- ODO 1028km
- Location Stuttgart
- Weather 15-31 And humid. Thunderstorms building but refusing to break.
- Feelings tired on the road but elated to meet such amazing hosts in the evening
Since the start of the day my goal had been to get to Stuttgart. Since entering Germany I felt like I needed some company and a shower soon. Sending out a few messages on a website for cyclists called Warm Showers I got a quick response.
We met at a biergarten and I ate and joked with Andi and Tanja and their friends. Their friend asked why I wanted to get away front the uk for two years and I said I was escaping my criminal record. It went down a storm.
Then back at their home I parked my bike in the garage with Andi’s project. A 100 year old motorbike he was restoring from a box of rusted parts.
We had beers and snacks on the balcony and watched the sun set full and happy. We discussed bikes, family and their upcoming plan to travel NZ by bike. I really wish I could make it to the other side of the world in January to join them.
In the morning we ate breakfast and spoke about Andi’s job as an engineer in the automotive industry in Stuttgart- Germany’s motor city – and as I was bringing my bags downstairs and filling my bottles he fashioned a block of wood to help support my paraglider on the rack as I’d mentioned the night before how the weight was bending the plastic clip.
We rode together to Neckerpark and I was away. True friends made in a night thanks to the power of cycling.
