Day: 13 (Middle of German Forest to Dresden, Germany)
Average Speed: 15.1 km/hour (9 mph)
Distance Cycled Today: 79.8 km (49 Miles)
Distance Cycled Total: 1239 km (769 Miles)
Mood: Sleepy
At some point last night when we were stuck between trees and confronted by a rather hairy spider, Jamie asked if I had any survival skills. Suffice it to say that if you have to ask that question to someone you've spent considerable time with, the answer is likely a resounding "No."
If I did, then it's likely that we would've successfully navigated our way last night a mile south to the nearby (quite ugly) industrious city and found an alternate route to our destination.
I mean, you could hear the traffic from where we were sleeping.
A first year boy scout could've found his way there... except if that scout is me.
I was a boy scout once, and the only accomplishment I can remember achieving is making my mother a Christmas ornament out of clothespins and pipe cleaners. It was meant to be a reindeer, and it would've looked great if I hadn't glued its head upside down.
Don't think I earned a merit badge for that, but mom still hangs it every year. I can't imagine the pride she felt when I brought that little gem home from my den meeting.
On a side note, boy scouts in Germany are called "Fahrt-finders." And if you don't think that's funny, then it's very likely we're not friends.
Anyway, it's going to be a short write-up today because I am super tired. Although it was a relatively short ride to Dresden, I stayed up way too late last night writing and posting pictures. I paid the price today.
(Here's where I would normally put a picture of the route I took... but since I honestly have no idea where we started, I can't do that. We made it to Dresden. That's all you need to know.)
I hate to say that it was more of the same, because that carries a negative connotation, but it was more of the same. At some point of the day in every ride I've done in Germany, I can pretty much count on three things:
1) There will be fields. The fields will be pretty.
2) I will pass through many tiny German hamlets in which there is often little sign of life. All of the buildings in this hamlet will be one of three earth tone shades. I'm assuming the lack of color is specific to East Germany under communist rule.
3) I will ride off-road on trails that can be managed with a decent mountain bike. I'm only missing one thing that makes it easy. That, of course, is the mountain bike. However, I must say that I am honestly proud of my bike for how well it's handling this stuff. I'm almost at the point where I want to give my Trek 520 a name. I'm still on the same tires and tubes from last year and haven't broken a spoke yet. And I really nailed more than a few deep pot holes.
(Insert "knocking on wood" sound here)
That being said, it slows down the ride big time. 9 mph average speed ain't worth braggin' about.
4) I will see something breath-taking at some point. This is true of every day, everywhere. And this is why bicycling is the way to tour in my opinion.
When I set up camp tonight, a wonderfully polite couple next to my site asked why we would want to travel by bike since it's slow and exhausting. I was at a loss for words because the answer seems so obvious. Eventually, I just came up with "Why not?" as a response.
Yes, you can see some of the things I see from a car. But when you're sweating, and out of breath, and you stop to look at something, it just makes you smile a lot more. Like the view we got from the bridge when we rolled into Dresden.
The reason we kept the ride short was so that we could spend some time in the city that I only know about from reading Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse V. But the rain started shortly after we set up camp 2.5 miles outside the city. So I took a nap instead.
When there was a break in the rain we sped off in hopes of getting some dinner, and we probably would've had tons of places to choose from if not for the distraction of the bicycle park with all sorts of ramps and jumps and half-pipes that we have no business being on.
Nothing like a park full of ramps to distract a cyclist.
The downpour started after half an hour of goofing off.
We snapped some obligatory photos through the rain, ate at the first place we could find/afford, and headed back.
 |
| Graffiti in a Bike Park in Dresden |
 |
| Not-So-Quaint Industrial City 1 mile from where we were "stranded." |
If I did, then it's likely that we would've successfully navigated our way last night a mile south to the nearby (quite ugly) industrious city and found an alternate route to our destination.
I mean, you could hear the traffic from where we were sleeping.
A first year boy scout could've found his way there... except if that scout is me.
I was a boy scout once, and the only accomplishment I can remember achieving is making my mother a Christmas ornament out of clothespins and pipe cleaners. It was meant to be a reindeer, and it would've looked great if I hadn't glued its head upside down.
Don't think I earned a merit badge for that, but mom still hangs it every year. I can't imagine the pride she felt when I brought that little gem home from my den meeting. On a side note, boy scouts in Germany are called "Fahrt-finders." And if you don't think that's funny, then it's very likely we're not friends.
Anyway, it's going to be a short write-up today because I am super tired. Although it was a relatively short ride to Dresden, I stayed up way too late last night writing and posting pictures. I paid the price today.
(Here's where I would normally put a picture of the route I took... but since I honestly have no idea where we started, I can't do that. We made it to Dresden. That's all you need to know.)
I hate to say that it was more of the same, because that carries a negative connotation, but it was more of the same. At some point of the day in every ride I've done in Germany, I can pretty much count on three things:
 |
| Pretty field |
1) There will be fields. The fields will be pretty.
 |
| Very typical main street in an East German hamlet |
2) I will pass through many tiny German hamlets in which there is often little sign of life. All of the buildings in this hamlet will be one of three earth tone shades. I'm assuming the lack of color is specific to East Germany under communist rule.
 |
| This is nothin' |
3) I will ride off-road on trails that can be managed with a decent mountain bike. I'm only missing one thing that makes it easy. That, of course, is the mountain bike. However, I must say that I am honestly proud of my bike for how well it's handling this stuff. I'm almost at the point where I want to give my Trek 520 a name. I'm still on the same tires and tubes from last year and haven't broken a spoke yet. And I really nailed more than a few deep pot holes.
(Insert "knocking on wood" sound here)
That being said, it slows down the ride big time. 9 mph average speed ain't worth braggin' about.
 |
| Dresden from a bridge. Picture doesn't do justice at all. |
When I set up camp tonight, a wonderfully polite couple next to my site asked why we would want to travel by bike since it's slow and exhausting. I was at a loss for words because the answer seems so obvious. Eventually, I just came up with "Why not?" as a response.
Yes, you can see some of the things I see from a car. But when you're sweating, and out of breath, and you stop to look at something, it just makes you smile a lot more. Like the view we got from the bridge when we rolled into Dresden.
 |
| Jamie attempts a stunt. I'm too old for that shit. |
When there was a break in the rain we sped off in hopes of getting some dinner, and we probably would've had tons of places to choose from if not for the distraction of the bicycle park with all sorts of ramps and jumps and half-pipes that we have no business being on.
 |
| Dresden through a BMX half-pipe (photo credit Jamie) |
Nothing like a park full of ramps to distract a cyclist.
The downpour started after half an hour of goofing off.
We snapped some obligatory photos through the rain, ate at the first place we could find/afford, and headed back.
 |
| Photo taken while waiting for downpour to ease up |
One thing was noticeably different on this ride: terrain. It's been pretty much flat (in my opinion) since Norway.
Not so anymore.
A couple of climbs tested mettle today. And there's more tough climbs ahead. The Alps' leftovers perhaps.
 |
| CHEERS FOR THE DRESDEN BEER, LAUREN MASCI UNT FAMILY! |
In order to climb in the shape I'm in, I need every bit of help I can get. So I'm gonna go ahead and put down this beer, close the computer, and go to sleep.
Gute Nacht.
P.S.
This bathroom sign obviously modeled after every middle school girl fifteen minutes into class looking for a pass to get out.
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