Sunday 5th October 2014 - Snorer was up early. I said to him that he snores really loud. Not sure if he understood or not.
Got my gear together, bike out of locked shed and packed up and went.
Went to McDonald's for breakfast!
Bacon and egg McMuffin, ham and cheese croissant, orange juice and a coffee. WiFi.
Morning went fine until I lost the signs. Made my own way to the next few towns toward Tuttlingen.
Through Radolfzell, Singen, Engen, Bargen and Mauenheim.
Followed a woman for a bit. Cycling with her dog in a trailer she was towing behind her. It was looking out the window and barking at other dogs as they passed them. So funny, got a photo.
Magically the signs appeared again. Not the ones I was looking for but they were going in same direction so they'd do.
Urgh. They took me the most higgeledy piggledy way round. Then the hills started, long gradually climbs and short steep ones. Up and down.
Found some walnuts and ate them half way up a climb. Back in Sarralbe (Day 28) the lady in the bar where I had my coffees, showed me a box of black mouldy round things. Said they were a local delicassy. I guess now that they were walnuts.
Also have seen lots of men out searching the leaves on the ground last few days as I cycle past, so reckon they're after them too.
Onto the dreaded, slow gravel forest tracks. With all the leaves fallen, sometimes they don't even look like paths at all.
Finally out of the forest, through a couple of fields and I found the Danube. It was tiny, I could've waded across it.
There was a campsite marked on map, but when I stopped, yep, no camping.
Youth hostel another 5km in the next village, Mohringen. Headed there, climbed up from the river through the village. Up the drive to hostel, it was really really steep, but only for about 50 odd metres I think.
Circled, changed gear, I will do this, raawwrrrr!!!!
Muscles burning, heart racing, trying to breathe, I make it without having to get off.
No one in. Not open.
Right, on to Tuttlingen. Found the McDonald's, but couldn't get logged onto their WiFi.
Big steak burger and fries.
McDonald's twice in one day, absolutely disgusted at myself. Eaten here more times in last couple of weeks than in my whole lifetime.
My clothes are getting looser though, so I'm not gonna worry about obesity just yet, I'm needing the calories obviously.
After 7pm, getting dark now. Phone needs charged.
Just decided to go up into forest for night. There was a cycle route pointing up from the road I passed, just a bit before McDonald's.
Up past a car park and on to the dark forest paths. Lights on now. Pass a house and stable yard. Keep heading on into the forest.
Eventually stop, once the noise of the tyres on the gravel and the wind rushing past my ears stops, there's nothing. No sound at all. Can't hear the cars or anything. So quiet its deafening. Its also dark.
Turn off lights, eyes adjust to the night. Stand and listen a while, to nothing. This seems ok.
There are big tall trees to my right, an open grassy area to my left and then trees the other side of it.
Look on map and there is a walking trail the other side of grass. Push bike across to it, thinking less chance of anyone on it, rather than the tarmac road.
Moon comes out, nearly a full one, so shines some light around. Still really quiet.
Screech screech screech, whit twowowowo. Owls.
Find a smallish Christmas tree and pull bike up behind it. Get my trusty plastic bag out to sit on, with my back against the tree trunk.
So quiet, I feel like I have to be quiet too. Its very still as well. Every so often a breath of air blows. This then is just enough to make the odd leaf fall off the trees around me. They sound really loud, falling through the branches then hitting the ground.
Then down jacket on and a bit later sleeping bag out to pull round me. Its actually not too cold, being dry and no wind.
Listen to the owls. They come and go, but I can hear which part of the forest they are away to when they call to each other.
Thinking what else lives in these forests. Hmmm ... hogs, wolves, bears maybe?! Heard stories about vicious wild hogs, so listen out for them. The owls screech sounds like pigs squealing now.
Car drives past on the road I came up at 9.30pm.
No sleep. Just listening. Watching the moon move across the sky.
Felt sick at one stage from tiredness, what with listening to Mr Snorathon last night, hills in the stuffy humid heat today, and still being awake.
Lorry came up the road at 4.30am. It then stopped opposite me. Lorry with a trailer. Heard footsteps. Then bang bang bang of metal. Whats going on. It then drives off.
Not long until daylight now. Fox comes down track beside me at 6am.
The couple of hours, when the moon dissappered, until a little bit of light starts to come into the sky in the east, I was staring into a Black Forest.
Christmas tree coordinates:
47°57′14.24″N 08°48′04.35″E
Day 37 - 05.10.14
Konstanz to Forest at Tuttlingen, Germany
11am to 7.30pm
4hr 49min cycling
70.7km
2222 calories
1258 metres asc
No comments:
Post a Comment