August 10, 2022 - Hann. Müden

This morning had a very pleasant start. As I left my hotel, the desk manager complimented me on my German ability. That caught me off guard. However,  I do agree that a lot of my comfort with the language has come back since Tuesday of last week. As I was leaving Montgomery I was concerned that I had not worked on my German skills for three years. I have noticed since leaving Frankfurt on Thursday that I am constructing basic sentences without having to translate in my head first. I have also noticed that I get understood more. I hope that the above does come across as bragging but hopes it inspires readers to work on foreign language skills. That is what separates most Americans from travelers from other countries. Most American know only English while the others are bilingual or more. Enough of the soap box, my apologies. Now I will go on to todays adventures.

This morning road sign shows the direction and number of km to Hann. Münden. I managed to make in 42 km. It has to do with something I previously written about.

As I rode out of town I passed by a giant's pick axe, that he obviously left behind as he was digging the river bed for the Fulda. I did not see a sign to that effect but I just thought that it must be true.

The trail early was easy going with garden plots on each side. City dwellers can get plots of to have a garden and a small building on unused land.  You can find them near railroads, highways, and other narrow strips of land. I think I remember being told that there was a waiting list. They are very popular and can be used as a weekend get away depending how well the buildings are fixed up. Some just have tents as a shelter.

Parts of the river had some very nice homes overlooking the river. You do not sign up for these as the waiting list is usually determined by direct inheritance.

About this time I got to a dreaded Radweg umleitung (bicycle detour). It was very well marked at the beginning and at the end. It was just the troubling turns in the middle parts that I either did not see or that they were not there that caused me problems. I took no pictures as I was too busy looking for signs. As I got further and further away from the river I finally back tracked to find any road that would take me to the river. I had success as I found the end of the detour. It only added about 10 km to my trip. That was very nice for me as I had a later hotel check-in and I needed the exercise.

A boat (German-Boot) going through a lock on the Fulda river between Kassel and Hann. Münden. I stopped and watched the lock operation as I got there. They had just started draining the water from the lock.

A nice covered bridge on the bicycle path. It was well constructed just as the others have been.

A level section with smooth asphalt and sunflowers as the border crop. I have seen very large sunflower fields on some of my trips. It can be and is an agricultural crop.

This section of the bike path had large hedgerows and many twists and turns. It reminded me of a maze. I thought I might be there until night. There are garden plots behind the hedge rows as I was a few km from Hann. Münden. Notice the helpful bicycle signs. They  would be more helpful they had the route number or name on the sign. The numbers however are at most of the major turns or intersections.

My new friend, Hussein. He was born in Germany in 1955. He is retired. He stopped me to find out who I was and to look at my bicycle. He spoke only German, French and I think Farsi. We conversed in German as my French was from high school which I failed, but that is another story. He was fascinated by the multi-cultured bicycle. American frame and non standard brakes, English seat, Italian gears, Swedish bags and racks and German fenders and lights. But he was most curious about the couplers that disassemble the frame for packing. He kept says teuer, which is German for expensive. I tried to tell him that most of the bike I see are more expensive than my 13 year old bike. He took out his camera to take what I thought was my picture and, of course, I took out mine. He only wanted a picture of my bike but I made him pose in a selfie with me. We parted after about a 30 minute conversation of which I only understood about 50 percent as he spoke faster than I heard.

I had a salad for lunch and a Radler with it. A Radler is a beer diluted with about 40 to 50 percent lemonade. They have been popular in Europe on the bicycle paths before I ever started riding over here. You can now buy them at Pete"s. They are very refreshing. 

I always like to take a picture of at least one vehicle I would like to have for my birthday. This is an older Range Rover Defender. 

I usually take a picture of a Citroên 2CV. The French answer to the VW Bug.

My evening snack, peppermint. It was most delicious.

Hann. Münden in the timber frame capital of Germany, or at least as I have seen in my travels. I have taken many more pictures of this type of building but will only post this last one tonight. My hotel is also in one of these. In German they are called Fackwerk. My Hotel is the FackwerkHotel, Eisenbart.

Tomorrow I will travel north, downriver, on the Weser River.

Bis Morgen.