This is gonna be a short one, as I am just getting ready for an early breakfast and an earlier start than yesterday. After updating blog and so on I was finally on the road by 9.30am yesterday, to be greeted by some light drizzle. It was great catching up with an old friend I hadn’t seen for ages, as this trip is not just about cycling (even though it’s hard to deny that this is the main reason). Setting off from Lingen the plan was pretty clear, one of the reasons why I didn’t take a map.

Following the B213 to Bremen, then on back roads to Buxtehude and then on the B73 to Hamburg. But there were two facts I simply denied when setting off: the weather forecast that was for rain the entire day (and today again) and the fact that the straightest way might not be the one I can take on the bike. In situations like this I simply love Scotland sometimes, as you can pretty much cycle on every road except the motorways and some double-laned roads, anything else is your problem. In Germany the story is a different one, as there are many parts that are simply closed for cyclists. Mostly there is some sort of diversion on cycle paths, most of them take you into towns only to then not be signposted properly. So I ended up lost a few times because I had to leave the main roads, or cycle lanes parallel to them, and then find my way back. The south-easterly winds helped to navigate and to get a boost in the back, but the, sometimes torrential, rain made it extremely difficult to enjoy the whole thing. I had weather conditions that I had mostly expected in Scotland or New Zealand, but not in Germany. But as in winter, there was one thought always on my mind: never give up, never! So I kept pressing on, finally arriving in Bremen late afternoon, with a puncture taking out even more of my precious time. Checking pressure and getting a new tube was a pleasure, the guy in the shop was extremely helpful and excited about my own madness, and again those bits of the trip make the hardships forgotten. Navigating through Bremen was again difficult, towns took a fair bit of the average out yesterday, but that’s one thing to note for next time. Country roads are friends, cities and strong rain are enemies. However, my jacket kept all the rain away, I can only recommend it for use, here is the link for more info (Montane Featherlight Velo H2O). At 9.30pm I finally arrived in Hamburg, took the final picture and then kept on cycling another half hour, but I had to negotiate the final kms on the S-Bahn, and finally arrived 5 minutes to midnight at my friend’s place. I was tired, hungry, cold but happy to have arrived after a day of hell on wheels. When this trip is to test my limits, I was close to them yesterday, but not finally there. Bring on today!