November 16, 2010

pics #107 - #127

 

Sunday November 14th - Yellow Crystal Sun

Opening the outdoor of the tent I am facing beautiful aurora taints. The sun rises in front of me during breakfast and I foresee a beautiful day. Happily starting cycling, downhill as a plus, I leave the main road to cross villages, keeping the style seen in the Solling hills/mountains.

          Sheeps & Goats sharing a field: an example for Israelis & Palestinans, Vlaams & Wallons  ...

Breathing a clean air. Then it is Duderstadt, city with seven pinnacles, from the city door, the city house and two big churches.

          Dudestadt: entrance

          Duderstadt: side stairs on the Rathaus

In the village of Brehme starts a climb to change valley. It's tough, up to 8%, getting me sweating in T-shirt. 'What a great day!', do I think while cooking lunch near the pass.

Going down to Holungen, I have to brake at the entrance of the village to avoid speed excess: I reached 57kmh! The days goes smoothly in the Wipper valley, villages are more industrial than in the previous part, there have been mines, notably coal. The mainly downhill orientation is pleasant, and helps to cover a good distance. It’s good because I hurt my knee against the handle bar, falling in a muddy path...

           Bode valley: The hill on the right comes from the coal mine

It is rather early, when I plant the tent facing east, high in a field. Then I can salute the sun while it sets down. Later, I can walk in the field under the moonlight while brushing my teeth, something sedentary life hardly offers!
This had been a really nice Sunday, again.

 

Monday November 15th - Red Cosmic Dragon

Orientating the tent to face the rising sun was useless, this morning weather is covered, rather cold. I cycle to Sondershausen, groceries, pictures, and ointment for my knee, which is acceptable.

          Sondershausen

A little climb to change valley makes me suffer and reduced me to a very slow speed.

          The Kyffhaüser

Then I ride on the flank of the Kyffhäuser, having lunch in Bad Frankenhausen. Then rain starts. Passing the city of Astern, the special Rathaus would definitely deserve a picture but the bad weather and my knee do not feel like stopping.

In a wide valley, the road follows the Unstrut river, doubled by a channel, for a remind of Dutch landscape -and weather-.

          Memleben: castle controlling the Unstrut river

          Unstrut river: notice the orange cap to protect from the RAIN! almost Netherlands

Villages after villages. In Memleben, time advancing, I decide to ask people using the sentence I learnt : ' kan Ich mein tzelt in ihren garten aufbauen ?' to which all answer are ‘Ne’ ’Nicht’ or ’Nein’. I am not willing to go back in the village to check if everyone is so sullen. Instead I take the road further and after crossing a small field, get to a flat forest path where I camp. Not the best spot, because the raod is nearby, but right on time before rain becomes much harder. While cooking, the gas cartridge shows it’s getting close to its end.

 

Tuesday November 16th - White Magnetic Wind

The rain doesn’t seem to have stopped of the night. I wait for a lull, no success, which means packing a wet tent, wearing wet clothes. The road keeps follows the Unstrut river for a while.

          Unstrut valley: A viaduct construction yard

I soon get use to rain, and will even stop for pictures. In Freyburg am Unstrut, I have a good pause in a  restaurant, tea, soup, dish, pig meat. cheap -12€50- and WARM!

          Freyburg am Unstrut

Back in the rain, following the indications to Weißenfels, the afternoon starts with a climb indicated 7%, it’s not exactly the day I would ask for a feat. Besides the rain, it’s not warm, and wind blocks me in the downhill. While Weißenfels seems stuck at 10km, Braunsbedra suddenly appears at 3km only. This city  was also in my mind to stop, so follow I in that direction. Not taking much time looking for hostels, I get to the next one, bigger: Merseburg. On this way, it definitely looks like former DDR: grossly paved road, unmaintained areas... In Merseburg, it seems easier to find beauty salons than hostels. Too bad, my hair and nails are fine enough.

           Merseburg

A last picture in the rain, and I notice at this stop that the screws fixing the bike stand are worn, there has been too much weight to support. The best option is to add a stand for the front wheel. There Leipzig is less than 30km away, so I choose to cycle for a couple more hours in the rain, and now dark as well. But my lights are great. So aren’t road indications, bicycle paths -again!- suddenly stop, or enter through villages turning  many times in order to take all the bumpy road before coming back, following the main road. Distances as well are approximative. Anyway, I am getting closer, proudly passing between trucks and cars stuck in traffic, even moving through an impressive crossroad to highways. Suddenly an internet cafe! I enter, call my host friend Robert, and heads to his place. It’s really good to see him, calm and neat, after more than a year.

Today has been extreme, wet all the way, strong wind, cold and a distance of 92km! I deserve days of rest.