Day 9 - Berlin, Germany- Interesting City, Interesting History

Joan's View

Great start to my day! During the German Mass at St. Joseph's, the priest spoke slowly and clearly so I leaned over to tell Tony that I think this reading was the one where Jesus says, "Who do you say that I am?" and I got it! I wanted to tell the priest thanks for speaking clearly, but he exited to the side of church.

We then did a 2 hour Third Reich and Cold War walking tour, but first made a stop at a bakery. 😁

We walked an hour to get to the tour meeting place by the Brandenburg Gate. Tony got some delicious ice cream (no picture) while we waited for the tour to start. The Brandenburg Gate was destroyed in the war so this is the rebuilt one.

There are over one hundred memorials in Berlin. Our tour took us first to the memorial to honor the gypsies, the Roma and Sinti people, that were killed by the Nazis. It's estimated about 500,000 of the gypsies were killed by the Nazis. All of the concentration camp prisoners had a triangle that denoted their class and the gypsies wore black or brown triangles denoting their lowest status. There is a triangle in the middle of the memorial which represents the triangle that they wore. The names of the concentration camps are on some of the stones.

Another stop was the memorial for the 96 members of SPD that voted against Hitler's enabling act giving him complete power . They were are murdered. Each stone has the person's name, date they were murdered, how and where. He definitely wanted to eliminate anyone that opposed him.







Next stop was the monument built by the Russians to honor those Russians that died liberating Berlin. Thing is, the locals call it, "The tomb of the unknown rapist" since so many women, estimated around 100,000, in Berlin were attacked at that time while their husbands were away fighting. The tour guide mentioned the book, "A Women in Berlin" and I had just told Tony about the movie while we were riding into Berlin.

The famous clip showing the Berlin Wall coming down was on Nov. 9, 2089. Cara was only 2 weeks old. It was really only a few years ago. 

Next stop was the sidewalk to commemorate the spot where Ronald Reagan gave his famous address, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." which I remember well. There was also a statue made of Reagan that was supposed to be near that site, but the city council decided against it, so the statue is on top of the American Embassy kind of like a "Where's Waldo" to see if you can find him.

The East Germans had one practice that is still around today, and has become kind of famous - Ampelmann. There are supposedly cartoons, and even whole stores dedicated to Ampelmann. The Germans love him because he is much more friendly than the stick man in our lights.

 

This path of two paver bricks marks the location of the Berlin Wall that separated East and West Berlin that was put up practically overnight and shocked the world.

This is a huge memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe. There are 2,711 concrete (not cement for all you non engineers) blocks of all sizes spread out on a wavy base. They are treated so that graffiti won't stick to them.

This is the location of Hitler's bunker. It was completely removed because the Germans do not want him to be honored in any way. The tour guide said that she sometimes removes candles left by his followers to this day.

Our tour guide, Maria, was an extra in hundreds of movies. She met quite a few stars when she was acting, but moved to Berlin and focused on history because the acting thing brought in very little money. According to Maria, Berlin is one of the hottest places to shoot a movie because it is more affordable than London. Movie trucks on location:

Then we get to the remaining section of the wall:

We visited Checkpoint Charlie, the entrance to the Allied side of Berlin, but it was simply an intersection with some memorabilia. This picture in our Airbnb seems to depict it so much better

These are Trabis, the cars built in East Germany that was the only kind that an East German was allowed to drive. It had the engine of a lawn mower (two cycle engine, you had to mix oil and gas) and you had to be on a wait list for 10 years to get one. Now, they have tours that you can drive in groups around Berlin in a Trabi.

We were hungry so we stopped for some weiners. Tony's beer is behind the plant.

On the 2 mile walk back we stopped for a pizza (& beer) and found this cool playground with a built in trampoline. 

Tomorrow we ride again. It'll be another interesting experience riding out of Berlin. Let's see if Tony's arms are in shape for this one.

Tony's Extras

It was a very interesting day. I wasn't expecting much from Berlin, but we easily could have spent two more days there and still not have seen everything. I went in with low expectations and left wanting more. It still amazes me how a group of people could be so cruel to other human beings. We must never allow something like that to happen again.

Day 8 - Berlin, Germany, We're in Berlin

Tony's View

We headed out today for another round of bumpy trails. As I mentioned in the last blog, we had a planned route of 62 miles. What I forgot to factor in was actually getting to the start of the route, which somehow added an extra 2.5 miles of "surprise adventure." I'm still not entirely sure how that happened.

Once we got rolling, we ran into another mechanical challenge. One of the chain guide rollers broke. To be fair, one had already broken the day before, and I managed to shuffle parts around and make it work. This time, though, I wasn't so lucky. I had to realign the chain and improvise a fix just to keep moving.

The top picture shows my "engineering masterpiece" from yesterday. The roller is supposed to have four knobs, but ours was running on only three. The bottom picture shows another roller hanging on with just a single knob on one side. These aren't parts you can pick up at the local hardware store or bicycle shop. They're rather unusual pieces that have to be specially ordered. Apparently, they're rare enough that breaking them is easier than finding replacements, according to the bicycle shop we stopped at!

If some of you remember, I stripped the tandem down to its bare bones and rebuilt it with almost all new parts. After 17+ years and more than 20,000 miles, it was definitely time. I replaced everything except three items: the chain guide rollers, the derailleur hangers, and the front wheel. Well, of those three holdouts, the chain guide rollers are now breaking, and the derailleur hangers are bending. The front wheel, however, is still hanging in there like a champ.

So I guess 2 out of 3 is bad. So much for Meatloaf fans. 😂

Any guesses what's going to be at the top of the replacement list when we get back home? The chain guide rollers and derailleur hangers have clearly decided they want some attention too! 🚴‍♂️🔧

We've passed a lot of deer stands along the way—every shape, size, and location you can imagine. But this one was so unique that we had to turn around and take a picture.

Yep, it's a deer stand on wheels!

I'm not entirely sure what the intended purpose is, but my first thought was, "Just add a motor and chase the deer instead." 😂😂

I have to admit, after seeing countless deer stands during this trip, this one easily wins the award for the most creative design. 🚴‍♂️🦌🏆

I never used to pay much attention to deer stands. They were just another thing along the side of the road. But thanks to our son-in-law, Nick Balog, I notice them everywhere now. It's kind of like buying a new car and suddenly seeing the same model on every road. Once Nick got me looking for deer stands, I realized they're absolutely everywhere—and apparently some of them even come with wheels! 😂😂

A great way to use round bales.

A round a bout with an old train engine.

Another great way to use round bales.

We found a Lidl about 25 miles into the ride and decided it would be our bakery stop for the day. As we pulled in, I figured I'd get on Google Maps and search for bakeries nearby. Surely there had to be something in the area. Google quickly informed me there was a bakery just 20 meters away. Turns out it was attached to the Lidl. 😂 It was a bullseye and made for a perfect bakery stop. 

Rode by several miles of beautiful canal today

I gave my phone to Joan and asked her to get a picture of this mini houseboat. We had seen lots of boats cruising along the canal all day, puttering along at about 10–15 mph, but this one really caught my eye. It looked like a tiny floating house, so naturally it deserved a photo.

Well, after Joan took the picture, I looked at it and noticed something we hadn't seen at first. Let's just say the captain was... taking care of some personal business off the side of the boat. Oops. 😂😂

Cool boat regardless! 😆

We were about 18 miles from our final destination when we spotted a Biergarten right along the bicycle path.

At that point, we really had no choice. I'm pretty sure it's German law that cyclists must stop at any Biergarten they encounter. 🍺

I briefly considered riding past it, but didn't want to risk an international incident. So, being the law-abiding travelers that we are, we pulled in, took a well-deserved break, and enjoyed the moment.

Eighteen miles left to go is much easier to think about when you're sitting in a Biergarten instead of pedaling toward it. 😂

We were sitting in the second row of those cool chairs, and if you look closely, you can spot our bicycle leaning against the tree.

I'd also like to offer a strong advice for anyone who hasn't done a bike tour like this before. If you're 18 miles from your Airbnb, decide to stop at a Biergarten, and then order a large beer—especially when you're no longer 25 years old—the math is very simple:

1 large beer = 2 pee breaks before you get to your destination. 😂🍺🚴‍♂️

I tested this formula extensively and can confirm the results are highly repeatable. The good news is that the extra stops give you more opportunities to admire the scenery. The bad news is that you're not stopping to admire the scenery. 😂😂

When we got to the Airbnb, I decided to visit the closest bicycle shop and see if they could help with my chain guide roller problem.

When I arrived, Mom, Dad, and their young daughters were sitting on a bench in front of the shop. The mom smiled and said, "Here's the mechanic," as she pointed to her husband. We talked for a while, and then he went inside to see if he could find or order one of those chain guide rollers. He admitted he'd never seen anything quite like it before. While he was searching, I ended up making friends with his wife and daughters. We chatted and passed the time while hoping for some good news from the shop. Unfortunately, after digging around, he couldn't find anything that would help with my unusual repair. But then something much better happened. His daughters came out and presented me with this beautiful picture they had drawn for me. It was completely unexpected and absolutely precious.

Sometimes the best part of traveling isn't fixing the bike—it's meeting kind people along the way. ❤️😊

Joan's Extras

The wind was kind to us today. We have been biking into some fairly strong headwinds since we started this trip, but today was a much appreciated break. We noticed the wind today though when these long hanging greeneries coming into Berlin blew into our faces and gave us a big shove. Still trying to figure out what plant hit us.

Lastly, Matt, you will be happy to hear that Tony has learned enough German that he is reading signs here too now. 🙄

Day 7 - Rheinsberg, Germany, Happily Bump, Bump, Bumping Along

Joan's View

Nice 58 mile+ ride today with a little bit of every terrain. Uneven cobblestone roads, gravel bike paths through woods, patchworked paved roads, smooth and bulging bike paths, two row concrete pads, and the ever popular shortcuts around bike stops through the grass (see Wade's comment on remembering them well). Tony got quite the workout keeping the bike steady. At one point we had to cross some mud to get to a bike path and it was much mushier than anticipated. We stalled and swayed and he sighed with relief, "That was a close one." I'm learning to push up on my side grab bars when possible to avoid absorbing so much of the jolt.

We are riding in what was formerly East Germany ever since we crossed the border into Rostock. "Rostock was crucially important to Nazi Germany as a major industrial and military manufacturing hub." We see signs of what we think are old Nazi buildings, but the Communist remains stood out way more in the Baltic Countries last year.

Lots of inter connected lakes in this region of Germany. In fact, we are staying at resort on a lake tonight. We were riding on the trail close to Rheinsberg and Tony said, "Down that road is a really nice resort." We rode about 2.5 miles farther into the city and stopped to check into our hotel. Tony actually booked our hotel tonight through Airbnb, and then he received notification that our reservation was cancelled by the hotel. That is where his backup to the backup plan comes in. Anyway, Tony sends me in to the hotel because he thinks my little bit of German helps. The woman at the desk says that we are at the wrong hotel. 🤔Tony checks his reservation and uses that link to get directions on his phone. We ride back via the exact same route that we were just on and, wah lah, we are at that really nice resort!!

We made a few stops today. One was to get a picture of one of the many onlookers. We get lots of stares, but this one was intense.

Another stop was to watch the boats going through a lock.

More pictures of our ride:

Lots of old growth pine forests

The moss was so thick and squishy

It's fall in this woods

Look, Nick, you can even hunt your garbage can here!

Dinner was a buffet at the resort. Roast schwein. Yum.

And, of course, a big German beer for Tony. 🍺

Tony's Extras

I really enjoyed the variety of trails today—although I did have to clean the bike and re-wax the chain when we got back. 😄

The route ended up being a little over 58 miles of planned riding and about 2.5 miles of unplanned sightseeing. Oops! I routed us to the wrong hotel. Not sure how I managed that one. But we didn't need the back up plan or the back up plan to the back up plan.👍😀

Tomorrow, we have 62 miles of planned riding into Berlin. The good news? We finally get access to a washing machine and a day off! My derrière will appreciate the break... and I suspect my legs will be sending thank-you notes as well. 🚴‍♂️🍻

Day 6 - Krakow am See, Germany, Joan is excited to practice her German

Tony's View

We left this morning at 6:00 a.m. to catch the 6:45 ferry. That meant getting up at 5:15 a.m.—which is pretty close to my normal wake-up time, but quite early for Joan. She was a real trooper!

By the way, it was 11:15 p.m. your time. Some of you were just heading to bed, while Joan was already getting up and getting ready for the day. Talk about living in the future!

We then headed to the ferry crossing the Baltic Sea from Gedser, Denmark, to Rostock, Germany. Goodbye, Denmark—it was wonderful. And hello, Germany! Our adventure continues. 🇩🇰➡️🇩🇪🚢😄

Here we are loading the bike onto the ship. It was huge! I’d guess there were close to 75 semi-trucks on board, along with several cars.

Thanks to Joan’s diligence (and her willingness to get up at the crack of dawn 😂), we were among the first to board. As it turned out, that was a good thing!

The ferry was scheduled to depart at 6:45 a.m., but it actually pulled away from the dock at 6:35 a.m. Good thing we arrived early. Chalk one up for the people who believe that if you’re on time, you’re already late—or as Tony (his well trained Marla and Wade) would say, it’s always better to be early than sprinting down the dock waving at a departing ferry! 🚢😄

What a wonderful couple taking a selfie while gazing toward Germany on the horizon. At least that's our story, and we're sticking to it! 😄

The crossing took about two hours, and yes, I made sure to take my Dramamine beforehand. I’m happy to report that it was smooth sailing—both for the ferry and for my stomach. 🚢😂

Before we knew it, Germany was coming into view, and another chapter of our adventure was about to begin. 🇩🇪✨

It’s amazing how many wind turbines there are in the Baltic Sea. Everywhere you look, there seem to be more of them spinning away on the horizon.

By the way, the wind has been coming from the southwest for the entire trip—which means we’ve been riding straight into it. No complaints, though. As long as there aren’t any big hills or long climbs, our batteries handle it pretty well.

I’m not quite at the whining stage like I was yesterday. 😄

One recommendation for anyone planning this trip: start from the south and head north. That way, you’ll have a much better chance of having the wind at your back instead of feeling like Mother Nature is using you for resistance training! 🚴💨😂

Part of a rainbow! What does that mean? I happened to be outside at just the right time and managed to get the picture.

I’ve got to believe it’s a sign that I’m just that cool. 😎😂

Of course, some people might say it was just good timing and a little luck, but I prefer my explanation. After all, not everyone gets a rainbow to show up that says Tony is cool 😂🌈📸😄

Well, I got back inside the ship and found Joan sound asleep on a bench—directly under a sign that, if you look closely, says "No Sleeping on the Benches." 😂

I thought about pointing it out, but then I remembered she had gotten up at 5:15 this morning so we could catch the ferry. That bought her a free pass in my book.

Besides, I wasn't about to wake her up just to inform her that she was breaking the rules. Some rules are meant to be enforced, and some are meant to be slept through. 😴🚢😄

We spotted this cool nuclear power plant and, of course, had to stop and take a picture. 🚴📸

I’m sure you’re all extremely impressed by our ability to turn a nuclear power plant into a tourist attraction. 😂

Some people collect photos of castles, cathedrals, and beautiful landscapes. As you all know who have been following out blog, we will. 😀 

Anyway, I thought it was pretty cool, and since I’m the one posting the photos, you all get to admire it too. 😄⚛️

We decided to pump up the tires because they seemed a little sluggish. After all, we’ve put on quite a few miles, and I was convinced that low tire pressure was the culprit.

After airing them up and riding a bit farther, I came to a different realization: the tires weren’t the sluggish part—I was. 😂

It turns out there’s no amount of air pressure that can fix a rider who’s been pedaling all day. The bike felt fine; the engine just needed a tune-up, a snack, and maybe a nap. 🚴😄

Oh, Shit We reached a point where the bicycle trail simply ended. There was a hiking trail that kept going, but for bikes? Not so much. 😂

Of course, Joan decided this was the perfect photo opportunity. Meanwhile, I climbed to the top to see what was ahead. My reward? A deep ditch.

After carefully evaluating the situation (and by that, I mean realizing there was no way I was getting our loaded bikes through there), I decided to turn around and ride back about a quarter mile to the access point I had conveniently ignored earlier.

So, after all that exploring, climbing, and picture-taking, we ended up taking the route we should have taken in the first place. 😄

The good news is we got a memorable photo. The bad news is we also got a little extra exercise that absolutely nobody had planned for. 🚴😂

How do we get into situations like this?

We took off all the bags and started maneuvering our bikes through the barriers. It felt a lot like trying to carry a couch up to one of the kids’ dorm rooms or apartments—awkward, heavy, and requiring way more effort than it should. 😂

It took quite a while, but we slowly worked our way through obstacle after obstacle. Then, just as we were nearly finished, a German lady walked up and said (in German) that if we had gone about a quarter mile farther up the path, we could have completely bypassed all of this.

Good thing Joan speaks German! Unfortunately, the information arrived about 20 minutes too late. 😄

So, thanks to our determination, hard work, and a little lack of local knowledge, we successfully completed the difficult route that nobody else needed to take. 🚴😂

Joan found an Aldi in Germany—one of about a million of them, it seems—not too far from our Airbnb. That was our first sign that things were going to work out. 😄

Then we arrived at the Airbnb and discovered that the owner spoke only German. This is where Joan really shined. Compared to me, she was practically a United Nations translator.

Thanks to her German skills and a lot of patience on both sides, we managed to get checked in in only about an hour. All that language practice before bedtime is finally paying off!

Tomorrow we head to Rheinberg, and the people there still haven’t decided whether they’ve canceled our reservation or not. No worries, though—I have a backup plan, and a backup to the backup plan. What else would you expect? 😂

Joan's Extras

Yes, it was rewarding to speak some German especially when a German person actually understands you! Also, besides Tisha far exceeding me in our Duolingo group (she's learning French), it might pay off when Tisha and I get on The Amazing Race. 😆 I just hope that Tisha can train and pick up my slack like Tony does on the tandem.

Dinner tonight was Istanbul Doner Kabob - another European craving.

Forgot to mention that last night held a momentous occasion last night. Tony played a game! Since we were without WIFI, the guilt must have set in. We played Danish Yatzy, but with 6 dice. You can guess who won. 😉