Hello everybody! We’re sorry for having kept you waiting for this new update! Thanks a lot for your patience.

We’re currently in Gänstefurth, just on the other side of the German hills we has to climb. We had a couple of tough days but today was way much flatter and if everything goes according to plan, we should be in Berlin in about 4 or 5 days. Yay!

We crossed the border on 20 July to Zwillbrock and Vreden and that day we reached Darfeld before the first of several some showers we saw that day. We managed to pitch the tent at the local ‘wohnomobilstellplatz’–that is a designated place where people can Overnight with a tent or a motorhome. We could even have a walk around that lovely village and, luckily, the only thing that got wet that day was the tent, which almost dried put completely the morning after.

The day after, we mainly followed the R1/D3 until we discovered a cycling path that spared us a bit mora than 5 km and ended up in Münster before noon. We managed to spend a half day in that beautiful city and get some rest –despite a 2-hour afternoon walk– and try some local food.

On 22 July, aware as we were about the heat wave arriving in Central Europe, we wanted to cycle as much as we could so we could get to the mountains as soon as possible. Our idea for that day was to ride a bit more of 90 km to Verl and check our accommodation options after getting there. The first two options we checked didn’t work out and before we could even think about asking around for a third one, Susanne came out of the Bierhaus Verl-Inn and she started giving information and indications to Tere –in German, obviously.

What a nice and friendly woman. We were so lucky she saw from her bar! She not only recommended us another place some kilometers further down on the R1/D3 but she even called to check whether there was a spot for us! And this is how we ended up riding 104 km to Schloß Holte-Stukenbrock.

Again because of the heat wave, we decided not to stop until we reached Bad Gandersheim, just before the most hilly part of the trip. That meant keeping on the R1/D3 for another three days. Luckily, the stretch of this route after Münster is really nice –almost completely paved– and very easy to follow, with signs almost everywhere. Therefore, the day after we continued for another 50 km until the Naturfreundehaus in der Schnat, between Horn-Bad Mainberg and Leopoldstadt. Thanks to Warmshowers, we were hosted for the first time in Europe. Until Sabine allowed us to stay at the magnificent house of the Friends of Nature she is managing, we never had had the chance of being hosted here.

The heat wave was already on and the way up to the Naturfreundehaus was quite steep and unpaved. That was the perfect combination to get there out of breath and sweaty. However, we managed to get there before 3 pm, so after Sabine nicely welcomed us and showed us around the house, we could get a well deserved shower and rest. Later, she invited us to some ice cream and then we cooked dinner together.

On 24 July we waved Sabine goodbye and continued another 77 km to Stadtoldendorf, where we managed to pitch the tent amongst the 4 WDs, ATVs and other polluting monsters at the Feitzeitpark Mammut. We arrived there again before 3 pm but the heat was already unbearable. Luckily for us, the restaurant was closed that day and we could pitch our tent in the shade –for which we were extremely grateful.

The next day, we continued for another 52 km to Bad Gandersheim. The first part of the journey was quite tough, we three steep climbs –and the first one very steep. However, we managed to start quite early and we had ‘just’ 22 ºC at 7:20 am. After those climbs, the route got much easier and a bit less in the shade than the previous days. After our first option in Bad Gandersheim turned out to be another ‘wohnomobilplatz’ –with no ‘stell’– where we couldn’t pitch our tent.

With the heat wave already on us –again,– we went to ask for directions to the Kur-Campingpark at the Tourist Information Office in Bad Gandersheim. We finally arrived there early in the afternoon and we could spend the hottest hours in the shade.

After having cycled 11 days in a row, we finally indulged ourselves with a rest day. Despite the hot weather, we managed to visit the town a bit and enjoy some nice food and refreshments.

And we also met Lily and Kalle (Karl-Heinz), our neighbours for the two nights we spent at the Kur-Campingpark. Tere had very interesting conversations with them and they were very nice to us, helping us with little things and inviting us to a drink!

After that rest day, the hardest part of the trip just started. On 27 July, we went back to the R1/D3 for almost 70 km and a total elevation gain of about a kilometer. Luckily, we managed to start quite early and the weather wasn’t as hot as the last three days. We went through Langelsheim and around Goslar, until we reached the Campingplatz Die Wölfe vom Wolfstein in Bad Harzburg. Even if we managed to find some shade for the most part of the stage, it was quite a hot and tough day, not only for the climbs but also because the unpaved –and very rocky, especially downhill– patches of the road were quite more regular after Bornhausen. However, we managed to find some strength and time to stop and talk to Jupp (Andreas), a fellow cyclist who wanted to see some old cars that were passing around in the area because of an event in Einbeck –the Oldtimer.

We could have a nice rest at the campgorund, which allowed us to start early the next day and cover the stretch of the R1/D3 between Bad Harzburg and Meisdorf. That meant for us finishing with our toughest German climbs in just two days! That second day wasn’t as bad in total elevation –about 800 metres along 71 km– but we had the ffeling it was as tricky as the day before due to the sudden changes on the R1/D3: from paved to cobbled, unpaved and rocky.

Our idea was to stop in Ballenstedt for the day. However, all accommodation options were fully booked. We finally called to check availability at a small hotel in Meisdorf, which we later discovered that was just next to the R1/D3. We requested the booking on the phone and then rode the final 5 km of the day.

And, finally, today we decided to cover a shorter stage, so we could fully recover after the two days of climbing. After the experience of yesterday with our accommodation, we decided to confirm it on the phone before getting to Heckling or Stassfurt. And we were luckier this time! The manager of the first option we tried called us back and confirmed they were keeping a cabin for us at the Sportcenter in Gänsefurth. Since we had until 4 pm to get there, we went first to Stassfurt to get some provisions and then cycled back to the Sportcenter. We sat down at the terrace until someone came to open the place. Today we rode ‘just’ a very flat –234 m of total elevation gain– distance of 54 km.

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