Day 5: Esens to Schillighörn

Another gorgeous day (sunny and 27 deg C), another long bicycle ride along the dykes.

We have now cycled through these towns: Greetsiel, Nessmersiel, Dornumersiel, Bensersiel, Neuharlingersiel, Harlesiel and Carolinensiel. Schillighörn is very close to Horumersiel.

Two questions: (1) Who can spot the pattern? (2) What does "Siel" mean?

Within our little cycle group, we are all falling into a pattern.

• We have got the guide at the front (Petra).  Not only does Petra know the area of Ostfriesland well, but she also has got the laminated maps to guide us on.
• We have got the sweep at the end who makes sure that no-one is left behind (Heinz). Heinz' job includes waiting for people who need to stop for a drink, who need to stop for sun screen, who want to count the sheep to the left or the cows to the right, who stop to take photos, or who feel tired. 
• The steady companion (Oma Elke). Usually second or third rider in the group, she keeps a steady pace throughout.
• The sprinter from back to front and vice versa (Mum). 
• The entertainer of us kids (Opa Siegfried). Always good for a joke or a little sprint race.
• Us kids (Niklas and me), doing whatever we feel like: braking to count sheep or to try and pat one, asking for drink when we have just resumed the ride after a break, needing a pit stop just after a break, challenging Opa Siegfried to a speed race.

8 km short of our destination, Oma Elke's eBike breaks down. The chain is still in place but the pedals are running idle. It must be some issue within the front gearing mechanism that even Uncle Heinz, our engineer, is hesitant to tackle. After all, an eBike has a motor, and they are hard to fix on the track.

Thus the grown-ups change bikes: Oma Elke takes Opa Siegfried's eBike, Opa Siegfried takes Mum's ordinary manual bike, and Mum take the broken down eBike. For 8 km, Mum partly scooters on the bike, and partly she hangs onto Heinz' bike for a tow. Heinz puts all his effort and concentration into a steady pace and straight course, so that Mum, who is hanging onto his back wheel, doesn't steer her front wheel into him. This is hard work, they don't talk at all. All their focus is on getting us to Schillighörn to re-assess and make further plans.

Finally we make it to Schillighörn and our next Youth Hostel. Heinz and Mum are pretty exhausted from the tow.

Heinz playfully kicks the broken eBike, saying that "such a new bike should not have gear issues" - when he realises that the pedals grab the chain again. The three kicks have fixed the bike! It is always so important to have a specialist engineer on a trip, he can fix anything!!

The didn't get the spelling "Schremmer" right at this café in Harlesiel. This is the only photo of Mum on the trip as she took all the other pictures.

A close up of me flying a little kite. This is only the warm up for the next day.