Wanderung 30

(Monika) Our plan for today was to cross the Fehmarn Sund bridge, also known as Der Bugel (English: "The Coathanger"), onto the island of Fehmarn. The paths were mainly along bike paths beside, but not on, the main roads. All of them were well maintained. The wind was sometimes at our back, but sometimes from our front. But with assistance from our electric motors, we did just fine. We stopped several times for pictures and once for a longer rest.

But finally we got to the bridge. Now I am intimidated by high bridges when having to cross it by car. Let me tell you, it is even more intimidating when crossing one on a small bike path with cars passing you on one side and a 100 meter drop on the other. Ok there was a railing, but there was also wind coming from the side. It was frightening enough that I did not consider stopping for a picture, I just wanted to get across.

(Bob)This bridge crossing frightened me also. I thought we might be in for a scary ride when I saw the "Use This Bridge At Your Own Risk" sign on the bike path leading up to it. To complicate matters, we had strong, gusting crosswinds from the West that blew straight across the bridge and jostled us from side to side. The bike path was only the width of a typical suburban sidewalk in the U.S., which is not really wide enough for two bicycles to pass safely, and I was truly apprehensive about what we would do if we met some bicyclist coming the other way! The railing to our left was waist high, so being pitched headfirst over it into the straight 200 feet below was somewhat unlikely, although still possible.

But to our right there was just a kind of raised curb about 18 inches high separating us from the speeding traffic--no shoulders whatsoever on that bridge. So if we veered to our right, we would have been flipped by that curb and tossed sideways into the stream of oncoming traffic, which would have been truly dangerous as the cars were packed tight and all going hell bent for leather. I also did not take any chances by stopping to take pictures and I was quite relieved to get down safely on the other side!

Luckily our accomadations were only two more kilometers. Our B&B was a farmhouse on a small working farm where they raised llamas or alpacas or some other long-necked furry South American critter.

After checking in, we biked down to the enormous campground where the closest store was located and bought rolls, meat, cheese, and drinks for lunch and dinner. unfortunately the restaurant was closed, so we just went back with our purchases. It started raining again, so we spent some quality time indoors, but by 5pm it had cleared enough for us to walk around the town. The entire town was only about 4 blocks long and 2 blocks wide, so that didn't take too long! We stopped at the edge of town where the fields began to smell the lilac and rapeseed plants which were blooming in beautiful waves of yellow everywhere we went. We also learned that they were growing Gerste (English: Barley), planting it already in the fall like winter wheat is grown in the U.S.