I fly into Brussels, get some Euros, and catch the train to the Netherlands. It is really cool having Euros because they work in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. However, the locals don't like it much. In Germany, it is called the "Teuro", meaning expensive.
Arrive at Rik's, Entschede, and Rik picks me up in the MZ. we go home and visit, and discuss bike prep. He has added two lights, a driving and a fog lamp, which he likes. Got a new ME55 on the rear, and a new battery. He has put fresh synthetic oil in the bike and it is tuned great.
I have packed lighter this year, not carrying a second jacket and helmet, and just my walking sticks and Schlafsack in case I can go mountain hiking later. I brought a small rucksack which holds maps, my computer, and books, and goes in the right-side bag. The left-side holds all of my usual road gear, mostly cold weather and repair gear. Clothes and misc go in the waterproof bag. Since mine was chewed by squirrels over the winter and is no longer waterproof, Rik loans me the duplicate I got for him in Hamburg last year. As usual, that gets strapped on the rack. It is rainy and cool today. I am hoping for improvement. Rik and I walk into the city and have Indian food and Grolsch beer.
I had watched the weather for two weeks prior to my trip on Deutche Welle. The day before I left, I bought oil for my leather and a new rainsuit that would pull on more easily than my old gear. Rik checks the weather on the Internet and says I'll need the new suit. (Rik has computers all over the house, upstairs and down, and is about to run fiber optic out to his garage, which is, of course, full of bikes.) Since it is just spitting, I opt for my well-oiled leathers. I hate to put on my rainsuit.
I slept really well. Too good. So I don't get off until 11am. I'm headed to the BMW rally in Malmo, Sweden. http://www.bmw-club-europa.org/english/malmo.html Rik has suggested a set of back roads and ferries up to Danemark. He leads me out on a set on his newly refurbished R100GS. (He has epoxy-coated the frame and says this is better than powder-coating.) I'm grateful for his lead. I would have stopped a dozen times to consult the maps. We part outside of Lingen on the 213 after he notes that my begining odometer reading is about 48,000km, which will make it easy to measure distances.
It's raining more and more and I am also glad I have got my heated jacket. I check the temperature on a sign and it is only about 50F in the middle of a July day. By the time I have reached Coppenburg, just before Bremen, it's been three hours and I am not very far along. I stop to get get cash and lunch. I have a fantastic omelet at a Greek restaurant. And wait until a hard shower goes past. I go to the Woolworth's to find a disposable camera, but they are out. However, I discover I have parked next to a photo shop, which does have one. I have to wait for another shower. I still don't put on my rainsuit.
Because I am not making good time and have a long ways to go, I jettison the backroads plan. Also, my right wrist is really hurting. It has not really healed and the cold is not helping. I think I might as well be holding the throttle at fast as well as slow. I catch the Autobahn 1 outside of Bremen and head to Hamburg.
Near Hamburg, I stop to phone Susie and let them know I will be visiting over the weekend. It's almost a local call from this roadside cafe. The rain is getting worse so I reluctantly change into my raingear. It's also warmer with the suit.
On the Autobahn 7 out of Hamburg towards Flensburg, there is a minor stall due to the 5pm traffic and then the road is clear. Except for the rain. North of the city, it starts coming down hard and stays like that. I am really glad I have the rainsuit on. I am also using my BMW rain gloves that I got last year and they really work well. As does my heated jacket. But my hand really aches and I trade off-and-on with my left hand on the throttle. I'm only running between 120 and 130 kph because of the heavy rain. And the temperature guage goes out. But I am not worried about overheating the bike in this rain. I am only running between 5 and 6K rpm and the oil pressure ranges between 4 and 6 bars, depending on my speed and how cold the rain is.
I take another break at a truckstop after filling up with gas, which I do every 200km. In theory the bike will go 240km before going on reserve. But I get tired. There are a bunch of other bikes parked there, drinking coffee. I go in and say hello. On of the bikers is a lone woman, who waves to everyone and takes off after a while. Two of the bikes are BMW 1100RTs, but there are all kinds out front, touring on a Tuesday in this filthy weather. It is now cold too. I am using my heated jacket underneath my leathers and rainsuit.
I finally reach Flensburg and shortly thereafter the Danish boarder. Don't take the very first exit to go to Als. The one you want is the second one that takes you on the 8, a little country road that goes across the whole peninsula of Als to Fynshav. Rik had recommended this and the countryside and farms indeed has a very delicate beauty. I know I would enjoy it even more under different circumstances.
I stop at 8pm in Sonderborg. I've gone about 500km in 9 hours. Not so good and I am bushed. I follow the signs for a hotel into the tiny little town. It's a Comfort Inn. I am not impressed. At first. But then I discover this is not your father's Comfort Inn.
I check in and the very pleasant young woman explains the facilities to me in good English (she admits her German is not very good, and this seems to be the case with the younger people.) There is a pool with a jacuzzi, and a fitness center. The restaurant is closing soon, so I unpack and go eat a very nice meal with a great house wine from Alsace.
Then I go soak in the jacuzzi and have a swim in the pool, which is open until 11. The locker/shower room and the pool are first-class: the best I have ever seen. And it feels great. Then I go down to bar for one of their recommended local beers, which is only so-so to my taste. But I have had a great evening and I go to bed happy and comfortable.