Day 46: Lotte, my bike and the castle

Sunday, 08/27/2023. My last rest day on the tour, the final is coming up. The weather cooperates, so I can take my dear readers with me to Esslinger Burg. Unfortunately, only afterwards did I realize that I didn't have the castle in a picture where you can see the whole dimension. Please look it up on google or, which I personally prefer, use ecosia.org. The quest might not be quite as good as the original, but ecosia plants trees for it.
Occasionally I am asked about my bike. My "faithful pack mule" is a custom-made product from my bike dealer, a small shop with a workshop (or vice versa) in Munich-Allach. Herbert bought a few frames from Simplon and built what he thinks a touring bike needs. The whole thing runs as "Kagu" so that it fits into the Jobrad database. Two things I think are remarkable: the Hub14 gears from Rohloff and the saddle suspension from Airwings. The shifting is great: I can shift into any gear without any load, and it engages immediately. With gear 11 to the traffic light, continue with gear 4 - no problem, you change gear while standing. I could upgrade to belt drive tomorrow if I just wanted to. Maybe that's still to come... The saddle suspension helps enormously with the many bumps on the bike paths, especially since I don't have a suspension fork. Braking is done with the Magura HS33, so no disc brakes. I made two frame bags for technical stuff, including 3 spokes because they are not common - that's why Herbert gave me some to be on the safe side (and 4 brake shoes, I have the spare tube with me anyway). The tires are extra wide, but not "monster tires" as you see them more and more often. I ride with an easily detachable handlebar bag that holds my wallet, keys, etc. Lately I've been dropping the holder for my smartphone because I now cycle strictly according to "instructions". If you want to know more, please contact me via email, but I have to say that I'm not a "bicycle freak". Anyone who wants to discuss with me why I chose Rohloff and not Pinion will certainly be disappointed.
And that's Lotte: my bar of choice. I like it, it's good for me and it doesn't bother me. I like dates anyway, ever since I got them from my grandfather when I was a little boy (he also had figs, but that's not quite a hit with me). Lotte is available from GEPA, which has its central warehouse in Bavaria in Amperpettenbach, which is very close to me. In Hamburg, the branch was opposite the NH Hotel, so I was able to stock up on supplies quickly. They are also often found in world shops. Lotte also has siblings: Emma and Oskar, I can't think of the others right now. But my favorite is clearly Lotte! Sometimes - I confess - I'm unfaithful to Lotte and enjoy eating other bars. But keep coming back...