2021-10-21 53 9

Location

on a field in Hemdingen, Schleswig-Holstein

Participants

π π π (talk)

Plans

take the train to Langeln, then cycle back

Expedition

Finally, my first home graticules expedition in almost a month! It was the day of the first autumn storm, and I waited at home for the rain to calm down, but it always started back up. In late afternoon, I set off regardless in my new winter jacket and took the train to Langeln. There, I had two options: Cycle 5 km to the hash on roads or cycle 2.1 km on field paths, including a 340 m stretch across two fields. Naturally, I opted for the second one. The field path was basically just grass and already extremely muddy, and to get onto the field I had to cross a waterless ditch with my bike. The field also consisted of extremely wet and tall grass, and cycling was straining. The two fields were unfortunately separated by a water-filled ditch. To get across, I wanted to get the tyres of my bike on either bank, push off my bike's horizontal bar to jump across and then drag the bike to the other side. However, when I tried to heave my bike's front half to the other side, the handlebar turned and the bike lost its grip and half-fell into the ditch, almost pulling me with it. I managed to keep my feet dry and drag my bike out of the water from the other side; fortunately, nothing had been damaged. The other field was just as difficult terrain. As I approached the hash (now back on a path), I heard loud noises and feared a farmer working there, but the tractor was reaping two fields over.

The hashfield was also just a meadow with high grass, and I easily located the hashpoint and took pictures with Lumie. As I took off, it started to rain again, and mostly continued all along the 13 km I cycled home, at times very severely. After a while, my trousers were drenched with rain and my shirt soaked with sweat, but at least my high-quality jacket had no problem keeping the water out. Shortly before I arrived home, I explored some newly and halfway built houses near my home (the construction site was already empty).