From Hanau, it’s a short flat ride to Altenstadt, the trailhead of the Vulkan Cycling Trail. From there, the trail follows a closed rail line - at first gently, then more steeply 45 kilometers uphill to its highest point on the Vogelsberg at 659 meters passing the palace in Gedern, then meandering its way to the town of Lauterbach, a lovely medieval town on Vogelsberg. After heading toward Fulda, it takes a sharp left turn and continues on the Schlitz River to the town of Schlitz on the Fulda River.

From Schlitz, I followed the Fulda River northward to the city of Bad Hersfeld, and then continued on to Kassel and then to Hannoverische Münden, where the Fulda and Werra Rivers meet to form the Weser. A few kilometers along the Weser is a town called Reinhardtshagen, where the best man at my wedding lives with his family.

The trip was a mere 375 km over four days, but it was a refreshing change to sitting in my office here at home in the Odin Forest.

Between Hartmannhausen and Eichen, there are 21 steles cast in iron that line the bicycle path. Wilfried Klaus, the sculptor, designed the steles which are relaxing places to stop along the way. (see photograph right)

After riding uphill for a long time, shortly before reaching Gedern, the darkness began to close in. A campsite on my map had been closed. so I was forced to look for another place to sleep. A small trail went off to the left in the woods – a delightful place with the clearing covered with leaves. It was so peaceful, I decided to pitch my tent there and spend the night.

Little did I know how cold it would become that night. Yes, of course, I had warm clothing with me and put on my ski underwear before crawling into the tent. But the temperature dropped to 5° below zero, and when I woke up in the middle of the night, I looked for my fleece jacket to ward off the cold. I woke up several times before dawn, but I was pleasantly surprised by the beautiful view of the sun rising across the frosted field of weeds. The picture below can’t explain the feeling that welled up inside of me – to be free in nature and enjoying the creation that God made for each of us.

Continuing along the trail, I stopped and looked back to the West where I can see the moon, still full, as it was making its way toward the horizon. The sun shined brightly all the next day.

The castle in Gedern was a lovely place to enjoy breakfast, so I parked my bicycle beside the bench and enjoyed the view while enjoying my morning meal. Of course, most people like to eat when they first get up, but I prefer to ride the bicycle for an hour or two before eating breakfast. That way I have a chance to find a nice place to dine where there is a bench or maybe even a picnic table. This was a perfect spot to plan the rest of my journey.

After breakfast I was ready to head down the mountain and found myself on a wonderful bicycle trail. Occasionally, a footbridge would cross overhead, but mostly the trail was very very comfortable and mostly downhill. What made the trail really beautiful were the autumn leaves strung along the pathway.

Soon I arrived at a lookout where one could see for many many kilometers into the Rhön Valley. Just a bit further down the Mountain, the fog still lay between the trees. In the next town I came to was cloaked in a white blanket of translucent moisture.

Herbstein in the Sunshine

About 2 kilometers west of Rixfeld, there are two columns which were built in 1709 for use as a gallows. It is constructed of round sandstone plates 30 to 40 centimeters thick and about 4 meters high. They stand 5 meters apart.

By the round foundation, it is clear that these were constructed for a criminal court. On top, the grooves are used to support a wooden beam, which had to be replaced in 1737 and around the beginning of the 19th century disappeared altogether. There is no historical record of executions on the Rixfeld gallows.

An impressive site near Neumorschen is the ICE bridge, where the ICE trains pass by several times each day.