Day 383 6th August
63 miles (Leipzig to Batzdorf) Average speed 11.6 mph Top speed 33 mph
Up at 8.30 even though I didn’t get to bed till 3.30. Thanks Will!
We deserved a drink to say goodbye. I went for brekkie in the kitchen but my muesli had been stolen, that will teach me to put stuff away when staying in a hostel. It wasn’t a good start to the day and as it was Sunday there were no shops open.
I packed up and said goodbye to Annett and left at 10.15. I eventually found the right road heading east and after an hour stopped at a garage for brockwurst and a cold orange drink. I also bought rolls for lunch. I soon joined the b6 and was going at a good pace with my new bike. I tried to find a good spot for lunch but ended up doing 40 miles before finding a lively lake with a table and lots of mosquitos.
Two rolls with pate gave me some energy and helped me push on. I rejoined the Elbe and found a campsite, but was feeling tired after so long off the bike. It was only five o’clock so I set up camp, had a beer and went in search of food. I asked at reception and he recommended the Western Inn which I thought was a hotel, but I found a restaurant right next door to the campsite. I looked at the menu, but nobody asked if I wanted anything so I went back to get a beer from reception before they closed and watched the end of Holland v Denmark women’s Euro final with a Dutch couple.
Then I went back to the restaurant and ordered chicken from a very strange waitress. The Dutch couple arrived and the waitress insisted they order quickly while coughing all over them. I had a very small portion of chicken with mushroom sauce and rostis but that was never going to satisfy a hungry cyclist. I chatted with the Dutch couple as they ate and discovered that they live only 30 minutes from Groningen on the coast. We talked for quite a while about my birthday and the liberation festival. Willamena went inside to pay and compliment the cook, who turned out to be the waitress’ mother, who didn’t stop moaning. Then I went in to pay, but I only had 50€ note and she insisted that my bill didn’t include a tip and so she only gave me 35€ change from 11.40€ bill. I really should have made the effort to go the extra 2 miles to the Western Inn as when I passed it the next morning it looked like a good western ranch style restaurant.
I was in bed by 9.30.
Camping Rehbocktal 11 €
+ 1€ wifi.