Saturday, August 10, 2013

Gulstorf to Vielank (Germany Part 7)

(Start Reading at Part 1)

As we rode along the bike path in a rural area we saw a sign for a trailside cafe.  It was a very informal arrangement-- we stopped, took a table and the proprietress said she had wurst and potato salad.  We all had her homemade "apfel schorle"-- basically apple juice with a bit of fizzy water.  She was friendly and chatty and offered to take a picture of the group.  At the end she said that she had no set prices and that we should pay her what we thought it was worth-- this caused some hemming and hawing and she then told us that the potatoes cost her so much and the wursts were expensive because she had to go over the river in the ferry to get them, etc.  So we began forking over euros and hoped she was pleased.  Bill figured out that she was unlicensed and by not posting or charging specific prices she could stay on the right side of the authorities.


As we ended the day we had one of our very few extended periods of road riding-- it was not hair raising but the cars in Germany go very fast and there was no riding double.  We passed two of these grisly reminders of possible consequences-- one of them had a sign that said "This Could be You!".  Reminiscent of the ghost bikes we have seen in the United States.


This is a ghost bike that we saw in Idaho on our ride from Oregon to New Hampshire.  The first ghost bikes were established in Missouri but the ghost bike web site says there are now over 500 world wide.

Church in Tripkau

The half timbered church in Tripkau "is worth a trip" as they say in their brochure (in English and German).  It is beautifully situated in a large open space and beautifully proportioned.  Inside it is a shock.  



The interior of the church is unique with this cross motif that completely covers the ceiling and walls.  A much nicer professional picture is here http://www.flickr.com/photos/pe_ha45/430587678/

Our home for the evening was Vielank, location of a destination brewery, restaurant and hotel.  They had lots of good beer, several flavors of delicious soda and excellent food.  I was slightly grumpy because our rooms were in a building separate from the restaurant facility-- we had to ride our bikes over, walk back, schlep our luggage, walk back for dinner, walk, schlep, walk, ride, etc.  but goodness knows I had little enough to complain about on this trip-- I had to find something!


Crates at the Vielanker Brauhaus
Liz got a healthful salad at the Brauhaus



Continue to Part 8

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