Inspired by the Google Earth routes of the Tour de France I compiled a collection of cycling routes in and around my hometown Mönchenglabach, Viersen, Neuss, Waldniel, Korschenbroich and Niederkrüchten.
It was a collaborative effort of my parents in Germany who snapped the pictures and provided the initial coordinates, and myself living in Baltimore who put it all together for Google Earth. I posted a blog about these routes back then, but almost immediately after I completed these routes I decided not to spend much more time with this project. It already took me a bit of time to compile the routes manually (had no GPS available), and I thought it would be pointless to present cycling routes nobody in Baltimore could ride unless he or she planned a major international cycling vacation. And even if somebody decided to take a bike all the way to Germany, I’m sure he or she would probably stay in more attractive places than Mönchengladbach.
These cycling routes around Mönchengladbach are probably only interesting to myself, as I used to ride them all the time when I still lived there. They may also be interesting to those who happen to live in that area and are trying to find some nice alternative routes. If you live in Baltimore or the US they are probably not very thrilling, but if you want to get a picture of where I come from and where I grew up, you are invited to browse these cycling routes and take a look at the snapshots.
The routes and photos haven’t changed since I compiled them back in 2006/2007. I’m adding them for completeness’ sake. I plan to post other routes in the Baltimore area as a cycling log, sharing some impressions and road-experiences more frequently. This will be interesting: I will be able to record and post routes now as I ride them. Until I have some new routes, I hope you will enjoy the virtual bike-ride around Mönchengladbach.
Below is the first stage of a series of nine routes following the borderline of Mönchengladbach. Each stage will be somewhere between 30-50 kilometers mostly flat, some with different inclines. They are all very safe and easy to ride and avoid traffic as much as possible. The first stage starts at the field at Zwölf Morgen, through a small park, to the castle Schloss Rheydt, along the Niers river to the airport, from there through more fields to the castle Schloss Neersen. The stage ends at the Neersen train station – from there it’s back to the Volksgarten park and swimming pool.
