My actual "winter ride", although not really in winter times:
17.11.
Alarm rings late at 05:15, because I can't shift my normal daily rhythm far. Quick breakfast, departure 06:00.
Dense fog in Ludwigshafen, it's raining lightly out of the fog. Because I already was sweating when dressing with the warm clothes, I can't close the visor without glasses and visor beeing mist up. Of course with open visor my glasses receive some humidity and dirt, need regular wiping.
First saving some miles through Mannheim and at Viernheim merging onto the Autobahn. Here the fog is already lighter, my thermal equilibrium sets in and I can now continue with closed visor.
I'm soon passing Frankfurt, the weather becames better, I can see the skyscrapers of Deutsche Bank & Co. Near Giessen it begins to dawn.
In the mountains near Kirchheim it is slightly foggy and cold. Hoar frost on the vegetation. I feel a little bit nervous because I do not know if the highway is slippery. There have been several pile-ups due to freezing fog the last days.
At the rest stop Hasselberg I refuel and choke down a few mouthful. I'm making good progress. But the road is still long.
At Göttingen the sun occasionally comes through the fog. At Salzgitter again ground fog and hoar frost.
At Braunschweig I have to decide whether I want to follow the highway around Berlin or head to Wolfsburg and then drive rural road. Despite the moderate weather with current light fog I opt for the rural road, because until now I've made good progress.
After leaving the highway at Wolfsburg I look for the local gas station. But the local Raiffeisen gas station wasn't signposted well and has just super and diesel at high prices. I should have bypassed this one and preferred the next station, remembering for my way back.
Soon behind Brome I passes the former border zone. Only a sign in the forest recalls the time 23 years ago, not a border strip, nothing obvious. I was surprised and already behind. But then I didn't want to stop, return and take pictures as there was still a long way to go.
I was proceeding smoothly, long straights, sparsely populated, ordinary asphalt, no speed limit harassment. I like traffic in Saxony-Anhalt.
Crossing the river Elbe at Wittenberg, because there is a bridge and not only ferry.
On my card set from 1999, there is not much rely on, many bypass roads and highways have been rebuilt.
I found my way through diagonally to northeast, my preplanned Google Maps abbreviations covered miles of cobbled straights, miles of speed limits 30 and 40kph on asphalt roads that are just a bit narrow. I don't really like this, especially on a bike.
I see castles and bunkers, but hurry over, always driven by the long way to go and the approaching darkness.
At Waren an der Müritz I catch some sun rays and see the ships of the White Fleet. Just here, where I was scared of fog holes due to many lakes.
Funny the small number signs on the trees lining the streets and the many "otter crossing" wild warnings. But soon the fog has got me again.
Near Anklam my old GPS claims to be 23m (!) below sea level.
Twilight begins. The lift bridge to the island Usedom is open. There is suddenly a lot of forest. A fox crosses my path and misses my front wheel.
The border to Poland is nearly deserted, no officers, no tourists. A few signs, cobblestone pavement even on the most important urban roads, that's it.
Total Time 10:30 hours:minutes.
After seeking accomodation (31.50 € for 2 days including breakfast) I turn on the heater in the very cold house and see my wife and 2 children in the nearby clinic and go with them for dinner.
18.11.
After breakfast I use the daylight to visit the center of Swinoujscie. Weather unfortunately still cloudy.
As seen from Russian films, fishing seems to be one of the most favorite pastimes. The whole wharf is full of thick hooded anglers and they occasionally catch a 20cm-long fish.
But actually, there's nothing spectacular here. Harbor ship tours, horse-drawn carriages, a few gift shops, that's it.
My few photos also boring too, turbidity everywhere.
The rest of the day belongs to my family again.
From afternoon to evening rain. That can be fun tomorrow ...
19.11.
In the middle of the night I woke up briefly, saw stars and become optimistic for tomorrows weather.
At early dawn, I visited the beach, the sand is frozen and breaking under my feet. But I can already see how the fog is tightening again.
After breakfast return on the same way. My butt is soon cold, thawing countless ice pieces in the small depenings of my seat bench.
The fog becomes very nastingly now, the visibility falls below 50m, temperature is -2°C, soon ice from the freezing fog covers gloves, visor, windshield, etc.
I have to wipe the visor again and again, open and close to vent my glasses without polluting them too much.
Riding in a convoy soon, because overtaking on the single lane streets would be Russian roulette.
Behind Anklam I get lost in the fog, as I noticed some kilometres later. Where I could read the street signs, I would have remained on the dangerous street. I couldn't see my GPS exactly while trying to stay on the road, and only the general direction was not exact enough. But my old GPS can do just straight line navigation anyway.
In the fog the dark trunks of street trees can be seen much better than the street posts.
After 100km the fog lifts and the temperature seems timid again, above the freezing point. Ice is melting, I can go 80kph once again.
When a portion of ice dismantles from the wind shield, I'm happy to have my visor closed at this moment.
But from Müritz on, where I was hoping for better weather due to good experience, the fog comes again, but fortunately the visibility remains at about 100m.
From Meyenburg to Perleberg it's almost sunny and 5°C warm, the best weather of the whole trip.
Here I took the best picture too.
South of the Elbe again light fog or overcast.
At the old border I stopped briefly and took a picture, but again it's all grey in grey.
At Wolfsburg, I'm already tired, the fog ride had taken concentration and strength away.
Now only a few hundred miles to go ...
After 11:15 hours:minutes I'm back home.
Total 1731.2 km and 77.1 litres for my reliable gas guzzler. Nearly concentrating on 2 days with >800km/500miles each.
