Oct 2 - Schwabish Gmund, Germany

Awoke late, had french fries at the castle food shop and left Schwabisch Hall in the rain. Arrived in Schwabisch Gmund after four hours of grueling up and down cycling. Lazied around Brantley's (My friend from Ft Sill, Oklahoma, who's family was assigned to Germany) all afternoon. When I arrived the door was open but no one answered the bell. I went snooping in the rooms. I found Charles sleeping in bed. When I found him he looked like he had seen a ghost. After dinner we drove to Stuggart to pick up his sister Carolyne who missed her bus home from school. Looked over the maps before retiring.

Mileage: Schwabisch Hall to Schwabisch Gmund 47 km, 30 mi

French Fires .25
Snacks .30

Oct 1 - Schwabisch Hall, Germany

Awoke late. Had breakfast and left at 9:30. Fast, smooth riding into Heidelburg and Heilbronn. Then it started. The devil turned day into night. While climbing the steep road up to Lowenstein, the rain started. My toes and hands became numb with cold. My body was wet to the bones. The endless sucession of movoing my lges up and down turned into an automatic, non-thinking action. Five km outside of Michelsfeld--good news! A nine percent downhill run! For almost three miles in semi-darkness I became a hurtling form of flesh and steel on a wet road. I had to keep to the middle of the lane, since I didn't know what potholes the road might have on the edge. Rain, driving in my eyes, blinded me. Only my bright yellow raincoat protected me in the wet darkness.

I arrived in Schwabisch Hall at 6:10 pm. Tired, wet, cold, hungry, had a brockwurst and french fries right under the youth hostel. It's an extremely old castle. It was dark inside. No lights, no heat, no one in sight. Unloaded and took my stuff up. Found a room lighted on the 3rd floor. Two male bodies lay silent in bed, so I picked out a bunk and washed up. Read, retired.

Mileage: Weinheim to Schwabisch Hall 151 km

Breakfast .25
Maps .60
Hostel .30
Snacks .30
Dinner .60