Sundsvall – Jönköping – Kopenhagen – Gedser – Rostock – Magdeburg – Regensburg
I rated the chance of encountering a moose in Scandinavia as rather high. After all, I am often on the road here with my gravel bike on natural paths that lead through dense forests. And in addition to this the countless „beware of moose“ warning signs along the main roads also give the impression of frequent road crossings by these wild animals and strengthen my belief that I don’t need to attend a moose safari, nor that a visit to a moose park is necessary. But the further south I am riding, the more impatient I become and with each day I wonder when and where I will get to see the king of the forest. Something moves there…I watch from a distance…Again „just a reindeer“. A car stops. The driver takes some photos, but unfortunately no cloven-hoofed animals in sight. Then shortly after Sundvall, unbelievable but true, I meet an alpaca and immediately take a photo. I really didn’t expect that. To see an alpaca in Scandinavia which is probably a bit more of a coincidence than a moose as Sweden alone is said to be home to up to 400,000 moose, which are even considered national animals here. They tend to be nocturnal, but I cycle during the day. Nevertheless, I keep on the lookout and am curious. Now a petrol station with a petrol and moose sign as logo. There are also moose everywhere in the souvenir shop, on mugs, T-shirts, key rings, etc. and of course on vans, which often have self-stickers on them.
In the cycling capital of Copenhagen, the countless bicycle lanes are impressive and it’s not surprising that the Norrebrogade is described as the busiest cycle path in the world. Here, cycling has a high status and you can ride in a relaxed way, which I enjoy very much.
Now there is still a short stretch in Denmark to Gedser and a brilliant tailwind blows. I’m going really fast. My hopes of a meeting with the moose are diminished at the time I cross by ferry to Rostock… Goodbye Scandinavia.
In north-eastern Germany, I always notice signs with funny names along the road. The town signs don’t just indicate the name of the town, but usually a bit more, like (district, district town, region, etc.). Then a street with the name Zuchauerstrasse. After a while I had to stop taking pictures because the battery of my mobile suddenly ran out. Luckily I found a socket somewhere to recharge it. But I should make some progress now if I want to reach the day’s destination before dark, the days are getting shorter.
In the evening, I like to enjoy a beer at dinner. In Scandinavia it was usually a non-alcoholic one. Now here in Germany, where beer is mostly brewed according to the purity law (an ancient recipe) and the selection is huge, the „real“ beers taste so incredibly good to me that I usually enjoy a beer from the region in the evening. In the city of Gera, in the local district of Thuringia, I ask the waiter about the best beer in the region. It’s the black donkey, he says. I beg your pardon? Yes, that’s the name of the drink. I’m happy to try it. And I have to say…. it is so delicious… But I can’t drink more than 5 dl, because I want to be fit as a fiddle when I get back on my bike in the morning.
A day later I arrive in the city of Hof, which means I’m already in the district of Bavaria. But because I can’t get the black donkey out of my head, I order a black donkey for dinner without question. What does the waitress mean? What would you like to drink? I’d like the beer with the name of the black donkey. I don’t know that one, the waiter replies. Ok I understand…. I am here in Bavaria and not in Thuringia. So I would like a beer from your region. And what does it say on the bottle? Brewed according to the Bavarian Purity Law of 1516, which means that this beer was made exclusively from the four natural ingredients water, malt, hops and yeast.
Slowly but surely, the last leg of the trip is approaching and this one takes me from Weiden in der Oberpfalz to Regensburg. It’s a wonderful route, especially the cycle paths along the Naab River. 20 kilometers before the finish, an e-bike rider overtakes me as the crowning glory… In no time at all I’m glued to his back wheel, riding in his slipstream and now much faster with much less effort. A pace-setter like that is worth its weight in gold and is something I would like to see more often. He promptly rides straight to the city stone bridge and that’s the end of the line for me. After 741744, pedal turnings, 38 days and 3434 kilometers in the saddle, standing on Germany’s oldest surviving bridge in Regensburg and lifting my bike with great gratitude for what I have achieved is an indescribably beautiful moment for me, combined with deep emotions. The Stone Bridge is considered the landmark of the medieval Danube city and it is precisely at this point that my stage 6 (North Cape) merges with stage 3 (Danube Route) and an impressive journey over and belongs to the past.
