Start: Berlin, Germany
End: Potsdam, Germany
Distance: 42.3km
Elevation Gain: 1195ft
Time: 4h53m
Reading Material: Portnoy’s Complaint – Philip Roth
Description
Just a day trip from Berlin to Potsdam to check out the bike and get a sense of the road. I followed a part of the Euro Cycling route R1 (aka German Route D3) which hits a number of iconic spots in Berlin (Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, Olympic Stadium) before heading west through a forest and lake region and terminating in Potsdam proper. Cycling is mostly on urban bike lanes before hitting a nice 20km stretch of winding forest roads that reminded me of Vermont spring rides. I passed (or more appropriately, was passed by) many road weenie cyclists including a mini-Peloton.
As you’ll see in the photos, the weather was overcast and rainy. A constant drizzle had me soaked by the time I reached the outskirts of Potsdam and needed to dry off for a hot lunch. Then, to Sanssouci Park and a tour of Frederick the Great’s Palace.
Seeing as it was getting late and wet (and I began developing some lateral knee pain which will need to be carefully monitored), I opted for a train back to Berlin Hbf. Of course, as soon as I stepped on the train platform, the sun peeked out for the first time that day.
