Day 3: 10.06.2024, 146km, 443hm
The last few days have felt rushed, I’ve been cycling more for a goal than for the journey. Today I also had the feeling that I had to catch up. Thanks to bike problems, I only cycled “just under” 160km yesterday instead of 200km and only set off at midday today after a temporary repair. There’s a halfway good reason for my time pressure: I want to catch my dear friend Mo in Hanover, so I’d better get there before Thursday. At the same time, I’m probably putting myself under more stress than necessary and completely forgetting that I’m travelling. I hardly allow myself any breaks, and in the few breaks I do take, I squat by the side of the road to fill up on food as quickly as possible.
Snack break by the wayside
lunch
The hall door snaps me out of my half-sleep. Mrs Seitz is standing in it and invites me upstairs for coffee and breakfast. She seems to be slowly getting used to the stranger and lovingly looks after me. We have a chat with her two-year-old grandson Xaver, who clamours across the corner bench. Well-fuelled, I head from the farm to Roth to 2-wheel müller, who do a lot of work on my bike, at least temporarily.
I spend most of the day cycling along the Main-Danube Canal, from Roth via Fürth to Bamberg. Everything about me is really dusty from the canal paths. I hadn’t realised that we have so much inland shipping in Bavaria. And huge locks to move the big ships!
Main-Danube_Canal
I really like Bamberg, it seems to combine colourful people and a beautiful old town. I have to drive round roadworks twice, but from Bamberg onwards I just fly along. Before Coburg, I decide to take a “quick” ride through the town before looking for a place to sleep - I’m not ready to get off yet, my legs still feel fresh. 20:10, I’m through the city centre when my sat nav tells me “130 m climb”. I’m not prepared for that. I’m worried about how long it will take me and whether I’ll find a farmer with space for my tent afterwards. Nothing to do. I drive up with the plan to look for a place to sleep at the top at the first opportunity. I see a group sitting in the house of the volunteer fire brigade and stop.
Coburg city centre
At the top I am rewarded with a view
Stefan, the commander of the Löbelstein volunteer fire brigade, lets me in and invites me to join him. The lads and lasses are just rounding off their 150th anniversary and are always talking enthusiastically about how well everything went and how special this celebration was. Thorsten is sitting opposite me, he is very worried, fascinated and amazed by my journey and pesters me with questions. The others are also curious, and I’m fed with Leberkas and lemonade. I feel really welcome, accepted - like a guest of honour. And yet I’ve only stumbled through the door. For this encounter alone, I’m glad for my mishap - otherwise it wouldn’t have happened. I finally manage to actually arrive on the road. I sit with Sascha and Stefan until almost two in the morning.
Löbelstein fire brigade and me
I fell into bed with a big grin on my face - in the fire station!