3. day - Geesthacht - Bleckede (Neu-Wendischthun)

Trip: 50,9 km
Average speed: 15,0 km/h
Max. speed: 45,7 km/h
Overal time: 7:45 h

We started our day with a traditional German breakfast, which was just the same "old-school" style as the whole "Hotel zur Post". Delicious indeed, and excellent charming service from our host. There was plenty of food and we were encouraged to even take some with us for the long day. Without even asking our host brought us some paper bags for the two roles that we took along. We sayed good bye to our host and we thanked him for his hospitality. I would certainly recommend this hotel to anyone seeking for a charming accommodation in Geesthacht.

Right after we left Geesthacht we passed the nuclear power plant in Krümmel. It had been in the national news recently because the plant had been shutdown and taken off the electricity network after a fire in the trafo-house. The fire had been caused due to running the plant on over-capacity. This was because another nuclear power plant in Brunsbüttel had some problems too and Vattenfall wanted to compensate electricity supply. A guy in the hotel told me this the previous evening.

Unlike mentioned in the weather forecast there was no rain during the morning and the early afternoon. When we woke up the sun was shining even. However, shortly before Bleckede, our today's destination, it started raining.

Our today's bike ride had been diversified. In the very beginning we cycled through a forest. The track was pretty bumpy and we went up and down and up and down...This might be ok for a mountain bike ride, but with a trekking bike loaded with heavy bags it requires a good balance. There were some very nice views over the Elbe landscape on some of the hills. We passed Lauenburg, with its beautiful little timbered and half-timbered houses. Our ride continued towards Boizenburg along a well built cycle path with a smooth surface. We took a break in Boizenburg on the market place. It was interesting to watch people passing by. The picture I got was that of a nice little small town where everyone seems to know each other by first name. I recogniced that people in this region very much like to greet each other, and even more surprising also us foreigners.

Our tour continued along the former German-German border. We decided to take a short-cut and biked on the dyke. We saw many birds. Most interest was to watch a group of storks, around nine or ten. Two of them were fighting for food. The one with the food in his mouth was traced by another stork., in the air. This play went on for more than five minutes including some artistic flight movements. None of the both seemed to give up. However, in the end the one with the food was able to defend his lunch.

As we approached Bleckede it started to rain. We stopped for a while and changed our clothes. We continued our ride with raingear. It was a good choice because it also got a bit colder. Because Bleckede is on the other side of the river we had to take the ferry. It was 1,50€/person and 0,50€/bike. Once we arrived in Bleckede we went to a ecological supermarket and bought some fruits, yoghurt and chocolate. The food was quite expensive, but the yoghurt was very delicous. Hard to say whether it tastes so good because it was an ecological product or because I had been biking the whole day and starving for food. Maybe it was more the latter reason.

We took another rest in the castle of Bleckede in which the tourist information is located. This gave us the opportunity to ask where the passenger ship "Bleckeder Löwe" will depart tomorrow morning. Mette and I will go on a river cruise from Bleckede to Hitzacker tomorrow.

Before we biked to our today's accommodation we went to a supermarket and bought some food and drinks for tonight. Our today's sleeping place is called "Alte Schule" and it is located in Neu-Wendischthun which is a bit outside Bleckede on the other side of the river, which means that we had to take the ferry again.

We both took a shower now and I guess we are going to eat something soon...