Our cycling trip got off to a slightly wobbly start. After 488 meters – yes, meters – Flynn’s rear derailleur gave up. Not something we could fix roadside, so we turned back, swapped bikes, and tried again. Second departure: successful.
The forecast had promised dry skies after 10:00. At 11:00, the sky disagreed. Whatever was falling wasn’t technically rain – or so we told ourselves – but it soaked us just the same.
I had a route plan. A gentle stop after 2 km to buy sandwiches. A coffee break 10 km later. Then we’d eat the sandwiches. Later still, cake and another coffee. Flynn wasn’t particularly aligned with this schedule. But we did at least stop for the sandwiches.
We also stopped more often than planned to take shelter from some heavy showers.
The fields we rode through were beautiful – full of wildflowers. I couldn’t resist taking a few photos along the way. Then came blackberries. Another pause. Flynn’s patience began to show signs of strain. Fair enough. We agreed to tone down the stops.
The path through the Haard forest was a highlight – green, peaceful, and definitely uphill. I reassured Flynn it was the last climb, and that from there it would be downhill all the way – at least, that’s what my navigation said. But just like the weather earlier, reality had its own plan. One more hill appeared… and that one was on me – I’d missed a turn. So for once, the forecast had been right – we just didn’t follow it. We passed a firefighter observation tower along the way and, naturally, climbed to the top.
A proper pause in Haltern am See gave us a bit of a breather before heading on toward Dülmen and our campsite near the lake.
Dinner – pasta with Bolognese – was served just as the first raindrops returned. We made it into the tent in time. Outside: a steady downpour. Inside: dry and warm.
