Saying yes

Day 9: 16 June 2024, 105 km, 550 metres of ascent

I was awake at 4am today. I imagine that I will arrive in Hamburg in the morning if I leave soon. Then I realise that I am still tired and allow myself to sleep in. It is 8am when I wake up again. As soon as I open my eyes, a couple calls out to me: “Breakfast?”. They are walking their four dogs – and I say yes.

Nicol and Christof have built a nice life for themselves, and it seems as if they have a lot of time and space for fun and discovery, thanks to the absence of children. We find common ground in festivals, bike tours, music and dog love. Christof invites me on a motorcycle ride through the heath. I’ve never been on a motorbike before – so I give it a go (hi mum and dad, I survived ;)). We race through the heathland, over the NATO military training grounds that are open at the weekend. The acceleration on the motorbike is exciting, but at the same time I feel quite unprotected, not having a metal cage around me at such high speeds. I’ll stick to my bike in future, but I’m grateful that I was able to experience a motorbike ride too.

I am slowly learning to accept offers of all kinds. In the past, I had often declined because I didn’t want to ask too much of people. But people enjoy sharing their lives and getting to know me. I am slowly learning to accept that I am more of a joy than a burden to many people.

It is only around 1 p.m. that I get on my bike. Nicole and Christof had invited me to spend the rest of the day there and to leave the next day. But I am happy to (finally) be back on my bike. So I have to say no to this offer again. It is so familiar and I feel so comfortable when I can pedal. The Lüneburg Heath is now really beautiful and varied in terms of landscape. The ground and inclines repeatedly push me to my limits – that’s what makes cycling so much fun! On the way into town, I meet a master baker on his way to work. He shows me the way into town around the construction sites, and we ride along side by side for a long time.

I don’t arrive at my school friend Marei’s until just before 9pm. Her boyfriend is very experienced in the outdoors and provides me with all the utensils I could need to look after my equipment when I arrive. Marei cooks fried rice. I am again so generously received here. I feel almost too comfortable in the last few days – it feels so easy to have a warm shower and a bed or a couch again and again.

Get up” at 4 o’clock