Summary of 3 days - Kaiserslautern to Mainz:
- This
area is where I was stationed for a couple of years. There’s deeply
mixed feelings about this place. The US Army left, but you can see
what’s left in the wake of 60 something years of occupation.
- This
is a pretty place with deep woods... and once you’re away from the
city... even deeper German culture. One of the most striking things is
realizing the cost these small places have paid for Wars. Not just WW2,
but all the wars that have come before. It kind of makes you mad if you
focus on it too much.
- It’s a good place to ride a bike, but it’s also cold and often steep.
Facts:
Time: 5:52 / Moving Time: 4:06
Avg Speed: 7.8 mph / Avg Moving Speed: 11.2 mph / Max Speed: 35.8 mph
Elevation Gain: 2,444 ft
Elevation Loss: 2,779 ft
Min Elevation: 203 ft
Max Elevation: 867 ft
Weather - Low 60's Northern Euro Cold
Climbs - 3 after mile 19
Difficulty - 6 Distance and Climbs.
Scale:
0 = 25 miles around San Francisco with the marin headlands climb.
10 = Next to the last day of a hell week in the military with a few hours of sleep.
Hotel - overpriced business hotel, but I was tired and cold.
Comments:
A. Long day. There were a couple of hills through rhine’s vineyards after Bad Kreuznach. Fairly wearing.
B. Mainz
is a great town to visit. There’s a college with all the things that
brings. Vibrant place with a historical center that’s been rebuilt.
Facts:
Distance: 26.06 mi
Time: 4:19 / Moving Time: 2:30
Avg Speed: 6 mph / Avg Moving Speed: 10.4 mph / Max Speed: 39.6 mph
Elevation Gain: 2,274 ft
Elevation Loss: 2,475 ft
Min Elevation: 620 ft
Max Elevation: 1,488 ft
Weather - 60-70's Northern Euro Cold and Sunny.
Climbs - Yes! Harder than it looks on the map
Difficulty - 3. Harder than the miles indicate.
Scale:
0 = 25 miles around San Francisco with the marin headlands climb.
10 = Next to the last day of a hell week in the military with a few hours of sleep.
Hotel - Hotel Pfaelzer Hof Highly recommended. Vet’s will remember this place.
Comments:
A. Kriegsfeld, North Point Army Depot: Isolation is a hard thing.
This
is where I spent 2 years in the Army. It's a remote site...the only
outside contact was mail. When I first got there, we had no english Tv,
radio, nor papers. There was a pay-phone at the gate, but it was too
expensive for a pvt->pfc->spc. paying for college... and car in
storage to drive during college. Just the Army everyday... kill a
commie for mommie. 1985... cold war, so it didn't come to that but we
did have losses. For example:
- 2 guys jumped out of the barracks. Couldn't take it. Both lived.
- 1 guy had a heart attack training for a special forces course. Died.
- 1 guy smacked a rock face repelling. Knee face and shoulder. Eventually let our as a cripple.
- Too many cases of guy's cracking and doing stupid shit to get kicked out to remember.
- My truck got blown up after I parked it right after we bombed Libya.
Its
mixed feelings to come back here, see weeds grow on the former special
weapons site. For the junior enlisted, this place was a steep price to
pay and no one even understood. 1985... everyone through being in the
army overseas was a cake walk.
North
Point marked the lives of the young people that served there. For some,
it was a high-point. For most, it was a burden they couldn’t wait to
leave behind.
I
went on to do other things in and out of the Army. Many of them more
dramatic, but none stick out more than this place. I’ll always have deep
respect for the people that served here.
B. I
stopped at the North Point, 952 and rode through Kriegsfeld->St.
Alban to Rockenhausen. The biggest change... weed growing where nukes
used to be, wind turbines growing on some of the farms, and the gate on
952 was open. I stood there amazed. In my time, some crazed, lonely,
been a tower too long MP would have shot you. Other than that, it’s
still a “truly” German place.
C.
As biking goes, the hills are steeper/pitchier than I remember. The
first climb out of Kirchheim is pretty tough. The forest is thick and
dark. You can’t see 30’ feet into the tree line, but it’s pretty. The
roads are good.
Facts:
Distance: 25.45 mi
Time: 2:57 / Moving Time: 2:15
Avg Speed: 8.6 mph / Avg Moving Speed: 11.4 mph / Max Speed: 24.4 mph
Elevation Gain: 1,181 ft
Elevation Loss: 1,112 ft
Min Elevation: 607 ft
Max Elevation: 1,035 ft
Weather - 60-70's Northern Euro Cold, windy, and Sunny.
Climbs - pitchy with many small climbs
Difficulty - 3. Harder than the miles indicate.
Scale:
0 = 25 miles around San Francisco with the marin headlands climb.
10 = Next to the last day of a hell week in the military with a few hours of sleep.
Hotel - Hotel Braun $69
euros with breakfast. Super clean, well run, friendly spot right by old
b40. The father ran in it in the 80’s and has passed it to his son.
It’s the only proper business class hotel in town. Highly Recommended.
Comments:
A. Mixed
feelings riding down L401. Vets will remember it as B40. It’s been
renamed. Dressed like a tree and in a matching military vehicle, I took
this route many times. Destination Kaiserslautern where our main support
was. Those days are gone, but the land remains mostly the same.
Slightly more built upon, there’s a autobahn (a63) now and a few more
houses, but it’s mostly unchanged.
The
biggest difference is... No US Army... No Air Force... which was
formerly ubiquitous on this road. That traffic brought it’s own issues
and business opportunities. The Army was small. The Air Force had a
larger, but still small, base near the halfway point. So, there were
relatively few military personnel around, but being the supply access...
they all traveled this road.
B. The
Donnersberg is in sight once you make it to the top of the first climb.
This is the highest peak in Palatinate. North Point is on the opposite
slope. Land here is not flat, but it’s cut by rivers. Everything goes
down. Not up. The Army put us on top of the only mountain. It’s a
navigation reference from a long way away.
C. Kirchheimbolanden - It’s
a lovely little town with a long history, including passing between
French and German rule. They try at tourism. The wine road is nearby,
but mostly it’s a locals spot. Family friendly. The buildings are
excellent excellent examples of Northern Germany architecture. The town
is built on a steep hill. Other that the plaza, little is flat.
