The ride from Bremen to Münster was the first in Germany and in three days in which I felt like I was on the right track. I didn't get lost, I saw little rain (only on day 2 did I get less rain) and I made quick progress following the 51. Münster is referred to as being the bicycle capital of Europe, with even higher numbers of riders than Copenhagen and Amsterdam. Whether this is true or not, I don't know for sure but the biking facilities along the highways in this region definitely communicate an intention towards being bicycle friendly even 100km's away from Münster itself. I find this commitment towards alternative transport reassuring when comparing the mindset of Vancouver City planning. As well, the area is not shy to alternative energy either. I saw the largest bank of wind generators that I have seen on land. I counted 26 turbines in a small area which I have tried unsuccessfully to capture in this photo.
Since this day itself was straightforward I found myself with the time to reflect on the journey thus far without being distracted by more stressing factors. Until this point the terrain had been rather flat and I found no disadvantage to the fixed gear set-up. The first real test of my climbing abilities on the fixie were the mountains around Osnabrück which were difficult both due to the grade, traffic and heat. Other than this, I found being fixed advantageous in terms of the effortless attention to the bike. There was much more of a sense of 'feeling' the best way to ride as opposed to adjusting to find the best way through gear selection, coasting and feathering the brakes. With that said, I did find myself wishing I could coast down the very long hills. I was also sure that more of this desire was to come in the Wüppertal area. Physically, I felt great. My left knee has always had some problems with long touring and the pain that I experienced came in waves from (most frequently) little to (infrequently) the pain you just try to ignore and push through. My hands, feet and ass were another story. By this point I was slowly trimming away more and more of my sleeping foamy and duct-taping small pieces to my seat and tapeless bars. The balls of my feet were also suffering do to using the Campy Superleggera Pedals which were digging through the soft soles of my Converse. I guess I should have seen that coming. The most difficult factor, though, has been the wind and rain. With the rain coming everyday thus far, it has made the hours long and finding a place to sleep a painfully long process. This was also the case in Münster (pictured below). Before I found myself struggling to find a place to sleep I was able to enjoy the very bike rich city of Münster, where I had dinner and rode along the Dortmund Ems Kanal. The total day ended after approximately 160 km's.
I remember after I finally found a place to sleep in a densely wooded area that I couldn't help but looking back to my maps to see how far I had come. It was also a good reminder of how far I had to go. I fell asleep quickly and comfortably on the mulched forest bed. It was only later, when I was awoken in the night by what else other than the rain.Total time on the bike: ~ 10 hours
Total time from departure to arrival: ~ 13 hours
0 comments:
Post a Comment