We went for a walk around Minden late in the evening trying to find a place to get internet access. It has been a number of days since we have been able to check emails and work on the journal. It is a bit of a chore to catch up when the journal is days behind. Plus it is always a concern to be out of touch with how family are at home. No luck finding internet, but we discovered a bike shop full to overflowing with bikes and interesting accessories. As well, we discovered an outdoor/camping shop - so we know what we must do in the morning before we leave town. The bike shop was indeed a busy place - bikes lined the street in front and the shop was jam packed. The volume of bikes reminded us a bit of Performance Bikes at home, but it didn't compare to the amazing selection of clothes and accessories that Pam and Wayne stock at Perfomance. We are always attracted to and seek out bike shops, but it is hard to beat Performance and Fairfield Bikes (both in Victoria BC).
Stopped for lunch in the sweet town of Petershagen. The infrastructure on the trail in this area is considerably better than the past few days. Detailed signage, information boards, excellent trail surface and inviting rest stops have restored our good humour.
We saw many old "Dutch style" windmills in this area. We rode through such beautiful rural countryside with farm animals always there to entertain us. The river was not always close by, but this was not a problem - it was an idyllic day of riding....and the best part was the surprise of finding a campground in Stolzenau that wasn't on the map.
The campground was directly on the river and they thoughtfully provided covered picnic tables for each tent - a rarity!
The owner of the pension in Minden was a lovely fellow who worked hard to make the pension a special place for everyone
The town centre of Minden had only a few restored buildings - this one is exceptional. The two small shuttered windows on the top left open at certain times and carved figures appear.
What a great camera shop - we have been looking for a polarizer filter for our Panasonic and she had it. Most shops only special order them. Our FZ200 is their best selling camera.
Interesting sign on the trail - we're thinking this should be our theme logo as we have ridden along the waterways of Europe - plus it could be a reminder to keep our eye on the trail!
A souvenir of Mainz - we bought this German made bell at the bike shop in Mainz. St. Christopher will protect us on our journey. (The animals we see along the way seem to enjoy its musical sound. Barry continues to ring the bell when we see sheep, horses, cows - in other words, most of the time!)
