I slept good last night, in spite of the deflated sleeping pad. The weather is fine again. The tent is dry on the outside, but still wet on the inside. Probably condensation from the night. I have to try and ventilate the tent better. Nothing can be done about that right now, however. The tent is again packed wet.
In Stöckte, the next village, I buy some food for the day. Outside the store I have a nice chat with an older gentleman who tells me about his bicycle trip to the north cape in the 1950s.
From Stöckte I take the ferry to Zollenspieker on the north bank of the Elbe. My next destination is Hamburg, where I will finally join the North Sea Cycle Route.
The route to Hamburg leads me along smaller highways and nice dirt tracks to Moorfleet, then a few kilometers along a dike, and suddenly I'm in the middle of Hamburg.
Cycling through Hamburg, on a heavily laden bike, through construction sites, up and down stairs is no fun. I often lose the cycle route, and have to rely on my GPS to get back on the track. I ignore all tourist attractions and sights, and try to get out of the city as fast as possible. Once I reach the harbour and the road along the bank of the Elbe I have left the worst behind me.
From Hamburg to Wedel the route follows a great foot path and cycle track directly along the Elbe. Here I finally see the first signs for the North Sea Cycle Route. From here to Brunsbüttel the NSCR follows mostly the same route as the Elberadweg. In some places it makes a detour to include a town, like Elmshorn, which gives me the chance to buy some food for dinner. The route is signposted pretty good, only one time I take a wrong turn and have turn around after a few kilometers.
Shortly after Elmshorn I find a nice campsite in Kollmar for the night. I ask the owner for information about camping shops - I still need to replace my sleeping pad. I am told there should be one in Glückstadt, and another one in Itzehoe.