me in cycle gear eating a sausage with the Rhine in the background

Having performed in Lüneburg, all I needed to do was to get home.

In the end, this was easier said than done as a strike by the German rail carrier Deutsche Bahn meant going by car to Düsseldorf, and then cycling the last 45km to Köln.

The weather was fabulous, and, let’s face it, what are a mere 45km when you have 380km under your belt – and when the terrain is totally flat to boot? 

I crossed the Rhine by ferry and at about lunchtime. Thankfully there was a kiosk selling, amongst other things, Bratwurst sausages, and I got into a converstaion with the vendor, who asked me if I was off on holiday. When she heard about my Thuringian adventures, she remarked “well here’s a Thuringian grilled sausage to see you home then”, and I felt as if I were taking another piece of Bachian context with me on my very last cycle trip.