ride to germany

[Paul the 6th]

Originally Posted by Dave20046

Don't mention the war.

How come? Because we won

sillyness asside, germany is one of my favourite countries and I've never met a rude german yet. I can speak fluent german which probably helps, but they're so polite and friendly in the major cities. Some of the quieter villages and towns can seem a bit more hard work but I guess it's similar to a german turning up in taunton or masham in north yorkshire - the locals might be a bit hesitant.

The autobahns have stretches with no speed limit (and utilise the "National Limit sign" like we do in the uk, to signal that it's a no limit stretch - white circle with a diagonal black stripe), however, in the sections where there are limits (usually 130kph/81mph), there are often police conducting speed checks. Sections with a speed limit are in common sense places such as motorway junctions where traffic is joining/leaving the carriageway, so reduced speed is a good idea.

In terms of petrol, rasthofen (or rest area's... singular = rasthof) are open 24 hours and you'll want "Bleifrei" which is lead free or unleaded... fuel prices are more or less the same on the continent as they are in the uk.. gone are the days where it was significantly cheaper in europe but never mind.

Cologne is a stunning city if you get chance to stop for a few days - check out the catherdral "The Dom" and maybe the Lindt Chocolate museum (purely for the mega chocolate shop at the end)... Frankfurt is a business destination with not much tourism based stuff from what I can remember, munich has alsorts of stuff going on but never been, although I'd love to get to the beer and sausage festival "Octoberfest" which is held annually in october

Hope some of this helps

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by Paul the 6th

Some of the quieter villages and towns can seem a bit more hard work but I guess it's similar to a german turning up in taunton or masham in north yorkshire - the locals might be a bit hesitant.

We found all locals pretty friendly on our trip last year and we stopped in the boonies two or three times.

[STRAMASHER]

Would not book any hotels as it just sets you targets of where you NEED to be at the end of the day. Not particularly nice if it starts thundering down or you come across somewhere really nice. Can turn into a bit of a mission.

From the ferry at Amsterdam I found it not too much trouble to get to near Chemnitz in a day. As folk have said use the Autobahns to get to the real riding roads.

[Dave20046]

Originally Posted by Paul the 6th

How come? Because we won

sillyness asside, germany is one of my favourite countries and I've never met a rude german yet. I can speak fluent german which probably helps, but they're so polite and friendly in the major cities. Some of the quieter villages and towns can seem a bit more hard work but I guess it's similar to a german turning up in taunton or masham in north yorkshire - the locals might be a bit hesitant.

The autobahns have stretches with no speed limit (and utilise the "National Limit sign" like we do in the uk, to signal that it's a no limit stretch - white circle with a diagonal black stripe), however, in the sections where there are limits (usually 130kph/81mph), there are often police conducting speed checks. Sections with a speed limit are in common sense places such as motorway junctions where traffic is joining/leaving the carriageway, so reduced speed is a good idea.

In terms of petrol, rasthofen (or rest area's... singular = rasthof) are open 24 hours and you'll want "Bleifrei" which is lead free or unleaded... fuel prices are more or less the same on the continent as they are in the uk.. gone are the days where it was significantly cheaper in europe but never mind.

Cologne is a stunning city if you get chance to stop for a few days - check out the catherdral "The Dom" and maybe the Lindt Chocolate museum (purely for the mega chocolate shop at the end)... Frankfurt is a business destination with not much tourism based stuff from what I can remember, munich has alsorts of stuff going on but never been, although I'd love to get to the beer and sausage festival "Octoberfest" which is held annually in october

Hope some of this helps

smartarse

HTH

Check out Couchsurfing for free couches to sleep on.

If you're thinking of riding through the netherlands and then dropping down to Cologne (nice city - have been there several times) then here's a really good biker campsite. Just before you get to the border with Germany near a town called Venlo (border). It's near the main motorway going through the south of the netherlands in west-east direction taking you to the border. I can recommend it as have been to have a look and it is situated in nice area and countryside.

http://www.toerstop.nl/

This one in Germany in the Eifel which is the german extension of, the in England more well known Ardennes in Belgium, comes recommended by a dutch friend who used to work there and met her boyfriend there.

http://www.motorcamping-littlecreek.de/

Have fun!

[Dave20046]

I wanna do this!

Migtht not be a great help but I am going with a load of mates in June.

It will be my first trip but they go every year and have stayed at a place called Cochem for the last few.

Here is the link to the place we are staying this year,

http://www.booking.com/hotel/de/rest...errenberg.html

[mac608]

Stopped off in Cochem for a couple of hours last September, bit like Matlock Bath, but a lot prettier. Big meeting place for bikes.
Plenty of good roads around there, ferries across Moselle and The Rhine are dead easy to use. Locals I found very friendly.

[mac608]

a few pics