Bluesky Tour - Episode 9 - Goodbye Saarland Germany, hello Alsace France

(continued from Episode 8)

I arrive at my AirbnB in St. Wendel here in Germany curious what I am about to experience. Here's the thing:

Last night my host admitted that all these days we exchanged messages he was using translator as he doesn't speak English. His listing is new on AirBnB so I have no clue from previews guests. I got a weird email days ago from the company who listed it (Holidu) asking me all my details including my age. The host asked me prior to my arrival weather I would like food waiting for me, beers or anything else. So I was like "that's either my first new listing that fails me on AirBnB slash scum or a great deal indeed".

Spoiler: it exceeds expectations. I'm welcomed by my smiley non English speaking German host who stays with his family and super cute little daughters in the same building. He shows me the way to open the door and that's my first AirBnB with a remote opener. Cool! As we step in the place is even better than it looks in the listing. They didn't even include all the rooms. It's actually an apartment that can easily host a family of 4 and I have it at my exclusive disposal for less than a tiny room in an average (if not run down) hotel. Squeaky clean. I walk with my socks and they can't catch any dust at all. One of the two TVs (which I don't need) must be 60". There's a (motorised!) adjustable desk to work on my computer with  a monitor and a dock station allowing you to connect your mobile device to that monitor!

The place feels just renovated and is beyond fully equipped. I open the fridge and the guy has 4 beers inside, lasagne and pizzas ready to cook. Super appreciated though I don't allow shitty supermarket ready made shit make its way to my stomach. Beers excluded😊

I am wowed but the guys isn't done yet. He knocks my door and brings me this plate straight out of his oven:

You can imagine my hunger as I could wait for the first bite before picturing. Host tells me that if I need any shopping he can do it for me. Yes, I couldn't have a better place/host waiting for me after such a ride. Did I mention that all blinds are electric? And I think they also have a timer. Dear Sanda, can I have a place like this please? And I haven't said all the good things about it yet!

Balcony view:

The tent of the spacious balcony is also motorised. The weather is not precisely balcony friendly yet though. No worries, 1st world problems. Plus I have stuff to do indoors anyway, one of them being preparing all this material for you.

Is it all fantastic? It would be if it wasn't for the bad news. Remember the chicken lacking in action in the previous Episode? My dear friend texts me that she took her to the vet and was diagnosed with incurable issue. She brought her back home and laid her on soft grass for her last breath. The same thought keeps spiralling in my head: What a decent creature. She never complained, never caused any trouble (other chickens were bitches to say the least), kept delivering eggs almost till the end and during her bad last 2 days she lacked in action but kept staying on her feet, not making a sound just staying away from the rest ones. I can find way worse assholes even blindfolded in any random demonstration. R.I.P. sweetheart. At least she enjoyed a good life thanks to my friends. Nice food, clean air, space to roam, clean ren. I did my part in that to. Happy to serve her, she definitely served my stomach. Priceless fresh eggs daily from these ladies.

Next morning I enjoy my long breakfast in one of the huge caps of the apartment and then take a walk out to do some shopping. It's a cute village here. Have a bite:

I am lucky to meet the local church while its bell tolls:

As we all know pictures can't do justice to the sound so here's a clip:

It's a nice church and on this kinda sunny weather this spot "downtown" looks pretty:

Typical German looks of the area, me likey:

The tap water also feels really good here. Didn't try the local spring but I guess I wouldn't have gone wrong:

Next morning I'm all set up to leave St. Wendel behind. My iron horse too:

Weather sucks so I wear all my waterproof gear. Apart from the fact that it's gonna rain anytime soon, even if it doesn't I have to avoid freezing my ass off in this far from summer weather. And as you know watertight is also airtight so...

In this ridiculous looks I accidentally meet the wife of my host with her two ultra cute little daughters. I guess she would have to explain them later who that spaceman was...

I jump on my bike on this cold and cloudy late July morning heading South to France as I'm heading to Alsace for my first time. Right on the first corner the car in front of me brakes with no visible reason. As I start thinking of the worst words possible for the lady driver I see a deer in front of her! It jumped from our right and rushed into the woods on the left. Sweet!

The route feels lovely as I head to the French border with nice bends and lots of green. Much needed after weeks in lowlands. At a very nice long left corner the sped limit drops down to 30km/h and as I try to process the WTF I see a police van and the sign of France. One more border crossing. Fortunately I tamed my boiling blood on this attractive piece of road.

Entering the national park of "Vosges du Nord" makes me happy that I included it in my route. Classical French rural beauty where I stop to have a bite on something under threatening clouds:

What definitely doesn't make me happy is the fact that later near Strasbourg Google fucking Maps decide to propose me a faster route (OK - no problem) and without me taking any action decides to fucking adapt it without even asking! I realise this as the heading of the route doesn't look OK but a little too late to just ride back the same road. So I cross Rhine and renter Germany taking the autobahn cause this was GM's brilliant idea.

I stop at this parking lot to rearrange my route as I also need fuel and the Autobahn's stations are way more expensive than the rest:

Rain starts as I am a few kms way from the filling station. No surprise under a sky like this. I enter France again and continue my way South to my next AirBnB having Rhine on my left hand for the most part plus parts of sometimes heavy rain. I have booked a place at Winkel and the closer I get to it as I leave the river behind the better the scenery looks.

Here's the ride of the day:

See you on Episode 10!