30th June 2024
Today I went to see where the Dambusters did their business.
The raid was called operation Chastise. The RAF 617 bomber command were to knock out specific dams in the Ruhr valley in Germany. This would cut the power supply to German industry and take out important factories in the flood that would follow.
The Möhne and Edersee dams were breached, causing catastrophic flooding of the Ruhr valley and of villages in the Eder valley; the Sorpe Dam sustained only minor damage. Two hydroelectric power stations were destroyed and several more damaged. Factories and mines were also damaged and destroyed. An estimated 1,600 civilians – about 600 Germans and 1,000 enslaved labourers, mainly Soviet – were killed by the flooding. Despite rapid repairs by the Germans, production did not return to normal until September 1944. The RAF lost 56 aircrew, with 53 dead and 3 captured, amid losses of 8 aircraft.
The roads to these dams were beautiful, twisting smooth and a real joy for a motorcyclist.
The trouble with travelling, is I never know what day it is. Well at mid day I could tell it was Saturday with sports cars, motorcycles and the general public travelling on these roads. What had been wonderful riding turned into a chore.
I ended up in a camp in Hamelin next to the Weser river.
The weather forcast for tonight and tomorrow is heavy storms. I might be staying put for a day or two.
Today I went to see where the Dambusters did their business.
The raid was called operation Chastise. The RAF 617 bomber command were to knock out specific dams in the Ruhr valley in Germany. This would cut the power supply to German industry and take out important factories in the flood that would follow.
The Möhne and Edersee dams were breached, causing catastrophic flooding of the Ruhr valley and of villages in the Eder valley; the Sorpe Dam sustained only minor damage. Two hydroelectric power stations were destroyed and several more damaged. Factories and mines were also damaged and destroyed. An estimated 1,600 civilians – about 600 Germans and 1,000 enslaved labourers, mainly Soviet – were killed by the flooding. Despite rapid repairs by the Germans, production did not return to normal until September 1944. The RAF lost 56 aircrew, with 53 dead and 3 captured, amid losses of 8 aircraft.
The roads to these dams were beautiful, twisting smooth and a real joy for a motorcyclist.
The trouble with travelling, is I never know what day it is. Well at mid day I could tell it was Saturday with sports cars, motorcycles and the general public travelling on these roads. What had been wonderful riding turned into a chore.
I ended up in a camp in Hamelin next to the Weser river.
The weather forcast for tonight and tomorrow is heavy storms. I might be staying put for a day or two.
Guess who’s at the Mohne dam?
Lots of quaint German villages on the way
Edersee Dam
Sorpe Dam
Mohne dam
Mohne dam. An 80 metre gap was created by the bouncing bombs that were dropped from the Lancaster bombers. The flood wave that followed was up to Seven metres tall decimating the towns below.
Tonight’s camp. Hot day and hard work. Helped by a couple of Spanish brothers called San Miguel.
Someone getting behind their team in the Euro football finals
Todays route.
1st July 2024
As forecast, the storm hit last night, although later than expected. At 1:30am the thunder, lightning and rain started. As it got closer the wind whipped up. Lying in my sleeping bag I wondered how my 11 year old tent would fair. Would I end up completely in the elements, surrounded by a couple of aluminum poles and ribbons of fabric flapping from them? or would it see me well, like all the other times? Pleasingly it was the latter.
Last night’s lightening is the most I’ve ever seen. It went on for hours, flashes every second.
I had moved James for a speedy escape if needed, the river is only 25 metres away and with the forecast of 33mm rain expected I wasn’t sure how high the river would rise. In the end there was no need to worry.
Other campers had not fared as well as me. They were gone by daybreak.
I decided to stay another day as the rain was forecast to let up mid afternoon.
As the rain stopped I walked into Hameln. Hameln is famous for being the town of the Pied Piper.
He’s the guy that in 1284 said he could rid the city of rats and mice for a fee. The city agreed. The pied piper pulled out a flute and played a tune, all the rats and mice followed him to the river where they drowned.
The city reneged on paying the pied piper, so he took off unpaid.
Later he returned as a hunter of frightful appearance, wearing a red hat. While everyone was at church the played a tune, all the boys and girls of the age of 4 and up started following the piper. They all vanished into the mountains.
Only two children returned, one was blind, so could not see where they had been and the other dumb so could not say where they had been.
This is the legend as portrayed by the brothers Grimm.
I suppose the moral of the story is” always be true to your word”
As forecast, the storm hit last night, although later than expected. At 1:30am the thunder, lightning and rain started. As it got closer the wind whipped up. Lying in my sleeping bag I wondered how my 11 year old tent would fair. Would I end up completely in the elements, surrounded by a couple of aluminum poles and ribbons of fabric flapping from them? or would it see me well, like all the other times? Pleasingly it was the latter.
Last night’s lightening is the most I’ve ever seen. It went on for hours, flashes every second.
I had moved James for a speedy escape if needed, the river is only 25 metres away and with the forecast of 33mm rain expected I wasn’t sure how high the river would rise. In the end there was no need to worry.
Other campers had not fared as well as me. They were gone by daybreak.
I decided to stay another day as the rain was forecast to let up mid afternoon.
As the rain stopped I walked into Hameln. Hameln is famous for being the town of the Pied Piper.
He’s the guy that in 1284 said he could rid the city of rats and mice for a fee. The city agreed. The pied piper pulled out a flute and played a tune, all the rats and mice followed him to the river where they drowned.
The city reneged on paying the pied piper, so he took off unpaid.
Later he returned as a hunter of frightful appearance, wearing a red hat. While everyone was at church the played a tune, all the boys and girls of the age of 4 and up started following the piper. They all vanished into the mountains.
Only two children returned, one was blind, so could not see where they had been and the other dumb so could not say where they had been.
This is the legend as portrayed by the brothers Grimm.
I suppose the moral of the story is” always be true to your word”
Even at camp you can see the Pied Piper
Swollen river after last nights storm. Can you see James in the distance?
There were a couple of bikers pitched here. They wanted to avoid the storm so packed up camp and headed off early. Just as well as that tree would have crushed their tents.
Market church
Demprthaus
Another Pied Piper
The rats lead to all the historic sites
This one got away
Another Pied Piper
A city within a city
2nd July 2024
It was the familiar pitter, patter of raindrops on my tent first thing this morning.
As soon as it stopped I was up and packed, heading south east to Goslar.
On the way I headed into a rain bomb, I’ve had less water on me in a shower. When I finally got to Goslar I was wet through.
I walked around the old town in helmet and wet weather gear. About 2 minutes into the walk the weather bomb I had ridden through had arrived. I tried to take a photo with my phone but it was saturated. It had been in my wet weather jacket pocket. The flap on the pocket was open and the pocket was full of water.
Luckily I have a spare phone. Hopefully the sodden phone will dry out overtime.
The Old Town of Goslar with over 1.500 timber houses and the Mines of Rammelsberg are UNESCO World Heritage Sites for their millennium-long testimony to the history of ore mining and their political importance for the Holy Roman Empire and Hanseatic League.
From there I headed east in the rain.
With no phone, I had to rely on Garmin GPS to find a campground. The first one I picked on the Garmin didn’t exist when I arrived, the same with the second and third. Finally on the fourth attempt I found one.
This one is in Plotzin.
In between showers I was able to dry some of my gear and cook dinner.
It was the familiar pitter, patter of raindrops on my tent first thing this morning.
As soon as it stopped I was up and packed, heading south east to Goslar.
On the way I headed into a rain bomb, I’ve had less water on me in a shower. When I finally got to Goslar I was wet through.
I walked around the old town in helmet and wet weather gear. About 2 minutes into the walk the weather bomb I had ridden through had arrived. I tried to take a photo with my phone but it was saturated. It had been in my wet weather jacket pocket. The flap on the pocket was open and the pocket was full of water.
Luckily I have a spare phone. Hopefully the sodden phone will dry out overtime.
The Old Town of Goslar with over 1.500 timber houses and the Mines of Rammelsberg are UNESCO World Heritage Sites for their millennium-long testimony to the history of ore mining and their political importance for the Holy Roman Empire and Hanseatic League.
From there I headed east in the rain.
With no phone, I had to rely on Garmin GPS to find a campground. The first one I picked on the Garmin didn’t exist when I arrived, the same with the second and third. Finally on the fourth attempt I found one.
This one is in Plotzin.
In between showers I was able to dry some of my gear and cook dinner.
The old town of Goslar
The old town of Goslar
The old town of Goslar
The old town of Goslar
The old town of Goslar
Tonight’s camp. The sun has finally come out
Todays route
3rd July 2024
After a wet day yesterday it was nice to see a bit of sun in the morning at camp.
I got up, made coffee and breakfast and phoned home, just like ET.
As the call progressed, the sun disappeared, replaced by a grey sky and dark clouds.
After getting off the call it rained.
Wasn’t long before the tent was dry enough to pack up. On went my wet weather gear, I headed off down the motorway and A roads to a camp near the Polish border in a village called Mescherin.
After pitching up camp I decided to remove the UK text from my numberplate. I’ve had a few people think I’m from the Ukraine. That would not be a good look in Russia.
Tomorrow I will be crossing Poland heading for Kaliningrad, which is a part of Russia.
After a wet day yesterday it was nice to see a bit of sun in the morning at camp.
I got up, made coffee and breakfast and phoned home, just like ET.
As the call progressed, the sun disappeared, replaced by a grey sky and dark clouds.
After getting off the call it rained.
Wasn’t long before the tent was dry enough to pack up. On went my wet weather gear, I headed off down the motorway and A roads to a camp near the Polish border in a village called Mescherin.
After pitching up camp I decided to remove the UK text from my numberplate. I’ve had a few people think I’m from the Ukraine. That would not be a good look in Russia.
Tomorrow I will be crossing Poland heading for Kaliningrad, which is a part of Russia.
The Oder river runs right next to camp
Some big fish in there.
Look!!, what’s that is the sky, it’s blue!, very unusual□
The UK is yellow on a blue background. Ukrainian colours.
The yellow UK removed from below the Union flag
Todays camp. James has his own accommodation
Today's route
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