Starbucks and Riding

I hadnt run very much in the last couple days and my running database was beginning to hassle me about it. So yesterday I decided to go explore this park in Mannheim. The park itself was right on the river and has fantastic part dirt running paths that run along the Necker. It was especially nice because it was still fairly early (7am) so the place had an almost glowing sensation to it. I think I have found my replacement for the esplanade while I am here. I also was able to run by the 'Space Needle' of mannheim which is much uglier and less impressive when you get right up to it. Anyway it made for a nice run and as a gentle reminder that all my hard work from the spring wont just vanish in a poof of smoke if I take a few days off.
After that I was in a great mood to go to work with which was extended when I finally was clued into the bigger picture for what I am working on. I am pretty sure I can't tell you but I feel much less like a lab monkey at this point, and if the project works out I will have been a tiny part of something very cool.
After realizing that without DAADs money infusion soon I will be dangerously low on cash, I had the sudden realization that there are a number of places that take credit cards (after being abroad for awhile you start to think no where takes credit cards). After getting out of work yesterday I decided to bike over to starbucks in mannheim. The resturaunt was as always in a prime location and they even had hot sandwiches. I got chicken and pesto and a small coffee milkshake. After doing this I felt motivated to possibly bike a bit longer. I wandered around pretty aimlessly for awhile and discovered a town with basically one entrance/exit which made me feel quite dumb searching around for another one.
Eventually I ended up at this ferry (the rhein doesnt have many bridges outside of real cities) I assumed like the canby ferry it was free for bikers and of course I assumed incorrectly. This was however the first time german has really helped me out. The toll guy on the ferry clearly didnt speak any english (I didnt even try), but when I explained to him I didnt have any money with me he just said next time pay double. After that I continued to bike down to speyer, to make a real ride out of the day. The ride was fantastic. The roads out here are so wonderful. I got down to speyer and basically just turned around, there was not much still to see.
For the route back I decided to take the bike paths. My experience in Bielefeld taught me that basically all bike paths blow so I tend to avoid them. It was getting dark and I had a car pass me quite quickly without giving me more than a foot of room so I thought I should at least try them. The bike path was absolutely perfect. It reminded me of the Minuteman Trail in boston only less busy, slightly wider, and no intersections. I was able to really just ride without distraction nearly the entire way back. All in all it made for a pretty great day, but I do need to find some cycling partners.

Motionbased of my Ride