14 July 2014 (rain and mild) 0 km

During his days in active service, he had been known around the world as……..’The Cock’.

The English had labelled him this because he was the first on the job. The French, because he was always clucking about his triumphs. The American secret service because he could strut his stuff, all over the world and the Antipodean Branch of World Intelligence, knew him because he was ………….Big….. Down Under…..!    And now, here he stood, so many years later. In days gone by, he had driven the finest cars available…….stayed at the best Hotels around the world…..

Now he found himself pedalling a push bike all over Europe, living out of campsites and cooking beans for dinner, all in pursuit of an agent they called       The Pigeon…!

This one agent, he believed, was responsible for driving him close to insanity, waking him every morning with endless coo cooing, then pursuing him all over Europe. He would see him flapping in trees throughout the day, or sitting high up on overbridges as they pedalled frantically to get to Helsinki. But why….. that was the question….. and it was a question he was running out of time to find out…..!

No photos today so thought we'd put in some of the many Danish sculptures we have seen around the place - this is one day's selection.  It wasn't every sculpture we saw either.  Be better off turning some into public toilets we say!

A trip to the loo at 4am this morning, was accompanied by the crowing of a rooster in the field behind our tent. [Coincidence that he had feathers and a beak….. I think not….] It was light, even at that time, but we crawled back under the covers for a few more hours, to be woken by drizzle on the tent, which soon turned to steady rain. It didn’t look good for a day’s riding, so the plan was to give it until lunchtime before we made a decision.

Found out that Liverpool play in Copenhagen on Wednesday, not Tuesday, so it gives us a bit of breathing space and the forecast for today was rubbish. So, I tinkled with the keypad whilst Julia worked out our mileage thus far (2914 km) and did some Killer Sudoku. Riding around this country has not only shown us its high points, but also the down side…… so anyone from the Danish Tourist Board reading this literary masterpiece, take note.

You seem to be very much in denial that human beings do have a basic need to relieve themselves from time to time and not just in built up areas. This includes number 1’s and 2’s. When we first arrived in Denmark from Flemsborg [Germany], we noted how many W C ‘S were available and were well pleased. However……. the further we ventured from your major towns, the less…..apparently……we needed to use the loo….!

Cycling along roads, we would come across signs stating a rest area with information board and W C, only to find the W C had been removed. I don’t know if you have bothered to look……. And just can’t be bothered rectifying the problem….but when people need to go….. they will go…..and go they have……all over your beautiful countryside.

So please….don’t let us forget our visit to Denmark and all its glory……and instead remember it as a literal DUMPING ground.

Speaking of dumping grounds, it’s amazing how many people throughout Europe have dogs.

Dogs have basic desires. One is to eat, whenever the opportunity arises [ like a lot of humans actually]. Another is to sleep…….to go for walks [unlike a lot of humans] and to take a dump.

It is quite hilarious in Denmark especially in caravan parks and campsites. You see, you are allowed dogs here and first thing in the morning and last thing at night all the dog owners bring out their dogs for mass crapping sessions. It looks so funny because whilst the owners are being pulled around left, right and centre they are trying to hold conversations. It should be put to a music video.

Saw this in Germany and thought of you Marlene 

The day moved on with us stuck in the tent as the rain fell. Pretty soon it was 2pm and the rain was now more sporadic. We’d skyped Briana this morning and that was great as we haven’t spoken face to face for about a month. She looks great and the conversation flowed. Told us what she’d been up to and some plans for the future.

Did a big load of washing in the afternoon and got talking to a Dane, probably in his seventies and very fit. Told us a lot about his life, including living six years in Greenland. How many people know Greenland is a Danish country.? Very interesting guy who now lives at the campsite and spends his life walking around Europe and sailing around different parts of the planet.

A selection of quirky things we saw in Germany

Didn’t rain for a lot of the afternoon, which allowed the tent to dry out. We had a couple of minor leaks, no probs. Hopefully tomorrow we can set our sights on Copenhagen. At six we partook in wine, beer and brie on fresh bread as an appetiser for a late meal, which we consumed at 8.30pm, before watching some tele by ourselves [music videos] in the T.V. room, and retiring to the tent to make mad passionate love, with cigarettes to follow…….no, sorry,….that’s my agent character…..!