The People Who Change a Day

Daily miles: 31.93 | Total miles: 15,514.95

I woke up and immediately heard the rain outside. I reset my alarm and closed my eyes again. I simply didn’t feel like stepping out into pouring rain and cold weather.

Eventually, I got up. Hot coffee, getting ready, organizing the buggy. The rain was still coming down heavily, so I waited a little longer, hoping the forecast might finally become true. But even though it said the rain would stop, it certainly didn’t look like it.

So eventually I started.

Everything felt heavy from the beginning. Within minutes I was soaked. The wind made everything more exhausting, and mentally I just wasn’t where I needed to be. Some days the mindset comes naturally, and some days you really have to fight to find it. Today was one of those days.

So I fought through the first six miles — tired, in pain, drained. Then I spotted a café. Of course, I immediately parked the buggy underneath a roof and went inside. Taking off my wet jacket and sitting down in warmth felt unbelievably good.

I first called my mother, and afterwards I started talking with Ute.

Honestly, I could have sat there all day speaking with her. One of those conversations where you completely lose track of time and place because the exchange itself becomes so engaging and meaningful. I think I really needed that today. Sometimes a good conversation can warm you up far more than dry clothes or hot coffee ever could.

Eventually, though, I had to go back outside again.

At least I was dry for a little while, but the wind was still there, cold and tiring. So I continued, one foot in front of the other. That’s the strange beauty of movement — no matter how difficult each individual step feels, it still takes you forward.

At one point, I felt completely stuck mentally, almost like I was trapped in a rut. Then suddenly a car pulled over in front of me. I looked at the driver thinking, What are you doing?

The window rolled down and the man enthusiastically said:

“Hi Andrea! It’s so great to meet you. I’m following you on YouTube!”

I was in some kind of positive shock.

What? Here I was, feeling terrible, and this man was genuinely excited to see me. Funny how life works sometimes.

I asked him if he was from England and he said, “No, from here.” I replied, “Well then we can speak German,” but somehow we still ended up speaking English.

Dieter completely changed my day, at least for the moment.

Just like Ute earlier, he became a real game changer mentally. Sometimes a short encounter is enough to shift the entire emotional direction of a day. It reminded me again that even when we feel alone on the road, we rarely truly are.

So I walked on again, now at least carrying a temporary smile with me.

The weather improved slightly at times, a little warmer here and there, but overall it stayed cold and windy all day long. Still, step by step, I kept moving west.

On my final three miles, two boys on bicycles passed me. A bit later they had stopped along the road fixing something. I asked if they needed help, but they said no. Shortly afterwards they caught up with me again and asked where I was from.

Fabio and Felix were their names.

So I told them about my journey, and in return asked them about their own adventures and lives. Honestly, I was impressed by what these two fourteen-year-olds had already experienced. But even more than that, I was touched by how friendly, curious, and open they were.

I really enjoyed talking with them.

So yes, physically and mentally it was a hard day. But the people I met today — Ute, Dieter, Fabio, and Felix — all left something positive behind. And maybe that’s what I will remember most when I think back about this stage someday. Not the rain, not the cold, not the exhaustion — but the people who unexpectedly made the road feel lighter.

At the hotel, check-in went smoothly. My room is on the second floor, so there was one final little struggle carrying everything upstairs.

Now I really need some sleep.

Thanks for checking in. Andrea