Wednesday, September 26, 1928
Started from Berlin Tuesday at 10, but had a bad time getting out of the city as nobody seemed to know the right road. I knew I was on the wrong road, but didn’t care much as it was nice riding. Finally got on the right road after going 20 miles out of my way. It was very cold and in the afternoon clouded up. I thought it would surely snow, but it only rained and I had to ride ten miles in it to a town [unnamed]. Got a nice room for 2 marks. It was so cold I went right to bed. Anyway my clothes were wet. Took all the covers off the other bed and so kept warm.
Today it was cloudy. I slept till nine. Riding very slowly, I took in all of the sights. They raise lots of potatoes all through this part of Germany. The roads are most all lined with a row of apple, pear, or plum trees. For lunch today I had bread and apples and plums. I have had 18 apples, 4 plums, and a pear today and still going strong. Dodged the rain clouds all afternoon and didn’t get the rain till 3:30 as I was entering Schwerin where I am staying. [This town is now called Skwierzyna and, since the end of WWII, is once again part of Poland; when Hall was there the German name for it was Schwerin an der Warthe and it was a German town.] It soon stopped. I got a room for 2 marks. The men in the bar shooting the dice to see who buys the beer take the greatest interest in me. Guess one ordered me some coffee; at least I didn’t. I’ll find out in the morning.
Took a 4-mile walk through the surrounding country and along a river. It is very pretty. Lots of pine forests and scrub-pines and a very sandy soil. The land is flat except for ridges here and there. Carrying all my luggage is working fine. The load heavy, nearly 50 lbs, but it isn’t hard to carry except up hills. My commissary department is in fine shape in this fruit section. Usually have 15 or 18 apples in it. Rode 67 miles yesterday and 55 today. Very close to Polish border. Have $38.50 for 36 days. Will have to live cheap this month. Spent $1.42 and $.59 yesterday and today.