Day 3: Haue - Kollmar

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Dy 3: Haue - Kollmar, 109,63 km, cycling time 6:42, average 16,32 km/h, total: 292 km

Despite the deflated sleeping pad I have slept well. The weather is nice again, too. The tent is dry on the outside, But the outer tent is wet on the inside, it probably needs better ventilation. I can't do anything about that right now, so the tent is packed wet,

In the next village I buy things for my breakfast, then I take the ferry back to the nothern bank of the Elbe, Here the route heads to Hamburg via Moorfleet, Riding the recumbent bike in Hamburg itself is no fun. Several times I lose the signed route, have to carry my heavily loaded bike through underpasses and over construction sites, Without my GPSr, which brings me back on the route, it would have been even more difficult. I ignore all tourist spots in Hamburg and concentrate to get out of the city as fast as possible.

On the way along the bank of the Elbe I find my first "North Sea Cycle Route" sign. Now the journey really begins!

Ever day I am accosted several times because of my bike. Near Haue by an older man who tells of his bike journeys 50 years ago, in the middle of the Hambug traffic sombody wants to know the advantages of a recumbent bike, and later by a women on a bike in Weddel. We ride a while side by side, talking, until I discover I have lost the marked route again...

The NSCR is still mostly following the Elberadweg, though sometimes they go different ways only to meet again a few kilometers further, The NSCR does often not follow the direct route, but makes detours to some larger towns, which means I can at least get some shopping done.

I planned to stay the night in Glückstadt, but near Kollmar I deided I had enough for one day. I stay on a camping site in Kollmar. I still don't have a new sleeping pad, but I get directions to some shops carrying camping equipment.

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