April 20, 2022
Day 8: Hohenwarthe to Arneburg
Bushwackers!
There was one piece of yesterday's experience at Hohenwarthe that did not make the report. But we are popping it in here, because of it's relevance to the theme of the Reason for Living. Between when we left the Landhotel that had screwed up our reservation, and our arrival at the save the day Waldschanke, we tried one other place. It was called Unser Paradies - Our Paradise.
As we stood at the gates of Paradise, an old man (like, our age) approached. They were closed until May, he said, and went on to explain that they were old and could not be running things all the time. I replied that we were old too, and were facing a night out in the cold. "That's Life!" he replied, too exuberantly, and continued with the observation (basically) "Sucks to be You!" What Meaning should we draw from this? How about "You can find assholes just about anywhere".
The Waldschanke came up with a decent but not too generous breakfast. We managed to create two spare sandwiches from it, but this would not be enough to carry us through the day. However we were ready to roll out our new secret weapon. Osmand can display points of interest on the map, and it quite cheerfully can show you stuff like nudist beaches or nudist recreation grounds. Each category of thing you can see has a little icon, both in the menu and on the map. (Nudist recreation, you might like to know, shows a volleyball net, not ...ha ha).
Dodie had spotted a Pretzel symbol, for Bakery, in one of our devices, but the one we really use for guidance had a complete lack of this. Our weapon: I figured how to get those bakeries shown on the map! This is actually quite important. The relative lack of commerce in this region means that we will have to dig harder to get needed supplies. This tech assist could be a big help.
We set off on the typical landscape we have come to expect, being fields of rapeseed, pasture, woodlot, and dike top. But after 15 km we came to a ferry crossing, at Rogatz. The ferry was at the other side, and there it sat, for a long time. A little squinting revealed the reason - the thing was refueling from a tanker truck. A first this pause was a welcome chance to warm up, without the wind of riding, but the delay stretched on. Finally, after well over an hour, things began to move. These days, a delay like that is not at all welcome for us. But hey, our secret weapon showed a bakery right on the other side.
Not only was the bakery there, but we could have easily blown by it had we not known, because of extremely discreet signage. We sent Dodie in as usual, leaving me to mind the bikes. She came out with some great sandwiches which would do for supper, and a couple of pastries. Mine was a slice, on the usual cake base, but with an apple and cheese mixture baked into the top, together with sour cherry filling. Quite nice. Thanks, GPS!
Right at the bakery, however, was an Umleitung (detour) sign for the radweg. Well, we didn't see any reason for concern, so we just took off down the well paved and clearly marked bike route. Everything was swell, until we came to the spot where the route had been totally, like totally, torn up. There was also a sign indicating don't even try to walk this.
| Heart | 3 | Comment | 3 | Link |
2 years ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
So, we set about walking it. The tortured sand was fairly well compacted, so we were ok. Only thing, we wondered if we would be able to exit the construction zone at the other end. A worker up ahead gave us some concern, but he took off, and we were free to arrive at a sand cliff separating us from a road, anyway.
I grabbed the bikes and plummeted down the cliff and out to the road, passing large earth moving machines which thankfully were not operating. OK, so now we were on a road. The GPS showed that in very short order that road was getting ready to veer off on a trajectory that would mean yet another 20 km detour before we could return to our marked route. We followed the road for a bit, and then did spot an umleitung sign, pointing into the nearby forest. Saved! or, Not so fast. The forest track we felt we had been pointed to branched once, and then twice, with no indication of where to go. That 20 km on road deviation was beginning to look better than being lost in the forest.
But wait, Dodie spotted a faint dotted line on her GPS, that seemed to lead to the track. We took it, and bushwacked though to the ... beautifully paved Elbe radweg, which casually seemed to say Well! Where have you two been?
A little more pedaling and we passed a sport centre, an eis cafe, and a playground - all the usual indications that life is normal. No hint of the tortured sand hell we had so recently left!
The day from there continued calmly. For excitement, we ran into about 20 school kids and their two teachers, out for a bike ride on identical green bikes. How cool that cycling could be part of a school curriculum.
At last we appoached Tagermunde. This is where we almost booked last night, before we got the brainwave of pushing on another 20 km to Arneburg. Tagermunde was really a revelation, as it featured almost the level of beautiful medieval houses that we had seen at Quedlinburg. Here are some images of what we saw.
| Heart | 4 | Comment | 2 | Link |
2 years ago
We left Tagermunde and slogged on toward Arneburg. The map had shown some hills in our way, but they were not really severe. And while for touring you can not run an ebike at high assist, you sure can power up a short but steep hill! That's what we did, and soon arrived at the Bett und Bike we had arranged by email the night before.
We were greeted by our host, Carsten, out on the traffic free road, and shown to the house. Oh my, it's a full apartment with very large kitchen and bath, sitting room, and bedroom. all immaculate, of course, fully furnished and equipped. A real bargain, for 70 euros, including breakfast.
| Heart | 3 | Comment | 1 | Link |
Our search for a place for tomorrow turned up little before Wittenburge, and prices there seemed very high. But there was a vacation rental on offer in Booking. This involves finding a key in a lockbox, and then finding the apartment, a possible adventure. But we went for it.
On the track, Wittenburge is 73 km away, too far again. But Carsten showed us an off track shortcut. We'll try that, setting up even more minor adventure for the day. But listen, the GPS shows us the location of a bakery in Arneburg, so it can't be all bad!
Reason for Living Today: The apartment has a bathtub!
Today's ride: 71 km (44 miles)
Total: 307 km (191 miles)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 13 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 3 |
2 years ago
2 years ago
2 years ago