From Mainz to Hamburg

With a Swiss-German delegation, we can attend the Switzerland vs. Germany Euro match in Frankfurt. Marius has arranged tickets near the field for seven of us - it's an unforgettable experience. The Swiss team is the better team and only gets the equalizer in extra time. Taking advantage of the fact that I am already in Mainz due to the overnight stay, I have decided to test my gravel bike with bikepacking and ride to Hamburg for Günter's 70th birthday. First of all: it's a beautiful route, and I'm lucky with the weather, it's finally summer this year.

Day 1: Mainz - Gießen - Marburg 125 km

In the morning, there is a problem: my smartphone won't charge anymore. With around 40% capacity left, I can still do necessary things. It's a good thing that I loaded all stages onto the navigation system at home. Now I have to rely on this navigation.

From Mainz, I head northeast, always slightly north of Frankfurt. From the hills, you have a great view of the skyline. In Hofheim, I find a mobile phone store where the illusion is quickly shattered. It is very likely that the charging port is broken and needs to be ordered. The dealer advises me to back up the data. But he also doesn't know how to do that in my situation on the tour. The battery still holds up quite well, so I will consider my next steps later. There is enough time for that while pedaling.

Now it goes uphill and downhill from Bad Nauheim on the edge of the Taunus and sometimes in the middle until I reach Gießen. Then another climb, and shortly after, I am on the Lahn cycle path, where I cover the last 25 km to Marburg. I can already see the impressive castle above the Lahn from a distance. The whole city is in a great mood in this beautiful weather. From the old university, it goes steeply uphill to the beautiful marketplace, where I end the day.

Day 2: Marburg - Winterberg - Büren 135 km

It's already a long tour with plenty of climbs, but then I get lost twice because of diversions, adding another 10 km.

At first, I follow the Lahn, but then it goes into the Rothaargebirge, although the term is somewhat misleading. The highest elevation is the Langenberg between Winterberg and Willingen with 843 m. It is the highest mountain in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Today, the climb to Winterberg at 670 m is enough for me, but it is well paved and not too steep. In September, I will have more time to explore the area at the Harz5 meeting.

From Olsberg, it mainly goes downhill. In Brilon, I make another attempt at the charging port at Expert. The saleswoman recommends buying a new smartphone because the repair is likely to be expensive and I can still transfer important data now. While cycling, I had already considered this option - so I bought a new phone, changed the SIM cards, and transferred data in the evening. And reconnecting with the world...😅

Day 3: Büren - Bad Salzuflen - Porta Westfalica - Petershagen 130 km

After a short warm-up, it goes uphill for a while and then flat until Delbrück. From Schloss Holte, there is a long climb to the mountain town of Oerlinghausen. In Bad Salzuflen, with its beautiful old town featuring impressive half-timbered houses in the style of the Weser Renaissance, I take a break. There are some more hills to conquer until I reach Vlotho, where I reach the Weser. Along the river and past Porta Westfalica with the Kaiserdenkmal on the heights, I reach Minden. Continuing along the riverbank, I cycle to Petershagen. Since I am staying with hosts for the first time tonight, I have to ride another 10 km into the countryside. Heidi and Bernd warmly welcome me to their large house. It's a wonderful experience to make friends with strangers along the way.

Day 4: Petershagen - Bremen 110 km

Since the ferry in Windheim only operates on weekdays starting in July, I have to return to Petershagen. There I cycle a few kilometers on the Weser cycle path and then flat and fast on an asphalt bike path along the B61. As storm clouds appear on the horizon, I continue without stopping until Bassum. From there, it's only 40 km to Bremen, but despite pedaling hard, I get caught in a thunderstorm and a heavy rain shower about 15 km before Bremen. The navigation system doesn't display correctly in the rain, so I can only find my way back to the city center with difficulty and detours. The hotel is centrally located near the main train station, so it's not far to the city center with the town hall and the Bremen Roland. The well-known Schnoor district is also right there. Overall, I am disappointed with Bremen - it doesn't feel vibrant to me, and I didn't find any atmospheric places in the city center. Perhaps I didn't search properly.

Day 5: Bremen - Bremerhaven - Cuxhaven 125 km

After yesterday's thunderstorm, it has cooled down significantly. The temperature is ideal for cycling and rises over the course of the day. I mostly cycle along the Weser, but I don't see the river on the land side of the dike. Only occasionally do I ride on the water side and can race the big ships. Most of the time, I am protected from the wind and make good progress. The only annoyance is that the bike path is suddenly closed due to construction work, there are no signs for the detour, which I only find with some effort. I have decided to continue to Bremerhaven and then take a nice break with a fish sandwich. But I don't find one in the uninviting city and along the harbor. For miles, I ride on a bad and narrow bike path along the harbor facilities. After almost 90 km, I am rewarded with a good fish sandwich in the beautifully located harbor of Wremen. From there, you have a very nice view of the Wadden Sea. Continuing along the dike and the last kilometers through the forest, I reach Cuxhaven, where I stay overnight.

Day 6: Cuxhaven - Hamburg 125 km

In the morning, I catch a glimpse of the islands of Heligoland and Neuwerk. The latter belongs to the Hamburg city center district, although it is 120 km away from there. After a few kilometers along the Elbe, the bike path leads me further west, and I only reach the water again at the ferry in Wischhafen. The Elbe is mighty wide here, so the ferry takes about half an hour to Glückstadt. From there, I ride to Elmshorn and Norderstedt and soon arrive at Simone and Günter's place. The birthday celebration can begin.

Summary:

It was a beautiful tour, 750 km in six days, through parts of Germany that I didn't know before. Cycling with the gravel bike was a lot of fun, it rolls very well, and the light suspension makes gravel paths and potholes no problem. The weather played a crucial role in the success, with plenty of sunshine, and Günter's birthday as the destination was motivating.