Back on the Bikes

Berlin to Golssen, Germany -- 45.4 miles, 11.2 mph, 1017 ft

Dean here today. Although we targeted 9:30 to hit the road, I was up at 6:45 to finish taping invoices, addresses and info sheets onto the bike suitcases for shipment to our ending point in Belgrade. It was a bit of a pain, but on the plus side, by using ParcelABC, we would reduce the cost from 777 euro ($878) quoted by FedEx to "only" $210. They are, after all, empty suitcases that we don’t actually need for four weeks!

Cam showed up around 9:00 and, incredibly, we were on the road a few minutes after 9:30. Woo Hoo.  Getting out of Berlin was quite painless. Most roads in Germany include a designated cycle path, either a separate paved path on the side of the road or, in cities, a red brick section of the sidewalk. Compared to the US, that's amazing. The main trick is figuring out which side of the road the path is on.

Kylie with "Sharky"

The iconic East German walking crosswalk man... with hat

The day was hazy and warm, but with little elevation change, which was great for a first day’s ride. After an hour or so, it was clear that we were getting farther from the city center as there was much more space between buildings. Still, I was amazed at how abruptly the city ended. One minute you're in the city, then, just like that, you’re into fields and farms.  I had forgotten the lovely and ubiquitous red poppies.

Cam seemed to be doing fine with his rental bike in spite of its narrow seat and laid back riding position. He got to experience first hand our day-one bike issues when we suddenly realized that none of our odometers were working five seconds after starting.  And, as usual, we had a few navigational miscues resulting in sudden u-turns.

Although we were pedaling alongside busy roads for much of the time before lunch, we were almost always on a separate road or cycle path. By 12:30, we were warm, sweaty, and ready to eat. Google indicated a few restaurants on the road ahead, and we opted for a nearby guesthouse.  Wow, this place was no joke.  I removed the cushion from my chair so I wouldn't sweat on it and we were all surprised with the small appetizer delivered before our meals.

We continued south after lunch, but our bike-path-luck eventually ran out.  For more than five miles we found ourselves suddenly sharing the road with big trucks on a shoulderless, two-lane road. Funny how the riding is not so carefree when you’re staring at the road and trying to ride the white line.

With only 10 miles to go, we took a short break at a play structure to let Dex and Kylie run around and the rest of us stretch and sit on something wider than a bike seat.  Forty-five minutes later, we bumped over the cobblestone street of the quaint little town of Golssen. Our hotel, just on the outskirts, turned out to be a bunch of small wooden cabins. Ours is huge, two beds and a bathroom downstairs, and four more beds upstairs. I guess we would have had plenty of room for Cam after all.

The nearby restaurant was calling after a shower and change of clothes.  Meg and I had somehow managed not to try any German beers since being in the country, but made sure to remedy that tonight.  We were grateful for good roads, good weather, and good friends, and toasted to a good first day.