Oder Neisse radweg - II

Going southwards on Oder-Neisse radweg from Frankfurt (oder), I planned to reach Cottbus. The usual wrestling with online maps revealed a rough estimate of ~120 km to reach Cottbus if I were to travel along the radweg to Forst and then hit the motorway. (or atleast normal streets)

The problem this time was finding the trail. I got stuck on the L381 (it had a cycle lane thankfully) but after reaching Lossow where it met with the highway(L112) I had to scamper to find the radweg. It is here that I could quantify the effect strong wind has been having on my trips of late. With no wind in the afternoon, I hit an average 24kmph easily and reached Eisenhuttenstadt.
After reaching Neuzelle, the terrain became hilly(or I should say slopy as the road was still very good). Tall trees with creepers growing along their lengths were to be found along the way.

Somewhere between Eisenhuttenstadt and Guben, I came across this piece of (farm?)land. On closer inspection, the sandy parts seemed like they'd been recently harvested.
Its been a long time I must admit, since I just lay down in the grass in broad daylight.

In Guben, I found this beautiful street. Germany's answer to Japan's sakura?

And finally the object of much shame, disgust, disgrace et al. The plan was to go to Cottbus, (from where I would catch a train back to Frankfurt oder), but it seems the distance mentioned in the maps was erroneous. If I were to take the radweg, Forst would be 40 km and Cottbus a further 25km (this on the highway). On the other hand If I took the normal road to Cottbus, I had option of taking L380(33km) or L112(45km) and I went by road leading out to L380 until I reached this junction.


Speed Limit of 80kmph and hardly any space to dodge. A Car every 5-10 sec at 18:30. Long story short, after about 15 min of trying to find another way around it, I turned tail, rode back to Guben's railway station and took a train back home at 19:44. A ride of 75-80km had never felt so incomplete.

Checkpoint charlie

After coming to Germany, I've read (tried to, am reading) about its history. The first time I went to Berlin, I ended up buying "The Berlin Wall" by Frederick Taylor. A very interesting read and suggested for anyone trying to find out more about the politics behind one of the most dramatic stand-offs in 20th century. The historic events that shaped Germany after war are described in a style that makes you feel as if the events are unfolding right in front of your eyes.
However, I feel that the author's bitterness about abolition of Deutschemark in exchange for Euro after unification is misplaced. (I won't claim to know too much about Economics, but I doubt a more stable currency is bad for the economy under any conditions).

I visited Checkpoint Charlie today- the most famous/infamous crossing point between East and West Berlin that saw many cat and mouse games between the Allies (now England, France and US) and the Soviet.

The walls from the blockade time are converted to a memorial with history behind this iron curtain posted for all to see and ... remember.


Also check out some of these pics taken from the Berlin TV tower(203m high which the elevator takes you about 40 sec)


In the "Memorial for fallen Jews of Europe", I bought a book called "Five Germanys that I have known" by Fritz Stern. I didn't know who the hell this guy was, just bought it on a whim after reading the preface.
An interruption due to "The undercover economist" in addition to the amount of time I'm reading these days(~40 min a day, mostly on the tram) means it took a long time getting this off the blocks, but the story has become quite interesting, and I hope to finish it soon.

Oder Neisse Radweg

Followed the recipe from last saturday. The target this time - Oder Neisse Cycling trail. Its a cycling way along the river (the small print being for most part which I conveniently didn't notice). Without a map, I ended up in this slush:
Navigating my way through it, I managed to reach this small hillock. A customary hike to the top meant it was already 16:30 and I had to get back to find the route.

The path promised a lot. Far from vehicles zooming past you and threatening to grind you to pieces and a lot of greenery on either side with river in sight for the best part.
However, this dream crashed as soon as I passed Lebus. Here the road was more open and it was mighty tough riding against a stiff breeze blowing at 20-30 km/h.


It got bad enough that I thought of returning from Reitwein, but I'm glad I stuck through till the end.

Only trouble is cold wind that keeps blowing into you numbs your hands completely. I saw a couple of fawns, a deer, and some other animal I couldn't identify and a number of birds. But, by the time I could get the camera out , it would get away. At one point, I tried to unzip my blazer so quickly that I'm sure the fawn ran away just from the sound.
And I did see a couple of hunting wagons parked by the way. My imaginative brain, already on a high due to the breathtaking surroundings began dreaming of getting hit by a stray bullet from these hunters.

Kostrzyn - Check

Trip to poland

A late night on friday and I was thinking that a trip across the country was as probable as the nice lady* at immigration office gift wrapping my visa and coming home to deliver it as a belated valentine's gift. Waking up at 11 and lazily dragging myself off to the gym just reinforced that belief as it was already 3 in the afternoon by the time I'd showered and settled down.
Having cold cereal (brunch? lunch? evening snack? ) gave me a brainwave(Damn! I should've paid heed to this warning)

But off I went taking my cycle along
Make that "when I got onto my bicycle"

I came to the bridge across the stream that people here like to call "river Oder", on the other side of which lay the sister town of Slubice(Poland). Lured by the promise of unspoken riches and unbelievable beauty, I cycled across the bridge and to circle from one end to the other for about an hour when I saw a road leading out.

On cycling a bit further and out of slubice, I found a sign that said
"kunowice :3km
Osno lubuskie :26km."

A 3km stretch didn't seem like much so I went to kunowice. Ofcourse, I had to make sure that I saw the entire town/village/settlement, so I cycled to the place where they have "town ends" sing - A board with a red line striking across the town's name.

There was another sign next to the "town ends" that read "Nowe Biskupice : 4km".
I had to see this. So off I went again, and in the same way the villages of Sullow, Kowalow, Serbow were all graced by my cycle's presence. Having come this far, I also dragged myself off to Osno Lubuskie. By this time it was already 5:30 in the evening and I thought it prudent to head back when the sun is still shining.
Although I didn't take a camera with me I found this picture of town hall in Osno Lubuskie, at the poland tourism center. Hope they don't mind it.


Thus I fell victim to the devious trap of the Poles who put tempting signs that to me read
"Come one, Come all, Next village is only 3 km ahead. Don't miss this opportunity..."

The road map
View Larger Map

Talking shit about a pretty sunset

Oh, noose
Tied myself in, tied myself too tight

Looking kind of anxious in your cross-armed stance
Like a bad tempered prom queen at a homecoming dance
And I claim I'm not excited with my life anymore
So I blame this town, this job, these friends, the truth is it's myself
And I'm trying to understand myself and pinpoint who I am
When I finally get it figured out, I've changed the whole damn plan

Oh, noose
Tied myself in, tied myself too tight
Oh, noose
Tied myself in, tied myself too tight

Talking shit about a pretty sunset
Blanketing opinions that I'll probably regret soon
Changed my mind so much I can't even trust it
My mind changed me so much I can't even trust myself

-Modest Mouse

* My troubles with the hot lady in Immigration/Foreign office here in Frankfurt(oder) who has made me visit the same office 5 times and still not issued the schengen visa required for my real eurotrip are beyond the scope of this study.

Trip to beeskov

Another Saturday and another last minute plan. Thought of going to Beeskow and Mullrose lake and coming back. Google maps solved most of the initial issues and set me rolling on course. It was to be ~80km roundtrip and on a warm Febrauary day(11C) I was on the way without even wearing my windcheater.

All was good until I reached this fork.



With beauty(ies) all around, I was flying in the clouds, hands off my handle and eyes all over the place and suddenly was brought crashing down to reality. Agreed that I was just finishing the first line of "keep your eyes off the road and your hands off the handle", but didn't irony have any other clients today?

That left me lying on the ground face up for a minute before I gathered my senses and looked around for the cycle. Other than a few bends (which i could iron out ) it was ok. And I set off for Mullrose lake.


From here, Beeskow was about 19km. Worst part was nearly 13km of these had to be negotiated on the mini highway.(speed limits of upto 80km/hr)
I had to stick to the right of that white line for this 13 km (including 4km on B168). A stiff breeze of 11m/s(courtesy weather.com) and the mental pressure left me nearly drained. Unfortunately my friend in Beeskow wasn't home, so I just looked around and then started back. A brilliant sunset and (thankfully) an uneventful last leg marked the end of the day. Its only after I come home that I was reminded painfully of my knee.

PS: a big thanks to all those drivers who gave me space to ride back safely.

PPS: and I understand it doesn't suit everyone's taste, so here's my red badge of courage in a separate link

The Narrow way

Following the path as it leads towards the Darkness in the North
Weary strangers' faces show their sympathy
They've seen that hope before
And if you want to stay for a little bit
Rest your aching limbs for a little bit
Before you the night is beckoning
And you know you can't delay
You hear the night birds calling you
But you can't touch the restless sky
Close your aching eyes beyond your name
Mist is swelling, creatures crawling,
Hear the roar get louder in your ears
You know the folly was your own
But the force behind can't conquer all your fears
And if you want to stay for a little bit
Rest your aching limbs for a little bit
Before you the night is beckoning
And you know you can't delay
You hear the night birds calling you
But you can't touch the restless sky
Close your aching eyes beyond your name
Throw your thoughts back many years
To the time when there was life in every morning
Perhaps a day will come
When the nights will be as on that morning
And if you want to stay for a little bit
Rest your aching limbs for a little bit
Before you the night is beckoning
And you know you can't delay
You hear the night birds calling you
But you can't touch the restless sky
Close your aching eyes beyond your name
Rest your weary head, be on your way.

-Pink Floyd

Guten Tag aus Deutschland

Perhaps one of the most enterprising entries seen into a foreignland. Pulled aside at the airport for "special check", unable to find my uncle's friend who was traveling by the same flight, breaking my jacket zipper just before landing in Frankfurt at 3C, and then being mistaken for a policeman (undercover?) all pointed to one thing, Come what might, at the end of the trip, I wouldn't be able to complain that it was boring.



And here's a picture of my bike I bought for 25E, in front of the German Reichstag. Luck's been on my side on important things, what with a cheap furnished apartment in the middle of the town, then a secondhand cheap washing machine and now this cycle.

Makes one believe that there is a limited amount of fortune allocated for each person and you have to make careful use of it, doesn't it ?

And while I was here, with the thought of learning some German history, I picked up this book. Definitely worth a read,to relearn all the lessons that history teaches us and which we promptly forget.

Stranger in a strangeland

Stranger, stranger in a stange land.
He looked at me as one who should run.
We asked him to smile for a photograph.
Waited a while to see if we could make him laugh.

So did I seek for a cigarette.
His smiling face I can't forget.
It looked like it crossed the street.
He said, I'll wait here.
I wish you were here.
I wish you were here.

Stranger, stranger in a strange land.
He look at me like I was the one who should run.
I watched as he watched us get back on the bus.
I watched there it was.
The way it was there.
He was with us.
And I really don't mind sleeping on the floor.
I can't sleep after what I saw.
I wrote this letter to tell you,
The way I feel.
I wish you were here.
To see what I could see, and hear.
I wish you were here.

-U2