Day 13: Dorum to Hemmoor

July 31, 2013

It seems like we have been crossing a sort of peninsula every couple of days, each a tourist hotspot and with its own real or trade name. From Bremerhaven to Hamburg, the tourist literature calls our current one "Cuxland". Cuxhaven is at the top centre of the peninsula, so maybe that makes sense. Our own enjoymentt sure was helped by finding that shelter at the campground last night. It rained heavily and blew all night. That is not so bad, once you are in your tent and maybe watching a movie on the smartphone. But for putting up the tent and then trying to sit outside and type the blog - yeeeecch.

So we left our overpriced and ugly seaside resort withh mixed feelings. This was especially so because we were immediately with the sheep, beside the dike. Actually there were also cows, which is a welcome change.

Stachelbeeren are gooseberries. We were tempted by these at a dikeside stand, but the jar is too heavy

We rolled around to Cuxhaven, first penetrating th outer suburbs and then an area of two or three lanes streets with a fair bit of traffic. The actual core of town was not so large, quaint, or old, but still pleasant. On what we took to be the main street, we fouund not only the necessary bakery/cafe but three bike shops. In the story of Grampiees and the three shops, the offered tire at shop one was too little (406 x 1.35) and at the next shop too big (406 x 2.00) but at the third shop the tires were just right (406x1.75). So we bought the one from Peter at "Fahrrad & Werkstatt". Yeah!

The first bike shop since we started looking at Jever that had the tire

The street not only had tires but pastry

Further out Cuxhaven looks much like Victoria

Cuxhaven is on the furthest extreme of what might be called the Elbe River. Beyond Cux, you definitely have the North Sea. But heading southeast, the water will narrow progressively, iinto a standard river - the lonng and famous Elbe. Anyway, we are already on the also famous Elbbe Radweg.

There is so many wind turbines in this area. Dodie and I find them esthetic and pleasing. We are so disappointed in BC Hydro, which has stalled and stalled about installing turbines. How dumb can you get!

It's half river and half ocean here, and the beach is good

We met a couple from Bremen the other day, as we all sheltered under a bridge in the rain. They are cyclling to Hamburg and will take the train home from there. We ran into them again today and cycled together for a while. Tobias works in shipping, and I learned more about Bremerhaven from him. He also says it is possible to send me that van I was blithering about yesterday. I got his card. You never know. Dodie says sure, she will buy me one. On the other hand maybe I would settle for another cuckoo clock!

Steve's Law states that a "real" town must have a square, with a church, bakery/cafe, and rathaus. We haven't run in to that many real towns yet. On the other hand Otterndorf, half way along our route today does qualify.

We were sitting in the Otterndorf square, eating our lunchtime bread and cheese, when a lady passed by. she noticed our Canadian flags and told us that she would like to travel to Canada. We chatted for a while, until the lady -Elisabeth - said she had to go, that she was attending to her sick 86 year old Mom in Hamburg. Dodie looked around and pulled a Canada flag pin off her pack and gave it to Elisabeth for her Mom, as a token that we wished her well. She was taken with this, and thanked us before hurrying off. A few minutes later she was back, bring us cherries and blueberries from her car. It was a small interaction, but a satisfying one. We have lost parents recently, and hope all goes well in Hamburg.

The trail for us now led into a forest, with a sandy, uphill path. We got into this by following bikeway signs pointing to towns. we later saw that the North Sea Cycle Route had a way that avoided the sand and hills. Oh well, we wasted an hour and got tired on the sand. The Bikeline maps nnow showed us no nearrbby camping. However the tablet, containing "Archie's" database of European camping, showed two near Hemmoor. Dodie always mistrusts electronic aids, but in this case had no choice. Gleefully the tablet led us to the best campiing yet, with immaculate and complete facilities and a price of just 12 euros, with no nonsense about beach tax, garbage tax, tax tax, etc.

Today's ride: 72 km (45 miles)
Total: 870 km (540 miles)

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