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Grand Tour de Öffentliche Verkehrsmittel Stage 33/59 – Tram by the Dahme

Date17.04.2020
Strava Activityhttps://www.strava.com/activities/3311784212
BikeFlash
Distance in km131.6
Elevation in m470
Amount of newly ridden kms in Berlin from wandrer.earth45.9
Blood glucose values throughout Stage 33 of the Grand Tour de Öffentliche Verkehrsmittel

For another beautiful and mild spring day I planned with one of the longer Stages of the Grand Tour de Öffentliche Verkehrsmittel. This Stage would follow six public transport routes – five bus and one tram route. I prepared in the usual way by reducing the amount of bolus insulin for my breakfast, but as I realised later in the ride, I forgot to inject basal insulin. In my eagerness to head out, it just slipped my mind!

Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund / German Pension Insurance Federation

I headed out in shorts and a short-sleeved jersey towards the bus terminus at Walter-Schreiber-Platz for the start of the X76 bus route. This is the express bus route between Walter-Schreiber-Platz and Lichtenrade and complements the M76 metro bus (yet to be part of a Stage) by basically following the same route just with fewer stops. 

Feuerbachstraße S-Bahn Station

The X76 starts off in the Friedenau district and passes through the Steglitz and Mariendorf districts. Once arriving at the bus shelter at Mariendorf, the X76 bus follows the major road all the way into Lichtenrade. This road starts out as Mariendorfer Damm and then becomes Lichtenrader Damm but regardless of what the road is called, a terribly bumpy and narrow cycle path is omnipresent. 

I reached the end terminus of the X76 route at Nahariyastraße, close to where Nadja used to live. Here I completed the first part of the challenge that Nadja set me before leaving – take 2 selfies. Nadja has been completely disappointed by my selfie “skills” and is challenging me to improve. She even threatened me with buying a selfie-stick! 

Erich-Hermann-Platz

I made my way across Lichtenrade to Erich-Hermann-Platz for the start of the 172 bus route. This bus route starts by passing through John-Locke-Straße, where Nadja lived in the large apartment block before moving to Charlottenburg. The bus route follows the border between Berlin and Brandenburg while heading towards the district of Buckow. Next up for the 172 route were the impressive residential high-rise blocks of the Gropiusstadt before heading into Rudow. This would mean the end of the line for the 172 bus route just past the U-Bahn station of Rudow.

Rudower Fließ / Rudow Stream

It was time for a short refuelling stop close to the Rudower Fließ (Rudow Stream). It was really starting to feel like spring with so much nature! A check of my blood glucose indicated that I should inject some more bolus insulin before carrying on. Especially since I also ate a homemade flapjack. At this point I hadn’t realised that I didn’t inject my basal insulin so I only injected 0.5 units of bolus insulin.

The next bus route was the 260 route that started at the Rudow U-Bahn station. This bus route heads in the direction of Schönefeld Airport but before getting to the airport, takes a sharp left into the Altglienicke district. The remainder of the 260 bus route crossed over the Teltowkanal and headed straight for the S-Bahn station of Adlershof which was also its terminus. 

Flugplatz Johannesthal / Johannesthal Airfield

I headed through the Landschaftspark Johannisthal/Adlershof (Johannisthal/Adlershof Landscape Park) towards Haeckelstraße in Johannisthal for the start of the 60 tram. The landscape park is on the grounds of the former Johannisthal airfield and made for some relaxed cycling through Berlin.

There are two versions of the 60 tram – one ending at Alt-Schmöckwitz and the other ending at Altes Wasserwerk (Old Water Supply Works) in Friedrichshagen – both starting at Haeckelstraße in Johannisthal. For this Stage, I completed the 60 tram that terminates at Alt-Schmöckwitz. This tram heads towards Schöneweide and then over the Spree into the industrial area of Oberschöneweide. 

Behrensbau Turmcafe / Behrens Building Tower Café

Oberschöneweide was the heart of industry in Berlin back in the early 20th Century and there are many impressive industrial buildings still in this area. Although currently the buildings are not used by the large corporations that originally set up the complexes. Oberschöneweide was also a hotspot of Nazi-resistance during the second world war with many workers being arrested and killed.

Altstadt Köpenick / Köpenick Old Town

The 60 tram then follows the Spree river into Köpenick and into the picturesque old town. This is also where the 60 tram swaps the river Spree for the river Dahme for its route towards Schmöckwitz. Once the 60 tram arrives at the Grünau S-Bahn station, it is time for the route to take in the glorious nature on offer. Here the tram passes through the forest and then past all the rowing clubs based on the banks of the river Dahme.

I checked my blood glucose levels once in the forest and again my blood glucose was higher than I would like. And now it hit me that I didn’t inject basal insulin! This meant that I didn’t have enough insulin on board for my body to properly use the carbs I was consuming. So I injected 1 unit of bolus insulin before carrying on.

The river Dahme

The fantastic cycle path next to the tram tracks ends once reaching the Karolinenhof settlement. The 60 tram then heads onto the main Adlergestell road before ending at the Alt-Schmöckwitz tram terminus in front of the Schmöckwitzer Kirche (Schmöckwitz Church). 

I had another quick food break and ate a homemade energy ball before cycling towards Hessenwinkel for the next bus route. I decided to take full advantage of Flash by cycling along forest paths next to the Oder-Spree-Kanal (Oder-Spree-Canal) and Seddinsee (Seddin Lake). This was as beautiful as I expected – I had a taster during Stage 23 – and it was just amazing seeing the calm waters, trees blooming etc. I also completed today’s selfie-challenge here.

Hessenwinkel at the Müggelspree

Hessenwinkel is full of lakeside villas with their own little jetties for private boats. Despite such obvious wealth – there is a bus route here too! But before following the N61 night bus, I stocked up on carbs by eating both a flapjack and an energy ball since my blood glucose was dropping now that the insulin was working properly.

Altes Wasserwerk / Old Water Supply Works

The N61 route initially mirrors the 161 bus route from Stage 23 by passing through Rahnsdorf towards Friedrichshagen. While the 161 route heads north towards Schöneiche bei Berlin (Pretty Oak near Berlin), the N61 route passes along the banks of the Müggelsee before heading into the main roads of Friedrichshagen. Friedrichshagen is a really lovely part of Berlin and perfect for a lazy day trip, which plenty of people were doing on this day! The final stop of the N61 bus route is at the S-Bahn station of Friedrichshagen.

Spreetunnel / Spree Tunnel

I headed towards the Müggelschlößchenweg for the start of the final bus route – the N65 night bus – of the Stage. On the way there, I visited the banks of the Müggelspree and used the Spreetunnel to pass under the river Spree. The tunnel was built in 1926 and is used by both pedestrians and cyclists. Since it was built in 1926, it is not barrier-free making it unusable for wheelchairs and prams. 

Berliner Bürgerbräu / Berliner Citizen’s Brew

The N65 bus route is a direct night connection between Köpenick (at the Müggelschlößchenweg) and Alexanderplatz in central Berlin. The N65 uses all the main roads to get there including the Adlergestell and Schnellerstraße, which are major throughways. Once at the Adlergestell, I injected some more bolus insulin since my blood sugar was now getting too high after the carb-loading at Hessenwinkel! 

Allesandersplatz / Everything Else Square

I passed through Treptower Park and into Friedrichshain, here again the N65 followed a straight path along Köpenicker Straße towards Alexanderplatz. Since Alexanderplatz is vehicle-free, the N65 route goes around Alexanderplatz before terminating at the bus terminus on Memhardstraße. 

Fernsehturm / TV Tower

That was it for a thoroughly enjoyable Stage full of beautiful nature and waterways. I wish that my blood glucose was better controlled but I only have myself to blame for that. Although I did a reasonable job with the little but often injections of bolus insulin. It’s time to put the feet up for a few days and recover before the next Stage!

The % distance I cycled in each district during Stage 33 of the Grand Tour de Öffentliche Verkehrsmittel

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