Quiet. Hilly. Wet, of course.
Let’s start with quiet. Today was a gap day. Moving from the Main river bikeway to the Saale river bikeway. I’m not totally clear on where either start or end but there was about 80km between them. (I mistakenly said much less 2 posts ago because I misread two similar town names, easy to do in Germany I am finding.) This distance was primary very rural, and what towns there were appeared empty.
Now hilly. I spent a solid 2.5 hours combined in granny gear. I think I did about 4000 feet of elevation, which I wasn’t really expecting. There were a few places where I got off my bike and pushed. I don’t believe any bike, never mind a loaded one, would make it up those spots. On the other side of this I hit 60 kph for a minute.
Wet. I was 10.5 hours in transit today. There was drizzle or sprinkles for at least 8 of them. It just won’t stop. Right now it’s 8:30 and pissing rain. I’m hoping it stops long enough for me to put up my tent. Every time I try it just starts up again. (It did stop eventually).
At one point I’m riding up the biggest hill I’ve come across so far and see this shelter. Let’s call it a sanity stop.
I sit down in the sanity stop because the rain has started falling harder. I think WTF, I didn’t really plan to ride for a month in the rain. So what am I going to do. I come to no conclusion and still haven’t.
I am not in fact a purist who’s hellbent on doing exactly what I planned weather be damned. I am however a little stubborn, or can be, so plan to keep trying for another day or two. The rain is supposed to mellow out somewhat. If it continues to be ugly, though, I may take the shortcut I built in to Leipzig or anywhere with a train station and look for somewhere with reasonable weather for the next two weeks.
As I emerged from the sanity stop the sun came out! A sign? Goodness no. The clouds gobbled that sun up and the rain returned within 10 minutes 😝
P.S. tomorrow is helping the train cause. The rain is being swapped for winds up to 75kph. With any luck it’ll be a tailwind and push me up the 6,000 feet I have ahead of me. I’m not holding my breath for that!
The highlight of the day. Don’t remember at all what it was called. But it’s chunks of bread, slices of meat and tomato sauce. It was a substantial mound of food and I made quick work of it.
Goodnight from the Thuringer forest.
Time for a hotel and rest Chaddo. You don’t have to do it all at once. Still enjoyed your blog today even if you are tired. Sleep well.
I ended up finishing it. Internet came back
I do hope for a positive change in the weather.
Chad I like the sanity stop photo, especially alongside the context. Sounds like today you experienced true adventure in many ways. The wind forecast for tomorrow is a bit sobering, unless as you noted it’s pushing you in the direction you’re heading. The deli at our grocery store sells a summer sausage-type product called Thuringer. Wonder what it’s called there? Take care, and best wishes seeking out drier routes to ride.
I’m a rain god: whenever and wherever I tour, I get rained on. That, or it’s 40c. Perhaps it rubbed off on you. If so, Sorry!
That German dish (knoedel?) reminded me of one of my wettest days ever – going from Kedgewick to New Mills NB. I had German veal with green pepper/mushroom sauce and fresh spatzle for dinner, and the next day rode 200km. (As per cgoab.com)
Mind you, I only rode 200km because it was so damned wet I couldn’t find a place to stop!
Wishing dry weather for you!
I’m so sorry that you’re having such rough luck with the weather! I’ll try to pray a little to the German weather gods in hope they hear the plea for better weather.
I cannot overstate how much I enjoy reading your blog though!
❤️
All that rain sounds tough and tiresome; some real “type 2” fun. Hope you have a good rest and find some rain-free days soon. If not, I say take a break and see how a rest day goes or do the train idea somewhere warmer!
Hey Chad, the good part about the rain on this day is that if it had been sunny and dry, the green Google had you putting on would have been full of golfers to dodge.
I’m about to find out where the winds of change will take you… On to the next post!
Be well,
Iain
Huh – I’ve heard good things about Komoot, especially about its no-nonsense routing. But then again, I’m an Osmand user so can probably get used to anything.
I’ll let you know how I like it. I use ride with gps and it really seems to be struggling with Europe for some reason.