The Cycling Waterways Explorations

Fun With Cameras XXVII

View of the Rhine river from a foot- and cycle path near Kraftwerk Voerde, a coal power station that was shut down in 2017. Voerde, Germany, November 5, 2022.

I am a runner. I wrote about it on this blog.

Performing this sport brought into my life explorations of the great outdoors. The photographer in me used them to squeeze in some picture-making playtime. I embraced all the disadvantages and surprises that the limitations of photographing on the run include.

I even made a five-part video series on that journey of mine, combining my love for visual storytelling, writing, and running.

Cycling has always been a part of my life.

But only as a means of transportation.

Becoming a runner also introduced me to cycling as a means of training.

What started as a dispassionate substitute in times of minor muscular non-compliance slowly developed into an avid interest I wanted to keep as an element of my athletic endeavors.

I will write more about how cycling has changed me over the last few months in the future. Let’s say that, for now, two of the photographic benefits are the extended range of my explorations and an easier time combining the athlete with the photographer (still not a perfect combination, but what is?).

A word on the compromises that are a part of that combination: while it’s easier lugging around several kilos of photographic equipment on a ride, a hefty backpack hinders the cyclist. And a bike that needs an attentive eye hinders the photographer.

As I grew comfortable with longer rides, I eyed a decent route along the local waterways. In particular, the Rhine river, which I wanted to hug from the views in Duisburg’s Ruhrort district on the southern spectrum to the vistas in the same city near the power station Walsum and a quiet cycle path farther north near a defunct power station in the city of Voerde.

I set out on that ride at the end of September. But a front mudguard worked itself loose, rendering the bike I’m currently stuck with barely rideable. A construction that requires a workshop to fix a mudguard sealed the fate of the tour.

I finally managed to try again. The route had changed to include a longer road ride to Voerde to satisfy the cyclist.

The weather conditions crossed proper sunset landscapes off my list.

But I found a few decent scenes along the river. The defunct power station offered material to experiment with, such as the furnace in the gallery below.

I also saw some interesting bits and bobs while riding past the facilities on the opposite side when I approached the area. But it’s part of cycle photography that one can’t stop for every photographic opportunity, especially if one is on a 68 km ride.

Another long discovery tour brought me to the remaining locations for today’s post. It also gave me navigational headaches.

I had planned an 80 km route hugging the Rhein-Herne canal from Oberhausen eastward to about the city of Castrop-Rauxel.

The foot- and cycle path along the canal is often interrupted, one-sided only, or closed due to construction. The detours that day did not only have me wonder how to continue several times. Other cyclists inquired with curiosity where I came from when I emerged from a stretch that had a blockage listed ahead. Sadly, I couldn’t help much because I had only found my way back to the canal by accident moments before (and the next blockage was waiting not five minutes later).

Long story short: I abandoned the tour somewhere near Herne and came in at only 76 km.

But: I noticed a few spots worthy of photographic return that day.

The first is a small islet near the lock Gelsenkirchen. Sitting between the canal and the Emscher river, it is home to an interesting stone sculpture and offers a distant view of Nordsternpark, which I visited earlier.

The second is the area around Zoom Erlebniswelt, a zoo in Gelsenkirchen. I noticed the footbridge across the canal on my ride, came back, and checked out the hinterland a bit more, which wasn’t too much hassle because I approached via the less complicated roads this time.

As always, I will share a few outtakes on Instagram. Below, you’ll find the pictures I selected from the three rides. There are a few more thoughts in the captions. And you can click on any photograph for a full-screen view. Enjoy.

Left Views from a small islet between the Rhine-Herne canal and the river Emscher near the lock in Gelsenkirchen include nearby industrial facilities (including an oil refinery). The steel slab in the foreground has a graffiti reading “Antifa!” on it. Gelsenkirchen, Germany, November 1, 2022. Center The views also include the sculpture “Hercules of Gelsenkirchen,” which stands atop the winding tower of the former coal mine Nordstern. Gelsenkirchen, Germany, November 1, 2022. Right A close-up view of the art installation “Monument for a Forgotten Future.” Gelsenkirchen, Germany, November 1, 2022.

Left The art installation “Monument for a Forgotten Future.” Gelsenkirchen, Germany, November 1, 2022. Center The sun sets over the Rhine-Herne canal as seen from a bridge near the lock in Gelsenkirchen. Gelsenkirchen, Germany, November 1, 2022. Right Post sunset skies over the river Emscher near Emscherpark. Essen, Germany, November 1, 2022.

Left View over the Rhine river and the Kraftwerk Voerde, a coal power station that was shut down in 2017. Voerde, Germany, November 5, 2022. Center A foot- and cycle path along the Rhine river leads past Kraftwerk Voerde. Voerde, Germany, November 5, 2022. Right A furnace of Kraftwerk Voerde invited me to experiment with composition. Two alternatives a follow in the outtakes. Voerde, Germany, November 5, 2022.

Left This utility pole on the premises of Kraftwerk Voerde also invited me. But I never quite got what I had in mind. Limited in vantage points by the cycle path and fences, another element always intruded. This is the one that comes the closest. Voerde, Germany, November 5, 2022. Center A man jogs on a foot- and cycle path along the Rhine river that leads past Kraftwerk Voerde, a coal power station that was shut down in 2017. Voerde, Germany, November 5, 2022. Right View of the Rhine river from a foot- and cycle path near Kraftwerk Voerde. Voerde, Germany, November 5, 2022.

Left A construction detour road sign stands in front of the Rhine river panorama near the mouth of the Emscher River. Kraftwerk Voerde, a coal power station that was closed down in 2017 stands in the background. Dinslaken, Germany, November 5, 2022. Center Rhine river panorama near the mouth of the Emscher River. Dinslaken, Germany, November 5, 2022. Right View of Kraftwerk Voerde from the mouth of the Emscher river. Dinslaken, Germany, November 5, 2022.

Left Rhine river panorama near the mouth of the Emscher River. Dinslaken, Germany, November 5, 2022. Center View of Kraftwerk Walsum, a power station at the Rhine river. Duisburg, Germany, November 5, 2022. Right A man crosses a nature preserve at the Rhine river near Kraftwerk Walsum. Duisburg, Germany, November 5, 2022.

View from the top of the waste tip Pluto Wilhelm. I discovered this waste tip near the main reason for the trip, the bridge across the canal near the zoo. Herne, Germany, November 8, 2022

Left View from the top of the waste tip Pluto Wilhelm. Herne, Germany, November 8, 2022. Center View of Grimberger Sichel, a footbridge across the Rhein-Herne canal near ZOOM Erlebniswelt, the city’s zoo. Gelsenkirchen, Germany, November 8, 2022. Right Two cyclists pass each other while crossing Grimberger Sichel. Gelsenkirchen, Germany, November 8, 2022.

Left The sun sets on the horizon as seen from Grimberger Sichel. Gelsenkirchen, Germany, November 8, 2022. Center A decent sunset wasn’t in the cards that day. But I used my 20 mm lens to play a little with the bridge’s architecture. Gelsenkirchen, Germany, November 8, 2022. Right A surprise find on my way home: shortly before making it back to the canal paths, I noticed this post-sunset view of the statue Hercules of Gelsenkirchen, which stands atop the winding tower of the former coal mine Nordstern, from a bridge across railway tracks near the city harbor. Gelsenkirchen, Germany, November 8, 2022.