Spring in Denmark- Bornholm

We have just come up for air after a very busy 2 1/2 months of visitors everyday except one day.  Often we had multiple visitors.  It was very fun, different with each group of family/friends but there was no time to keep the blog going, despite doing so many different, interesting things.

I write this on the eve of my departure from Copenhagen.  What a wonderful year, one we enjoyed immensely but we are ready to head home and all that awaits us, especially Meredith and Ky about to have their first baby, a new grandson.

BORNHOLM
In April we took a 3 day bike ride around the Danish island of Bornhom which is located south of Sweden.  A hilly, windy, lovely island.  We rented bikes from a nice woman who didn't take our names or deposits and told us to lock the bikes and drop the key in the mail slot when we were done in 3 days.  The first day we headed out, sunny and warm for April against the famous "modvind".  And it was a howling, tough-going wind indeed.  Pedaling down hills in second gear was hard work!  But it is a good biking island, good trails and considerate drivers.   A nice hotel with a sauna erased some of the pain.

We met rain the next day but landed at 11 am opening time for the famous Svaneke brewery  Biking requires replenishment and the Svaneke Gold beer gave us the courage and strength to soldier on.

The photos say it all about the work and the rain.  We had to wring out our gloves at the end of the day.

The third day was interesting, stopping at the castle ruins of Hammerhus where the Danish queen and her lover were imprisoned.  It is the largest medieval fortification in Europe (2500 feet of outer defense walls) built in the 13th century as a base for the Danish crusades.  

Toward the  end of our ride (110 Km) the bike trail takes an incredible plunge of a nearly 30% grade that we basically slid down while walking/braking our bikes.  It was one of those bike trips that certainly had its difficult moments, but will be remembered all the more fondly for it.