After I got seriously sick in Japan and when I couldn’t walk anymore, I thought I could never do a bike trip again. But I had big luck. After a three months break (and hospital and rehab) I felt fit enough to travel again. My first destination was Dresden, I planed three days of bike riding for this place. Three and a half year ago, at the beginning of my trip, I cycled to Dresden already. This time I took another way, because I wanted to see the “Spreewald” (it’s a large forest where the river Spree runs through) and the “Lausitz”.

On the 12.11. I started in the early morning from Berlin-Friedrichshagen. It was still dark when I passed the first place (“Erkner”) out of Berlin. For the middle of November it was surprisingly warm, I didn’t need gloves. I can remember we had snow sometimes in October around Berlin. Till “Spreenhagen” I used well builded cycle paths. This way I know already, because I was cycling there with my brother. Towards “Storkow” and after “Storkow” I used the country road. It was quiet, not much cars using these roads. I enjoyed to be on the road again and to see new landscapes and places. In the afternoon I reached the Spreewald. Here I tried to find a place for my tent and found a place next to the river Spree. I’ve done 85 km and was exhausted

The night in the forest was beautiful. In between I woke up and heard the geese flying over my tent and saw the starry sky. On the next morning I “overslept” and stand up at 6:30 am. At first I cycled ten kilometer towards “Lübben”. Here I bought my breakfast and looked for a toilet. From “Lübben” I rode on a nice cycle path to the next town “Lübbenau”. Lübben and Lübbenau are nice places, I spent too much time there. Actually I wanted to do 80 km on this day and reaching “Lauchhammer”.

But when it turned three o’clock, I’ve done 50 km only and in one or two hours it will be dark already. I decided to stop and looked for a place to camp. Next to a cycle path I found a good spot with a wide view over a field. At first I dried my tent over my bicycle, because it was wet from the dew of last night. Nobody came along this path, only in the dark some cars used the cycle path and passed my tent. I think they are local residents, nobody stopped to send me away.

This night was friday the 13th, usually I don’t believe that something bad happens on this day. However some of my stuff got broken on this day. In the morning the zipper of my sleeping bag broke and in the evening the zipper of my down jacket broke as well. But this was not all. In the night a storm was approaching. I woke up in the night and was wondering what is pushing against my tent and why is it so cold. When I looked outside I saw that my bike was pushing against the tent and did a cut in the cover. How stupid was this? I already made the expirience that’s better to lie down the bicycle instead of putting it upright next to the tent. I got tape, but it doesn’t stick, because the cover was wet. It was a cold night with an open sleeping back, open down jacket and open tent cover.

To get warm I stand up 4 am and started to dismount my tent. Then I cycled in the dark on the country road. It was Saturday and nobody else used this road. I saw a stunning sunrise, that pays off for the uncomfortable night. I wanted to see the F60. The F60 was the biggest machine in the world (taller than the Eiffel Tower, if you imagine he would lie down). This machine was used to dig after coal, now it’s a museum.  My goal was to leave Brandenburg and reach Saxony at 12 pm, what I did. I came into Dresden towards “Radeburg” and “Moritzburg”. When I reached the sign for the place name of Dresden, I’ve done 88 km and 223 km in total. Then I rolled down hill, because Dresden lies in a valley. In Dresden I will stay for a week at least and visit friends.