Day 12 - Dresden, Germany - Rain and Grit

Tony's View

We woke up this morning, and Joan checked the forecast. Somehow, overnight it had completely changed. What was supposed to be a decent riding day had transformed into a rainy one... and we had 65 miles on the schedule. What luck. After a brief discussion that mostly consisted of staring at the radar and wishing for a different forecast, we decided to do the only sensible thing: suit up and head out into the light rain. After all, the miles weren't going to ride themselves.

We got down the road and spotted a group of kids running across the countryside. Based on our extensive observational skills, we concluded they were probably cross-country runners. The runner out front was wearing a backpack, so we immediately promoted him to "Coach." It seemed only fitting. Nick is usually the one leading the charge and, as an Eagle Scout, he's no stranger to carrying gear and making good decisions. But after watching these kids sprint through the rain and mud, we're starting to think the coaches over here might just be tougher. 😂

We saw sheep farms all day long, and every flock seemed to have gotten a fresh haircut. It must be sheep-shearing season because there wasn't much wool left to admire. The sheep looked a little surprised by their new streamlined appearance, but I'm sure they're enjoying the lighter load. In the picture, you can see one of the farm dogs diligently keeping an eye on its sheep. While the sheep may have lost their wool, they certainly haven't lost their supervision.

We also spotted a set of twin lambs having a snack from their mother. Of course, by the time we got our phones out and ready for the perfect photo, they had already wandered off. That's a universal law of photography for us. Seeing the twins immediately made us think of Rafi and Santi, Wade and Linda's twin boys. Unlike the lambs, though, we're pretty sure those two will be much harder to herd. 😂

We managed to get a picture of one of the many Army helicopters flying overhead today. Seeing them brought Branden Barhorst to mind. This could very well be the kind of area where he would have been flying during his time in Germany. As far as we know, he's flying in Texas now, although we think he was stationed in Germany at one point and may even be headed back someday. We weren't close enough to ask the pilot, so we'll just assume it was Branden making sure we were staying on course. 😂 It's amazing how often these helicopters buzz by. They certainly break up the scenery and remind you that while we're working hard to cover 65 miles on bicycles, someone else is covering a whole lot more ground a lot faster. 

Here I am with my fellow Suburban Scarecrows, apparently searching the countryside for lost luggage. Judging by our appearance, we looked highly qualified for the job.

I couldn't help but feel sorry for anyone missing a bag. After all, I know exactly what that feels like. Fortunately, these scarecrows seemed willing to help with the search. They may not cover much ground, but they certainly have plenty of time on their hands. 😂

If you zoom in close enough, you can see the grit everywhere: on my legs, all over the bike, and even on the bag cover in the back. This was the result of riding in the rain on a gravel path, which turned into a mud-slinging machine.

By the time we stopped, it looked like we'd been competing in a cycling version of a Tough Mudder event. Every puddle seemed determined to leave its mark, and judging by the amount of gravel stuck to us, a good portion of the trail came along for the ride.

We did our best to wipe everything down before continuing, but it was one of those situations where you clean off a pound of mud and immediately pick up another pound a mile later. 😂 At least the rain kept the dust down. Unfortunately, it replaced it with something much stickier.

After wiping everything down earlier on the route, we eventually ran into more gravel paths. So much for our cleaning effort. Before long, the bike was once again sounding like it was grinding coffee beans instead of rolling down the trail. As I flew past this roadside restroom, something we almost never see out here, Joan suggested it might have water. I was ready to keep going, but she convinced me to turn around and check. Reluctantly, I agreed. It turned out to be one of the best decisions of the day.

The restroom had water, and we were able to thoroughly rinse off the bike, the drivetrain, and a good portion of the gravel we'd been carrying around with us. After a little trail-side maintenance, the bike was running smoothly and quietly again, with no more crunching, grinding, or mysterious grit noises. It's amazing how happy a cyclist can get over a functioning faucet. 😂

Sometimes the highlights of a ride aren't the castles, churches, or scenic overlooks. Sometimes it's finding a roadside restroom with water just when your bicycle sounds like it's eating rocks.

We came across this monastery today, which is attached to an old church just behind where the picture was taken. It appeared to be quite the tourist attraction, with plenty of cars and parking areas nearby. After riding through small villages and countryside most of the day, it was surprising to see so many visitors gathered in one place.

Of course, I also had to get the picture below. Now, I have absolutely no idea what it really is, but I'm convinced it's either an old Soviet missile silo or a refinery like the ones back home in Lima.

The logical explanation is probably that it's some sort of industrial facility. The much more entertaining explanation is that we've accidentally discovered a secret Cold War installation that everyone else has overlooked for the last 40 years. 😃 So until someone proves otherwise, I'm voting for the missile silo theory. It makes for a much better story than "interesting industrial equipment." 

We stopped at a biergarten along the bike path and, before long, a few people wandered over to check out the bike. That seems to happen quite a bit over here. I think they are amazed with it's the setup, Either way, we finally decided to get a picture of the attraction.

Below, you'll see me enjoying a large German beer with only about five miles left to our Airbnb. This was a carefully calculated decision based on advanced cycling logistics and emergency restroom planning. Five miles felt like the perfect distance. Far enough to earn the beer, but close enough that a sudden "pee emergency" wouldn't turn into a major expedition. 😂

After a long day of rain, gravel, grit, bike washing, and more gravel, that beer tasted especially good. Sometimes the best part of a ride isn't the destination. Sometimes it's knowing the destination is only five miles away and you're already holding a cold beer. 🍻

We had many countryside views today that were really neat to see. The rolling fields, small villages, and endless bike paths made the miles go by a little easier, even after all the rain and gravel adventures.

When we finally made it to the Airbnb, we unloaded all the bags and batteries and started a rough cleaning of the bikes before heading over to the Bike Hospital. By then, the bikes looked like they had completed a military training exercise instead of a bike tour.

When I got there, the gifts from Matt Hoying were waiting for us. I was able to get them installed and configured in a way that has Joan's chain working much better. It was one of those small adjustments that makes a big difference.

I asked what I owed them for the help, and they simply said, "Pay it forward." 😁👌 Just another great example of people helping people. Although, if we're being honest, I'm pretty sure "paying it forward" in this case actually means thanking Matt Hoying, because he's the one who started the whole chain reaction of kindness in the first place.  Meaning I don't have to pay him back either. 😁

It's been amazing how often complete strangers have gone out of their way to help us on this trip. The bike community really does seem to operate on a simple principle: if someone needs help, you help them. And then hopefully someday they get the chance to do the same for someone else.

Joan's Extras

Today started out as a 4 layer day, meaning I started out wearing 4 layers of shirts / jackets / coats. I usually make that strategic decision when checking the weather before we head out. Tony started out at 1 and then went to 2 when the rain got a little heavier, then back to 1 when the engine got sweaty. That lovely fairing did a great job of keeping ME dry. 😃

Lots of turns and curves today also, and when you are concerned about what the condition of the road ahead looks like, you are keeping an eye out for what's just around the corner. While I definitely prefer riding in the countryside over the city, one of the risks is rain and gravel. Tony did a great job keeping us upright again!

We hit the jackpot for dinner tonight as we were walking around searching for a nearby restaurant on Google Maps., Restaurant brennNessel. Everything was chef made with lots of fresh veggies.

Day 11 - Torgau, Germany - Schröder's Have Ice Cream and Beer

Joan's View

Nice warm day for a 62 mile ride even if the wind was gusting right at us the last 25 miles. 

While it's flooding around home, the fields here seem to be needing a serious dousing of rain. We saw a field of corn that was maybe knee high with almost no ears on it. This field of sunflowers looked so sad and droopy.

I was commenting to Tony while we were riding that for going through so many woods, you'd think we'd see more wildlife. Soon after that a jack rabbit crossed our path. 😌😏

Our first stop to refuel the engine in the back.

Our next stop, in Wittenberg, was only a few miles farther, but there was a bakery in the heart of the town near the square, so we had to stop. We found out that Martin Luther Halle-Wittenberg University is there and Wittenberg is Martin Luther's birthplace and home. It had lots of beautiful old buildings so we got some pictures. Tony parked the bike by this tiny canal which was probably part of their first
water system.

On the square in Wittenberg

After all that great refueling, we rode for what seemed like miles and miles. At one point, we ran into a major roadblock near an overpass. We stopped to think while Tony started studying the roads in that area to decide how we could get around this major roadblock. Then our hero for the day stopped to help us! He only spoke German and was trying to explain it to me, but it was a lot for me to understand. Finally, he said, " Komm mit," and he waved us to follow him. We were off roading it while I was trying to get pictures of our hero. Like Tony said later, "We would have never figured that out." It's another example of the millions of kind people in this world.

Still following our hero.

Following our hero.

 

Riding along the bike path entering a small town was this house which seemed fascinating that they would fly the German, US, Scotland (I think), and Denmark. flags There's gotta be a interesting story there.

This picture shows the old and the new, but centuries later still using the same source of power. We have passed hundreds of wind turbines on this trip. The one thing that we've learned, all from our plentiful wind encounters, is that the turbines face the direction that the wind is coming from. That means if the turbines are turning fast and facing the direction that we are peddling, look out!

Tony suggested that we stop to get a picture of the Elbe River since we saw it in many places. You can see where he is on the bike path in the shade. I climbed the levee and came back with this picture. "Bye bye American Pie. We took our Bilenky to the levee but the levee was dry."

There are several unidentified noises coming from the bike. The chain guide being sent to Dresden (thank you Matt) hopefully will fix one. The engine, aka Tony, needed a break so we stopped in the shade of a hazelnut tree while Tony tightened bolts thinking that would fix another squeaky noise. It didn't fix it, but it got him closer to the source of one.

 

Back into another pine forest, we rode for maybe a mile among stacked timbers. Tony called it a timber tunnel. Once again, the smell was amazing. 

The engine needed some substantial refueling by now, so we found a Netto in the small town of Annaburg. Tony ate his pretzel hotdog and pretzel near this cool parking spot for dogs. We could use these in the US especially when we are traveling with Luna. Thanks also, Wade & Linda, for doggie sitting Luna!

Tackling the wind some more, and riding into the town of Großtreben, Tony hit the brakes because we found this amazing place! 

Better yet, besides being a bakery, they sell two of Tony's favorites. Can you guess what they are?

Back on the road, we got an actual picture of the Elbe.

Cruising into Torgau, it took a little while to find our Airbnb. Sometimes, it's like a break out room following the clues only we are trying to get in. 

Tony's Extras

AJ (aka Tony Jr. 😁) checked in and informed us that the construction equipment we saw yesterday was a Dingo. Thanks, AJ—you’re the best! Apparently, we now have our own official Heavy Equipment Consultant. Maybe someday part of Choice One.

I really enjoyed the ride today, even though I was completely exhausted from battling the wind. It was so windy that it nearly blew Joan’s helmet off while we were riding. At one point, I’m pretty sure we were pedaling forward and moving sideways at the same time.

I really liked Wittenberg. If I ever do this trip again, it will definitely be a planned stop overnight rather than just a happy surprise.

We’re looking forward to getting the parts Matt ordered and paid for on our behalf. Amazingly, he actually believed me when I said I’d pay him back! Hopefully they work, even though they’re not exactly the right size. I’ll let you know the results tomorrow, assuming the parts fit better

Day 10 Bad Belzig, Germany - Finding Bike Parts

Tony's View

I woke up early this morning and immediately launched an investigation into where I could find replacement ball-bearing chain guides. The originals have broken, and I've currently got them held together with what can best be described as engineering optimism and a jury-rigged solution.

I found some replacements on Amazon, but they're designed for motorcycles. Since motorcycle chains are considerably larger than bicycle chains, they're not exactly a perfect match. Still, I think I can persuade them to do the job. I sent a message to our Airbnb host in Dresden, Germany, asking if we could have the parts shipped there. Their response was, "Only if you are there when they show up." Unfortunately, that doesn't help much when the package arrives before we do.

So, we decided to quit overthinking it, go for a ride today, and trust that a better solution will reveal itself somewhere down the road. After all, that's worked for most of our adventures so far.😄

We left Berlin and soon came across a small bicycle path sweeper. It was the perfect size for the bike lane. These Germans seem to think of everything, and it was doing an excellent job. The operator was also kind enough to move over when we caught up to him, which we appreciated.

Berlin was a great city, and I’d rank it near the top of all the European cities we've visited. We managed to get out of the city in about 8 miles, which happened much faster than we expected.

We had ridden about 15 miles into Berlin on our way in, and one thing we noticed is that afternoon traffic is definitely busier than morning traffic. Apparently, even in Germany, everyone decides to be somewhere at the same time. Once we cleared the city limits, it was back to enjoying the ride and wondering what clever piece of bicycle infrastructure the Germans would surprise us with next. 

We found a bakery in the first town outside of Berlin, and naturally, we had to stop. Joan decided it was the perfect opportunity to order one of each of her favorites: an apple Danish and a cream-filled éclair.

Being the sharing people we are, we agreed to share them. And by "share," I mean Joan made absolutely sure she got her fair share... and possibly a little quality-control sampling on top of that. 😂 You know we are at European bakeries, because Joan usually makes sure everyone else gets the biggest share.

The pastries were excellent and gave us the perfect excuse to take a break, enjoy the morning, and fuel up for the miles ahead. After all, bicycle touring burns a lot of calories—or at least that's what we keep telling ourselves every time we walk into a bakery. 

We got to see bison today, and for a moment, you would have thought we were back in the Black Hills of South Dakota at Custer State Park just a couple months ago. There was a whole herd grazing in the fields, including several calves. For a few minutes, it felt like we'd somehow taken a wrong turn and ended up back in South Dakota. The only thing missing was a traffic jam caused by bison standing in the middle of the road and refusing to acknowledge that anyone had places to be. 😂 It was a neat surprise and a reminder that every day on this trip seems to bring something unexpected.

We rode past a castle today that immediately caught our attention. What first tipped us off wasn't the castle itself, but the giant entrance designed for tour buses. That's usually a pretty good clue that there's something worth seeing nearby. As we got closer, it was easy to imagine how impressive the castle must have been in its prime.

It's always interesting to stumble across places like this while traveling by bike. One minute you're pedaling along, minding your own business, and the next you're looking at a centuries-old castle wondering how many kings, knights, or confused tourists have passed through its gates.

We didn't stop for a tour, but it was still a neat surprise and another reminder that you never know what you'll discover around the next bend. 

One of the highlights of today's ride was cycling through miles and miles of pine forest—at times, stretches of up to 15 miles.

Pine forests are my favorite woods to ride through. Unlike some dense forests where all you can see are trees right next to the trail, these woods were open enough to see far into the forest. It creates a peaceful feeling and makes the ride seem even more relaxing.

The best part, though, was the smell. The scent of pine is one of my favorite smells. Between the quiet surroundings, the open forest, and the fresh pine-scented air, it was one of those stretches of riding where you forget about the miles and just enjoy being out on the bike. 

We rode through some areas of active logging in the pine forests today and came across a piece of construction equipment that I thought was pretty cool. Of course, I had to stop and take a picture for my grandson AJ (aka Tony Jr. 😀).

I'll wait for AJ to tell me what it's called before I make any guesses. He knows his construction equipment, which is pretty impressive for someone who is 2.5 years old. It's amazing how much he already knows about excavators, loaders, bulldozers, and every other machine with wheels or tracks. I'm pretty sure he'll have the equipment identified within seconds of seeing the picture. Until then, the mystery machine remains unnamed, and I'm waiting for the official ruling from the family's youngest construction expert. 

We stopped for lunch at a grocery store today. It wasn't Aldi, although not for lack of trying. The lunch really hit the spot and gave us the fuel we needed for the final stretch into Bad Belzig.

Once we arrived at our Airbnb, the real adventure began: figuring out where to ship my replacement chain guide parts. After some brainstorming, we came up with the idea of having them shipped to a local bicycle shop. That sounded great, provided we could actually get the order shipped. To use Amazon Prime, I needed access through Choice One. Unfortunately, the verification code was set up to be emailed to Abby. Since Abby is on maternity leave, she wasn't exactly sitting by her computer waiting for my emergency bicycle parts request. She also didn't answer when I called her cell phone. Dang caller ID.

So I started thinking: who else could help me with this and probably wasn't too busy? Then it came to me—Matt Hoying. After all, from my experience, when you're the President, you don't really do anything. Of course, I never had an ex-president that keeps calling for favors the way I do to Matt. 😂 Fortunately, Matt came through with a plan. Thanks to his efforts, the parts are supposedly on their way to Dresden and should arrive at a bicycle shop with one of the coolest names imaginable: Bike Hospital. If your bike is sick, that's exactly where you want it to go.

Matt is officially our hero of the day. Even if Joan thinks he spends too much time reading signs and pestering Amanda almost as much as I pester Joan. 😄

Joan's Extras

If you love the smell of pine, you'd love to have been with us today. The only disadvantage was the bugs. Maybe they love pine forests too? They seemed to hit the fairing and bounce right into my face. I kept my mouth closed, unless Tony started reading signs again.

One section of the trail had tons of carvings in the woods. This is just one of the many. We'll let you decide who is the GOAT.

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.