Cycle the 100-mile trail where the Berlin Wall once stood

From Potsdam, I crossed the Glienicke Bridge, where the United States and the Soviet Union once exchanged spies, and cycled a pleasant path through the woods to Wannsee, where I boarded a public ferry. The weather turned sunny and warm, and the sailboats glided across the water. After disembarking, I set out on perhaps the loveliest stretch of the trail. However, there are hills in the end. Despite taxing my contemplative bike, they added interest and variety. I came to a beautiful lake nestled in the forest, with a small beach inhabited by a few dozen locals. I couldn’t resist taking a dip. The clear, cold water is almost impossible to refresh. As I dry off, I eat my picnic lunch – and this is Germany, getting a pretty good cup of coffee from the beach counter. Then, with a little jealousy of the locals lounging on the beach, I packed up; the rest of Mauerweg called.