To Friesoythe

August 1, 2023

We manage to dodge the rain

The weather forecast dominated our decisions today. The weather here in North Germany continues to be terrible. YR told me that from 8am till 11am it would be overcast then there would be thunderstorms and heavy rain. The problem was however that we couldnt get into the hotel till 3pm. Komoot told us to consider taking a rain jacket - fine advice indeed. It was a no brainer we were out off the Band B hotel by 7,30 and mixing it with the locals. In the days before GPS navigation getting out of a big city was a nightmare, now it is just like following a rather fun puzzle. We went through residential areas and a large park full of dog walkers and runners as well as cyclists. Naturally the cycling was always on cycle ways. How I envy the wonderful cycling infrastructure here - it is so easy and convenient to get about by bike and everyone old and young seems to do it

After about 7km we had cleared the urban area and Ken stopped to take a photo of some corn and cows. I was navigating and he was following but I didn’t hear him call out and by the time the photo was taken I was nowhere in sight. I continued for around a kilometre before I found he had disappeared. Back I went and after a somewhat frustrating phone conversation when we both insisted we were waiting at ‘the T junction’ we found each other

Even though my new crutch doesn’t fold it is travelling very securely on Ken’s bike

The ride was lovely through beautifully neat farming areas - not a thing was out of place and it looked as if people were living very comfortably. We kept coming to small towns but resisted a coffees stop until we came to a somewhat bigger one at a more respectable time

This sweet little foal was extremely friendly

You certainly must love gnomes to put up with mowing this front lawn

Ken hasn’t yet seen any of the old tractors he so loves so he just photographed these

Kaiser Frederick 3 was married to Queen Victorias eldest daughter. He was said to be very liberal in his views and having been involved in the Franco-Prussian War absolutely hated war. Unfortunately he only ruled for 90 days because he died at the age of 56

We were sitting drinking our coffee and watching people coming and going on their bikes doing their business

A shelter for wet cyclists we were lucky not to need it

Of corse we got to the hotel very much too early 11.15 and we couldnt check in till 3!! What to do. Across the the road was a supermarket with an attached cafe where we could see the bikes. Ideal,we found a warm dry seat had lunch, I did Wordle and we played with our phones, then another coffee and eventually it was 3pm. Perhaps we broke the record for the longest time in a supermarket cafe

I dont think I want to spend three and a half hours sitting here

This looks attractive but not practical and we would get wet

The hotel City Hotel is great, locked bike storage out of the rain, a big room, good Wifi and lots of power points. We didn’t get wet. Tomorrow the forecast is still awful so we will have to do some careful planning

Today's ride: 35 km (22 miles)
Total: 142 km (88 miles)

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Suzanne Gibson" frustrating phone conversation when we both insisted we were waiting at ‘the T junction’"
Haha, been there, done that!
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9 months ago

Tricia GrahamTo Suzanne GibsonDomestic Harmony!
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9 months ago

Steve Miller/GrampiesTo Tricia GrahamAfter a sufficiently long period of matrimony one gets to recognize public code for squabble.
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9 months ago

Steve Miller/GrampiesTo Suzanne GibsonThere is a function in Whatsapp where you can send someone your location, and it pops up on a map for them. We have not tried it much, but it worked for us one time when a taxi driver was trying to find us in Mexico.
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9 months ago

Suzanne GibsonTo Steve Miller/GrampiesWe have used this Whatsapp funktion before, but that day on our way to Tarascon we didn't think of it. Probably both of us insisted on being on the right route and didn't want to go to where the other was waiting. We can both be very stubborn! We settled on a point where our paths had diverged.
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9 months ago