I cannot believe how warm and consistently dry the weather has been for several weeks. Yes it is Summer but 45C for several days is not right for northern Germany. All those climate change deniers should shadow my journey for the last seven weeks and several hundred kms. I know the change is real because I was in Europe for several months seven years ago. The average is usually around 20-23C for this area and I have seen many young hardwood and softwood trees starting to struggle as I've seen in my previous home of Canberra. I don't mind the long warm days as it suits my mode of travel and I like the opportunity to enjoy more activities rather than compress it into a few daylight hours. On a personal note I do wear eye shades to shield me from those 4am sunrises - I normally wake much later than that as I'm a sunsetter not a sunriser. 🦕⏰🛌💤
I've enjoyed the Elbe River route immensely and it would have to be one of the easiest 750km stages I've ever done. Water can easily be obtained from any supermarket - I can't be bothered going begging for it and it's so inexpensive anyway - just make sure it has the word 'Still' on the label because you cannot cook with the carbonated versions and I normally use around five litres per day - three in the hydration pack which is usually empty after a 45C day and two for cooking and washing. The supermarkets all have the cold cafe latte/cappuccino drinks which are great for a ride boost with a banana.
My evening meals are mainly rice/pasta and rotate with vegetables/tune/chicken variants - Thai red curry, Tomato/Mushroom, Tuna or easy Falafal roll/Fish and chips. For practicality and weight saving I carry milk powder and dry mixes of red curry, tikka masala and Morrocon spice.
Sheep telling me to go away while their eating
Must be paying low rent for this nest
Numerous wildflowers growing alongside the trails
Hamburg was as I expected - a vibrant and gritty north German industrial centre, the second largest city in Germany and holds it's own very well in respect to innovation, industry, the arts and Roman history. I've thought about calling it the city of Harley Davidson - I've never seen so many in one city and there were about forty of them parked outside my hotel. Very popular with midlife Germans too and maybe a rite of passage for some I guess. The group of riders were visiting a major event called the Hamburg Harley Day to meet many other international enthusiasts of this classic two-wheeler. One key aspect is to raise funds for charities focused on helping disadvantaged citizens.
Hamburg Harleys
Why is one of the most popular fast foods in the world called a hamburger when there is no ham in it? Well the most documented story is it all started when German sailors from Hamburg in the late 18th century would take raw ground beef (Beef Tartare) mixed with raw onion and herbs and formed into patties. These sailors often travelled between this maritime port on the Elbe River to New York in the US. Eventually a food stall owner at a fair in the US decided to put the beef pattie between two pieces of bread to make it easier to handle - add some lettuce, tomato and sauce and voila you have your classic hamburger. This classic food icon is wasted on me because I don't eat red or processed meat but it's really convenient when I hunger for an easy takeaway fish or chicken meal.
Almost at the top
My final destination of Kiel for this stage was only 90kms north and an easy day and half ride. I could feel the colder northerly winds coming from the Baltic Sea but excited to be a few days closer to Scandinavia. Until recently I had not heard of Kiel but my dear fiend's grandson spent some time there as part of his military training. Kiel hosts an annual maritime event known as Kiel Week (yes there appears to be a play on words here 😊) which is the biggest event of its kind in the world. It must be a recreational sailor's dream with the port's easy access to Scandinavia and the Baltic States with many sheltered harbours.
I found a comfortable and affordable hotel for two days near the marina/city centre for access to places of interest and make this a bicycle maintenance/laundry stop. I wanted to have everything checked before heading for Denmark and ordered some parts to be ready for fitting when I arrived in Kiel. I can replace brake pads, tubes, tyres and cables but drivetrain parts that require expensive specialised tools that may be needed once every five years is better left for the bicycle mechanic. Kiel at one time was a Danish city but eventually had to war with the Prussians but then became German territory. The submarine building city was a prime target for allied bombing during WWII so unfortunately a lot of classic old buildings were destroyed. The waterway in this region is the busiest in the world and a constant stopping port for the large Baltic cruise ships.
So while 'Ava' has her 'Kiel' massage and new delicates fitted I set my compass to random and see what presented itself. The marina district is gorgeous, accompanied by my first real fresh northern hemisphere weather but thankfully a mild wind. When I order coffee I ask for milk coffee not cappuccino because the German cappuccino even in Starbucks is almost black with a bit of froth 😝 - But when it comes to fresh fish and chips - whatever they put in the batter was divine and almost Japanese tempura style which I love. I had a bread roll with me so I called it a 'Kielburger'.
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