Münster to Westenholz

July 14, 2012

Today we changed our course from due east to southeast. We never did follow the R1 Bike Route as we had originally planned when we set out from Munich, but we could have picked it up in Münster. Instead we decided to head for Kassel to visit friends and dOCUMENTA 13. Again we cycled through beautiful countryside on small roads, had a few small hills and best of all, tailwinds.

Not far out from Münster, in Wolbeck, we passed by Schloss Drostenhof, a manor or castle originating in the 16th century and still owned by the family Graf von Merveldt. As we walked around the grounds with our cameras, the head of the family and heir appeared in what looked like hunting attire with two wire-haired dachshunds on leashes. I wondered if we were trespassing. But no, although part of the castle is used as a private residence, it is also the home of the Prussian Museum. The head of the family evidently enjoyed telling us the history of his castle and a long conversation ensued - a very interesting encounter.

In front of the Westpreußisches Landesmuseum, housed in the castle

It also poured three times. I don't know what we did to deserve so much luck but each time we were protected. We waited out the first downpour in a bus shelter which happened to be located conveniently at the roadside when we needed it. Later on in the day, while we stopped for coffee (and cake, too, of course) the skies opened for a veritable deluge. When it stopped, we went on our merry way. Our hotel kept us safe and dry from the final cloudburst of the day.

Much wind, only enjoyable if you are traveling the right direction, which we were.

There weren't too many large towns on our route where we could anticipate finding a hotel. Janos checked the Internet, located a hotel at about the right distance for a day's ride and that's where we stopped. Hotel Leonardo, not really a budget accommodation, was very comfortable, well run and had an excellent restaurant. We enjoyed it.

Today's ride: 77 km (48 miles)
Total: 498 km (309 miles)

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