Like others have said, concentrate on Bavaria and save Berlin and surrounds for another time.

Good advice has already been given Enjoy

To limit packing and unpacking in the Rhine/Mosel area where would you base?>

Well any of those places will be sweet but having been thru the Rhine and Mosel dozens of times I think Cochem is by far the sweetest and is only 20 minutes from the Rhine at Koblenz by train. One base is definitely better than two as to relocated you lose so so much time packing, unpacking, tracking down the hotel, etc.

cochem is also better suited if interested in Burg Eltz, one of Germany's most famous castles - once pictured on the back of the Deutsche Mark 500 banknote! and for Trier - and the Mosel IMO is infinitely more beautiful at Cochem than any place is on the Rhine.

Germans say the 'Mother Mosel' because of the slow-moving twisting sinuous river vs the 'Father Rhine' - a mighty swift-moving dynamo.

The Mosel's traffic is largely barges and pleasure craft - the Rhine's largely bigger freighters from all over the world and barges and pleasure craft as well. I prefer the boat action of the Rhine for its much more varied nature but I love the Mosel itself much more because of its sheer beauty (as well as wineries such as the Hieronimi Winery smack in the heart of Cochem, just across from the town on the Mosel Bridge.

Cochem sounds perfect.

Also, I'm accepting the idea of driving from Cochem to Fussen, my next planned stop. If I include in this drive the Romantic Road from Augsburg to Weis Church to Fussen the total is 6 hours. Are there any other easy on/easy off stops for that drive? How about the Ulmer Münster church?

perhaps Bamberg.>

Bamberg to me was one of the very nicest German cities I have been in - if near by pop in - rushing river runs right thru it!

Thanks for the suggestion. I have read alot about Bamberg and the pictures look great. Thanks for all your help.