Fortunately this morning I listened to Mrs Mouse who convinced me that I shouldn’t try and time my journey to dodge the heavy rain and should just go for it. So I set off soon after breakfast into misty and drizzly German countryside.
The rain eased up half way to Keiserslautern, and by the time I arrived I was riding on dry roads with the sun breaking through. At my fuel stop there I dispensed with my waterproof trousers and gloves, and celebrated with an ice-cream for elevensies. 
This was at the time the forecast said I should be in heavy rain, phft, they’re useless.
Leaving Keiserslautern I was on dry mountain roads through forrests and enjoying sweeping bends.
On dropping out the hills at Bad Bergzabern I popped into a petrol station just to get lunch supplies. Not long after I found a picnic layby to eat my meat and cheese rolls with a nice view over a vineyard.
My route then cut through France and the change was immediately obvious. I guess from the look of the houses and the street signs, but the agriculture also changed to maize and hops (I think).
Once I finished cutting the corner off France (sorry France!) I crossed the Rhine back into Germany via what looks like a repurposed railway bridge.
As I got into sight of the mountains of the black forest I could see they were topped with clouds and on getting closer could feel spots of rain starting. Deciding it wise to avoid getting wet jeans I pulled into a petrol station to don waterproofs. However by the time I had topped up with fuel and bought emergency supplies for the evening I had changed my mind again and decided to risk it.
I’m glad I did, because once I got up and joined the B500 I was riding under blue skies with dry roads 
As it was mid afternoon I found a cafe on the B500 to get refreshments and work out where I was going to stay for the night. I had an alcohol free beer and was tempted by the black forest gateaux, but I’ve heard that they can sometimes get heavy handed with the booze in those so played it safe with cheese cake.
Using my phone I found a suitable hotel on the B500 but then on using satnav to plan route I saw a large section of the B500 was closed (a German couple riding a T100 confirmed).
So instead I found some cheap digs in an out of the way valley and had to detour onto 40 km of sweeping moutain roads (Though the large town of Freudenstadt on the way was all tedious 30km/h speed limit.)
My hotel room looks like it was last refurbished in the seventies, with brown and orange furnishings, woodchip wallpaper and a general worn look. At least the fixings in the bathroom look several decades newer.
On the balcony my evening ‘meal’ consists of a bottle of Pills and two Mars bars. (The emergency supplies I bought earlier.) Nice enough view though.
I hope there is some fruit or something for breakfast. I feel I need some vitamins!
Today I head via Kaiserslautern to the Black Forest and stay somewhere to the west of there. Forecast is heavy rain for first part though it looks like it’s easing off in the afternoon.
