Day 9: Even a short tour can be exciting!

Almost halfway through the bike tour! After a more or less undisturbed night (apart from the booming snoring and the concert performed by our neighborly cows) under a carport, everyone gathered in the warm community room of the farm. Bubbling coffee, muesli, and bananas— all in all, a pleasant breakfast together.

After everyone had fortified themselves, we picked yesterday’s still-soaked clothes from the heaters like ripe apples. Dry or still half-damp, it all had to be packed anyway! Then it was: helmets on, rain gear at the ready, and off we went.

Our first stop came right at the next supermarket. A few snacks later came the bad news: Cedrik’s bike had (again) given up the ghost. The remaining spokes had broken, which meant we had to quickly come up with an emergency plan. Luckily, Mrs. Angebrandt managed to strike a deal with the bus driver, and so Cedrik (along with his bike) went off by bus.

Group 1

Clemens, Mr. Bock, and Tom Yo decided to hit the gas today—well, they had to, because the agreed arrival was at 3 p.m., and as friendly guests, we didn’t want to keep anyone waiting. Nonstop pedaling, effort beyond exhaustion. The motto: “Become one with the bike.” In a record time of 1.5 hours, they dashed to our next location, a scout house in Emmen.

Group 2

Theresa, Trixie, Johanna, and Jonas also sped along at a moderate pace through the steppe and happened to stumble across an inviting potato field. They may have swiped one or two as souvenirs. After a few bathroom breaks, the second group also arrived safely at the little house.

Group 3

Romina, Jasper, and Lisa ran into a few bumps along the way. After mastering the route with flying colors, suddenly the shock: Jasper crashed! Neither his hand nor his bike’s handlebars were particularly grateful for it. But with a few skillful fixes, both wounds were under control again. With a bandage and a newly aligned handlebar, the trip continued. A short stop was still made at a very fancy toilet in the middle of nowhere before this group, too, arrived at the destination.

Apart from the three groups, two more set out on their own today: Mrs. Angebrandt, who arrived at the destination without any hurdles apart from sheer exhaustion, and last but not least, the lone wolf Liam, who followed his own instincts and rode solo (even if that didn’t quite match the Alpha’s rules).

First to arrive was Group 1, who immediately began exploring the house: 2 rooms, 1 shower, and a kitchen that would later be bursting at the seams. The arrivals quickly set off for provisions to prepare a communal feast.

A highlight in the area was an open laundromat, where we promptly hauled our stinky clothes. Afterwards, we folded our freshly washed underwear together in true community spirit.

Then it was time to COOK! A full menu from start to finish. The kitchen was almost bursting as we buzzed around like wild ants, trying to create something edible. Success! For starters we served tomato “soup” (which, due to the lack of a blender, ended up functioning more like a sauce), followed by chicken with rice and vegetables, and the crowning finale: speculoos tiramisu with canned mandarins. A true feast for young and old alike.

This relatively uneventful day ended in the cozy, warm living room with another round of apple spritzer tasting and endless games of Doppelkopf. Full of anticipation at the thought of finally sleeping under a real roof again, everyone snuggled into their sleeping bags.

Good night! 🌙