Langst-Kierst

I'm sat here in trousers and a jumper. I've even put socks on. It isn't that cold but at least it's not boiling and I'm far happier for it. 

There isn't much to report from today's ride. I visited the shops in Cologne, first to replace a plug I'd left behind. I always have 2 because inevitably I leave one behind; in fact I have 2 of a lot of things.  What I didn't have was 2 pairs of trousers, I have three pairs of shorts instead.  In my enthusiasm for being organised I over edited and miscounted therefore I have one unworn pair of shorts and one well worn pair of cotton trousers. So I stopped to buy some leggings too. 

Much of my day was spent waiting at crossings. My generally defensive cycling -assuming a car driver won't make allowances for you - lead to quite a bit of confusion as most of the time if there isn't lights cars expect you to cross and them to wait. And even if the road is quiet and clear we wait at the lights. 

Jobs jobbed, I set off on what was sure to be a very urban - read stopping and starting - day of cycling. And that was largely what it was. I took myself out of Cologne and into the fields. Then into a town and past some factories. Then a field or two and then a bigger town, eventually I reached the edge of Düsseldorf. I'm a bit citied out so I stuck to the left bank and made it through the very busy suburbs until I was amongst the fields again. Then I found the river and cycled along a dyke until I reached the campsite. 

And a lot of my day looked like this which made progress a bit slower, it's not the smoothest ride. 

And do you know what I did when I got to that site?  I made a cuppa and had a chocolate biscuit whilst reading my book. As opposed to slowly melting and ruminating on the pointlessness of showers if they just make you sweaty. 

How I'm loving this change in weather!