The day begins, misty and cool. The breeze, coming off the water, is just strong enough to make you wonder if you've made a bad decision. Your weather app says no, that these clouds will burn off and a glorious day will appear. The small drops hitting your forehead say otherwise.
But you pedal on, your body warming up and the mist thinning. You begin to pay attention, noticing the green of the vines and the slow but powerful pace of the river.
Before you know it, the air has warmed and the sky is almost turning blue. You're getting hungry, and a little thirsty, too. It's lunchtime in Germany, and you know what that means... Time for a döner and an Uludag.
But wait, a döner is Turkish, and what is an Uludag? Indeed, I am talking about a quick, tasty Turkish lunch, complete with a Turkish soda. Germany has many Turkish immigrants, and just like Mexicans in the U.S., or Indians in England, the Turks have enhanced and expanded the German palette in a terrific way. If you don't have Turkish food while you are in Germany, you are missing out.
Refreshed and with a belly full of lamb and pita, you hop back on the bike.
All sorts of thoughts roll through your mind as you roll along the river. What is life like in this quiet part of the most dynamic economy in Europe? How do they harvest the grapes from these steep slopes? What was it like here during the second world war? What should I have for dinner tonight? On and on, you pedal through it all.
You might come to a bridge. Cross it.
Apparently, tanks use this particular bridge, but at least they have a speed limit.
By now the air is getting warm, and heavy with late-spring humidity. It feels like Connecticut around Memorial Day. It is time to head back to the shop, to return your bike and recoup your deposit. This was one of the easiest bike trips you have ever taken, and it was on a completely different continent and in a foreign language.
As you head back across yet another bridge, take a moment to feel grateful for this opportunity. Silently thank the Germans, the good people of the Mosel valley, your spouse, your family, the people who made the sturdy rental bike, the people who rented it to you, the Turkish family who fed you lunch, and last but not least, the weather, for delivering such a perfect day for a bike ride.
