Day 27: Sch...wind

Everything is still fine at the start. My accommodation was very nice, an older lady has 2 wonderfully renovated rooms in the upper floor of her small house and in between a bathroom for rent mainly to cyclists. In the past, her children used to live there, but they have moved elsewhere now. A 'normal' breakfast that ended with the beautiful sentence: Take what you don't eat with you.

The wind is already here, but so is the sun. I stroll through the beautiful old town of Verden a bit, then I get on my bike and follow the Aller Cycle Path. It's a cozy thing, small villages with brick buildings, lots of horses, fields (lots of corn), forests and meadows - really relaxed cycling despite the wind, which is now coming from all directions. I no longer pay much attention to the many storks, even though they are still very interesting animals. There are many birds living in the hedges that border most of the fields, but unfortunately I can't identify them. I only rarely see butterflies. During the breaks, I make some phone calls regarding my visits to Hannover, Cologne, and Unterföhring.

Just before Schwarmstedt, I am caught by the first shower. I can take shelter at the Sparkasse. The tourist information is not far away. I ask about accommodation, I still want to make it a bit further towards Hannover. Unfortunately, she can't help me, says the very friendly lady, because the district ends in 3 km and therefore her options are limited. Then I'll just have to search, I tell myself and leave. Then the next shower comes. If it's meant to be like this, I say, then I'll stay here and go back inside. The next problem: Schwarmstedt and its surroundings are fully booked. It's currently holiday season, and the many parks nearby lead to high occupancy, plus some houses have disappeared. So, I continue...

A few kilometers and many strong expressions of frustration about the wind and the bad roads later, it hits me for real. I'm heading towards a dark wall and I'm thinking, hopefully I'll make it to the village, when suddenly it breaks loose with hail and brief heavy rain. I manage to put on my rain pants rather poorly, my sandals are getting wet. Then the rain stops, but not the wind.

I don't care about the long-distance cycle path anymore - I'm now on the Leine-Heide Cycle Path - and I'm cycling along the road. I call the tourist information in Neustadt am Rübenberge - they're already closed. Then - a hotel. Fully booked. The bridal suite is still available... The friendly gentleman at the reception gives me a few numbers - all busy, no connection at this number... I still have the option to book towards Steinhuder Meer, so another good 10 km further. I find something in Wunstorf (no need to remember...). Once again, I fight against the wind, which mostly comes from the front and is sometimes very strong. I shout out my frustration about the bad cycle paths, the showers, the sh....wind, a sign that I'm just done. The relief comes shortly before 7 pm after around 100 km: Arrival. No more wind, the rain can stay outside. The room is great except for the lighting, the shower is hot. And there's beer!