I woke up around 5 a. m. with a slight headache. It was very foggy and everything was damp. When I had to use the restroom I discovered, that it was closed between 3.30 a.m. and 5. 45 a.m. So you have to be in control of your body functions in a situation like this. The mood was not to good when I rode off in 12 degrees C.

After 10-15 km I came to a grocer, where I bought bread, bananas and ham. Then I felt ok again. I had to use a ferry at Sehestedt. It's across Nordostsee Kanal, which is "made by humans" and therefore you don't have to pay to cross it. And that's quite ok with me.

The first part of the day's trip was very beautiful, where I most of all liked riding near Plön. I have been very fond of that area since I visited in 1969 on a military practice, which by the way was absolutely awful. The roads were decent and only once did I move into something, which you only with extremely good will would describe as a road. And near Moorgarten I ended up in a road which turned out to be a blind alley, one of the most annoying things which can happen to a long distance bicycle rider.

Little by little the heat and the constant blazing hot sun grew to a bigger and bigger problem. I measured 32 degr. C in the shadow, but unfortunately that is not the place I keep my head when riding the bike.
Every now and then I reminded myself about drinking a lot, which strangely enough becomes more and more difficult as the day goes by. But you must drink.
Most of the days I rode 10 kilometre trips. Again it turned out to be efficient. I ride very few kilometres per hour. Under 20. One has to accept that that's the way it is. And hour by hour you "eat" kilometre after kilometre anyway.

In Krummsee I had supper which was potato salad and coke. Great. For quite a long time I had not been able to locate a grocer. I decided to get through Ratzeburg that day. If I did I would not have to start next day looking for the way through the city.

In Ratzeburg I met a very worn German about my own age (elderly man). He told me, he had only 45 km to his home. He was on his way home from a trip through Sweden. At a certain point he decided that enough was enough. Sweden was too cold for him. He wanted to go home. He had never been so cold in his entire life. Now he had big problems with the heat. I don't think I have the same sort of problems.

Funny animal: One bird of prey.
Injuries: The injuries from yesterday have now gone. Very nicely of them.

I am now on a nature camp site in Salem 5 km south of Ratzeburg. Is a rather strange place, because there is no staff. A nice lady told me, that the reception was open every day between 11 and 12 a. m. I could just put up my tent. I did so on a field which is spacious enough for a major rock festival. But I am the only one here.

I am happy I have my little radio. Every night when I am tucked in my bag in my small tent I feel absolutely safe and know that noone can do anything to harm me.

It's now 8.10 p.m. and I am sitting at a table near a playground. But there are no children here. Once in a while an individual passes by, but apart from that it's very quiet although there are many caravans here. I feel I have now recovered completely from the day's heat problems. Tomorrow I am heading for Zarrentin and Wittenberg. It appears to be a rather desolated area and anyway I can easily find my way there. Today that was a bit troublesome because I was so near Lübeck. Tomorrow I am going to hit the former East Germany, where I can expect cobblestones and very bad roads. Roads with cobblestones are no good. I intend to be in my bag at 9. p.m. If I do I will have no trouble with rising around 5 a. m. tomorrow morning.

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