Day 372 26th July
0.43miles (Leipzig) Average speed 6.2 mph Top speed 16 mph (4 minutes cycling)
Awake at 7.30 but no one on reception until 9. Thankfully, when I asked about my passport it was still in the photocopier, so I was a very relieved man and last night’s anxt (angst) was all for nothing. I looked for recommendations for bike shops and the name Little John Bikes had to be the one. It turned out that they are a big store with 3 shops in Leipzig and 20 across Germany.This meant that the bill soon racked up and came to 317€, but at least the guy was very helpful and spoke good English. I’m sure I’m paying too much but at least it’s worth the extra money to know the bike is in good hands and I feel that I can trust them, which is so important bearing in mind I have almost another year to ride. It could be cheaper to buy a new bike but I’m so attached to my trusty steed that was not even a possibility.
So now I found myself in a new city and with no transport so where best to go? Obviously I needed to look at more bikes so I went to the Grassi Museum which had an exhibition, but I had to buy a ticket for the history museum as well, which meant I spent the next 5.5 hours out of the rain learning lots about German art and history and a good part of that was spent in the bike exhibition studying lots of e-bikes and the effect cycling has had on city life around the world.
I also sat for an hour reading Martin Doolzaard book on cycling for a year from Amsterdam to Singapore which I found very easy to relate to.
Then back at the hostel where I still have a six bed dorm to myself. I cooked leftover chicken pasta for dinner and went back to the witches bar: Hexenkessel (it means witch’s cauldron) for a drink but I was the only customer tonight, until it filled up and then I rounded off the night with a Glenfiddich and Purple Rain came on the sound system. What better way to end a day off the bike !
Hostel Unschlagbar 12.75€