I am proud of myself for doing what I set out to do. I had planned to spend the Saturday riding my bike and I did just that. I didn't get much sleep because went to bed around 4 or 5 am and could only sleep until about 9 am because of the noise outside. It was sunny and warm so of course children were playing loudly in the courtyard. It was hard to get out of bed and get out the door because I was still feeling a little like Lady Gaga in the song "Just Dance".
I had my usual breakfast of Cornflakes and banana, with a pot of tea and a Latte Macchiato and then set off. The day was perfect sunny and 26 degrees. Riding through the city is always nice. I took the Mülheim Bridge to the B51 then B506 towards Bergisch Gladbach. I thought it would be nice to do some Mountain Biking in the woods. I have only been to Bergisch Gladbach by car in the past so I had no idea how difficult the ride would be. It was all uphill and I was not really fit. I thought I was going to be sick half the time.
When I made it to the woods things did not get any better. When I stayed on the main path I had to maneuver my way around people, dogs and other cyclists. When I went off the main path I kept riding through Poison Ivy with my bare legs. Not to mention I kept getting bitten by mosquitoes. In Canada I used to love riding through the woods. It is just not the same here.
I decided to get back on the B506 and see how far I could get. Once again I was riding uphill feeling as if I was about to die but as time passed I started feeling better and the hills stopped bothering me as much. At 300 metres above Köln, the view is amazing. I rode through many small villages and got a good sense of what it would be like to ride my bike for a few days. I really liked spending time alone with my thoughts.
When I got to a village called Eisenkaul, I decided to head back to Köln because I did not want to be out after dark. There were a few steep hills that I couldn't ride up because by this point I was too tired. Even walking up some of the hills was difficult. But the hard work was all worth it. The descent was awesome. I have no idea how fast I was going but I must have got up to 50 or 60 Kilometres since I was keeping up with the cars. I kept thinking I should slow down but I was having too much fun!
There will definitely be a next time for this route. But next time I have to remember to put the speedometer on my bike, to wear long trousers, and to wear mosquito repellent. I should also "control my poison" but knowing me I probably will be in the same shape.
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