Welcome to my blog! This is a story
about cycling from Sweden to (South) Africa.

Auf Wiedersehen Germany

I ended up resting 1 week before crossing the border to Germany. I spent my time in the corn fields searching for more old artifacts and found some more arrow heads, and then something that I think is a button. If anyone knows anyone who’s into this stuff, I’d love to know how old it might be.

Old button?

I also helped Susana and Anselm’s neighbor Ivan to build a “Fort Knox” for the chickens to protect them from the fox, and played a lot with his dog Busta.

Building a chicken house with Ivan

When I started cycling again, the knee felt much better! I had replaced the SPD cleats with new ones and done a lot of stretching. I can still feel that there’s something but it doesn’t hurt anymore, so I hope the issue is on its way to disappear.

What stood out in Western Germany was that it was very industrialized with modern and large-scale farms, a lot of wind turbines, solar cells and local biogas facilities as well as oil refineries. Not the most exciting environment to cycle through to be honest. One day I camped in front of one of Vattenfall’s nuclear power plants.

Camping in front of a nuclear power plant

Wind turbines

In contrast to Sweden, there were a lot of good and well-marked bike paths to cycle on, and every major road had bike paths on the sides. Overall the landscape was flat and I had mostly tail wind, which allowed me to cover great distances every day.

In Bremerhaven I met two French guys (Gabriel and Thibaut), also on bikes. It was Thibaut’s birthday so they had celebrated him by drinking some Ouzo and they kindly invited me too. We camped on a field later that night and cooked a nice dinner that they had collected by dumpstering at the super markets. Free food for hungry cyclists, what a success!

Gabriel and Thibaut from France

Before we said goodbye and took different routes the following day, we met two other cyclists and one of us almost cycled into the man who had to turn sharply into the bush because the track was very narrow. He got pissed off and shouted “arschloch” loudly after us. I couldn’t stop laughing, it’s just something very funny about seeing angry Germans :-)

Goodbyeaaaaaaah Germany!

You've gotta love sheep

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Comments

  1. Peter Rosberg

    Awesome! I’m so inspired by your trip, not that I’m biking anymore than 11km to work :) Too bad you’re not passing by southern Germany!

    Reply
  2. Johannes Lenes

    Hello! Here a response from Johannes, I spoke with you on the Afsluitdijk in Holland, when you were preparing your meal with rice and tomatoes, I’ve been enjoying your blogs and I respect your trip to Africa. I will keep following your stories on this website!

    Reply
  3. Ben

    Hey Carl,

    Will be following your trip. I´m slowly making my way through South America with my girlfriend on bikes. We plan to fly to Capetown when we finish sometime in 2015 and do your trip in reverse. Your journals have been a great source of info for us in South America, and I´m sure Africa will be no different. Safe Travels.

    Reply
  4. Annica

    Härliga nyheter att knät har blivit bättre så du kan cykla och njuta av färden till fullo och riktigt härligt att få uppdatering av dig, alltid lika roligt!
    Ha de nu gott och ta det försiktigt på vägarna Cäääl!

    Reply
  5. Vipin

    Wow u reached germany. Its amazing to see the way you trip is shaping up. I initially thought u just gona cycle and camp and then cycle again :P. But great to see ur living every moment of it.

    Very inspiring !! and Amazing pics btw. have u been digging to get those arrow heads :P

    Well njoy and (like how Robert says it) be safe out there :)

    Reply
  6. Håkan

    Väldigt roligt att läsa dina kommentarer och se bilderna. Och mycket inspirerande, jag blir så sugen på att sticka iväg själv.
    Jag kommer att följa dig hela vägen. Har du ingen detaljerad karta över hur du åker?

    Reply
    1. Carl-David Granbäck

      Hej Håkan. Nej, jag bestämmer aldrig i förväg hur jag cyklar, men jag har några delmål som du kan se på kartan.

  7. Robban

    Tjenare Calle

    Lycka till på din lilla tripp, måste säga att det låter lite sjukt ;)

    Med vänlig hälsning, din gamle vapendragare från ITDA-tiden.

    Reply