Day 10-2. Esbjerg to Lyngvig contd.
It was so lovely that Damae got distracted by some pine cones on trees next to the track. She stopped to take a few pictures of the huddles of little people on the branches of the trees. We started relaxing a bit and enjoying the gravel track. Navigation was easy with clear signs at the few junctions we encountered. Yes, this was a bit more like it. We were very happy that the woodland blocked the worst of the wind. Not that it was to last mind you! After just four kilometres of taking it easy we burst out of the forest onto a section of windswept moorland. The sun went in as well and temperatures dropped again.
A few kilometres later near Vejers we turned onto the main road again and as we did I noticed water dripping from the bar bag containing my water bag. A quick rummage later and I discovered that a hole had appeared in the bag at the point it folded. So I had no water and I also had to fix something. I took the bidon that Damae carries on her bike so that I'd have my own water supply. Grump! Not long after we stopped at a parking place with picnic tables. Initially we stopped to use the loos but then decided to brew up and have and early lunch. We'd not stopped for a proper break since leaving Esbjerg so it was high time for a rest.
With lunch over and done with we carried on towards Vejers Strand, for the most part sheltered from the worst of the breeze on a separate cycle track. Just before Vejers Strand the NSCR took a right turn round the back of the town first through some more woodland. Then we cycled over some dunes and higher moorland. The sun was still on and off today and in exposed sections the wind was still making its presence felt.
About an hour after lunch we reached the junction at Henne. We stopped for a quick land irrigation session before carrying on towards Nymindegab. This took us off tarmac and onto another section of gravel road. As with the previous gravel road, it was a forest track well signposted with the occasional easy to pass through gate. This was turning into a good day's cycle after all.
This section ended with a climb through woods along a very straight bit of road and was then followed by a nice example of how even the Danes can get provision for cyclists wrong. We had a short bit where the cycle track was on the left of the road, a metre or so wide at its widest AND shared with cyclists going in the other direction. The road itself was not wide and it was reasonably busy. Oncoming traffic passed very close to us. Still this was only a couple of kilometres of our day and next thing we knew we were crossing a railway line and noticed some unusual cycle trains ahead of us.
At the junction with the railway line the "curse of the flinty Danish NSCR sand and gravel tracks" struck again for the third time in two days. Damae's rear tyre went down quite rapidly so we stopped to fix the tyre. I pulled a three millimetre long shard of flint from the inner and outer tube just as the dour Dutch couple wafted past, in inscrutible silence. In the meantime, Damae had found a nice spot in the sun, and curled up for a mid afternoon snooze.
After a half hour of taking it easy we were on our way again. The track ran parallel to the railway line for a few kilometres, climbing for the first section. I left Damae far behind and headed up towards Nymindegab. Just before Nymindegab the cycle path crossed the railway and shortly afterwards I spotted the Dutch couple eating some sandwiches at the side of the path. I greeted them in Dutch and, obviously surprised they spluttered a bread and cheese greeting back at me. Damae told me later that they were quite friendly and encouraging as she passed them. My best guess is that they thought we were Germans (as many people do) and hence chose to ignore us.