Will I be able to continue from Heilbad Heiligenstadt? The only thing that is 100% sure when I wake up this morning is that I can’t move a meter without any breaks on my bike. The big question is in other words: Will I get the break pads before closing time today?
I woke up this morning and went over to the bicycle shop as agreed. The owner said that the other shop did not have the parts, but they would call a shop in Leinefelde, and so he did. The shop in Leinefelde said that they had the parts. The shop owner called a friend and asked him to drive to the next city to get the parts. I was told to get back after one hour.
I’m waiting in the hotel room. There’s not much to do, so I just listen to some music.
After one hour I go back to the bicycle shop. I just start laughing when I walk into the repair shop. There is one guy dressed for a wedding, he’s sitting there in the dirty repair room full of oil, and he is wearing black pants and a white shirt. One of the women is wearing a dress and looks like she’s going to a party. Everyone is standing there either with a bottle of vodka or a beer in their hands…First thing that hits my mind is that I might want to check my breaks tomorrow morning before I start cycling.
It doesn’t take long before they invite me in for a drink. How can I say no to an invitation like this? I’m all by myself, and this might be a thing that I can laugh about later. I stay there for a couple of hours, we are talking in the german/english/finger language. All of us understand that we need to simple down our language to understand each other, and we actually do.
After a few drinks and beers, the shop owner is finally finished with my bike. He just look at me and say: «Alles gut». He gave me an extra set of break pads, an adapter for my valve on the tires and a new tire. I’m so satisfied that everything is ok now.
I take my bicycle to the pension and then I walk next door to buy a pizza. My plan now is to eat and rest for some hours, so that I am ready to visit my friends later this afternoon.
My phone is calling, I woke up to answer it. It’s about time to walk up the street to my friends. I have a quick shower and walk to their house.
I say hello to their friends and family. We go out for a small walk with the kids. The weather is beautiful and the kids are full of life. I guess they don’t understand much of what I am saying.
Conny made a really nice goulash and we enjoyed the food with the children. When the children went to bed, we light the fire and sit around it and just had some nice conversations about everything and nothing. This is how I like it. I could stay here for a long time. I was thinking that this is really something that I would like Lillian to take a part of, I miss her.
They gave me a cd with some nice german music to remember them by. I have invited them to Norway and said that if they come, I would take them out in the islands back home. I think they would enjoy this.
It’s time for me to sleep. I need to get ready for a new day on the bike tomorrow. I said goodbye and started walking to the pension.
I have a good night sleep and wake up 15 minutes before the breakfast time is over. LUCKY! I eat some breakfast, pack my bag and publish the blogpost about trip to Heilbad Heiligenstadt.
I’m back on the road again after a quick skype conversation with Lillian. The weather is good and I must say it feels great to be back. Finally I’m confident that my bike is good for a while. My next thing to be changed must be the bottom bracket. I hope this is easier to get a hold of than the breaks.
My music is on full volume and I enjoy my time on the road. I stop at a gas station to fill up with some food and drinks, it’s Sunday you know, so it’s not that easy.
At first I start with some minor climbs, but I’ve looked at the elevation chart for todays stage. It’s not gonna be that bad. Most of the time it will be flat. This will only last for one day, then we’re back to reality.
I stop at a small camping after about 30-40Km. I buy some food, a coca cola and two coffees. You can see that the people there are looking at my bicycle rig. One of the guys at a table asks me some questions about my trip and I reply as good as I can. It’s funny to see the people on the other tables when he asks me about the route, all of them are getting bigger and bigger ears and are looking carefully towards us.
My brother, Morten is calling me when I sit here. He asks me if I still need the parts. I reply that I’ve got them and that my bicycle is ok. He tells me that they had a plan about coming down to Germany with the parts to me….HOW NICE! I quickly reply: «Can’t you come down for a visit, even if I don’t need the parts anymore?». Morten said he would need to make a phone call to our mother to see if they could take care of Celine for some days.
He calls back….I ask carefully if they will come. He replies that of course they are coming. I’m so happy and it doesn’t take long before I’ve assisted with booking the boat from Kristiansand to Hirtshals in Denmark. I change my plan immediately. My plan was to cycle as close to Point alpha as possible today and start with that tomorrow. Now the plan is to stop at this point tomorrow, so that they can experience the important history and memories here in Germany.
I continue along the road and I must admit that cycling was a bit easier now. I could cycle forever after this message.
Suddenly I met a guy from Germany. He’s cycling as well. I ask him if he’s going for a long distance, he replies «yes, I’m going to Istanbul and started yesterday.» I said to him that I was going in the same direction. We cycled together for about 20Km and stopped at a small pizza restaurant in Eschwege. There is a big festival in this city, so cycling here was a bit more difficult than planned.
We had a pizza and talked for a while. I knew that I was heading in a different direction after this, so I said goodbye and continued. Maybe we will meet again in Romania? Who knows?
You can see the dark clouds behind me. They have been following me for quite some time. I can feel some rain from time to time and know that it’s reported heavy rain and thunderstorms.
I speak with several cyclists that normally stay in tent, but today they are looking for a pension. I continue further on and hope that the clouds will stop…Just go away!!!! They don’t. I stop at a small farmers house. It seems like a place they are working with horses in combination with a pension and restaurant.
While sitting at the restaurant the heavy rain starts. It’s lightning and thunder at the same time. I ask them if they have a cheap room available. They have a room and I decide to stay there.
It’s about time with a shower. I need to give Morten some information about where they are going tomorrow morning. I have about 80Km to cycle.
As you know, the plan is to cycle to a place close to Point alpha.
Until next time!
Picture album from Heilbad Heiligenstadt and todays travel:
GPS Data from todays ride: