Day 36 - To the Elbe and how to make a fool of yourself on a bike
5th May 2018
Yesterday I got pretty grumpy with German cycle ways, well today I just learned to put up with them and was a much happier chappy. The ride started well on account of Westerstede being the epicentre of rhododendron and azalea cultivation. They have a botanical garden full of them, all in bloom at this time of year. Not only that but everyone has them in their gardens, along with azalea hedges. My road out from town was ablaze with colour. All very splendid. I didn't feel too tired from yesterday and all my body parts seemed to be in working order, although, I'm sure, if I was inspected by a body surveyor, numerous of my bits would be condemned.
Yesterday I got pretty grumpy with German cycle ways, well today I just learned to put up with them and was a much happier chappy. The ride started well on account of Westerstede being the epicentre of rhododendron and azalea cultivation. They have a botanical garden full of them, all in bloom at this time of year. Not only that but everyone has them in their gardens, along with azalea hedges. My road out from town was ablaze with colour. All very splendid. I didn't feel too tired from yesterday and all my body parts seemed to be in working order, although, I'm sure, if I was inspected by a body surveyor, numerous of my bits would be condemned.
Such was my good mood that I found myself singing Ode to Joy, very loudly. Fortunately I was in the middle of a wood with no one around so allowed myself to continue. Numerous uplifting tunes followed, having come into my head completely at random, making the first part of the ride, to the Weser Ferry, fairly zip by.
My ego was boosted significantly on the ferry by the attention of a small group of travellers who were admiring my bike (my gravel bike, Vlad, today) and suggesting that I must me a very fast rider. This might have been down to my Pearl Izumi red and black cycling clothing, chosen to perfectly match Vlad's colour scheme. Getting off the ferry the first task was to nonchalantly climb onto Vlad and casually cycle up the cobbled 8% slipway. I had forgotten that I'd left the bike in a high gear. On pressing on the pedals I went nowhere, nearly fell off, and had to dismount to change into an easier gear. By the time I got underway all the other cyclists had vanished into the distance and my group of admirers were bustling away as fast as they could.
It was a beautiful day well matched by much of the ride. There was a strong headwind and some pretty rough gravel tracks so progress was quite slow. Ivan and Jacqui were a very welcome site on arrival at the River Elbe. They had also enjoyed a pleasant uneventful drive here.
Tonight we are staying in a rustic sort of car park surrounded by water, salt marshes and geese, all very tranquil. Tomorrow we take the ferry across the Elbe and head north towards Jutland.
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