Lübeck

I decided that today I would ride to Lübeck as small city 66kms north of Hamburg. It was a gorgous day in the north of Germany!

I'm still not sure how to take the motorists here. Most are great giving road cyclists plenty of room. Others have a real problem with cyclists on the road. I've been yelled at and shunted off the road a few times now. Was Amy Gillet riding in Germany when she was killed? I think the gripe is that there is a bike track nearly everywhere and bikes are meant to use them, however going considerably faster on a road bike than a town bike across rough roads, some gravel, I will stick to the road.

I'm learning what the native animals of German are. I accidently ran over a small snake, probably 30cm long. Oops. I saw plenty of flat squirrels and porcupines as well. I felt like dumb&dumber for parts of the trip as there are millions of flies and bugs when you ride past the fields. I was annoyed I forgot my sunglasses not so much because of the sun but from protecting me from being blinded.

Lübeck is absolutely beautiful in an old quaint kind of way. I was told that the council provides money to the building owners to restore their fachwerk houses. Although Lübeck was probably also bombed during the war, the buildings are in good repair and really give a great feeling. The cobble stone roads were a bit rough of the bike! The thought of the Paris-Roubaix kept me riding. I met up with Sarah and Philip briefly. I interrupted them this afternoon as they are currently madly moving house. I will hopefully catch them again on the weekend.

I'm still sure riding around is the best way to see plenty more of this great land. Perhaps I will ride to the Ost-See sometime this week also. A little longer but I definitely need the kms in the legs!

Photos are up on picasa!