July 30, 2023
To Oldenburg via Sage
An important day for us and then an exciting meet up
The first important thing for us today was to ride to the Commonwealth War Cemetery at Sage. Komoot tested us a bit at first but soon it was finished with us and we were on an excellent route to Sage. This stop was very important to us because on 21/2/1941 my uncle Andrew, a rear gunner on a Wellington Bomber was shot down over the North Sea on a raid on Wilhelmshaven and he now lies here. This was to be Andy’s last raid before he was to have some time off. The letter he wrote the night before this fatal raid has become very important in our family history. I was only one year since he had left New Zealand and only half of the group he left New Zealand with were still fit for flying, he talks of his yearning for the fresh food of New Zealand and its sandy beaches and looks forward to the reunion the family will have when the horror is all over. At the Anzac Service in Pokeno this year I read out Andy’s letter and said that I would leave the poppy I was wearing on his grave latter in the year. That is what we did today. Andy you are not forgotten
At Grossketten on our way to Sage we had seen an open Backerie an ideal stop on our way to Oldenburg. Luck was with us and we arrived 2minutes before it closed, so we got a take away coffee and sat outside to drink it watching poor people being firmly turned away.
On to the track and once more we were travelling through agricultural country and at one stage we passed through a massive nursery which even had long rows of topiary being propagated . It was at this stage we learnt a valuable lesson ie put faith in the route you have downloaded and dont be influenced by the green signs that seem to contradict it. That probably only added about 5km to the trip though . About now it started to rain in earnest on went our coats but by the time we got to the hotel we were soaked and the rain stopped. It was just after two but we could get into our room straight away. It is a B and B Hotel but the room is a good size, the wifi excellent and the staff really pleasant.
Now for the exciting part a Cycleblaze meet up. This had been planned when we were in Bremen. Robyn and Bruce Richards were also planning to be in Oldenburg tonight so it seemed sensible to stay at the same hotel. It was fun to meet up with them - there was much talk We went out to dinner at the Sushi Restaurant next door choosen largely because of my inability to walk far until I get a new stick
Today's ride: 55 km (34 miles)
Total: 107 km (66 miles)
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