November 13, 2010

pics #73 - #106

 

Thursday November 11th - Red Solar Earth

In the night I woke up a couple of times, which hardly ever usually happens: Yesterday's coffee? Brigit and Heinrich invited me to share the Früstück -breakfast- so I'm early ringing at their door. Breads, jam, cheese, coffee: German bake a wide variety of breads, I like!! Then they handle me my dried clothes. We say goodbye and despite language barrier, I am certain we understood each other and it feels good to have had this contact with humble locals.

          Countryside near Nieheim

The day starts cold and sunny, in the plain between the Teutoburger Wald and the Solling. I follow a stretch on the R1, the bicycle road to Berlin, and recognize from last year a long and smooth downhill through the forest. Autumn is switching towards Winter as the nice colors are gone, and most trees remain naked.

          Ovenhausen

It's easy to reach Höxter, a city where I spend time in the cute historical center. Getting in an internet cafe to read that my friend Arnoud is ready to send me the pump of his stove, which is a very good news: he has the same stove, I used it this summer for a week without any trouble. Besides, the model of his pump is older and looks sturdier than the newer crap plastic thing MSR designed.

          Höxter: the old city wall.

          Höxter: historical center

          Höxter from the right bank of the Weser

Crossing the river Weser, I have a warm meal in a strong and cold wind, treating myself with a hazelnut cake. Extra energy needed for the upcoming ascension in the Solling. Indeed, as soon as I leave the road on the Weser banks, the climb starts: The percentage rises, while click by click, I push the Rohloff hub down to speed one, as I enter a forest road. The tent is planted in a pine forest, after a 360m gradient climb in the Solling hills  -which tops at 528m 'only' -. Under the tent, I can hear pine cones falling nearby, sometimes on the roof, because of the strong wind. Soon a violent rain starts, how lucky am I to be under shelter!

 

Friday November 12th - White Planetary Mirror

          Solling: pine forest, site of camp 3

I'm again early to start today, but this times no external factor to get me up! I enjoy long downhills stretch despite cold wind, good idea to finish the previous day on a height! The landscape is pleasant with green pastures and villages extended along the road.

          Solling: on the way to Uslar

For a time I am chased by a digger. A last long stretch and it's Hardegsen where I lunch under a shelter, just while a rain shower passes by. Most of it is done for the day, but head wind has gone stronger!

After some struggle and an itinerary for bicycles that gets me on a bumpy road, I can enter Göttingen, which deserves its song. It's actually because of the 'Göttingen' song from French singer Barbara that I makred this city on my itinerary. I even find an organic supermarket to refill my food stuff a healthy way.

          Göttingen

          Göttingen: Rathaus place, with the church in the background

          Göttingen: inside the Rathaus

Night having fallen, I head up relaxed to my host Alena. She's a cheerful person and I enjoy her spontaneity. Besides it's been a while I did not have such a free talk. She's been cycling this summer through Belgium and France to the Pyrenees, all on her own, riding a 3 speed bicycle: respect!

          Après l'effort le réconfort

 

Saturday November 13th - Blue Spectral Storm

Being in house means, again, sleeping in, but also a flat floor for yoga. Then we share breakfast where Alena took extra care with special little breads and some cheese. Time flies when you are with a nice person, but we have to get out: she's working and I have to go. It's pouring rain, Göttingen doesn't look so nice now with its giant water puddles in the streets. So I prefer spending time in a cyber cafe and leaving two hours later, still under hard rain, to pass the Göttinger Wald.

          Lost in the Göttinger wald: cats keeping the house

Not extremely inspired today, I choose to follow the compass and head straight east, up in mountain paths. It's turning around a lot, not getting me anyway through the area. As time goes by, I finally get my brain in order to get down to the main road, angry at myself to have lost these hours of cycling. Rain has almost stopped. Wet, disappointed, feeling miserable, I plant the tent on a top of a hill amongst trees. I wasted a day to get to Leipzig.

          Lost in the Göttinger Wald: a deer