Husum - Bonn 2012
The 2012 tour, which ended in Bonn on Saturday, 14.7., was strongly influenced by the weather. It rained on 5 of 7 days. In addition there were mostly strong headwinds and low temperatures. But this did not affect the good mood. The whole group of 35 cyclists aged 11 to 68 years survived the tour without any injuries and mostly in a good mood (when the pain subsided). We were supported again this year by our great team in the two DHL trucks and the support vehicle. A big thank you to all helpers, cyclists and supporters of the action!
On Saturday, 7.7. we met in Husum in the early evening. The bikes were unloaded. Food was served in the youth hostel.
Sundays, July 8th we started. With very nice weather and favourable wind conditions the cyclists set off for Büsum at about 9 am. The route is only 83 km long. It leads past St. Peter Ording, where the Kite Surf World Cup was held. Towards evening the weather changed. A cold wind came up and it started to rain heavily. By this time, however, most of the cyclists had already arrived at the youth hostel. In the evening we had a visit from the local press. Afterwards most of them went to eat in a nearby fish restaurant.
When we woke up on Monday, July 9, we could not believe our eyes and ears. There was a terrible wind, which on top of everything came from the south. A short look into the internet made us aware that gusts of up to 75 km / h wind speed were to be expected on the coast. It also rained. A few decided therefore to use the train. But most of them started a long, wet cycling day. After a good 120 km we arrived in Hamburg-Cranz soaked and dishevelled by the wind. Since there is not enough hotel capacity there, some of us were accommodated with private persons. But before we went to sleep, a cracking barbecue party took place in the garden of one of the nice hosts who had taken us in. For most of them, this went on until at least midnight. A few also decided for a short side trip to the Reeperbahn. All in all, this day cost a lot of energy to many participants.
On Tuesday, 10.7. most of them compensated for the wear and tear of the previous day's power by shortening the track. Instead of cycling southeast to Lüneburg and from there southwest through the beautiful Lüneburger Heide to Bad Fallingbostel, they shortened the route. They cycled directly south to Bad Fallingbostel, shortening the distance to about 100 km. Only a hard core of brave journeymen cycled the complete 140 km. They had the pleasure to see the beautiful old town of Lüneburg. In Bad Fallingbostel we stayed overnight in the youth hostel. In the evening most of us ate in a nice Italian restaurant. About 10 pm the evening was over for all of us.
Because on Wednesday, July 11, we had to get up early. Breakfast was at 7 am, departure was at 8 am. The longest day of the tour was waiting. 160 km led near Nienburg over the Weser, over the northern Teutoburg Forest to Neuenkirchen near Spenge. This day was not only the longest of the tour. It also had the longest and steepest ascent, where we had to climb a height of about 200 m. But this was not that difficult. In Neuenkirchen we had reserved the whole youth camp for us. The children who came with us had fun at the playground and the sports equipment. A nice fellow traveller and his wife had organised a barbecue evening with sausages and beer for the group.
On Thursday, 12.7. we had to get up early again. As a reward we were served a great breakfast. 8 am was departure. The mayor of Spenge and the local press waited for us at the Spengen town hall (see Good condition for reading promotion). To get there, we had to cycle back 9 km from Neuenkirchen to Spenge. This extended the stage to Groß-Reken to 138 km. Just when we wanted to start cycling after the reception in Spenge, it started to rain heavily. This rain followed us over half of the stage. Only in the afternoon when we passed Telgte and Münster it got better. In the late afternoon it got really good, so that we got to see the great landscape around Groß-Reken in beautiful sunlight. In Groß-Reken we stayed overnight in the youth hostel again. This one is beautifully situated.
Friday, July 13th, we suffered another shock when we woke up and heavy rain was beating against our windows. After the long wet day yesterday, this weather reduced the cycling mood of some participants, so that they decided to take the train to Düsseldorf. But a larger group of hard-boiled people did not let this weather stop them from cycling. It became a wet tour through the northern Ruhr area. Near Duisburg we took the ferry across the Rhine. Only shortly before Düsseldorf it finally stopped raining. But the rain was exchanged against headwind. After 100 km we arrived at the youth hostel in Düsseldorf. It looks more like a hotel than a youth hostel. At 7 pm we met for dinner together. The youth hostel organized a barbecue evening for us. Nice sponsors had kindly donated us a barrel of Altbier. After the meal the traditional handing out of certificates took place. The atmosphere was dazzling. Riding in the rain was forgotten and had left no lasting impressions.
On Saturday, 14.7. we could dawdle in the morning. The program of the day left us a lot of time, so we had to start cycling at 10 am. The weather was not very good again. In the morning we had to endure some rain showers. The first 50 km of the 79 km long stage led on the right side of the Rhine to Cologne to the Hyatt Hotel. There we had a longer break. At 2:30 a police escort consisting of 2 motorcycles picked us up. They took us at a brisk pace over the Deutzer Brücke, along the banks of the Rhine and via Wesseling 29 km to the Bonn market. There a welcoming committee waited for us. Many families had come to welcome their relatives. Mayor Angelica-Maria Kappel gave a short speech. Friedhelm Müller from the Sparkasse Köln-Bonn presented us with a cheque for 7,000 €. This officially ended the 2012 tour after about 840 km.
Tour course
The 2012 tour runs over about 800 km from Husum on the North Sea to Bonn. The routes can be viewed and downloaded here.
