For over 1,000 years, the Rhine river has been Europe's main corridor of transport, connecting markets and cultures from the sea border in Holland with the inland regions all the way to Switzerland. Today's bicycle tourist can experience the great diversity of geography, achitecture, trade, and culture that is still apparent along this spectacular waterway. Best of all, it's not an exhausting ride: despite the sometimes formidable moutains that loom over the river, author John Powell has mapped out a course that keeps mainly level. The trip can be traversed all the way, requiring about three weeks of cycling, with all levels of accommodations readily available, or cut up into sections, with convenient access points identified.