Today’s ride is 40 miles and the most hilly and challenging of the week but also the most scenic. It takes us from Colmar through several small villages and into Obernai for the next two nights. Today’s highlights included a stop at a Christmas store, an outdoor picnic, and scenic villages.

Time to start the journey for today. We have sunshine and temperatures in the mid-60s. Once again, I am not bicycling and take a taxi mid-morning to our next hotel.

The group makes their first stop in Riquewihr to visit a Christmas store on this street. Ross also remembers caving in and buying nougat here.

The main city gate with the Christmas store to the left. It was one of the famous German chain of Käthe Wohlfahrt stores which now apparently have shops in the U.S. Ross said once you went into the store you could not get out without wending your way through the two-story maze of aisles. He did buy a cuckoo clock Christmas tree ornament.

Another cobblestone side street with vineyards up the hillside.

Next stop was in Ribeauvillé. Here, they met the van for snacks, had a restroom stop, and grabbed lunch for a picnic spot further along the road.

Wandering along the main street of Ribeauvillé.

The bakery in Ribeauville where Ross and Tom and several other riders grabbed a sandwich and beignet for lunch later.

Another street scene.

After getting back to their bikes at the van stop, the ride continued along the route here with the Vosges Mountains and an abandoned castle in the background. Both of these are shown in the map the guides drew for us this morning.

Another photo of the countryside in this area.

Finally, the lunch stop.

Next town was Châtenois and riding through town, Ross took this photo of the Église Saint-Georges de Châtenois, the Catholic parish church.

Today’s ride concluded at the Hotel à La Cour d’Alsace in Obernai. This was to be the hotel of many parts, many different buildings.

A closer look at some of those parts.

We have a large room with plenty of space for suitcases.

The only tiny potential issue is that the bathroom is four steps lower than the bedroom.

There is a nice outdoor garden area.

And interestingly, a water fountain in the lobby to fill your own jug with either still or sparkling water. I wanted very much to bring one of those jugs home with me but the thing must have weighed five pounds empty. Suitcase already maxed out.

Dinner tonight was on our own and we went to Winstub La Dime for perch fish and potatoes. A Winstub is the most typical Alsace restaurant, a bistro with red and white checkered tablecloths, serving local food and local wine.

One more day left to ride and finally, a relatively flat day so I can ride tomorrow.