Low Places

Posted on October 4, 2026 by Jody Jett

Same things. Different places. Biking, walking, working, living. Same themes as well but most recently it’s been Summer on a Roasting Globe and watching the world die around us. I won’t bore with a diatribe. 20°F above ‘average’ temps for months, minimal rain fall, major rivers at all-time lows, green to deep-baked brown and dead cracked earth. What is there to do but carry on carrying on? Wake up each day and look for a little good to celebrate. Qué Será, Será…

There’s been some positive for sure. New routes, new favorites, new local finds… Got to spend some time hosting my mom and showing her around. Made a couple trips to the Netherlands. Explored Frankfurt for a while. Yesterday we drove a short distance, parked in Luxembourg, rode to Thionville, France, ate lunch, rode back. Still mid-summer in the fall, but the spaces between nights and days, days and nights, have been a continued series of radiant sunrises and sets. Beauty to behold.

European Vacation

It was great to get my mom over here for a while. She showed up with a basic idea of things to see and do and we accomplished. Pretty simple really, visit some castles, check out some churches, get a glimpse of Germany. She was tireless in her time here and we were able to make the most of it. Five countries, several castles, plenty cathedrals, lots of trails, long days in North Holland alongside the North Sea, Rhine and Mosel River exploration, local showcasing. Good times and forever memories.

Low Places

I really like the Netherlands. The prices of daily goods are astonishingly expensive and the people are indifferent to the point of pretending you’re invisible. But the landscapes are amazing, the food is fun, and the biking infrastructure is world class. It’s refreshing to hang out in a place where riding is a way of life for most adults–both for everyday needs and recreating. Simply a better model of societal possibilities and both urban and rural transportation design. You may imagine easy flatlands biking as a reason as to why it’s possible. You would be mistaken: The wind is a hill!!! And a constant. Having enjoyed a week in the country with family last fall, and another with my mom this summer, Krissy and I decided to spend some days early September in the Zeeland region. Each day was a big loop in a different direction. Lots of time along the coast, miles and miles of riding next to canals, a few hours in a couple lively cities, and each evening spent watching the sun melt into the horizon.

Frankfurt

First time in Frankfurt other than the airport. Nothing but good things to say. Lots of riding around and checking things out. Got to spend a little time with a local (thank you Ginna!) and a couple days doing whatever we wanted. City space and green space. ‘Mainhattan.’ Weekend markets. Famous food court. I’ll throw in an unsponsored plug here for a fun app called ‘Atlas Obscura.’ I love using it to find random and little known sites with fascinating human histories behind them–scavenger hunts through out-of-the-way areas around the globe. There were several spots throughout the greater Frankfurt area, including Pinkelbaum–the tree that pees back, and a metro entrance resembling a crashed trolley car. Check check. Smile.

Around the Way

Still finding new trails, new roads, new things to do. Also: Home grown tomatoes!

Squinting at the sun. 2026 Summer Eclipse as seen from hills above the house.

Ein Jahr

Posted on October 14, 2025 by Jody Jett

One year? There hasn’t been another in my life that passed half as quick. I arrived in Germany last October and find myself again surrounded by changing leaves, autumnal air, low-lying sunshine, the full effects of fall in northern latitudes. A nice place to be in moments of mindful presence. Elusive as they may occur.

Been some of the same and some of not the same. Bike riding, walking, climbing on rocks, tending to flowers, taking a few photos. Lots of local travel and a few extended ramblings. Been a couple of planned weeks off and a sudden stint of unrequested free time. Been unhealthy levels of news consumption—and too many unprecedented home-country happenings to ignore. Serenity prayer on repeat.

Highlights of the past few months: Another several day section of the Mosel Radweg biking upstream this time. Pedaled out of the garage, down to the Lieser, swung right at the Mosel, spent one night in Germany, one in Luxembourg, and one in France before doing the train/bike combo back home. A two-week family visit full of activity. Tours of German towns, rivers, and trails. Lots of castles, lots of spots, lots of memories. A week in the Netherlands checking out North Sea beaches, Texel Island, and the Afsluitdijk dike. A couple days in Liege, Belgium. A day of walking in the High Fens National Park. A weekend trip to Saarland. And so forth… One year in and more anxious questions than predictions as to what the next one might deliver. Deep breaths and a day at a time.

Château de Sierck, France where we finished the ride.

Völklinger Hütte UNESCO Ironworks Site. Amazing place.

If a photo can be a metaphor this one fits the time. Thanks for checking in und Bis spater!

Zeit Vergeht

Posted on July 6, 2025 by Jody Jett

Springtime was a fine time and summer proves equally pleasant. Days of hot. Days of not. Light until 11 pm makes for dreamy sunset bike riding, late night porch sitting, Bitburger swilling, guitar strumming, hammock swinging… Only hard part is going to bed when you should. 8 months in.

In that time, I’ve been trying to focus on two things. Figuring out how to best do my job and gaining a basic knowledge of local surroundings. If we’re around long enough, the time will come for broader travels in neighboring countries, but for now I’m quite content staying within a limited radius from the backyard. Exploring the trails, learning the customs, trying to speak a little of the language…

Rhineland-Palatinate. Farmlands, Woodlands, Vineyards, and River Valleys.

Every day I am grateful for the house and community we ended up in. The town has less than 2000 inhabitants, yet still supports a bakery, a nice restaurant, a convenience store, and a gas station. Like all the smaller villages around here (hundreds of them) the town celebrates festivals, sponsors sporting teams, and hosts social events. There is a bus that comes through every couple of hours from which one can access neighboring villages as well as the nearest train station. And the trails! I’ve mentioned this already, but even after months of walking and biking from the house we’re still discovering more routes, different loops, new possibilities.

We recently took some days to go on an extended bike trip from the house, down the Lieser and Mosel Rivers, and ended at the confluence with the Rhine and the city of Koblenz. This trip was well over 100 miles of riding on signed and paved paths with only a mile or so of sharing the road with cars! Unbelievable to imagine that a good portion of the country is set up this way.

After spending the solstice in Koblenz, we hopped on a train with the bikes, shuttled most of the way back, and then rode a different route home from the train station. The last couple of weekends have been similar with bus-supported bike rides to various named routes in the local region. Miles and miles and miles of cruising through vineyards, along waterways, through tunnels, across bridges, past churches and castles, and into the hearts of centuries old downtowns.

Other highlights from the past few months include four-days of hiking around the Mullerthal region in nearby Luxembourg, a day trip to a medieval festival at the Sedan Castle in France, a beautiful spring day in Cologne, Via Ferrata in Manderscheid, stumbling across too many other castles to count, a short canoe trip on the Sauer, a few music festivals, and more. Jede Woche ein neues Abenteuer. A new something to appreciate.