near Vollersoda, Germany
weather: you guessed it!
Oh, I didn't want to wake up this morning, but I knew Florian was leaving for school at 7:50 and I wanted to see him again before he left. He gave me a high 5 when I walked into the kitchen! Thanks:))
I didn't want to upset their morning routine, but luckily Stefan wasn't working until the evening and could help me out a bit this morning. I had to get my clothes dry at the laundromat, get wifi at the coffee shop, and find cycle maps for the area north of Bremen.
And the weather wasn't cooperating. But I managed to get my things done, get Blaze loaded up, and Stefan led me to the Bahnoff (train station) to a store with lots of cycle maps. It's a good thing he was with me because the guy spoke no English. We managed to find a good map and a route up to the ferry where I need to go the next couple of days. Stefan got info on where to find the route and what the route symbol looked like and off we went, him joining me for a few kilometers.
We said our goodbyes at the end of the park and not 200 meters later I couldn't find the sign. There was a bridge straight ahead with a symbol that said it was only a people bridge so a followed the pathway to the right where it dead-ended! Back to the bridge where I saw another cyclist cross it, so I did...and there were my signs. Ok. Good. Turn left. Go for a short ways and come out on a major street. No signs. Well, I think right is correct, so I go that way. On and on and no signs. After awhile when I'm thoroughly wet...and so is my map...I decide to go back and check signs again. When I'm getting back, I see across the street way down to the left (probably couldn't have seen them from where I came off the path originally)...signs! So I keep going. Following the sign symbol we had decided in the map store was the right one. The signs are also saying what towns this path is leading to, but I don't know the towns, so the names mean nothing to me. And it's raining so I'm not pondering over the map. On and on I go. Eventually, something just isn't seeming right. And when I can explore the map a bit, I find out that the symbol I was following went to the northwest as well as the northeast, the way I needed to go. I was off course. And the rain was the hardest, wettest rain I've been in this whole trip. And the wind was blowing so hard I couldn't use the umbrella which made me wetter....wet through everything (except my coat:)) Pants were just dripping! And the rain hit my face so hard it felt like hail. I was not a happy camper. Wet, lost, but in good spirits...and I don't know why. I will find the way. Just find a town in the direction you need to go and follow the auto signs...screw the cycle paths. And I did that for about 15 km.
I finally got to Worpswede, an artist community. Don't have a clue what road I came in on and my sense of direction was all turned around. After asking a few different people, some speaking little English but trying to help me anyways, I got a woman with good English who knew where I could find cycle route signs...near the bahnoff. Ok. Works for me.
So I'm back on the route, camped in the woods for the night. It's freezing out! Like a November day! And I have lots of time to make the distance I need to go, so I should be good.
I just don't have any candy or sweets tonight:( Forgot to get some and it's making me cranky!!
Time to say goodnight,
Thank you Cornelia, Stefan, and Florian for a wonderful time in Bremen and for sharing yourselves and your home with me:) It meant a lot to me and rejuvenated me for the last leg of this incredible journey! Have fun on your camping trip:))
(Insert adorable, blonde, 7 yr old boy...)
BagLady
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