Bike Gone

I want to put in context where my bike was taken. The site was boasting 4 sets of campers: me, another cycling couple and two motor homes. The man from one of the motor homes had shared his coffee with me that morning. 

The site is on a dead end road. It is on a small strip of land between the harbour and the river. It neighbours another campsite and a police station. It has gates that were closed and is 3 km from the town. 

It was pitch black. 

My bike was leaning on a bench a foot away from my tent. It wasn't visible from the gate, only from across the harbour. Even then, it was pitch black. 

In the night I heard nothing apart from rain. 

At one point I got up to the loo. Was my bike there then? I don't know. It was pitch black. 

In the morning I clambered out of my tent and stood for a moment - where was my bike? I didn't have that jolt. That heart in mouth moment. It was too bizarre. Maybe? Had someone moved it out of the rain? Odd but a kind gesture? Even as the thought went through my mind I knew. I looked around the site. Saw nothing and headed for the police station. The one that was next door. The one that is connected to the site by the gate. 

Luckily for me the wonderful police officer spoke English - years in the merchant navy I was to find out later. He took my details and told me to go and look around then to come back to make it official. 

I went and looked. Phoned my other half. Cried a bit. 

Back at the police station I filed my report. He asked me what would I like to do? How could he help. I wanted a bike. I'm not limping to Berlin on a train carting all this stuff. Why? No idea but stopping is impossible.  The police officer said he would come to take photos - in case there was any evidence. I emailed a photo of my now lost bike. 

I went back to the site and forlornly drank my coffee. The officer took my statement and then gave me a lift. Not only into Dessau but around 3 shops until I found one that could help. There he translated bits for me and even tried (unsuccessfully but it was already in the sale) to negotiate me a discount. Satisfied I was sorted he left. We found a front rack, I selected a lock and persuaded the shop to fit them for me.  For free. They fed me coffee while I waited. 

The bike is continental style. It's a sit up bike. It has dynamo lights. It's got smaller wheels and a smaller range of gears but, as we trundled back to the site to form a plan for Tuesday Part II we began to bond.

More coffee and by this time a banana and a croissant. I fiddled with panniers until they fit and beginning to think that this thing might work, I began to pack up. I don't think I could have slept if I stayed another night. As I packed away I kept checking everything was where it should be even though there wasn't another soul on site. As I left I carefully closed the gate behind me. 

So off I went. The 40km fairly flew by. Maybe it was the stillness. Or the smooth surfaces. Maybe it was the lack of hills or maybe me and the bike clicked.