Another duo with Wheelie

After getting off the bus, I reassemble Wheelie. During a bus ride, the cart is easy to take along. In no time, you can take off the wheels and rods, leaving just the body, which is about the size of a large suitcase. As soon as I hang Wheelie back on my hips, that feeling returns: as a duo, we can take on anything.

The dreadful weather in Flensburg

I haven’t taken more than thirty steps when it starts to rain. I expected that, but Buienradar forecasted it would be sunny around three. A good outlook. However, the rain is relentless. It pours at times, and the wind is chilly. Flensburg is a nice little town, but in this dreadful weather, it looks desolate. I take a detour through the historic harbor and walk along the long shopping street, with white buildings on both sides.

Embracing a post in pouring rain

I’ve decided to walk from Flensburg to Padborg, the start of the Hærvejen at the Danish border. This way, I can see more of the city, and on paper, it’s only about eight kilometers. Only on paper, because I didn’t account for my knack for getting lost. In the pouring rain, I go completely off course twice. When I finally see a post with the sign ‘Hærvejen’, I spontaneously hug it as if it’s an old friend I haven’t seen in months. Fortunately, my route is back on the Komoot app. It’s nice that the voice whispers the way to me again, even though the route is well marked.

Fatigue starts to play tricks on me, and to make matters worse, Buienradar doesn’t keep its promise: it keeps pouring. Cold and wet, I buy my dinner and breakfast in the supermarket. Out of frustration, I eat an entire bag of chips. Not my usual habit, but oh well.

Seven minutes of dryness and a meeting with a German cyclist feeling nostalgic

The rain continues until late in the evening, but my campsite is a true reward for this rugged first day. I settle at the covered picnic table to cook, and when it is exactly seven minutes dry, I set up my tent. Success.

Later, I am joined by German cyclist Nico, who has traveled around the world twice with his girlfriend. This is his first trip alone. And even if it’s just for a week, it takes some getting used to, and he constantly shares with her what I share with him.