July 1,2013
What a fantastic first day!
We started off the day packing up the tent that was so wet with dew! But the sun comes up at about 4am, so it was already strong by about 6 when we got up. Trying to get out early is always hard since we have so many bags and bits but today seemed easier than prior days... We camped last night somewhere where we weren't sure if we could so we were trying to get out before the manager got in, since we had such trouble in the past.... But we were just about done packing when an official looking man asked if we had camped last night. He seemed in good spirits so we said "yes" and asked if he was the manager. He chuckled and said we were lucky since there is no camping allowed in the harbor. He was very nice and helped us out by giving advice on how to fix our internet problem (go back to Lubeck) and he gave us a map of Travemunde. So we washed up and headed back to the train station to go back to Lubeck, the biggest city in the area, since that would be the only place with cell phone stores. The trains are SO PUNCTUAL!! So we got their a bit early and played ukulele and got our bikes ready for the ride. We got off the train at about 9am and ventured out into a yet unknown city. By the way... Nothing opens in Germany until 10am... Which would be fine unless you are married to an impatient Scottish man... But 2 cafe au laits and a cheese strudel makes a passing half hour bearable.... We eventually found 2 cell phone shops , the second of which was staffed by a funny little man who finally tag owed us the internet coverage map of Germany of which Travemunde is one of the only places that DOESN'T have any internet coverage what so ever... Which is why we couldn't ping yesterday. Sorry. So off we went well informed and with some internet off to find a bike shop to pump up our tires... No problem there. There are so many cyclists in Germany that some bike shops just have a little pump up station. So cool. We made I back to the train in time to get bak to Travemunde to start our actual ride.
To start off we got to see the Border Memorial which is one of the northern most points o the Iron Curtain before it went into the Baltic Sea. The terrains was all over the place today we went from hot sunny dry farm land filled with drying wheat to full tree cover forests with all the birds you could stand chirping and singing away. It was a really beautiful day, about 80 degrees and not a cloud in the sky... As we passed one of the wheat fields Andrea calls out," EMUs!!!!!! Or two legged brontosaurs!!!!" But Bruce didn't see the three enormous birds because a hedge got in the way... But Andrea will not be denied and it just so happened that another wild emu was walking in a field about a mile down the way... We had no idea that emus were wild in Germany but it just so happens they are... Or it might be Jurassic Park.
This area of Germany is horse country and we saw many beautiful horses today. We also saw sheep, goats, and pigs... As well as emus.... Obviously... Many of the houses here have thatched roofs which are beautiful with these added horse embellishments at the apex of the roof. It looked like what the people of Rohan would put on their houses (from Lord of the Rings)
We had lunch on the side of this lovely quiet road today in the shade. This was our first chance to use our touring indulgence... Our camp chairs. We have two light weight pack able chairs that we hemmed and hawed about bringing but we really wanted a place to sit that wasn't in the ground this time. I am actually writing to you sitting in one right now.
It was lovely! Salami and cheese, apples and cold water. What could be better?
After about 35 miles, grocery store shop, gas station fuel bottle full up and one big hill at the end, We finally made it to Salem, Germany.
One of two in Germany, both of which we will be going to on this trip.
We are now staying at a gorgeous camp site, eating dinner, drinking a Radler (shandy) and getting ready for bed. We went swimming about an hour ago in the lake we can see from our tent. Off to shower, brush teeth, and getting ready for another day. The sun is setting and it is 9:33pm here. Crazy.
The World is Ours!
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