Schönebeck (Elbe)

Magdeburg last hit the world's headlines back in 1650 when the ruling mayor Otto Van Guericke, demonstrated the amazing power of air pressure with his famous experiment. Apparently, nothing of interest has happened here in the last 374 years, that is until the arrival of the Ghostriders sent the place into a real frenzy of activity.

We awoke this morning to the ominous sound of steady (actually torrential) rain falling. After the string of hot and sunny weather we have had ever since we arrived, it was obvious that something had shifted drastically in the meteorological world.

Of course it was inevitable that we would get rain at some stage. You cannot ride halfway across Europe and expect it to remain dry all the way through. Fortunately the forecast promised that the rain would stop sometime around noon.

After breakfast we pulled out the remnants of our bikes from the garage and noted the damage that we have been steadily inflicting on them each day. In the carpark I was met by a young man who introduced himself as the head of the tourism board in Magdeburg. He seemed quite excited to hear that the famous Ghostriders would be riding to his town. The word of our epic ride is starting to spread before us.

The peloton looked quite a different sight with their motley array of wet weather gear as we rode out of Tangermunde. Although it was still raining steadily, it was not exactly heavy rain, it was just enough to be a nuisance. At least the much cooler air meant that we did not have to swelter in the heat while we rode along. Even at this early stage it is also evident that our riders are steadily getting stronger with each passing day, so 75 km did not seem like such a challenge.

In spite of the rain, the route was actually a lovely mix of quiet trails, forests, bridges and a succession of beautiful little towns along the way. The steady rain gradually started to make us feel quite cold, so you could imagine our delight when, at somewhere near the 38 km mark, we stumbled onto a perfect location for a rest and something to eat and drink.

The place was actually quite huge and even had a 10 pin bowling alley!. It was a perfect chance to warm up and enjoy some really nice coffee and cake. By the time we emerged, the rain had stopped. It stayed away for the rest of the day.

The final few kilometres into Magdeburg were a real delight, with a long tree lined bike path taking us right into the centre of the town. When we arrived at the hotel, it was a surprise to find a couple of girls with a welcome pack for each of our riders. It had been organised by the guy we had met in the carpark at Tangermunde.

The city itself was also quite a surprise. Not only was it much bigger than I had anticipated, it was also modern, clean and very cosmopolitan. Right next to our hotel was a major pedestrian thoroughfare, with numerous cafes and regular trams rolling past.

After a shower and change of clothes, I went in search of a cafe where I could have something to eat and drink. After placing my order, I sat outside and watched the people walking by.

I had not been there long when I was surprised to find a woman taking the seat opposite me. It was a bit of an invasion of my personal space, especially when there were plenty of empty tables.

I might have tolerated the invasion of privacy, but when she proceeded to light up a cigarette, that was just too much. Feigning a coughing spell, I pointed at her noxious emissions and sent her on her way.

I am sure we could have enjoyed some extra time in this city, but that is not to be. Tomorrow, we continue on our way to Dessau, the site of our next pitstop, and also the place where our team will be increased by one extra rider as Pam Coburn joins the team.Read more