Day 106, Tuesday 18/10/2016

Rest day

Had a lie in until 9 o’clock, a large porrage, gave all my pots and pans a good wash and scrub, then a shower for me and clothes washing. I was looking for a good strong post to wring my clothes out on when the lady at the campsite let me use the site spin dryer, and the clothes line behind the office. I had charcoal for dinner, well I had a tin of Kohlouladen in Bratensauce and when I put that into Google translate it came up as charcoal.
I was nice and warm today as it was a rest day so had my thermals on.

Day 107 – 19/10/2016

Dry in the morning and struck camp, I had to pack damp clothes I’d washed yesterday as it looked like rain was coming, and I would not be able to dry them from the bike. First 4km was on a cycle path through the forest that was really nice but when I reached Gartz it started to bucket it down, I carried on along the road to Schwedt in terrible rain and Google maps had stopped working so had to follow road signs. Schwedt looked like i imagined an East German town to look like, lots of big industry and lots of blocks of flats, or as its called these days Germany. I bought a paper map of the whole of Germany and made it to the campsite just before 5pm. The reception was closed so I pitched my tent and as I was preparing dinner I heard a twang from outside and my unladen bike had just lost another spoke, to late to fix it tonight as it was dark so a job for the morning. I’m glad I had my wheel trued in Sweden orvi may have broken a lot more spokes in Poland, I’d been told that the roads in Poland were the worst in Europe by Polish friends in England but London roads are worse for pot holes, it was the cobbled street’s that were really rough to cycle over.
Today 43 km.

Day 108

Packed up my kit but left the tent up to dry off as I replaced my 7th spoke, bad mistake as halfway through doing it, it rained, so I’ll have to dry the tent tonight. I left the site at 11 and went to pay but the lady said don’t worry about it, I think they were closed for the winter, but the toilet block was unlocked so it did for me. I went into town to get some money, and the tourist office told me that there was no bank in the town that would change Polish zlotty and suggested I cycle 3km back to Poland but chose to go to an atm instead. Google maps was working again so I could take some small quiet roads with less traffic. I got pulled by the police in the afternoon for a routine passport check, which took me aback a bit, I’ve travelled through about 25 European countries in my time and never had a routine passport check. So far I’ve only showed my passport twice on this trip, once to leave England and once to arrive in France ( just to make sure I was not an illegal immigrant ), I’ve travelled through 8 countries, and crossed 16 border points and only shown my passport twice. I’m sure Germany is in the Schengen zone. They were 2 older police man and were probably ex east German officers, I’ve decided to name the shorter bald one Von Smallhausen and the taller one who checked my passport Heir Flick.
At Angermunde I asked at the tourist office for a campsite, she saw my dog told me where the campsite was and then told me that they had a no dogs policy, I went to the lake by town and set up my tent near some anglers and wild camped.
Today 30 km.

Day 109

Left my lake side wild camping spot at 8.30 and walked the bike to town to get some meths and a 2nd spare innertube. It was a very misty day, hardly any rain but very damp. I went past the campsite that the lady yesterday told me did not allow dogs at Geghegmuhle and through Altkunkendorf to Alhuttendorf and into Joachimsthal and found a campsite on Google maps that I do not think was there. I found a building with a shelter by the lake and decided to sleep under that for the night. There was no water tap but i filled my bottles from the lake, no need to use my water filter as I’ll be boiling it as I’m only drinking tea while it’s cold, the temp was 8 degrees centigrade in the afternoon.
I don’t know how far west I need to cycle at 52 degrees north to keep up with the setting Sun and keep my bedtime the same but I’m not cycling far enough, but west is west.
I was not certain but my expensive metal fuel bottle has a leak, I thought it had but confirmed it today, I might as well get rid of it and use the bottle cage for water instead.

I had a cheap metal fuel bottle that did the same while cycling around the Orkney islands a few years ago, glad I have a meths stove and did not bring a pressurized fuel stove that required that bottle, I’ll just keep the meths in the plastic bottles it comes in, in Europe they are good quality plastic bottles unlike in England.

While I’m talking about bad kit, my 3/4 length multi mat is not holding air all night, when I first got it it would last 3 to 4 nights without a top up, then a night, and now at least once a night I have to top it up with air, there are other things that i would rather go down on me then an airbed, lucky at my age I usually need to go for a pee once a night so I have to get up. I should have brought my 30 year old Karrimat, not as comfortable as an air bed but nothing to go wrong with it, but it takes up about 9 times more space, I’ll have to look for a new one and strap it to the trailer somewhere.
Still have damp clothes in my panniers but to humid to dry them and not enough wind, the only way I know to dry them off is to put them on and use my body heat.
A deer ran across in front of me, about 5 metres away, I had to grab Pippa to stop her chasing after it.
Feeling the cold this afternoon so had a swig of my Polish warm up juice and put on dinner, it did the job and kept me warm until food was ready.
Today 24km

 

Day 110

Up at 7 but not enough light till 8 to hit the road then stopped 1km up the road to get some supplies, I also bought some iced jam donuts from the freash bread kiosk and they came with a free yogurt each. 1 km out of town I noticed my cycle computer had had enough for the day and jumped 36km, I keep track of my distance as I ride with a crib sheet on my handlebar bag to help work out when a turning is coming up, re corrected my start distance to take it into account. No rain so far today and cycled 20 km by 11am when I stopped for my mid morning T break. At about half 12 I decided to stop at a campsite, well a marina that had camping at Marienwerder. It was a nice day and I could have done 20-30 km more but wanted to give my damp clothes an airing and hopefully dry a bit more. Managed to dry trousers but they are a fast drying material, put my slightly damp clean socks on to go to bed, my body heat should dry them out, did not feel like doing this with my underpants.
I think i have worked out why Google maps goes wrong, every time I download new maps it downloads them but i do not have access to them and only get a blank screen, I have to turn my WiFi off and on a few times and they will work when I am offline.
Today 25km.

Day 111

Had to put smelly socks back on this morning but clean ones had dried. Left site at 10 and decided to follow cycle route to the next town and not the road, but i forgot that the cycle points are not like in Holland and at junctions there are no signs so had to double check with Google maps to find the route again. First half of the day I was heading west the right direction, second half of the day a change of route plan and went north along a canal ( Berlin to Copenhagen cycle route ), there was a method to my madness as 20 km further north there were more small roads that go east west. I hung pants, shirt and towel on the trailer to dry as it was a good day but cold. Pants dried but shirt and towel still damp. The first campsite I tried said they were open April to October on the sign but they said they were closed but they did have rooms to rent at 9 times the price. 5 km up the road I found another marina at Ziegelepark that had camping, checked out the toilet facilities showers were coin oppereted but the office was closed, went to the restaurant 20 metres along and found they also did camping so checked in. They also had outside household electrical points so I made use of my 4m 4 way extension lead and charged all my electrics, tablet, storage battery, phone and spare battery, camera and spare battery and some aaa batteries. The showers were free so had a long shower and they also had radiators so managed to dry the rest of my damp clothes.
Today 45km.

 

Day 112

I settled my bill in the morning and got a nice cup of fresh brewed coffee, very nice people there. I left the park and took a dirt road for 3km so Pippa could have a nice walk and her morning exercise, then into Zabelsdorf and Altudersdorf looking for a supermarket as stocks of food were running low. At Rheinsberg the tourist office was very helpful and called 4 campsites to find one which was open.
Today was a dry day and 70% of it was on cycle paths next to the road. I also discovered that an 8% hill is too steep for me to push the bike up, so removed 8kg of weight from the trailer and had Pippa tied to the handlebars to pull.
Today I made the 2000 mile mark.
Today 47km.

Day 113

Yesterday the lady at the tourist office found a campsite for me, and told me that the owner was not there but would be back in the morning so I could pay. I found the owner in the morning and chatted to him and he let me stay for free, I think Pippa got me the free night.
Hit the road at 10 and Pippa had a 2km walk, mainly as there were cobblestones and I do not like cycling over them. Cycled through Luhme on the way to Schweinrich were there were signs along the road that looked like landmines, one way to stop people wild camping

 

The tourist office in Schweinrich was not very helpful so carried on and wild camped in the woods just before Blesendorf.
When I stopped for lunch today I was feeling extremely tired and had to check my log to see when my last rest day was, and this was day 7 of cycling, I think i need a break.
It was a barmy 9 degrees centergrade today and for the first time in 3 weeks I took off my rain jacket. I cycled further then I wanted today but i could not find a suitable place to camp. At 1030 in the night I heard an animal outside the tent, proberly a Fox but Pippas barking scared it off.
Today 53km.

Day 114

Had to wait till 7 to strike camp as it was too dark, a very misty morning, I saw deer and a large owl through the mist. At about 11 I almost ran over a young weasel as it darted across the road in front of me. I met some nice people today and in Triglitz a nice lady and her son pulled over to ask if I was ok as I was checking my map. Wild camped in woods halfway between Putlitz and Suckow very tired.
Today 36km.

 

Day 115

Another cold night last night in the woods just beside the main road, could not get moving until 830 due to lack of light, it was very misty and I was down to my last half litre of water plus my half litre reserve. Stopped for a T at 10 and a chocolate spread sandwich, ( I slept with the jar in my sleeping bag last night to stop it freezing ), I will be out of Google maps in about 20 km so I need WiFi to download more today. I stopped at a McDonalds in Parchim at lunchtime for a coffee and to try and download more maps but once again I could not get into there website but i did fill up my waterbottles. Left town headwind for Schwerin, not sure how far away it is as signs said 40km then 41km, then 45km and 40km as I followed route 321 out of town. A longer day then I expected today, day 9 without a rest day but i want a campsite to take that rest day as I must really stink now. At 3pm the Sun came out and at 3.30 i hit road works, where the road was down to one lane for 3/4 km with traffic lights, I was at the front and I think the lights must have changed at least twice before I cycled through the slight uphill stretch, I bet the people who put up the roadworks were expecting a heavily laden cyclist to go through, but at least when I made it to the end and all the cars following me overtook they could see the union Jack on the trailer and know who held them up.
Camped in some bushes off the road at 5pm about 15km east of Schwerin. By tomorrow night I should be back on Google maps again, last time I downloaded 3 maps and the image showed them overlapping but there was a gap.
Today 54km

Day 116

Today day 10 without a rest day, I think my limit is 8 days. I did not have to re inflate my air bed last night as I was so tired I just slept, late start for wild camping, 9am. Still running on no Google maps so main roads and just as I was at my turn off I came to a section with no cycles allowed so had to turn into town and go to Schwerin, I saw wallabys and those big Australian birds, not emus but the other ones I can never remember the name of, but i was going past a zoo. Stopped at the lake in town for a break and had to fill up with 2 litres of lake water, not that clean but it was for boiling a mug of tea and a flask of coffee, I still have some drinking water left. I town I found fresh water and replaced the lake water and then stopped outside a Deutsche Bank for free WiFi, I now love Deutsche Bank, but when I worked for them all I could think of was the line Rick used about them in the film Casablanca.
On the way out of town saw an innertube vending machine, very useful but i already have enough.

Nice city and I think I’d like to return in better weather.
Made my way out of town and into woods for another night of wild camping, I have saved a lot of money wild camping but i do need to find a campsite.
Today 26km

 

Day 117

Once again too tired last night to inflate my air bef after it went down. Gave Pippa her monthly flea treatment today. Very large porridge and tea for breakfast. I need a day off soon at the next campsite I find open. At Wittenburg I stocked up on food again. Cycled through Lehsen where I stopped in the first suitable woods I found at 4pm. Totally exhausted, 11 days riding since my last change of clothes and 6 days since my last shower. I disturbed a couple of eagles when I was looking for a place to pitch my tent, one on the ground and one in a tree, I must make sure Pippa does not run off or she may be dinner.
Today 33km

Day 118

Rest day

About 400 km since my last rest day and I have decided to stay put for the day, I think i am in a private wood so not sure what will happen if the owner comes. I should have enough water, but my old bones and muscles are aching so spent the day in my sleeping bag reading.
Pippa had her monthly worm tablets for dinner, mixed in with one of those soft tins of cat food to make sure she ate them.
It was a very nice day today so it seemed a shame not to ride but i do not think I’d have been able to go more then a couple of km.
I think the clocks go back today, but as I get up at light and go to bed at dusk it does not bother me.
I think what I need more then a shower is a long bath, the type that you have to top up the hot water half way through.

Day 119

After my rest day my legs are feeling a lot better, with just the normal aches and pains, but my arthritis is back with a vengeance, I thought I was going to break my little fingers trying to straighten them this morning. Cycled 28 km by lunch time, the morning was very misty turning to fog. After lunch it started to rain so I set up camp in the woods at 2pm. I think today was a public holiday as all the shops were closed, unless the Germans are doing as the French and close on Mondays now, the only shop I could find open was a petrol station. I think i could have made another 20 km today but the rain made it a not very nice day. I cooked dinner early as I did not want the light from my stove being seen from the road.
Today 34km.

Day 120

Had a bad nights sleep last night in the woods, the only place large enough to put my tent up in was on a slight slope, I pitched my tent so my head would be up, but my sleeping bag kept slipping on the mat and I kept sliding down. On the road by 10, these winter hours mean that there is not enough light to see what I’m doing until about half past 8 in the morning. I had to pack up all my bags and the tent, wheel the bike through the trees and load the bike as I would not have been able to squeeze my fully laden bike through the trees. All of today’s cycling was on cycle paths beside the main road. Stopped at Lauenburg for more groceries and then onto Artlenburg where I took a 1km detour to find a closed campsite/marina. Back on my original route I came across 5 campsites all in a row along a river, first site had a closed office, second also had a closed office but owner saw me and came over. They had a washing machine and tumble dryer so showered changed clothes and did my laundry, I booked in for 2 nights.
1st November and I have a 6 week head start on the mo.
Today 22km.

Day 121

Rest day

Had a lie in until 10, or 9 when I put my watch back an hour.
Rest day so put my thermals on and got into my sleeping bag and spent the day reading.
It was a very cold night and I had to put my sleeping bag into my bivi bag, so had thermals on, full set of clothes, silk sleeping bag liner, sleeping bag, bivi bag.

Day 122

Sick day

Pippa was sick last night, about a dozen times, started at midnight and ended at about 7 am, I’m not sure what she ate but it did not agree with her. She was in my sleeping bag but whenever she was going to be sick she got out and found a bit of floor space with nothing on, I had to clean up the mess and lost all the heat in my sleeping bag every time she was sick. I was not feeling to good in the morning due to lack of sleep, it was only when I got up that I realized how cold it was as the outside of the tent was covered in frost.

I really wanted to be on the move today as it was cold but the Sun was shining and blue skies but too tired so paid for another night and slept all day and night.

Day 123

After a couple of days off I’m ready for the road again, the hardest part of the morning was taking my thermals off as I do not want to ride in them or I will get to hot and I want to keep them for emergency use. It was a shame I could not ride yesterday as it was a lovely day, but today was all along cycle paths. Saw another weasel darting across the road in front of me this morning. Cycled through Rottorf and Borstel where I stopped for more food and then carried on to Maschen and planned to wild camp somewhere between the big motorway junctions as there should be no people about, when I was crossing a bridge I thought I could pitch my tent by the river so went down and decided to sleep under the bridge instead.
Today 39km

Day 124

4 months on the road now and about 3500 km. It was a dry night but rained in the morning so lucky I was under the bridge and kept my tent packed up dry, and used it as a pillow. I finally shook off the headache I had all day yesterday last night, it must have been from lack of sleep.
Today was one of those days that you just want to stay in bed under the duvet but i did not have that choice so on the road again for me. I had no motivation to cycle today but i did at a very slow pace. It was a damp day and drizzled u ntill 3pm when it stopped raining, I was looking for somewhere to pitch my tent when I spotted a campsite.
Lost my flag today, the flange on the pole slipped off and the top half went, lucky i do not have a gun or I might have to do the honourable thing and go around the back of the tent and shoot myself for losing the colours to the Germans. I have more flags but will have to make a pole out of a stick.
Today only 20 km.

Day 125

Another rainy day, cycled through Holm and at Tostedt saw a sign for a campsite and decided to call it a day. This morning I saw my first farm fresh milk vending machine, but it was too cold and I did not have an empty bottle.
After I pitched my tent it bucketed it down so I stopped just in time.
Today 22km.

Day 126

Rest day

Horrid cold night last night and heavy rain in the morning so decided to take another rest day.
Spent the day in the communal area in the warm reading and writing.

Day 127, Tuesday 8/11/2016

Woke up this morning and it seemed dark, discovered that there had been a snow storm in the night and the tent was covered in an inch of snow, had breakfast in the communal area and decided to stay another night, hopefully it will have stopped later and be ok tomorrow.