Rolling to Reykjavik

I got off the bus Gullfoss. It was cold but a sunny day. Very welcomed after the highlands. Gullfoss is a waterfall, very impressive... anything ending in foss is a waterfall. The photo is not this waterfull but one in the National Park. From here i road about 10kms to camp at Geysir. And yes this is the original Geysir all others in the world use this world from Iceland. Its also very impressive and this is the smaller one as the big one has stopped working. From here I took my time riding to Pingvellir National Park... the P is actually a Th.. but it all gets a bit confusing.

To get to Pingvellir i used road 365. Dirt, great as in the morning I thought i had finished will all my dirt roads and i put some air in the tyres... not such a great move and i was too lazy to let it out. The road is just great the vista´s are just wonderful. its hard to describe but the hills are very colourful, due to the rock rusting so you get lots of reds and yellow with the black volcanic sand and plenty of green moss.

The National Park is loverly. There is a lake and small trees and its very green. This area is very significant for two reasons. 1stly it the original parliment of Iceland in around 800bc and 2ndly its one of the placed you can really see that Iceland is being torn apart.... the rift is very visible and you can walk through it...

I had a great sunny arvo and day here and Cloudia came and picked me up to spend a few days in Reykjavik.... more on that latter and more on where i am now... got to go to catch a bus

PS: hope you like the photo of the truck it was on the ferry with me when i left Denmark... I call the photo 'Iceland extreme' ... Think its a great photo... the truck only had two people

Kjolur Track

Kjolur Track
Now there is an 85k ride from Akureyri with very limited places to camp along the way, then from here I could take the ring road or take the dirt road called the Kjolur Track through the highlands. The ring road is very long and not much to see and the dirt road is much shorter, lots to see, but hard riding. I um and ah for some time, then decide I´ll do the dirt road the Kjolur Track witha bus!

Bus travel in Iceland is very good. I just buy ticket, turn up on time and they just load my bike in the trailer and i hop on to the warm bus and watch the kms race by! On this bus i met Denise again. We had met a few days b4 at on a bus in Myvatn so it was great fun chatting and catching up on our adventures.

The road is do able by bike. but i don´t know why you would want to frankly. It was muddy, rocky , hilly and a long way. We arrive at the Hveravelir camp site at around 11.30pm. Its a great day. Dark cloud but no rain (yet). I re-meet up with the German cyclist, Ove and Brigit. They have riden the track and they tell me that yesterday they had to walk 20kms because of the wind... they were almost unable to hold the bikes upright and puch them into the wind...

Denise and I set up our camps and then make our way to the hot tub... we then spent the rest of the day here. It was just great fun... At some stage we both did the walk of the steaming jets. It was so very cold here, but we both decide to stay a second night and do a walk the next day.

its raining the next day... It rains all day. We manage to walk around 12kms to a geat view of lava, snow and mountains. But we are so wet when we get back. wet jackets, wet boots, wet hats. We have to warm up and again spend s few hours in the hottub... But hunger, cold and tiredness gets too us and we have to crawl into our tents and try to sleep in full daylight and cold wind...

Its not much better the next day. Its worse in fact. The rain is now sideways and very cold. We have to pack up our camp and get ready to catch the bike... At one point i couldn´t feel my hands (Thanks Burkhart for the hand warms just wonderful)... The bus arrives on time.. we load bike and other stuff and head for the ski field called Kerlingarfjoll. This was a great highlight of the bus trip. Its a loverly spot with mountains around and flowing river, but very cold. But there is hot food and shelter. The bus stops for 30minutes so we can get food. I had my 1st bought meal here and it was just the best setting.

From here the bus rolls through the highlands, close to glacier fingers that flow into a lake, pass Icelandic horses and mountains.... to the lowlands

I get off the bus at Gullfoss, but more on that later..

Artic Akureyri

Artic yes... in the sence of being in the Artic Circle but more on that...

Hailstorm

1st i want to tell you about my attempt to walk from Krafla back to Myvatn and the hailstorm. I took the bus up to the Krafla area north west of Myvatn. Its only a 13km walk back through a lava field and i thought it would all go so well. I did the walk around the big crater, steaming vents and troll lava field.. Wonderful. Then i had this bright idea i would walk down to the geo-thermal powerstation to take a look and then walk around the back of the powerstation and then do the 13kms to Myvatn. The weather had another plan.

The powerstation visit was interesting, mostly in as much as you realise that its built on an active volcanic area, its using the steam from the earth to run the turbins to produce around 30Mg and everyday you get to go to work in a very nice place... but the thought of knowing that during the construction the Krafla volcanic area errupted and lava flowed over the 1st bore holes , makes me wonder about the OH&S issues of working there.

I did the walk behind the powerstation and found out it was much further than i thought... about 10kms i would say. And after walking throught a recent lava field flow on your own you really do begin to understand why the Icelandic folk believe in Trolls.... The lava is so black and at times you think its moving.. I finally made it to the point where i could cross over the lava, but i still had 13kms to do, its was 4pm and started to rain and i could see the car park about 1km away... At the very point where i needed to make a decision the weather mad it for me... the rain was no longer rain, but hail, fine to start with, but it got bigger... much bigger. About the size of a large pea. It was painful on skin and i had to get all my wet walking gear on and the path turned to ice... So i decided that hitching a lift would be a better idea...

Getting a lift was much harder than i thought but soon after i had walked about 6kms in wonderful sunshine... yes the hailstorm stopped as soon as i got to the car park to hitch. An Icelandic couple picked my up and dropped me back at Myvatn... were i was again confrounted by the flys...

Ride to Akureyri

I then spent the next two days riding to Arkureyri the second largest city in Iceland. The highlight of this ride was seeing Godfoss waterfall and then camping in Vaglaskogur National Park... Trees :) This was just geat so i took a photo from within my tent! The best bit was the ride over the mountain pass and then seeing the Fjord with many snow capped mountains. Just wonderful.. it was a sunny day, but the ride down the mountain had me not able to change my gears with the twistgrip as my hands were so cold.

Air Iceland

Now what does one do when your so close to the Artic Circle and you really want to see the Fjord from the air? You take a flight to Grimsley Island with Air Iceland at 7,30pm. This was just wonderful. I did fell a bit silly as i thought what i´m i going to do on an this island for only an hour... but one of those wonderful things happens... your not alone, 4 others are being as silly as you and you feel much better... Then when your in the air and see the snow mountains and Fjord, plus the road you just road over.. it is worth the cost, time and i don´t feel so silly.

Once we land to mine and the other 4 a lady meets the plane and tells us she will be our guide for the hour. This is just wonderful, she drives us all around the island and then we all go for a walk to see Puffins...but 1st she takes our photo show us we are in the Artic Circle. Finally we re-board the plane and fly back... its now 9.30ish when we land but its sunny and still daylight...

Askja Tour

So when i last wrote i told you i did something fantastic but not what... well now i can and include photo´s...

On Friday 30 June.. i have to mention the date for all my accounting mates i did a tour into the centre of Iceland to visit Mt Herubreid and Askja Crater. Now this was 13 hours on a bus on some prity bad roads. Some bike riders choose to ride the 100kms but not me.. i´m not silly as i know you have to ride the 100kms back out...

Now this place is very volcanic looking. Much of the lava is now old, around 2000 years. You have to consider this with the fact Iceland is only 17,000 years old. I have walked in lava that is only 40 years old so you get an idea of how Iceland is still growing.

Now the tour required a bit of snow walking up to see the crater of Askja. On top of the snow it was very windy and of course cold. Once at the top the view is just wonderful and i guess the photos only give a hint of this... Now this area has a smaller crater called Viti where the water is around 25 degrees. Your allowed to swim here, if you can manage to get down there. Its not as hard as it looks. But there are some rules on the swimming here. You must go in Icelandic style... NUDE! What a blast. The water is not that hot but its much warmer than the wind and snow. Around the base of the water are a few steam jets so you can sort of warm up once you get out to re-dress. I wasn't alone in my swim, but i'm proud of being the second person in!

Myvatn Migges!

I ride the 57kms to Reykjahlid or what is better know as Myvatn in one day... It starts out to be a great day, only a small hill climb out of town and a slight breaze.. then I have to turn left and south and things change... A raging side wind, its too hot to ride with water proof clothes but its going to rain. Then to top it off the road is dirt for about 25kms in the middle... not bad dirt but the rolling hill kind of roads where it takes forever to say goodbye to the Fjord behind you and hello to the hill ahead of you... But i manage.. each peddle turn is a bit further and each step when i have to walk is a bit further.

At one point just when you´re a bit tried of the hills, wind and grey rocky terrain, to cheer you up it starts to hail. Really what i need now mud!... once i get all my rain clothes on it stops... tops so i take them all off again... We do this twice in 25kms. So glad I'm relaxed!

Finally i get over the hills and i can see Lake Myvatn and i can see the sealed road... Down hill wicked! oops its now raining a lot... i need to re-dress!

Myvatn is a lake created from a volcanic event... Too much has happened here to give you lots of details but its very interesting. But the fly's my god they are friendly, in your ears, nose, mouth and hair... a big thick cloud of them. Wonderful... Once i set up camp my 1st stop is to ride out to the Blue Lagoon they have here... Not the best ride out when your tired and have to ride through the same head wind... but the soak is worth it. Its a blue white out door pool that has a solphur smell to it. You have to shower 1st in Iceland to use any of the pools... so your wet, it's generally really cold as you make a dash for the 30 degree pool... Now the water in the pool arrives at about 100 degrees so you can swim around to find the right warmth for you. I stay a while to wash away the days ride...

The ride back to camp was a hoot... tail wind all the way.

My next day in the area was a tour into in interior. This was one of the best things I have done. but your going to have to wait a bit longer to hear about it as I'm out of internet time and i need to get some lunch...

Idealic in Iceland

Just spent the morning lazing about in 41 degree spa with the warm sun on my face and cool Alantic breaze... just heaven... but i'm getting ahead of myself and i guess you might want to know how i managed to get to such a spa...

Iceland Arrival Thursday 22 June
I'm suffering I´m sea sick... it was fine as long as i stayed horizontal. This is not so easy to do when you get your 5.30am wake up call to prepare to depart ferry and you have to pack your sleeping bag and your on the top bunk and the ferry is rocking and your very hot and you want to throw-up and there are 5 others in the cabin with you....uggggg get me some fresh air in a hurry! All this and i had taken medication....

So i'm on deck... i don't want to move very much but i do manage to get some photos of the fjord of Seydisfjordur where the ferry arrives... When its time to unload the bikes we are first of from our deck which is good... I'm very shell-shocked... not sure what i'm doing where i'm heading, how much money i need, where i get money, and yes i should eat... but if the ground would just stop moving i would be fine.

So with a bit of help and encouragement for the 4 other bike rides, we all get some money, food and coffee and then tackle the big hill climb out of town to Egilsstadir. This hill is about 650metres.. not so high, but its cold, windy and one of the hardest climbs i've done on the trip... its also around 10kms up... i guess the sea sickness didn't help... But what a view... it was just grand... the mountain has ice on it and so do the peaks around.. yep i'm in Iceland... The right side of my face when a bit numb once i was on top of the mountain and the ride down the otherside was bitterly cold. I arrived at Egilsstadir more confused than i was. But the hot chocolate, food and wonderful help from the locals at the info office was just fantastic... Again the 5 of us on bikes all meet up and decided to all camp together.. it was great to have the company.

Riding my 1st week
Time to say goodbye to my fellow cyclists as we are all heading in different paths. I decide to ride north west 1st towards an area called Myvatn via the ring road. My 1st day out its cold and bit of rain, but nice to ride in. I don't get started until around 10 am as i have to got the bank and bakery (yum) 1st.. The ring road is sealed all the way which is tops. But it is not flat. The ground is still moving a bit too much but i have a top day and manage to ride 55km. I camp the night at camping spot that was closed. It was a nice quiet spot and i'm so glad i stopped early for the day and didn't ride on to the next camp spot a further 20kms... It rained and riding 20kms, mostly up hill in the rain on a dirt road is not fun.

So more about the dirt road. As i said the ring road is sealed, but for over 100kms there is no where to camp and i'm told by the locals a bit borring. The old ring road, route 902 or 901 depending on your map has two camping spots. A farm stay and a camp spot at Modrudalar. I made for Modrudalar... and what a wonderful spot. It was a long day of riding on dirt but only 44kms. The landscape was a bit like i would imagine Mars or the Moon to look like, but i loved it. Lonely Planet suggests that there is nothing to see along this section, but they are wrong... the open treeless plain, the hills, the ice still on the ground, the flowing rivers through rock and the colour of the dirt... makes the rough, rock, and uphill pushing my bike for 1 km on loose slippery stones on a hairpin zig-zag road worth the toil... just glad it was sunny and i only had to do this twice....

You can see Modrudalar from about 10kms out... your on top of the last big hill climb and your roll, slide, and slip down a dirt 10% road cut into the edge of the mountain. then you ride a long a flat lonly plain with distant ice cap mountains... all the time on your left if the grand peak of Herdubreid, 1682 metres, baiting you to visit with its snow capped top. The 1st thing you see as you arrive in the village is the small wooden church framed by the the distant red hills, then the turfhouses, sheep and lucky for me the barbed wire lying across the road! Had a great camp here and even manged to wash some cloths and dry them in the sun!

The next day was a simple ride of only 40kms mostly on the sealed ring road to Grimsstadir. This is the only camping spot you can use if you want to see Dettifoss, Europes most powerful waterfall. So the next day I decided to not only ride to Dettifoss on the rough dirt road but to continue onto the National Park at Asbyrgi, some 56kms on dirt. I left early at 7am as i was going to be a long day... I arrived at the falls at around 10am ish at the same time the two German cyclists from the ferry. We walked around the falls together and shared morning tea. They were returning and riding on the Myvatn, whilst i headed north to the coast. Amazing how the landscape can change around here... the ride up to the falls was grey, bit dusty and moon like, but once i headed north, the terrain changed it became more volcanic looking, redder in colour and green... yep there were flowers.. a few at 1st but they dotted the hills in green and pink and looked loverly. I arrived in Asbyrgi around 3pm and was able to catch the bus that takes you into the park on its western side... This was wonderful. The park is hard to discribe, but the 1st think you notice the the Birch trees... note this TREEs... They are not very tall, but they are here and well worth seeing... This area is still a very active volcanic zone. In the everning, or at least that whats my clock told me, as the sun doesn't go away around here, i did a long walk through the park and trees, whilst many are planted it is a loverly place to see...

Sleeping this far north is a tad difficult. I have to sleep with eye cover. Its light enough to read and play golf (yes Horizon boys you can play midnight golf up here, but the ground fees are tad on the high side). I don't mind the late nights, but the sun comes back at around 2,30am and so do the birds who want to sing right next to my tent... Great living with nature!

My next day was just a wonderful ride. something i could do every sunday morning with my cycling mates!... you leave Asbyrgi on a sealed road and ride through rolling farming lands and bay with black sand. Then you have small hill climb that takes you along the edge of the cliffs where the Puffins are nesting. The view back over the bay is on high snow capped mountains. Then your round the point, still on the edge of the cliffs and before long your can see the snow covered mountains that on the otherside of the fjord.. This is just so motivating and you ride the next 20kms into the Town of Husavik with the green farming hills, flowing streams and sheep on your left and on your right the Fjord and distant snow capped mountains. Then your arrival into husavik is a small fishing village, sunshine and lots to see and do.

Last night I went whale watching. What a treat. i didn't need to see a whale, the bay a millpond, the sun was out, giving warmth, the boat was wooden and it motors out into the bay you can just sit and watch the mountains.. But the whales came... just a treat... Didn't get back to the village until 10pm but no drama as there is no night...

So this moring after 6 days of riding i went to the local pool for a swim. All the pools have a spa or hotpots and one can just relax in the warm water..... This arvo i'll have a coffee by the harbour and just watch the view.

Tomorrow i ride to Myvatn!

Far-away-Faroe Islands

I´m in Thorshavan... had a great day cycling on Monday 19th June... The Ferry arrived at 6am... we all got our wake up call from the captain at 4,30am - just wonderful.. to get out of our cabins... The sun was shining, the port was just loverly. Its hard to capture but the houses are very colourful, yellow, red, blue and some have grass on the roof! Lots of wooden boats in the harbour... with mountains in the back ground... so loverly.

Now i, and the other 5 cyclists managed to get to our bikes by 6.30 am with the hope that we would be 1st off the boat. This was to make up for the 4 hour we stood outside in the cold wind at Hanstholm waiting to be loaded on to the ferry... The bikes were last! We got on board at 10,30pm 1 and 1/2 hours after the ferry was due to leave...

Yep we were 1st off. So at 7pm i was riding my bike with all my luggage (very heavy now as i have food for Iceland and extra warm clothing)... Along the Fjords that seperate the Islands that make up Faroe Islands... It was a great ride, cool wind and sunshine.... For those of you with a really good atlis I road along the northside of the Streymoy Island along the Alantic Ocean Fjord... At about 20kms I had to go through a 3km tonnel with my bike... it had lights and so did i.. I was a bit scared due to the traffic, but relaxed when i was over taken by a guy on his electric golf buggy!

Then at 40kms I crossed over what the locals call the Alantic Bridge. Its a small bridge that connects the two islands of Streymoy and Eysturoy. I then had a huge hill climb, about 2kms up and i think a 15% angle... I did it so pleased... Only to discover i could have riden along the Fjord... Great!

From here I road to the little village of Eidi... just wonderful place to camp and only 50kms.... I had a big hill climb to the camp and what a camp. The place is so situated that you can see all the way down the Fjord back from where you have riden.. In the arvo I did a walk to the top of the hill behind my camp... not the highest hill in the world, but the 1st i´ve done on my own and what a top view of the Alantic Ocean....

Then the night came.. it was so cold... but i had a great tent and now with all the extra bits of things i have i was as warm as toast.... In the moring it was a strong wind... perhaps a grade 5 ish and looked like rain.... I managed to pack and get on the bike by 10am... I had a big day riding against the wind and yep it rained... I felt good as i was managing to do around 8kms/hour... I guess i weigh (bike and luggage that is) around 55kg maybe 60kg with water... I´m getting so fit or at least my legs are!

I didn´t stop riding allday, except for a visit to the loneliest bike shop in the world... I need to see if they had brake pads for my bike... yep I should have thought of this in Denmark... but no i waited until I was in the most unlikely place for the parts to try to get them.... And guess what not only did he have them he knows how to fit them... so happy! Should last the next 12 weeks!

I kept riding and finally made it to the camp spot in Torshavn by 5pm... i was very tried, it was cold, windy, wet and i hadn´t eaten lunch... I got my tent up and make my way to camp kitchen....to cook dinner along with the other traverlers... such a wonder lot of folks heading to Iceland...

It rained all night.. And i woke to find that my tent was in a small lake... Thanks MacPack for the snow floor! I was high and dry, unlike some of the other campers... The day here has been very foggy, not so cold infact with the sun out warm... I feel strong and able to tackle Iceland now i have had a taste of wind and rain....

I leave to night at 6pm... so excited.... Now if this weblog looks like its rushed...its is because i have just been asked to be interviewed with my bike for the local paper!!! so got a go folks and get my 15 minutes of fame!

Iceland Calling

Changing my booking to Iceland

I have just got of the phone after being on hold for 20 minutes about changing my booking to Iceland... I´m very keen to get there now and the weather is so nice that its making me think I should go now!...Also it would be better to catch up with Cloudia as she is having so many visitors in July. So I´m planning to catch ferry on the 17 June... This only gives me 4 days to get to ferry - so i have to ride across the country and perhaps catch a ferry. It will aslo mean some long days riding... ie 80kms

I´m in Fredericia on the East Coast, staying with Dorte & Michael - friends of friends. Its a lovery spot and i´m staying in their cubbyhouse in the backyard...

Getting here I caught a ferry from Flensburg on Saturday 10th June. I then road along the main cycle route 5 through Aabenraa, Hedersley, Kolding and Fredericia. I arrived here Monday 12 June. Highlights have been the wonderfully hot weather. Everyone tells me this in not normal. I visited the Kolding Castle which is worth the visit - it has been restored but is modern very nice..., I have also been swimming again in very cold water... but so refrishing...

And shopping again. I have bought a windstopper jacket very flash very expensive and i´m not sure i´ll ever use it in Perth but Iceland yes... I have also bought a gas fitting for my stove so i can use both gas and metho... I´m told metho is hard to get in Iceland...so best to have both...

I now need to work out how to get to ferry in 4 days (this includes the day i leave) - plus buy some food to take... just hope this booking agency has confirmed my change of booking... they are not very contactable!

Keep you posted!

Denmark Dreaming

Hello folks

What a top time i´ve had in Demark...

Train & Ferry to Gedser
I left Berlin in fine weather. I left Berlin from the new Berlin Station - very flash... and it had lifts for the bikes :) The train trip was pleasent and I arrived in Rostock in 3 hours. I had a map to ride to the ferry but didn´t know how to get out of the station.. a young guy said i could catch a train and helped me get my ticket and even helped get bike on train... all this and he was going in a different direction.... so kind.

This local train took me to the ferry terminal, where with the cars, trucks and buses i lined up to catch my ferry... Felt a bit strange standing there with my yellow bike and the motorised equipment, but when the time came to load, i get to board 1st and i get a good spot to put the bike. Other bike riders arrived and we chatted on the ferry ride across. Highlight was seeing the windfarm in the middle of the Baltic Sea off the coast of Denmark.

Once in Gedser i had a 30km ride to the coastal town called Marielyst where i pitch my tent

Denmark Riding
Over the next 4 days i road towards the west of Denmark across the islands of Falster, Lolland, Langeland, Aero and Als to the mainland of Denmark (the bit attached to Germany)... The weather i had just got better and better. Its now in the mid 20´s and just loverly, almost too hot. Hightlights of my ride are below:

• Ocean camp at Kragenaes (Lolland) with thunderstorm, black clouds, rolling hills of grain and blue ocean seas and small wooden sailing boats.
• Finding my flags and hat that had blowing away the day before whilst riding through the thunderstorm, black clouds, rolling hills of grain towards the blue ocean seas and small wooden boats
• Riding through loverly fields of green and rolling hills with views of the ocean
• Sitting and waiting for 2 hours for the ferry in Rudkobine as i had miss read the timetable and missed the ferry by 20 minutes... Drinking a very expensive coffee ($6A).
• Meeting Wouter the Frog Catcher whilst waiting to board ferry.
• A 5.30pm ferry trip across to Aero Island is not to be forgotten - just loverly weather, sunshine and great conversation with Wouter and Lars who are setting up breading ponds for the Fire-Bellied Toad on the Aero
• Going out with Wouter along the clifts at Voderup Llint to check ponds for the Fire-Bellied Toad. We heard two and saw lots of other frogs.
• Cooking dinner for everyone...
• Visiting the worlds largest solar hot water system...
• Visiting a berial mound and going inside.... reported to be build around 2800bc
• Waiting in cafe a Soby for an hour for next ferry to Mommark, just sitting in the sun at a small harbour watching nothing happening - just heaven

Day 5 of my riding was a wonderful riding from Mommark to Sonderborg, then on to Kollund were i cought an afternoon Ferry to Flensburg (Germany). Here i did some shopping for bike stuff and tried to get a windstopper jacket - but not luck. I then had to ride to Sandwik near Glucksbury (Germany). I got lost twice and it was 6pm... When i asked for directions the guy said he lived near and would give me a lift...so at 6,30pm I was at Christiana's place and thanked the driver who's name i never got.

My next day was a semi rest day where i road 20kms but without luggage. Having a coffee in town, swimming at the local beach - yep that´s correct i managed to go for a swim in the Baltic Sea - simply wonderful and cold but so refreshing. I just sat on the beach for a few hours and then road back home to watch the 1st game in the world cup!

Blogging in Berlin

So what does a girl do when she gets to Berlin? Go shopping of course!

I´m now the proud owner of some snazy new walking boots...German made of course! I decided i need these as my current cycling shoes are not the best things to walk in and i have the feeling i might be doing some walking in Iceland! There are also holes in the soles for the clip-less bits and i have found that the water gets in.. a lot if u tend to stand in puddles...

In addition i bought a silver tarp to help keep my tent a bit warmer... two man tent and only one body it can get a bit cool, even with a -15 degree sleeping bag. Plus the best water-proof gloves i have ever seen... hope they work at $45 euro this is a big purchase... Along with , insect spray, dried bean (yes finally i have found some dried food! I so much miss surprise peas), pasta in the shape of a bike, chocolate and other bits and stuff..

Oh i also did some tourist stuff... Cycling in Berlin is easy. I´m told Lonely Planet say its not good too do, but they need to ride in Perth.. Here cyclist have their own lane and traffic lights. Everyone has a bike... the place is so flat and u can put the bike on the train... with a bit of planning Berlin could become a car free city... okay that´s not likely but one can but dream.... So i did a 60k cycle ride through East Berlin to a lake... Okay i can´t remember where i was but it was very nice. Then the next day i did a bike tour with Fat Tire Bike Tours... Yes i would recommend them if u happen to be in Berlin. Its easy riding a bit slow but u get to see most of the tourist stuff and u can plan what u want to go inside to see.

The big expense for me on this trip is the maps. I´m happy to get them as they are so detailed. Today i bought the set do do the German section of the Baltic Sea Ride... looks great. And i have the Demark Baltic Sea book too this looks better.

My plan is to leave Berlin Friday and catch a train to Rostock at the Baltic sea. From here i head west towards Denmark and the plan is to ride up the east side of Denmark over the point and meet my ferry at Hanstholm by the 24 June.. I think i need around 20 days to do this. Whilst its flat, i´m expecting rain and wind and my best guess at the distance its over 1500kms...

I´m excited about getting to Iceland in a month... Thought I need to workout where i´m staying in Torshaven and Lerwick....

I won´t be updating site with photo´s for awhile so take a look at my past blogs where I have updated with happy snaps....

Downhill to Dresden

I left Prague at about 8am Tuesday 23 May. It was cool weather and had rained all night... so much for the sunblock cream i used yesterday. Struth the weather over here is moody....

The ride to the zoo on the otherside of the river was resonable simple, but i shouldn´t have taken the advice of the bike riding lawyer and used the road. Up hill through the park would have been simplier...

The navigation on this part of my trip was going to be a bit harder. But the best thing was that so many Germans where riding now. Within the 1st 30kms i had passed or been passed by about 5 groups of riders. On advice of same lawyer i avoided a narrow high wall section by riding uphill for 2ks. My rewards for this effort was no view of the valley but a loverly ride through farm land and the best down hill for 3kms through forrest along side a creek, with the 1st frogs i´ve heard since Oz.

I was using the German cycing maps to do this section, but i had also bought the local maps. I like the local maps as they tell u things like where the nature sections are, what the trees and rock are and why the land is as it is. Along with the local history. They do all this in English which is somewhat more helpful than in German. Its a bit distubing reading a map with cautions signs and not being able to read what it is you need to be cautious about

On my 1st day riding I met a group of cycling folks of 8 from Hamburg. They invited me to ride with them so i did. It was nice to have the company and even better not having to navigate . At times this path changes from a hotmixed cycle path to a track overgrown with grass, full of pot holes and large rocks on the edge of the river... One´s confidance u are on the right track is somewhat tested - alone this is a big test, but in a group its fun.

I was a bit concerned about camping on this section. Mainly because the 1st camp spot i road past was deserted!... but fate had other plans. And whilst i had set my mind on staying in a penzion house in Melnik, fate had me find a camping spot that i was very happy to be in. I even managed to cook dinner and dry a slightly wet tent.

My second day was great. I was happy to be riding on my own again and the sun was out. I stopped in a small town where i met a second set of 8 cycling Germans from Hamberg. Again i was invited to ride with them and i did again. This day the ride was wonderfully seanic riding through farmland with rolling hills in the background... At lunch time we all came to the town of Terezen and those of u with any ww2 history might know this place as one of the poltical camps used to house jews and others.... not the best place to visit but something that needs to be seen at least once..

This group of cyclist encoraged me to keep riding with them to the town they were staying in and to get a room at the hotel they had. This i did. But when i arrived it wasn´t a hotel but a penzion house and the only bed was in one of the rooms they had already booked. It was 7pm and a 5k ride back to camping spot - no issue but my newly found friends would have none of this and re-arranged themselves so as to have 3 girls in one room. It was a wonderful guesture. I have also been invited to stay with everyone in Hamburg in August.

At one point on this section of the ride we had to ride along a creek that started out as a bike path and soon turned into one of those paths where the grass is so high you can´t see your bike wheels, the track is unevan, covered in rocks and tree roots, mud and winds all over the place. Again on my own i would have been a bit concerned, but with 8 other riders this was so much fun to ride through.

Now how is Patience coping with all this? just wonderful. The bike couldn´t be better. She seams to love being off-road fuly loaded. The only bit she (and i don´t like) is cobble stones... but i have now let the air out of my tyres and we are both much happier....

I get on the road early ish 8am and leave my new found friends. I´m not well i have a old and i´m keen to keep riding in case it developes to a point where i can´t ride. The navigation is much easier in this section. i´m closer to Germany now. But i like Chek(?) the place is more wild more ruggard more natural.... and it has hills. I like hills they give the place depth.

Now i do well today riding. Almost too well. It mostly down hill along a flat river cycle path. Only one section is hard a ride, two arrow or good 10 to 15% hill. I´m encouraged to do this by a German non-english speaking cyclist. And what a treat. He kept telling me it was a panarrama and i had to see it. The only word ot of my mouth once i got my breath back from the uphil ride was Fuck...this view was well past the usual wow or shit.... it was breath taking... We road together to the German boarder not really talking, he would just say moment, moment stop look and point to where i was to look and see the view. This section was a great moment.

I kept riding today. I was a public holiday in German some catholic day, but to me it was a day for young men to get very pissed. It was a bit like Australia Day but over 30 to 40 kms of very drunk men. It spoit the otherwise great view. I got a bit worried when riders told me I wouldn´t find accomodation anywhere in the area or in Dresden.... But fate put me in the right spot and i met a small group if riders.... these guys had accomodation in a hostel in Dresden and i could stay there also... great! I didn´t want to camp it was not a very prity place to be in with so many druck men....

Next day Friday i take a look around Dresden but compaired to Prague its a dissappointment. The place is very nice, but the drunk young men on this weekend really spoilt the place and it was very busy every place to stay was booked out with in 20ks.... Also the town is under much restoration so getting around it abit of trouble. The folks i met lived north ish of Berlin and said they would give me a lift... What a bonus i was not ready to catch the train again so i took up the offer....

So i arrived in Berlin late Friday night 26th May... having spent a good 30 minutes on the phone in the car trying to find a place to stay... yep Berlin is very busy also due to the holidays... I stay in independant hostel in East Berlin....

Names on comments

Hi folks

Getting your comments is great, but can you please add your name at the end of message otherwise i don't know who its from.

ta

Fleur

Perfect Prague

What a city. Well worth the trouble getting here. I had a ball yesterday (Sunday) walking around the place looking at all the attraction, parks and towers.... I spend lots of Crown but i was happy doing so...

Last night I went to a symphany concert which was great. Its music week here nowt and you could spend a week listening to clasical music. Its also a bit like United Nations - all the languages in the street are wonderful. Last night I met two ladies from Gelong who are cycling like me with tent but south from Prague - they are early 60's - but one spoke the language which helps. I feel very safe here, even during the Ice Hockey win celerbrations held last night in the main square... What a party they had - though the Chek lady from Gelong was ashamed of the mess....

Today - Monday I rest a bit and get ready to ride on Tuesday. I'm ready to ride and I think it will be okay. I may not camp and just use B&B for the next 3 days.... I'll see....