Day 17: Risk with reward

Bright blue sky - I can't believe it. I leave the lavender farm with its pleasant scent and ride well signposted and on a good surface to Ribbeck. As mentioned before, a few years ago I was there and extensively dealt with pear tree, poem, Fontane and castle:

Mr. von Ribbeck in Ribbeck in Havelland,
A pear tree stood in his garden ...

The washhouse, a quaint, lovingly furnished café, has moved to the old distillery (what is being distilled there - see poem) and looks the same from the outside as it did back then. But it doesn't open until 11 a.m., it's only 10 a.m. I don't want to wait that long, so I continue cycling. The path goes through wide fields and meadows, interrupted by small villages with their terrible cobblestone streets. The range goes from neat to decay.

It starts to drizzle, then it gets stronger. I find a bus shelter and make myself comfortable, because it starts pouring and doesn't want to stop. I must have fallen asleep, because I jerk awake when a car drives by. When the rain calms down a bit, I continue in full rain gear, only the gaiters are missing. But that doesn't make sense with the outdoor sandals I'm wearing; it's not cold. Then it gets stronger again, it flashes and thunders 6 or 7 times in quick succession. I calculate a distance of 2 km (an old rule from childhood: 3 seconds after the flash of lightning, then it's 1 km away...). I must have fallen asleep again. When it subsides, I continue cycling, I can't sit still forever.

Just before Rathenow it stops and the sun comes out. Rathenow is the 'Brillenstadt' (glasses city), a center of the optical industry, historically grown. Fielmann is well represented. It's just after 2 p.m., too early for accommodation. The I is open, but the staff just hands me a brochure with accommodations along the way. Everything is in it. With so much friendliness, I continue. Risk - booking doesn't show much, Google doesn't either. It's another 50 km to Havelberg. So I continue with the intention of finding accommodation when it's available. But only one comes, which doesn't look very inviting, and it's only half past 3, and the sun is shining. Onward.

In this way I finally reach Havelberg, where the Havel flows into the Elbe and the Elbe Cycle Path is not far away. In total, there were about 10 cyclists on the way, I overtook 4. I am happy about every km I get closer to my destination. 'The planet stings', a description for a lot of sunshine, and my thighs are slowly burning. In a moment of inspiration, I book through booking after all, the accommodation is very nice - refrigerator, kettle, even sunscreen and earplugs, probably because of the nearby road. I treat myself to a cola, then I want to eat something and then call it a day. After 114 km, I deserve that too!