Before we Bears tell you about our travels we thought we should make an observation about our BBF! Sometimes we think he is stark raving bonkers! Or else why are we “am Arsch der Welt” puffing and blowing to get up hill against the wind in the pouring rain! But what you do not know about him is that he once did a Junior Officer’s Combat Survival Course with 22 SAS. Here he learned not just how to survive on the battle field, but how to survive with next to nothing!
He also learned how to make a radio receiver from just two razor blades and a bit of wire, so how is that he now can’t survive without his six smart gizmos? iWatch, iPhone, iPod, iPad and smart hearing aids! Mind you we have to admit we couldn’t write our blog on two razor blades!!
After a hearty breakfast we set off for Check Point Alfa. A point were Americans stood in their tower watching NVA East Germans looking at them in their tower across the border.
The sign says house on the border, which is strictly speaking not true as the house has been built over the Convoy road or Kolonnweg! You can see by the kit our BBF is wearing that the weather was poor again.
The Kolonnen Weg
Some East German statements about the Border.
The American tower is in the trees on the left and the NVA one is clearly visible on the right.
At some places along the border the NVA had War dogs which ran along chains between the border fence and the mine field.
The American Tower or Check Point Alfa.
It was a puffing billy climb to get here and now we had the adrenaline rush on the journey back down the hill. We set off using the COBI Bike App as Navi and Alan had told it to find the shortest route. This led to some really adventurous routes through woods. Generally it was all uphill again and hard work in the rain. Even when we had a downhill section the 30 km/h wind against us meant we had to peddle with motor or we would have come to a stop. Very annoying it was.
In the woods we saw how when constructing Wind Generators they clear much of the forest around the site. A good reason why conservationists are against building them. The Navi now had clear ideas about where we should go, but our BBF refused some of the paths as they looked right dodgy. By lunchtime the App was telling us we did not have enough power to arrive at our destination so once we came off the hill we started to look for another German Pub we could get a recharge and some lunch.
As you can see the only two pubs in the two villages were closed! Our BBF now thought that the local Fire Brigade might come to our recuse and started to look for the next local one.
We didn’t need them in the end as we came across a Gaststätte that helped us. An Isotonic drink, this time in the shape of a Shandy, helped us pass the time.
The smaller version looked really small, but was a 0.3ltr one. After two hours we set off again. The charge now said we had a range of 75kms but as we rode on it increased this to over 90.
We crossed the border a number of times, but it was hard going again. Only the rain had let up which was the only bonus of the afternoon.
Our BBF was really concerned about our ability to get to where we had booked accommodation. The Navi now took us up and over steep hills. Because of his concern about the range we were committed and soon found ourselves on a dodgy path downhill.
Here we had another tumble! Thereafter we walked the bike down the hill.
This view is looking back up the hill to where we fell. When we eventually came out of the woods we had a fair bit of downhill and flat parts where our BBF was able to turn off the motor and save power. The range under motor, though was dropping rapidly especially when we used high power.
This view is looking back up the hill to where we fell. When we eventually came out of the woods we had a fair bit of downhill and flat parts where our BBF was able to turn off the motor and save power. The range under motor, though was dropping rapidly especially when we used high power.
We were all relived when we finally arrived at our Hotel.
The bike is stored in a box behind the town hall!
Our bike is in the box second from the left.
We have a large room, more like a suit really.
But would you believe there is no breakfast! After showering Alan went below for an isotonic drink and now the staff gave him the beer for free, in lieu of breakfast!
But would you believe there is no breakfast! After showering Alan went below for an isotonic drink and now the staff gave him the beer for free, in lieu of breakfast!
Today was our longest day in the saddle yet some five hours. We have traveled 74.7 kms and are now by number 27 on the Map.
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