, can't remember the name, but an impatient blanc camionette homme decided to pass me on one of these. I had found out over a year ago that 30kph and these humps don't work for Helen so I was always down to about 20kph for them. Anyway our friend elected to take me out on this one. I cannot begin to tell you how gratifying it was to hear the very loud and damaging scrape he incurred on entry and the repeat as he passed me exiting the hump. I was amused to see his female being thrown forward and downward (possible bit lip/tongue there) and thought, your luck is out later mate! The only thing that could make it better would have been a trail of oil from a ripped sump. Happy days!
Now the only photos from the drive, in the town of Steige, there was a distillery and I was able to pull over and take the below. I am sure they will update the display from Paques soon.
On to the Rhin. The drive was easy, the roads good and well maintained. As I turned to follow the Rhin along the D50/52 I saw a chateau looking at me from Allemagne (I don't know castle in German, in fact I don't know anything in German) and knew I would be going over the border!
Arrival was straightforward and the staff could not be more helpful. I have selected an emplacement overlooking the Vauban fortifications. My arrival seemed to attract a huge flock of agneau!
That is it for today. Thanks for your interest. I am now like a f*rt in a colander and don't know which hole I will be coming out in tomorrow - there is so much, I have that which I planned but now I find I am by the maginot line and I begin to realise just how lacking my knowledge is. The combination of that and the various Vaubin fortifications I have seen along the way just hi light for me how our English taught history is so cherry picked.
à bientôt Clive
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mardi le 9 mai (jour 11)
Hi from a lovely sunny Camping Vauban. It has been a lovely day and I don't know where the time went. I got up about 8am, took breakfast and set about a few chores after I had walked across to the sanitary block and had a really good shower. Then it was back trying to condense the junk I have with me. Then I checked Helen's fluids etc, the next I knew it was 11.40, just like that. I carried on fiddling and finally prepared and consumed a healthy salad for lunch.
Around 14.15 I set off on foot to walk round the ramparts and explore the Vauban citadel of Neuf-Brisach. It was built under the order of King Louis XIV. The lady in the camping site office gave me a very useful map/guide to aid my walk. I opted for the French version in an effort to improve my French but it is available in English as well. All the panels along the walk are in French/German/English so no problem at all.
I entered via the Porte de Bâle and was amused to see one of what I would learn to be a number of sculptures. This was work in progress and gave me a real feel good feeling.
The walk starts in the very centre of the ville in the Place d'Armes. I imagine that when this was a military base that place would have been a parade ground of sorts. The picture is of a fountain in the centre, sadly not operating and drained. There were a number of fairground vehicles in the square - I could not make up my mind if they were packing up or setting up.
Down a side road I saw what I thought was a rather extravagant sort of Cornetto advert but he turned out to be a Saint to do with brewing bière.
I left our brewing friend behind and walked on towards the Musée Vauban passing this interesting street furniture on the way.
I went into the entrance of the musée to find that it is open everyday but mardi, so I walked through the short tunnel and out the other side. There was an old barge to represent the ones that brought the stones for construction and mounted on that were a couple of steel sculptures.
The next image is of the Porte de Colmar
The next picture is of the railway station used for the Train Touristique which I plan to travel on next dimanche, travelling out on the train (vapeur) and returning on the boat along the Rhin then as I understand it back on to the train to the departure point. I will find out on Sunday.
I had believed this line to be solely a train Touristique but there were two trains of wagons at the station when I arrived there. One headed by two diesel locomotives of 20 cereal hoppers. The other without locomotives was a train of car carrying wagons. I chatted to the driver of the cereal train and he told me that there were two freight trains a day, cereal and aluminium. We chatted for about 30 minutes which was really good for my French.
I am hoping to go out on one of the bikes tomorrow, quite possibly over the border into Germany, it is just over there and there is a chateau etc. Hoping the rain will hold off. Thanks for following. Let me know if the content is becoming boring and I will try and change things.
Thanks againClive
Hi from a lovely sunny Camping Vauban. It has been a lovely day and I don't know where the time went. I got up about 8am, took breakfast and set about a few chores after I had walked across to the sanitary block and had a really good shower. Then it was back trying to condense the junk I have with me. Then I checked Helen's fluids etc, the next I knew it was 11.40, just like that. I carried on fiddling and finally prepared and consumed a healthy salad for lunch.
Around 14.15 I set off on foot to walk round the ramparts and explore the Vauban citadel of Neuf-Brisach. It was built under the order of King Louis XIV. The lady in the camping site office gave me a very useful map/guide to aid my walk. I opted for the French version in an effort to improve my French but it is available in English as well. All the panels along the walk are in French/German/English so no problem at all.
I entered via the Porte de Bâle and was amused to see one of what I would learn to be a number of sculptures. This was work in progress and gave me a real feel good feeling.
The walk starts in the very centre of the ville in the Place d'Armes. I imagine that when this was a military base that place would have been a parade ground of sorts. The picture is of a fountain in the centre, sadly not operating and drained. There were a number of fairground vehicles in the square - I could not make up my mind if they were packing up or setting up.
Down a side road I saw what I thought was a rather extravagant sort of Cornetto advert but he turned out to be a Saint to do with brewing bière.
I left our brewing friend behind and walked on towards the Musée Vauban passing this interesting street furniture on the way.
I went into the entrance of the musée to find that it is open everyday but mardi, so I walked through the short tunnel and out the other side. There was an old barge to represent the ones that brought the stones for construction and mounted on that were a couple of steel sculptures.
The next image is of the Porte de Colmar
The next picture is of the railway station used for the Train Touristique which I plan to travel on next dimanche, travelling out on the train (vapeur) and returning on the boat along the Rhin then as I understand it back on to the train to the departure point. I will find out on Sunday.
I had believed this line to be solely a train Touristique but there were two trains of wagons at the station when I arrived there. One headed by two diesel locomotives of 20 cereal hoppers. The other without locomotives was a train of car carrying wagons. I chatted to the driver of the cereal train and he told me that there were two freight trains a day, cereal and aluminium. We chatted for about 30 minutes which was really good for my French.
I am hoping to go out on one of the bikes tomorrow, quite possibly over the border into Germany, it is just over there and there is a chateau etc. Hoping the rain will hold off. Thanks for following. Let me know if the content is becoming boring and I will try and change things.
Thanks again
Clive
StitchesnFluff
Free Member
Great views of your trip, thank you
Enjoying your reports on your trip especially the photos...happy travels
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mercredi le 10 mai (jour 12)
Good afternoon everyone from a beautiful sunny and quite warm Neuf-Brisach. Another really good nights kip and again very lazily not up until after 08.00, far more than the mystical 8 hours they talk of.
I decided that today I would ride over to Germany and ride North along the Rhein to the next crossing and ride back along the Rhin, though at one point during the ride they would become one which for the sake of confusion I will call the Rhine, which is what most of us know it as.
Before any of that was going to happen though, it was time to get a couple of good boy points and 1) change the failed offside headlamp bulb and 2) the offside front indicator bulb, which elected to give up on me about 2km from here. The H4 bulb had gone a multitude of greys and I am surprised that anything was visible on main beam (despite being 60/55w lamps, they are like candles in jam jars and absolute rubbish for driving at night. The only thing worse than the headlamps are the panel lights, the only way you can tell they are on is if you look at the respective instrument obliquely and you can see a hint of light around the rim! I think the next time it is chucking it down with rain for the day I might pull the cluster and see about uprating the bulbs! Any way, jobs done, lights checked, all onkey, doree, whatever that means.
I set off late morning from the camping towards Breisach-am-Rhein, about 4 kilometres away. I cycled along the road but I am sure there was or should have been a cycle path, never mind. There certainly was when I go to the bridge and the EDF hydro electric station and I was required to join it (which I did gratefully). I ended up following the path which took me to the DB station - unintentional but I had a quick shufty but could not be bothered to hang about. I did want a picture of the church on the hill and finally opposite the tourist office in a car park I was able to take one which I include below.
Though I was later able to take a better one. All photos today are courtesy of my iPhone. I had loaded myself up but when I realised I had left my heart monitor behind (if a certain female is secretly following this thread she will deny the existence of a heart) I returned and dumped the unecessary cameras and all the other bits I decided I could do without. The bike was already one and a bit kilos heavier with just the liquids, let alone the gels and stuff.
After the above picture I tried to make my way back to the river bank to follow it North. If I had turned left between the tourist office and the green shuttered building I would have got there a lot quicker, but I didn't!
Instead I turned up a side street and found myself on what could have been part of the Paris - Roubaix cobbles and thankfully shortly afterward on the old town ramparts and finally back by the bridge where I entered Germany. Never one to take the easy way out I turned round and carried my bike down some steps onto a road/track I had seen from the ramparts and which appeared to be by the river. Fortunately for me it was, well a lot of it was!
Eventually I actually found myself on the riverbank which had been my intention all along. The next picture appealed to me and possibly a number of you who, despite our great age, appreciate school boy humour.
Now, I was able to cycle alongside the river as I had intended (well bits of it at least as I later found out). The next shot is a better view of the Minster of Saint Stephen.
You will notice the body of water in the above picture, it was necessary to go around this and at one stage I found myself next to a barge with aggregate being unloaded. So I headed back to the road. I was pleased to find a cycle track alongside and after a relatively short distance this cycle path swung over to rejoin the river bank which I was then able to follow for the rest of my way in Germany. The point I rejoined the riverbank was coincident with an aire or stelplatz which was chokka block with motor homes, I don't follow the obsession to be parked so close to each other. There were some very smart ones there despite this! It was like a Hymer showroom, nothing as mature as Helen. I continued along the riverbank and learned that German cyclists don't like to acknowledge other cyclists, well the males at least, the females seem to be able to acknowledge as long as riding number 2, which they invariably are. I am pleased to say a lot of the German guys made my feel quite slim, so there's a result.
I was not pushing the ride, it was simply a lovely ride and I was forced off the bank briefly to be confronted by the subject of the next photo.
I was not really expecting to see her here. Shortly after I was back riverside and found myself actually catching up one of the river cruise boats. To my surprise I eventually overtook it and cycled ahead to get the next picture.
As it passed it appeared to me that they were all queuing for the bar or the buffet. This was just before quite a huge weir and all the boats had to turn left for a lock. I carried on along the path and just before crossing back into France came up to this sign which signifies the joining of the the Rhine tributaries into the one river (I think) in the haze looking East and west you could see the mountain ranges.
Next picture I apologise for. It is a selfie and I have been pretty damming of people who take them but as I am invariably the invisible man on my trips, even when accompanied in the past, I gave in and took this one. I believe it is only the second I have taken and I should not be identifiable. I am relying on my short arms and long pockets here. It was taken half way across the bridge between France and Germany so in theory, half of me is one and the other half in the other! Yes alright.
Goodness I look mean, got a heart of gold really!
This crossing was in more than one part and I found myself crossing another écluse and passing the EDF hydro electric station at Marcklesheim (built in 1961 according to the plaque and looking a lot better and more modern than a whole lot of the edifices we have paid for and that are falling apart. Alright, I'll shut up.) No photos of this as it was quite busy and I must say the attitude of the European lorry drivers is significantly better than I experience in the UK (except the Polish who are I am sorry to say really quite poor - and noticeably).
The final shot was a surprise for me. I had been taking liquid during the ride and I became aware of the need to liberate some. I was on no riverside amble on the French side but the D50/D52 so I was scanning for somewhere I might be discrete. I saw a railway crossing which appeared to afford cover and crossed to it. One, it was suitable and two, there was a railway tank wagon there. Big deal you may say BUT I have amassed a large number of LGB wagons over the years and one particular type I had always regarded as a toy makers off the cuff, made up cheapy for the kids, so I was quite surprised to find the real thing existed. Today's final photo shows it below.
Not long after this I was back at the campsite. My Garmin edge 1000 says I had done just under 50 kilomètres and I had thoroughly enjoyed the ride. I elected to walk to the adjacent (1 kilomètre) Intermarché and get a baguette. No point going on the bike as there was no where to put it or a means to carry it.
Back from Intermarché it was such a lovely afternoon I elected to dose myself up with Nivea factor 10 (I have got to use it up) and sprawled in the sun for an hour before taking a shower and finally preparing this. Rain is forecast tomorrow and I think I may go to Mulhouse if that is the case - there is a musée I wish to visit there and it is part of the programme.
All the best Clive
Good afternoon everyone from a beautiful sunny and quite warm Neuf-Brisach. Another really good nights kip and again very lazily not up until after 08.00, far more than the mystical 8 hours they talk of.
I decided that today I would ride over to Germany and ride North along the Rhein to the next crossing and ride back along the Rhin, though at one point during the ride they would become one which for the sake of confusion I will call the Rhine, which is what most of us know it as.
Before any of that was going to happen though, it was time to get a couple of good boy points and 1) change the failed offside headlamp bulb and 2) the offside front indicator bulb, which elected to give up on me about 2km from here. The H4 bulb had gone a multitude of greys and I am surprised that anything was visible on main beam (despite being 60/55w lamps, they are like candles in jam jars and absolute rubbish for driving at night. The only thing worse than the headlamps are the panel lights, the only way you can tell they are on is if you look at the respective instrument obliquely and you can see a hint of light around the rim! I think the next time it is chucking it down with rain for the day I might pull the cluster and see about uprating the bulbs! Any way, jobs done, lights checked, all onkey, doree, whatever that means.
I set off late morning from the camping towards Breisach-am-Rhein, about 4 kilometres away. I cycled along the road but I am sure there was or should have been a cycle path, never mind. There certainly was when I go to the bridge and the EDF hydro electric station and I was required to join it (which I did gratefully). I ended up following the path which took me to the DB station - unintentional but I had a quick shufty but could not be bothered to hang about. I did want a picture of the church on the hill and finally opposite the tourist office in a car park I was able to take one which I include below.
Though I was later able to take a better one. All photos today are courtesy of my iPhone. I had loaded myself up but when I realised I had left my heart monitor behind (if a certain female is secretly following this thread she will deny the existence of a heart) I returned and dumped the unecessary cameras and all the other bits I decided I could do without. The bike was already one and a bit kilos heavier with just the liquids, let alone the gels and stuff.
After the above picture I tried to make my way back to the river bank to follow it North. If I had turned left between the tourist office and the green shuttered building I would have got there a lot quicker, but I didn't!
Instead I turned up a side street and found myself on what could have been part of the Paris - Roubaix cobbles and thankfully shortly afterward on the old town ramparts and finally back by the bridge where I entered Germany. Never one to take the easy way out I turned round and carried my bike down some steps onto a road/track I had seen from the ramparts and which appeared to be by the river. Fortunately for me it was, well a lot of it was!
Eventually I actually found myself on the riverbank which had been my intention all along. The next picture appealed to me and possibly a number of you who, despite our great age, appreciate school boy humour.
Now, I was able to cycle alongside the river as I had intended (well bits of it at least as I later found out). The next shot is a better view of the Minster of Saint Stephen.
You will notice the body of water in the above picture, it was necessary to go around this and at one stage I found myself next to a barge with aggregate being unloaded. So I headed back to the road. I was pleased to find a cycle track alongside and after a relatively short distance this cycle path swung over to rejoin the river bank which I was then able to follow for the rest of my way in Germany. The point I rejoined the riverbank was coincident with an aire or stelplatz which was chokka block with motor homes, I don't follow the obsession to be parked so close to each other. There were some very smart ones there despite this! It was like a Hymer showroom, nothing as mature as Helen. I continued along the riverbank and learned that German cyclists don't like to acknowledge other cyclists, well the males at least, the females seem to be able to acknowledge as long as riding number 2, which they invariably are. I am pleased to say a lot of the German guys made my feel quite slim, so there's a result.
I was not pushing the ride, it was simply a lovely ride and I was forced off the bank briefly to be confronted by the subject of the next photo.
I was not really expecting to see her here. Shortly after I was back riverside and found myself actually catching up one of the river cruise boats. To my surprise I eventually overtook it and cycled ahead to get the next picture.
As it passed it appeared to me that they were all queuing for the bar or the buffet. This was just before quite a huge weir and all the boats had to turn left for a lock. I carried on along the path and just before crossing back into France came up to this sign which signifies the joining of the the Rhine tributaries into the one river (I think) in the haze looking East and west you could see the mountain ranges.
Next picture I apologise for. It is a selfie and I have been pretty damming of people who take them but as I am invariably the invisible man on my trips, even when accompanied in the past, I gave in and took this one. I believe it is only the second I have taken and I should not be identifiable. I am relying on my short arms and long pockets here. It was taken half way across the bridge between France and Germany so in theory, half of me is one and the other half in the other! Yes alright.
Goodness I look mean, got a heart of gold really!
This crossing was in more than one part and I found myself crossing another écluse and passing the EDF hydro electric station at Marcklesheim (built in 1961 according to the plaque and looking a lot better and more modern than a whole lot of the edifices we have paid for and that are falling apart. Alright, I'll shut up.) No photos of this as it was quite busy and I must say the attitude of the European lorry drivers is significantly better than I experience in the UK (except the Polish who are I am sorry to say really quite poor - and noticeably).
The final shot was a surprise for me. I had been taking liquid during the ride and I became aware of the need to liberate some. I was on no riverside amble on the French side but the D50/D52 so I was scanning for somewhere I might be discrete. I saw a railway crossing which appeared to afford cover and crossed to it. One, it was suitable and two, there was a railway tank wagon there. Big deal you may say BUT I have amassed a large number of LGB wagons over the years and one particular type I had always regarded as a toy makers off the cuff, made up cheapy for the kids, so I was quite surprised to find the real thing existed. Today's final photo shows it below.
Not long after this I was back at the campsite. My Garmin edge 1000 says I had done just under 50 kilomètres and I had thoroughly enjoyed the ride. I elected to walk to the adjacent (1 kilomètre) Intermarché and get a baguette. No point going on the bike as there was no where to put it or a means to carry it.
Back from Intermarché it was such a lovely afternoon I elected to dose myself up with Nivea factor 10 (I have got to use it up) and sprawled in the sun for an hour before taking a shower and finally preparing this. Rain is forecast tomorrow and I think I may go to Mulhouse if that is the case - there is a musée I wish to visit there and it is part of the programme.
All the best
Clive
scousebird
LIFE MEMBER
We visited the Schlumf museum some years back, Alan loved it and we have said we will go back some time
jeudi le 11 mai (jour 13)
Good afternoon
I am sitting here waiting for the thunder and lightening to start. I have been making a lazy but productive day of it today. The weather forecast gave a good morning with storms this afternoon and a yellow warning. I chose to put the bike back up on the rack and under cover in preparation. That done I have just been pottering about like a butterfly flitting from bloom to bloom.
I have been pleasantly surprised at the amount of space I have liberated by sorting and re-packing, I might attack the wardrobe next when I have finished these few lines.
I thought I would deal with the rubbish and recycling before it set in and there was definitely moisture in the air as I did so but it seems to have evaporated now. It is beginning to feel close though.
As pictures out of the front window seem popular on the "photo of the day" thread I have taken one with this iPad which I include below.
I have no idea what type the plant is, it was given to me over 4 years ago by someone who showed great promise but had a problem. I have been so amazed by the poor things determination to survive that I could not leave it to die in the UK so brought it with me. It is still in the original gift wrapping and put into a Swedish Glacé container for transportation. I never cease to be amazed by it, as all it gets from me is water!
The black rectangle is an oven tray with my magnetic based DAB radio aeriel on it.
Will go back to doing some French homework for a while then the wardrobe (perhaps). Tomorrow is forecast to be quite wet so as all I will need to do is detach my electric cable and roll it up then I may drive over to Mulhouse for the day and visit the musée there.
All the best Clive
Good afternoon
I am sitting here waiting for the thunder and lightening to start. I have been making a lazy but productive day of it today. The weather forecast gave a good morning with storms this afternoon and a yellow warning. I chose to put the bike back up on the rack and under cover in preparation. That done I have just been pottering about like a butterfly flitting from bloom to bloom.
I have been pleasantly surprised at the amount of space I have liberated by sorting and re-packing, I might attack the wardrobe next when I have finished these few lines.
I thought I would deal with the rubbish and recycling before it set in and there was definitely moisture in the air as I did so but it seems to have evaporated now. It is beginning to feel close though.
As pictures out of the front window seem popular on the "photo of the day" thread I have taken one with this iPad which I include below.
I have no idea what type the plant is, it was given to me over 4 years ago by someone who showed great promise but had a problem. I have been so amazed by the poor things determination to survive that I could not leave it to die in the UK so brought it with me. It is still in the original gift wrapping and put into a Swedish Glacé container for transportation. I never cease to be amazed by it, as all it gets from me is water!
The black rectangle is an oven tray with my magnetic based DAB radio aeriel on it.
Will go back to doing some French homework for a while then the wardrobe (perhaps). Tomorrow is forecast to be quite wet so as all I will need to do is detach my electric cable and roll it up then I may drive over to Mulhouse for the day and visit the musée there.
All the best
Clive
Don't feel too bad as it's raining here in South Wales as well its the first rain we've had for a few weeks. The lawns need it though.
Good evening from Camping Vauban
I have had a great day today. I visited the Cité du Train at Mulhouse.
I knew today was the day, it was quite straightforward I was awake just about 0500 (0400 your time) and for me that means Steve Allen on LBC (he sounds too like me for comfort but perhaps that is why I enjoy his show so much), thank goodness we have the Internet. So, I listened a while then let's get that first cup of tea going. Listened to the show then just before it finished up and into Le petit déjeuner routine, poubelles, washing up and I am ready to go. Disconnect electric roll it up and on the floor. Off I do jolly well went. I knew the way I wanted to go but put Doris on anyway and she was useful at the final stages of arrival. Sadly she was blissfully unaware of the road closures and "deviation" on departure so sounded a little "periodic or change of lifeish" for a while when I left. I just followed the signs and ignored her insistent tone. At the risk of a contract being put on me, it is amazing how Garmin have captured the essence of woman! (I am now ducking and sensing incoming!)
After a pleasant drive incorporating about 20kms of autoroute I arrived. I was 45 mins early for opening and the only other vehicle there was a French registered Hymer significantly younger than both Helen or I.
I took some pictures then returned to Helen and made a cup of tea! The Internet as provided is unbelievably slow again so I am switching to my mifi/internet feel at home courtesy of @minxygirl which I hope will speed things up. My upload has been stuck on 1% for ages. Thank goodness, that's better. I am amazed at how the majority of our continental cousins drive straight in. I always reverse in. I used to joke to my FO's that if the boyfriend or husband got home early I could escape quickly - no truth in it you understand, just a myth I wanted to perpetuate!
I don't like Helen getting scratched or marked but I think I might create medical history and have a baby if I had a later model and did something. Poor Helen has her scars but she gained them with honour (most of the time).
OK, I am not going to make you suffer too much as I took literally hundreds of photos today so edited highlights follow:
This poor old girl of PLM is the equivalent of a "gate guardian" bless her, shorne of cladding and no tender but despite all that "still here" I took her photos (there was more than one) while my kettle boiled in Helen.
You have to admit, motorhoming/camping carring beats everything else hands down. You arrive early and can have a brew. The other poor Devils in their cars simply arrive deprived of anything, usually end up having a domestic "because" and their day is doomed from the start.
The entrance, the fee very reasonable and I rejected the facility of including the adjacent EDF musée as I knew I would spend the day here. Without a lunch break I might add.
Rather difficult to give you a flavour of the first hall as it was very dark in there and I only had the built in flashes available. Interestingly, and I would not have believed it if I had not read it, during the 1920's a French Président managed to fall through the window of his carriage while travelling at low speed en route, I think Dieppe, I read the panel and the story was so bizarre it had to be true!
Amusingly there is absolutely no acknowledgement of the U.K.'s involvement in the industrial revolution and the development of railways but they do have to acknowledge the sourcing of locomotives from Robert Stephenson at Newcastle Upon Tyne, though it seemed grudgingly. Similar with some North British locos from Glasgow later on. I was also amused with the way they totally blotted Martial Aid received from the USA and dressed it up. Meanwhile back at the ranch .... (oh before I forget, the loco above is British and probably one of the most significant in their history - and I love France and the French, I will be looking conciously at our bias on my return and giving that a hard time as well).
An early electric locomotive, necessary because of the region in Paris it served and the long tunnels precluding the use of steam.
A specialist wagon for the transport of those most precious liquids that sustain us. You will notice the panel bottom left which indicates which No track to listen to on your audio guide. The guides are very good, occasionally technically incorrect but only an anorak like me would know but for me much more importantly they are a boon for pronunciation, they are available in English as well.
This beautiful Bugatti was displayed next to its Bugatti Railcar, the engineering is incredible on the Railcar the "4" engines are works of art. @scousebird as a result of this I think I will have to visit the Shmluf musée from which the car is on loan. If only the principles of the likes of Bugatti were still present now. I am sure they are, I like to think I am a gentleman and enabler but ....
(Please note my ... do not have the significance of the "Mama Mia" Abba film)
Bugatti's Railcar, it was something else and went like greased weasel poo.
This locomotive of which I have four, one live steam, was a real enabler for the SNCF following WW2, it is a 2-8-2 mikado using the Whyte notation but our cousins (and I love them, I'm looking for a house here) use their own system so en France Elle est une 1-4-1 R, but as my old mate Bill from Stratford said a Rose is a rose ... these engines certainly helped dig them out of a hole and for a very long time. An acquaintance of mine from Soréde used to drive one out of Narbonne, he is very old now but the whistful smile says it all.
Outside before the thunder and lightening with this lovely engine on the turntable. There were constant flashes of lightning but of course I could not capture a single one.
This is the front of a gas turbine powered engine (one of the engines is on the stand) it was good but the oil crisis destroyed it. I know they were used out to Caen from personal experience.
And (bad English) today's final picture, tonight's paella being cooked!
I have to say it was very good and washed down with a cheap Rousillon rosé. Not sure where I will end up tomorrow but dimanche will be the steam train/boat ride on the Rhin.
à bientôt Clive
I have had a great day today. I visited the Cité du Train at Mulhouse.
I knew today was the day, it was quite straightforward I was awake just about 0500 (0400 your time) and for me that means Steve Allen on LBC (he sounds too like me for comfort but perhaps that is why I enjoy his show so much), thank goodness we have the Internet. So, I listened a while then let's get that first cup of tea going. Listened to the show then just before it finished up and into Le petit déjeuner routine, poubelles, washing up and I am ready to go. Disconnect electric roll it up and on the floor. Off I do jolly well went. I knew the way I wanted to go but put Doris on anyway and she was useful at the final stages of arrival. Sadly she was blissfully unaware of the road closures and "deviation" on departure so sounded a little "periodic or change of lifeish" for a while when I left. I just followed the signs and ignored her insistent tone. At the risk of a contract being put on me, it is amazing how Garmin have captured the essence of woman! (I am now ducking and sensing incoming!)
After a pleasant drive incorporating about 20kms of autoroute I arrived. I was 45 mins early for opening and the only other vehicle there was a French registered Hymer significantly younger than both Helen or I.
I took some pictures then returned to Helen and made a cup of tea! The Internet as provided is unbelievably slow again so I am switching to my mifi/internet feel at home courtesy of @minxygirl which I hope will speed things up. My upload has been stuck on 1% for ages. Thank goodness, that's better. I am amazed at how the majority of our continental cousins drive straight in. I always reverse in. I used to joke to my FO's that if the boyfriend or husband got home early I could escape quickly - no truth in it you understand, just a myth I wanted to perpetuate!
I don't like Helen getting scratched or marked but I think I might create medical history and have a baby if I had a later model and did something. Poor Helen has her scars but she gained them with honour (most of the time).
OK, I am not going to make you suffer too much as I took literally hundreds of photos today so edited highlights follow:
This poor old girl of PLM is the equivalent of a "gate guardian" bless her, shorne of cladding and no tender but despite all that "still here" I took her photos (there was more than one) while my kettle boiled in Helen.
You have to admit, motorhoming/camping carring beats everything else hands down. You arrive early and can have a brew. The other poor Devils in their cars simply arrive deprived of anything, usually end up having a domestic "because" and their day is doomed from the start.
The entrance, the fee very reasonable and I rejected the facility of including the adjacent EDF musée as I knew I would spend the day here. Without a lunch break I might add.
Rather difficult to give you a flavour of the first hall as it was very dark in there and I only had the built in flashes available. Interestingly, and I would not have believed it if I had not read it, during the 1920's a French Président managed to fall through the window of his carriage while travelling at low speed en route, I think Dieppe, I read the panel and the story was so bizarre it had to be true!
Amusingly there is absolutely no acknowledgement of the U.K.'s involvement in the industrial revolution and the development of railways but they do have to acknowledge the sourcing of locomotives from Robert Stephenson at Newcastle Upon Tyne, though it seemed grudgingly. Similar with some North British locos from Glasgow later on. I was also amused with the way they totally blotted Martial Aid received from the USA and dressed it up. Meanwhile back at the ranch .... (oh before I forget, the loco above is British and probably one of the most significant in their history - and I love France and the French, I will be looking conciously at our bias on my return and giving that a hard time as well).
An early electric locomotive, necessary because of the region in Paris it served and the long tunnels precluding the use of steam.
A specialist wagon for the transport of those most precious liquids that sustain us. You will notice the panel bottom left which indicates which No track to listen to on your audio guide. The guides are very good, occasionally technically incorrect but only an anorak like me would know but for me much more importantly they are a boon for pronunciation, they are available in English as well.
This beautiful Bugatti was displayed next to its Bugatti Railcar, the engineering is incredible on the Railcar the "4" engines are works of art. @scousebird as a result of this I think I will have to visit the Shmluf musée from which the car is on loan. If only the principles of the likes of Bugatti were still present now. I am sure they are, I like to think I am a gentleman and enabler but ....
(Please note my ... do not have the significance of the "Mama Mia" Abba film)
Bugatti's Railcar, it was something else and went like greased weasel poo.
This locomotive of which I have four, one live steam, was a real enabler for the SNCF following WW2, it is a 2-8-2 mikado using the Whyte notation but our cousins (and I love them, I'm looking for a house here) use their own system so en France Elle est une 1-4-1 R, but as my old mate Bill from Stratford said a Rose is a rose ... these engines certainly helped dig them out of a hole and for a very long time. An acquaintance of mine from Soréde used to drive one out of Narbonne, he is very old now but the whistful smile says it all.
Outside before the thunder and lightening with this lovely engine on the turntable. There were constant flashes of lightning but of course I could not capture a single one.
This is the front of a gas turbine powered engine (one of the engines is on the stand) it was good but the oil crisis destroyed it. I know they were used out to Caen from personal experience.
And (bad English) today's final picture, tonight's paella being cooked!
I have to say it was very good and washed down with a cheap Rousillon rosé. Not sure where I will end up tomorrow but dimanche will be the steam train/boat ride on the Rhin.
à bientôt Clive
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