Day 30: Wednesday 31st August 2011: Inningen to Vaterstetten

I've woken early and for some reason I find the laptop next to me in bed. I decide to catch up on a few things and see if go back to sleep, but no. That's me awake.

When I go downstairs Gabriele has laid on a spread of cheese and bread and meats and fresh coffee for breakfast. Again I'm taken aback by their kindness and tuck in. Dad encourages me to pile my bread high with meat and cheese. Then a boiled egg comes out too. We haven't cleared the table of food so Gabi insists I have a few take aways as well. Then Erwin insists I fill both my water bottles with super Rapp grapefruit tonic. He says I will be able to cycle hundreds of kms if I drink this. Not wanting to cause offence I of course accept, I also accept the pens that keep coming my way. They seem very keen I have enough pens. Michail had gone to work early so I say goodbye to my hosts feeling very full of the milk of human kindness.

I head back into Augsberg and explore the town. I believe my beer drinking was done last night with the family.

Augsberg is an old town, big but nice. Friedburg is the next town. I take in the view of the old town and get well and truly lost on the way to Munich. By 11:00 I've done 40km and I'm not actually any nearer Munich. I had done my calculations in the morning and I now have to do at least 100km a day to have any hope of making Istanbul on time. I really don't know if it's possible but I know I must get the miles done if I am to have any hope. Munich is another beer tasting spot and I decide to try and get there tonight, do all that needs doing and then get out. It's a tall order but I go for it. I roll up outside the HofBrauHaus around 7pm. Because I want to keep an eye on the bike and they wont let me bring it inside I take a seat outside instead of inside with the festivities. The waiter asks three American guys if they mind if I join them. I find if you're travelling alone, going to a busy restaurant or bar is often a good way to meet people without trying as you get sat with others with space on the table. I tell the guys about the trip and they think I have got a bit of a screw loose. That said they insist on paying for my 1 litre jug of HofBrauHaus Dunkel and for that I thank them very much. Cheers guys. I'll be in touch when I reach Chicago. One Litre is more than enough considering what still needs to be achieved tonight, so with darkness starting to descend I go in search of the black clock hands. After much conflabbing with a man who works in the TI but isn't to do with TI we come to the conclusion that the clock outside the office is the one but when I explain the hands are painted gold he points out that only half are gold and the other half black. This satisfies me and unfortunately I have to confess I did not have time to visit the Royal Academy of Art. Lose a point. Mini Fail! Instead I head East out of the city in pitch blackness and try to get to the big forest to camp. I'm exhausted, it's been the longest day I've done so far. 140Km/80 miles and I'm constantly on the look out for a spot as the forest is way out of town. I find a farmer's field on the outskirts with a few tall pine trees growing on the edge of the field and decide this will do. It's pitch black and although I do have a light I can't see what's beyond the scope of the light. I push a bit of the way into the forest and find a spot big and flat enough. Not knowing what lurks just a few feet away, I prepare for a quick get away. I sleep in all my cycling clothes and just put some others on top. This morning my clothes smelt of washing powder. Tomorrow it will be man sniff again.