We have hit the hills

May 3, 2019

The very cold weather and increasing hills are making the going harder, which makes it that much sweeter to find warm, comfortable accommodation. The riding has been very interesting as the terrain changes as we go and we find it very beautiful.

We stayed at Hotel Dorenkrug, a small traditional German guesthouse on the outskirts of Augustdorf, very near the military training base. Renata was a very friendly and good host. She runs a very clean and comfortable hotel. We enjoyed visiting with her and learning about her life and decision to work here while her family remains in Croatia. It must be tough for her as her husband remains in Croatia working as a policeman and looking after the children. She has had to come to where the work and pay are more reliable. We wish her well.

Pumping up the tires before we hit the road. Today promises to be quite hilly and lots of trail riding in the forest.

We rode by to take a look and an English soldier kindly advised us that we should head the other way.

This is a first for us. We got a dedicated cycle lane with a traffic light allowing us to ride diagonally across a busy road to make a left turn.

I think that Barry has beer on his mind.

We stopped to eat lunch and make sandwiches on a bench by the canal in Detmold. This young couple had just emerged from the city hall after their wedding to pose. The wind was playing havoc with the photographer’s plan. As well. It was very cold and we were bundled up in many layers. She must have been so cold.

Our picnic spot by the canal in Detmold. What a lovely town this is, criss crossed with canals.

A panoramic shot of our route and the beautiful rolling countryside.

We feel very lucky to be exploring a new region of Germany on the R1 route. We recommend it.

Wow, this was a surprise. The Holzhausen- Externsteine rock cliffs are a geological wonder. We were riding the trail, completely on our own in the forest and saw that the route did a detour off to the left and were not prepared for this sight.. we emerged to this site and many people here to hike and explore this special place.

Barry climbed up very steep stairs (twice) to platforms at the top of two of these rock formations.

We have much to learn and understand about this place. We will do some research to understand the carvings on the rocks and enter the info later.

The area is a haven for walkers and hikers with many paths to explore. The cycle route is to the right in the forest.

A handy place to have a rest at the top and enjoy the view.

What an interesting place and to think we were riding in the forest with no idea of what was around the corner.

A picturesque Gasthof which has been in operation over 100 years. It looks tempting but we don’t want to stop as we are trying to keep ahead of the rain, but it is so cold. Luckily the hilly ride today is keeping us warm.

The cat was somewhat tolerant of us for disturbing its hunting.

We have had this dark, threatening sky with us all day. Occasionally, we get a glimpse of sun and it is heavenly.

The afternoon is getting on and we have given up continuing without getting warm, so we took refuge in this bakery in Nierheim. The bonus to getting warm was the excellence of her cakes and coffee.

Florien came up to talk to Barry as he also loves to cycle tour. Last year he rode from his home in Neirheim to Portugal. He shared an amusing anecdote about his home town, Neirheim translates, “never home”. Sorry we didn’t take such a good picture of you Florien but we really enjoyed meeting you. Happy travels when you get the chance this summer.

This shows some of the hills today on the route. We will stay nearby in Klosterkrug, a guesthouse adjacent to a Benedictine Church dating back to the 12th century. It will be a push to ride the final km as the wind is strong and the temperatures have dropped under 8 degrees. Brrrr...

Today's ride: 55 km (34 miles)
Total: 646 km (401 miles)

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Keith ClassenLooks like you guys are having similar type weather to what we are having. Forecast for tomorrow on our way to Geneva is 3 degrees in the morning topping out at 8 degrees in the afternoon. Those hot showers or baths are total bliss at the end of the day. Really enjoying following along with you guys. Safe travels! Summer is just around the corner.
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