I knew nothing of Karlsruhe before stopping here at a hostel on my Rhine cycling trip.

I’d gotten drenched wild camping the night before — my 4th tropical rain storm since arriving Germany.

When the lightning started, I quickly found this higher spot on the flood plain to set-up my tent. It WAS muddy.

HEY. In 1817, Karlsruhe-born Karl Freiherr Drais von Sauerbronn devised a brilliant invention – he developed the world’s first two-wheeler – called “Draisine” in his honour. The original can still be admired at the City Museum in Prince Max Palace.

The first ran on rails.

It’s considered the precursor to the modern bicycle.

Turns out Karlsruhe will be hosting the World Games in 2029. This is the Olympics for non-Olympic sports like Power Tumbling and Double-mini Trampoline.

Last event	2022 – Birmingham, Alabama, US
Next event	2025 – Chengdu, China

The city was planned with the palace tower (Schloss) at the center and 32 streets radiating out from it like the spokes of a wheel, or the ribs of a folding fan, so that one nickname for Karlsruhe in German is the “fan city” (Fächerstadt). Almost all of these streets survive to this day. 

A nice stop. Very green. Plenty of parks to cycle.