E hatisitsoe: 15.07.2020
'Bremen is crying because you're leaving' was probably the cutest way to describe the rain that started in the morning when I said goodbye to my 'host mom.'
My glasses actually arrived in the morning, so I could get back on the saddle and continue cycling north.
Thanks again for providing me with the address and a place to stay for two nights - and especially for making me feel like I could have stayed for a third, fourth, and fifth night!
Unfortunately, my bike was at least 25kg heavier than the previous day without bags, and the rain wasn't cold enough for a rain jacket to be bearable. So I just let myself get a little soaked instead of sweating to death. The route also only went along bike paths directly alongside highways, so I actually had to resort to using the 'listen to music' trick for the first time to stay motivated. And it surprisingly worked well, especially with songs that I could sing loudly and off-key without disturbing anyone on the empty bike paths :D
I also met another cycling couple with whom I rode and chatted for a few kilometers. It was a nice change of pace during moments of low motivation! And for what felt like ages, there were some small hills that almost gave me a feeling of going downhill ;)
For lunch, I found an adventure playground with some small huts on Komoot (highly recommended for navigation), so I could spread out and even cook something in the dry.
In the evening, fortunately, I found another dry place to stay - a true blessing after being quite soaked at some point!
And even more of a blessing was my Warmshowers host himself, who lived in a former studio in the garden of another house. He is currently renovating the house, and based on what I've seen so far, it will be beautiful!
For dinner, he made something vegan with zucchini and salad from his own garden, and there was his specialty: crispy, ultra-delicious homemade oven-baked potato wedges :)
He and his girlfriend also took advantage of the Corona time to build a small stable in the garden and get a few rescued chickens. One of them, Eulania, wasn't feeling well, so we had to feed her some potato mash and medication. Poor little creature, hopefully she'll get better soon!
I should also mention that the chicken coop is monitored by a WiFi camera, the flap for the chickens can be automatically locked, and the visit to the vet with Eulania cost a small fortune. That's how big chicken love can be! :D