Silkeborg is a popular destination at the best of times but this weekend, the weekend we are passing through, there happens to be a big golf tournament in town. ‘Made in Denmark’ is a professional golf tournament put on by some rich Danish dude. This year it is in Silkeborg.
A rest stop on the way to Silkeborg
The ride from Herning to here was rather uneventful. Some how I mapped the first 16km on a bike path adjacent to a highway. It was efficient but that is all I can say about it. At km 16 we turn a bit north and into the hinterland along much less traveled roads and again the ride is pleasant. Around Funder Kirkeby the roads become country lanes and we proceed at a pedestrian pace trying to take in countryside.
Church Bells at Funder Kirkby
As we ride east across Jutland father north than the line we road in a westerly direction, there are a couple of differences. The terrain is far more rollie. The elevation changes are not great but we are almost constantly going up or down. The farms are way bigger. I mentioned before how close together the farm houses were. Here the distance between each homestead is closer to the Canadian prairies. The villages, towns and cities are larger. Still not big, but bigger than the communities in the south.
Denmark in general is a tidy place. There is very little garbage blowing about, the yards and farms are devoid of junk, and there are very few derelict buildings anywhere. The upkeep of property is taken very seriously. Also the upkeep of cemeteries is a tradition and they are immaculate.
Train bridge in Silkeborg
A few other random thoughts. The dogs here are very well trained. We have have ridden passed many people walking their dogs and not one of the animals has jumped at us or even pulled on the leash. To date we have not seen one dog roving out on the road chasing cars or bikes, not one.
B&B in Denmark is short for bed and breakfast, only thing is, even though it is implied, breakfast is not included. Robo lawn mowers are THE thing here. I have seen a few rid’em mowers but for the most part people cut the lawn with no human intervention. I am buying one as soon as I get back home. The wind is constant here and as best I can make it can be as strong as the winds around Lethbridge. Wind power seems to be the eco power of choice. Although there are very few of the old variety of windmills left, and I have yet to see an operating one, while traversing the country side one is never out of site of the 21st century variety of wind turbines.
Fountain in Silkeborg
Last but by far not least I found the craziest machine today. It is for returning recyclable cans and bottles. It works like this. There is a small hole in the front of this machine. You place your can in the hole onto a conveyor. Then as the can progress along the conveyor a scanner figures out what kind of container has been presented for return. Once the type of container has been determined a paddle swings out at the appropriate exit point and the can is deflected into the correct bin. After waiting to see if any more cans or bottles are to be presented the machine spits out a chit worth the value of how many containers you have returned. You can go into the store and trade the chit for cash or use it against merchandise you care to purchase. This gizmo was so amazing I had to drink another Coke and get Debbie to come and witness the process.
Tomorrow is a day off the bike. We will play tourist in a tourist destination. We have already booked our voyage aboard the oldest working paddle-wheel steamboat in the world. It is a coal fired paddle steamer built in 1861. There is also a good art gallery here we should take in. Ta ta.