I did not have dry weather when I got up. Not at all. The rain was not violent, but still it was rain. Packing when it rains, is never a pleasant thing. Everything is wet and moist. And when you store the wet things in a bag, they may well after some time turn rather "interesting".

But why not focus on the bright sides of life: And indeed there are a lot.
1. I think I have a tail wind.
2. This morning was warmer that yesterday: (12 degr. C)
3. I succeeded in finding a bakery after 3.190 km.

That's where I am now, 6.32 ,busy drinking my second of coffee. For a short time it seemed likely that my breakfast would consist of half a bottle of orange soda, but in stead I have 2 sandwiches, one with boiled ham and another one with "Bierschinke". I had to pay DM 3.30 for each of them, but they are big and good, so I guess that price is fair enough.

I cannot help thinking about what a wonderful ting such a "Steh Cafe" is. I just asked the lady in the shop, what German "land" I actually ride in.
She claims it is Bavaria.
She must know about that.
When I look out of the corner of my eye I can see that it is still raining. Perhaps more than it did just a moment ago?
The program for the day? Well, I suppose I shall be riding between those showers. If they are showers?
I have been told that the definition of a shower is rain in a well-defined area, and that it has nothing to do with the duration of the rain.
This well defined area could perhaps be Bavaria?

6.43. Yes, that's right. The rain has increased in intensity. But I manged the 50 meters to a bus shed.
If I keep up this speed for the rest of the trip I have figured out that I will be home in 8 years.
However, this place is rather funny. When they made this cement floor years ago a dog felt like walking around in it before it dried up.
Oh, yes it's important to benefit from the little pleasures of life, isn't it.

7.13: One more of the positive things is that I can stand under the shelter of the bus shed. I am sure a lot of long distance bicycle riders are out there in deep trouble.

And the pleasure of this had been to watch all the people waiting for their bus. Most of them have been school children, so I suppose the holiday has not yet come to Bavaria.
For some time a little girl had studied my shoe covers. Finally she came over to me to get an explanation of that mystery.

7.33: While we wait …

7.47: There are holes in the sky, where the rain comes through …..
Maybe there is a spot in the sky which is not quite as dark as the rest of the sky.

9.16: Finally I reached Schweinfurt. I did not want to, because it's a big city. But first I lost my way and then I found out that I had to get into the city to pass the River Main.

I hate to mention this, but I had to seek shelter for a single shower.
I went under a porch roof in front of an auto shop. While I stood there a truck stopped, and a man jumped out. He went up to me and said: "Sind Sie Ortskündig".
I wonder who gave him that idea?
Now I am following the river before I seek minor roads.
Finally the rain stopped. My shoes, socks and other clothes were slushy, but after a while they got more dry.

I met 2 Swedes in Stadt Lauringen. A mother and a daughter on their way to Italy. We talked for a while. As I have mentioned before a meeting like this is beneficial to the good spirit. We exchanged addresses and information and wished one another a good and safe trip. After the trip I had contact to these girls, and unfortunately the could tell me, that the photos I took of them were now the only existing photos from their trip, because they had a bag with their camera stolen, when they came to Italy. What a pity.

Right now I am in bad Königshofen, where I changed to another map. That is always a very wonderful thing.
In Edeka I made a number of advantageous purchases. Among other things 1,5 L coke at DM 0.99. It was so cheap that I had to buy 2 bottles, which I now bring along as an extra dead weight.
But it was cheap.

It's now 12.50, and I am having coffee in Edeka's Stehcafe. So far I have only reached 60 km due to the rain. But now it's better again. It started to blow a lot which is very good because I have a tail wind.

16.27: 125 km. I did not finish that bad. With a little help from the strong wind, I gained myself a respectable day's march

Now I am in Suhl where I have put the project on hold outside a very modest bicycle shop. I found out that the cleat on my left shoe was as thin as paper. I had to change it right away. I am very mad at my self because I forgot to bring that spare part.

A cab driver showed me to this shop, but a sign in the window says "Ich komme gleich". I wonder how long "gleich" is. I think I will scurry to another shop.

After a while I found another shop. I met some very nice young people. I just got time to see that last part of a mountain stage in Tour de France.
Unfortunately they did not sell my favourite black cleats. They only had the red ones, which I do not like to much, because they have to much play. But red cleats are better than no cleats, so I put them on. I paid DM 14,- for them. I put them on in the shop and then I made ready to tackle the day's compelling conclusion.
From Suhl the road is very steep till you reach Zella - Mehlis. (I am sorry but that's the name of the town), where it gets absolutely wild. Up to 900 meters the road seems practically vertical. It was terrifically tough. On the top it was disgustingly cold and down hill of course even colder. But I wanted to get down because it would be to cold to camp on the mountain.
On my way down I was tempted by a man who sold "Brat Wurst".
After this intermezzo I rode on down the mountain, and at the end I turned into a wood.
It's now 20.25 and I just finished a wonderful meal with Farmer salad and brown bread.

I can send you a photo of the farmer salad, if you want to?

I have now 14 degr. C and no wind. And it is dry!

I really hope it will be dry tomorrow morning too. Tomorrow looks easy, until I hit The Harz around 150 km.
Today I rode 156 km.

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