Day 16: Hamburg to Lagerdorf

August 3, 2013

Our time with the Watsons came to an end this morning, but not before we had shared one more breakfast. We felt really at home with the Watsons, and of course we hope they felt the same. The first reason is no doubt our community of interest, so we never lacked for something to talk about. Plus we had read each others blogs, and so knew each other before we even met. Finally there was the personalities of the four of us. Personality is a combination of truly individual traits and national traits. We found the Watsons very forthright and matter of fact, and we liked that a lot.

So we made our last descent of the six flights of stairs and headed for the S-Bahn station. In principle we could have pedalled our way out off this large city, but it was not a very thrilling proposition. Th S-Bahn could dump us at Wedel, at the western edge of the metropolis, quite handily.

Well, just how handily is a bit debatable. First off, the elevators at the station were kaput. So we had to carry the bikes up two sets of stairs. Next, some sort of construction on the line three stops before ours had everyone kicked off the train and onto busses. The thing was well organized, though, and the articulated large bus fairly effectively swallowed our loaded bikes. All we had to do was to jam a lady with a baby buggy up against the wall. She seemed to survive that fairly well, though, and the baby (mostly) slept.

Look Ken andTricia, you are missing a tractor show.

We figured out the ticcket machine. Thankks go to David, for pointing out the things have an "English" button. DDuhh!

10:30 in Wedel. It ttook a further hour to do enough circles to spin out of town

By 10:30 we were in Wedel, and of course our job was to get out of there. a route map nearby revealed many radwegs, wending their way on various courses through a forested area. Our way, now that we got the new book at Globetrotter, is the Ochsen Weg or Oxen Road, and we spotted its characteristic sign up on the posts with the others. However that didn't mean the signs were consistent or easy to follow. In fact we lost the way pretty much immediately. We then reverted to following signs pointing to towns that comprise the route, and occasionally picking up the signs.

We traversed gravel paths in the forest, residential towns, and paths by moderately busy roadways, always navigating, navigating, spotting and analysing all sorts of signs and clues.

Our path for much of the morning looked like this

The area raises lots of flowers, and is ffamous for roses

We ran into a turkish wedding, but would rather have run into some good route signs

Presumably this Hummer limo is waiting for the brde and groom

Scanning ahead , we found that what the map man in Globetrotter had said was true: there is little or no camping in this area. We hhadd spotted a hotel and some zimmers, but for some reason (not just that we are cheap) we were loath to go into one. Looking to the possibility of a wild camp, we realized that we had little water, a necessity for cooking and drinking and brushing your teeth. Already the country seemed to have closed down in preparation for Sunday, but we found a Getranke markt open, and bought a bunch of water.

We were looking pretty good, and were back following the Ochen route signs, when we spotted a reference to something we had not seen before - a "rest platz" for cyclists, .7 km off. We followed that, to have a look at the possibility of wild camping there. As we turned onto the indicated street, a teenager asked if he could help. We started in our two year old's German, but he switched to his high school English. He did not know about camping, but suggested we inquire at the local swimming pool, down the same street.

We did that, and so ran in to Nikko, who mans the counter at the pool. He did not know about campingg, but suggested we sleep in his garden. Nikko is just heading off to college age and lives with his parents.He phoned his parents for an ok on dragging home two disreputable Canadians, and he phoned his girlfriend to suggest they change their plans and do a BBQ for us in the garden. The parents were fine, but girlfriend blew her stack.

So Nikko led us home and took steps to make us welcome before going off to his girlfriend's. That included figuuring out which washroom we would like to use, and seeing if we would like a drink, or a shower, or blankets, or food, etc. Nikko suggested if we were cold or wet we could sleep in his room, or the garden gazebo, etc.

We were really impressed. A young man so gracious and open is a wonderful thing. Nikko's dad is leaving soon on a motorcycle trip of the whole Route 66, and we enjoyed getting him to bring out his maps and guide books, and expounding on what we know about the subject.

Nikko then set me up with the wifi code, a power bar, table and chair for writing the blog, and headed off to his girlfriend (but not before drawing a map so we could find the bakery in the morning!). Of course we invited Nikko to visit our place someday. We really hope he comes.

Is this enough minèral water? It ws carbonated and did nott muucch like being shaken in our water bottles as the bikes moved

Today's ride: 62 km (39 miles)
Total: 1,024 km (636 miles)

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