A chilly fresh start
After last night’s cats and dogs downpour, the morning air was crisp and clean, a refreshing 10 degrees that had me questioning my clothing choices. The rain had washed away yesterday’s misery and left behind that perfect post-storm clarity. Of course, getting out of my warm bed into that cool air was another battle entirely, so once again I delayed my start. I’m seeing a pattern here!
Tailwinds and sunshine
But today, the cycling gods decided to smile on me. For the first few hours, I had something I’d almost forgotten about, a tailwind! Not hurricane-strong, just a gentle push that made every pedal stroke feel effortless. I was making incredible progress, eating up kilometers like they were nothing.
Then the sun emerged, transforming the day completely. Off came the layers as I adapted to the changing conditions. The rest of the day became this beautiful dance between sun and clouds, mostly warm and pleasant, with just the occasional cool moment to keep things interesting.
Germany’s cycling paradise
Nothing dramatic to report today, and that was exactly what I needed. Almost perfect cycling conditions led me through some gorgeous forest bike paths, peaceful village roads, and those delightful little guessing games where one bike path mysteriously ends and you have to figure out where the next one begins. It’s like a treasure hunt for cyclists!
The highlight was rolling through Potsdam, what a bike-friendly city! I barely lost any time compared to other German cities where I always seem to get caught in endless mazes of traffic lights and bike-unfriendly infrastructure. Potsdam clearly gets it right.
Strategic rest
I finished earlier than usual today, which felt like a luxury. Time to properly recover, do some maintenance, and mentally prepare for what’s coming. Tomorrow marks a significant shift in this journey. My first truly hilly day begins, and it’s another 200km stretch. I’ll definitely be arriving late and exhausted, so today’s early finish was strategic as much as it was pleasant.
Tomorrow’s challenge
The forecast looks promising, chilly morning but sunny afternoon. Perfect cycling weather, which is good because I’ll need every advantage I can get. The flat, fast days are behind me now. Time to see what these legs can do when gravity starts working against me.
Sometimes the road gives you exactly what you need exactly when you need it. After yesterday’s rain battle and tomorrow’s mountain preview, today was the perfect reminder of why I love this crazy adventure.
Day 3: Complete. The hills await.
Every smooth kilometer and every challenging climb brings us closer to supporting children in Croatia through SOS Children’s Villages. Thank you for following this journey! donate.wheres-marin.com
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