Today’s 67 km cycle ride was my longest of the year so far.
Also, it was almost exclusively through the Nordrhein-Westfalen state in the west of Germany.
I left home just after 0800 , heading east, and within 8 km I crossed the Dutch/German border at Herzogenrath.
Once beyond Alsdorf the open countryside is much less hilly, but the flatter landscape is interrupted by many man-made hills.
These remnants of a bygone coal mining industry are now landscaped and provide great walking and cycling routes.
Near the village of Freialdenhoven one such hill, named Emil Mayrisch after the local coal mine, rises some 192 metres above sea level.
I paused nearby for refreshments but decided against riding to the top on this occasion. I had a planned route to complete!
Heading northwest from here the long, straight rural lanes pass through large fields of spring barley, still very green but someday destined for the beer industry.
Today’s featured image is from the area of Puffendorf, around halfway on today’s ride.
