About Us
ReDiscovery Bike Tour Dialogue
Bike Tour Begins on August 20, 2007
- Back to Bike Tour Home -from SønderborgWe want to thank You and your staff for a magnificent ride through København and the picnic. We had a nice start at the summer and we were impressed by your spirit and the tour you made in Danmark. There are politics and then there are people and the latter are the most interesting and more important than the first in our opinion and we find it a very good idea to go out and meet people. Have a nice summer!from Copenhagen - Rydhave, 17 km (2504)The final day of the ReDiscovery Tour had arrived all too soon, but what a day it was! The weather was perfect. And when I arrived at Copenhagen Town Hall I could hardly believe what I was seeing. Bikes everywhere! Hundreds of people had joined us for the last day, and all riders were wearing T-shirts and yellow reflective vests from our sponsors Jysk and Novozymes. It was really a thrill to see all these "uniformed" co-riders. Most of the people there were people who had participated on the ReDiscovery Tour over the last year. It was great to see all these people again and refresh fond memories of all the great days I've had on the road. People had come from the farthest corners of the country and indeed the world, including Northern Jutland, Southern Jutland, Lolland, Falster, Bornholm and even Borneo. We had co-riders from age 5 to 75 and from all walks of life. We even had a couple of American riders who had heard aboutthe Tour and wanted to join. I was particularly glad to have my bike sponsor, Danish cyclist legend Ole Ritter join me for this last ride. His ‘Ole Ritter Special” bike has beena faithful companion throughout the tour. Many other good friends also joined me, including Minister for Development Assistance Ulla Tørnæs and her entire family, Minister for Education Bertel Haarder, Copenhagen Deputy Mayor Pia Allerslev, Lotte Heise, renowned actor Flemming Enevold, TV news anchor sports celebrities Claus Elming and Jesper Elming, President of the Danish Sports Cycling Union Tom Lund, Director of the Danish Leisure Cyclist Federation Jens Loft Rasmussen, President of the Danish Leisure Cyclist Federation Claus Hansen and Copenhagen University Pro-Rector Lykke Friis. We must have had ten mayors from around Denmark, and I was delighted that Cecilie Hallev, my friend from Hastrup in Køge could join. And it was a particular thrill to have many staff from the Embassy and my daughter Laura by my side. It was definitely an “All Star Cast.” After shaking the hand and saying hello to each co-riders and having been interviewed by national media I grabbed a bullhorn and got up on stairs in front of Copenhagen City Hall. I welcomed all the co-riders and thanked them for showing up and celebrating the end of the ReDiscovery Tour and celebrating America's birthday. At around 10:35 a.m. six police motorcycles and three police cars rolled into position signaling that it was time to start riding. Copenhagen Police had been kind enough to give us a full police escort. Not just a motorcycle in front of the peloton and one behind, but the full scale version with motorcycles blocking all side roads and intersections along the way. The first ride was less than half a kilometer from Copenhagen Town Hall Square to the main entrance of Tivoli. At the entrance we were greeted by the Tivoli Guard. Inside Tivoli I was greeted by Bearemy, Build-A-Bear's mascot. Bearemy, who is over six feet tall, was holding a much smaller bear wearing a pin-stripe suit. It turned out that the little bear, called Paddington, was the latest addition to the embassy staff. Paddington's chief assignment will be reaching out to kids. The ride through Tivoli went quick and a few minutes later we were on our way through Copenhagen. Going through Copenhagen is very easy when you have a police escort! After hitting the brakes at the first two or three red lights you get accustomed to just driving through with the police blocking the side roads. The police escort was so efficient that we arrived at our mid-tour stop 20 minutes ahead of schedule. That just meant more time to play basket ball with the kids from Copenhagen Municipality's "Summer Camp 2008" program. We arrived at Nørrebro Hallen in the northern part of central Copenhagen called Nørrebro, which is Copenhagen's most ethnically diverse area. I arrived there with Copenhagen Deputy Mayor for Leisure and Cultural Affairs and since basketball is a leisure activity, what better than to shoot a few hoops with her and the kids at Nørrebro Hallen. I briefly introduced myself, the mayor and the entourage and then I hit the court. There were some really talented kids playing, we had some great "dogfights" and a wonderful shooting competition. Before moving on towards the residence I did a couple of interviews. Then we moved on towards the residence at a daunting speed of around 12 km/h. We had to take it really easy because we had quite a lot of small kids riding along. On the ride up to Charlottenlund Fort I invited the Ministers and Cecilie to join me at the head of the line. Cecilie, the 14 year old Dane who started the football club for young ethnic girls in Hastrup, symbolizes all three of the themes we have been focusing on during the Tour: the Spirit of Entrepreneurship, a Celebration of Cultural Diversity, and the Power of Private Action. I wanted her up front where the media and my co-riders could get to know her. At Charlottenlund Fort, our designated rendez vous point for riders who couldn't ride from the beginning we had time to enjoy the good weather and the good company while Rydhave was being prepared for the big party. I had the opportunity to talk with many of the co-riders and say hello to newly arrived co-riders. I got goosebumps when my wife Helen rode in on her bike to join us. Her first ride of the Tour! One of my guest riders loaned me her “DoRag” to put on my head, so for the finale I was definitely the coolest looking Ambassador ever. As the ride had progressed over the morning new riders began to join us. Now as we headed down the last stretch to Rydhave we must have had at least 300 riders on bicycle. The last stretch up to Rydhave – a full 1.5 km – was great. We all parked our bikes in front of the house and walked into the garden. The media was in full force, and could not wait to get photos of the “Ambassador in DoRag”. We enjoyed boxed lunches from SAS Airlines and Scandic Hotels, ice cream from Coldstone Creamery and Tropicana Juice for everybody. While everybody was getting their lunches and settling in the shade under the many trees the wonderful CIS band was entertaining. Mette, Joe, Alex and Chris had rehearsed for weeks at our house and they sounded terrific. As soon as people were settled in, I got on stage to welcome everybody and to thank them for participating in the ReDiscovery Tour. I spoke about the themes of the tour and about what I have learned about Denmark and the Danes. I introduced them to Cecilie and spoke of her symbolizing the three themes of the tour. I think Cecilie was a bit surprised to be called on stage in front of 300 people but she managed great. As you know I have been handing out ReDiscovery Coins to participants and co-riders along the route over the last year. There were however four coins left that had not been handed out yet. The first coin went to the most resilient co-rider of them all; a co-rider who has been there every kilometer of every day and never complained once. I am of course talking about EMU, our blue stuffed co-riding representative from the Danish Ministry of Education who has been ever present throughout the tour. The next three coins were for Bo, Mick and Philip who have also been with me throughout the tour, making sure we got where we were supposed to go, that there were coins for co-riders, the priceless "Mick Stops", photos, snacks, and all those other things that make a project like this work. After my speech, we had a small lottery where the lucky winners got to walk away with either an X-Box supplied by Microsoft or an EMU supplied by UNI-C / Ministry of Education. Then it was time for the main entertainment of the day. My friend Remee had arranged for “Basim“, the wonderful young talent from the Danish TV show X-Factor to sing a few songs. A couple of songs into Basim's great performance I interrupted the show with a little surprise. Apart from being America's birthday, July 4 is also Basim's birthday, so Helen had ordered a special graffiti birthday cake for Basim. Basim didn't know that I knew it was his birthday so you can imagine how surprised he was when I asked the entire crowd to sing happy birthday to Basim. Basim cut the cake and shared it with many of the teenage girls who seemed very happy to hang out and eat birthday cake with him. All charged up by the birthday cake Basim finished his set in great form. A big thank you goes out to all participants, co-arrangers, hosts, co-riders, sponsors and to Basim for making this tour and its spectacular ending possible. It's been a great experience, showing the great hospitality and friendship Denmark is known for. The day marked a wonderful end to a wonderful tour. A tour where America learned a lot more about this great country, and where I would like to think the Danish people saw a side of America they do not see in the media. I hope the Tour has left a lasting impression on the people of Denmark. I know it has left a lasting impression on me. Best of all, I leave the Tour with great confidence that these two countries will remain close allies and friends long into the future, just as we have for the past 217 years. If you want to know more about what I learned, who I met, and the experiences I had , you’ll have to Read The Book!from Day 36 - Køge - Copenhagen, 66km (2487)Today is the last day of long biking. And it was a beautiful day. I am sure we have had days with as much sunshine as this, but I don’t think we have had one with the combination of complete sunshine, warm temperatures, and a following wind for most of the day; a perfect biking day. Today was special for another reason too. We had a fabulous group of guest riders who rode with us virtually all day ; business leaders from AmCham, the Danish American Business Forum, Iron Mountain, and our Foreign Commercial Service at the Embassy; Embassy Colleagues from America’s law enforcement services; renowned Danish entertainer Lotte Heise, my friend Henrik Ørnfeldt and his daughter Anne Sofie who is Danish Junior Champion in squash, and our first two international diplomats, Jan-Erik Enestam, Secretary General of the Nordic Council Secretariat and Paula Blomster, his secretary, and wife of the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Copenhagen, Dr. Ricardo José Alvarado Noguera, the Nicaraguan Ambassador. The entire group made it virtually all 66 km from Køge to the Copenhagen Gates. Our day started in Køge on the Main Square where Team Rediscovery gathered for press interviews and photos and the send off on our 36th Day. Our first ride was 25 km to Ishøj, on a great bike path that gave me good opportunity to visit with all the guest riders, one at a time. In Ishøj I was met by my old friend Seyit Özkan, the Deputy Mayor who I had met soon after my arrival in Denmark, and who hosted me at my first visit to a Mosque in Denmark, in the spring of 2006. Seyit, Gunnar, Carol Anne and Charlotte gave me a wonderful tour of three different integration projects in the community. Ishøj is home to 21,000 people, mostly of non-Danish ethnic descent. There are 81 different nationalities here, but around 75% is of Turkish origin. At the local Youth Center I met Ray who is an American who has been living in Denmark for 18 years and runs a great program to provide young people a place to gather, network on the internet, play games and do their homework after school and on weekends. (Ray went to college at North Carolina, my home state.) The Center reaches over 1,500 young people each year. I enjoyed playing table tennis and foosball with them. We stopped at a kindergarten and learned how children ages 4 to 6 are nurtured in this community (EMU got some great photos). And we stopped at the House for the Street Teams. These are 9 teams of men and women who travel the neighborhood on bicycles serving as “ambassadors” for the community, and intervening, providing guidance, and mentoring where needed. It is a great program that was started about two years ago, and Gunner believes they have some good leads for recruits for our Taking the Lead summer camp program. We then continued another 8 km or so to the Vestegnens Police Station, one of the largest Police district headquarters in Denmark. We were welcomed by Police Commissioner Henning Thiesen and his senior colleagues. The station covers 11 cities, and its population is 25% from ethnic backgrounds. We were briefed on the very impressive new Command and Control Center which is equipped with the state of the art GPS location technology and provides instantaneous response. The commissioner and his colleagues briefed me on the implementation of the recent Danish police reform legislation, and their recruiting challenges. Unfortunately, though the district is 25% ethnic background, only appx 2% of the police force is of ethnic background, and only 10% are female. We spoke about the nature of criminal activity in Denmark vs. America and I found it very interesting that in Denmark, a nation of 5.6 million people, with 10,900 policemen, last year police drew their guns only 300 times. (I expect the corresponding per capita figure in the US is much higher.) The district experienced its most spectacular crime a few months ago with the dramatic robbery of a money storage warehouse where the heavily armed bandits escaped with a reported 62 million Dkr. ($13 million). I was honored at the Police Station to meet and be briefed by Sargeant Michael Storgaard. Sargeant Storgaard just recently returned from duty in Iraq where he was training Iraqi police for the Coalition. While the Sargeant was in Iraq, he received word that his son Anders had been killed by an IED while on patrol with the Danish Army in Helmand Province. I had sent Michael and his wife a letter of condolence when I heard the news a few months ago. I think the ReDiscovery Coin I gave Michael was the most meaningful to me of any I have given on the Tour. Our next stop after 7 km was the Idrættens Hus in Brøndby where the Danish American Football Associaton was having a clinic with six coaches from USA Football, teaching coaching strategies to sixty Danes who are coaching American club football. It was great to see my friend Henrik Ørnstrøm, who heads DAFF and who has done so much to bring football to Denmark, and meet with the guys, share sports stories, and talk about our efforts to bring the World Championships to Denmark in the summer of 2011, and to bring an NFL Regular Season Game here soon thereafter. After meeting with the coaches we rode a few km down the road to the Avedøre Gymnaisum where the Danish Under 19 national American Football Team was practicing for the European championships. I watched their drills with three American coaches and was impressed with the team, and was pleased to learn that three of their players are playing in high school in the US. I also got to see Prime Minister Rasmussen’s nephew run a great play from scrimmage for a touchdown. After the practice the Coach invited me to address the squad, and then we ran three pass plays. I overthrew the first receiver, who maybe didn’t know I could really throw the ball, but then the next two were long passes for touchdowns. (How I wish my two brothers had been there to see that! Ok, the defense may have let up a little bit, but they were giving double-coverage!) The last official stop of the day was the offices of Iron Mountain, where I had had the pleasure of visiting a few months ago. Iron Mountain is an American-owned company that is the market-leader in paper storage, and we were all impressed with the huge stacks of boxes in their remarkable secure and efficient warehouse. (Emu had fun riding on the forklift). I had hoped the last 12 km of the day would allow for a vigorous ride into Copenhagen, alas road construction, intersections and traffic prevented us from getting much speed, but I was grateful for the slow pace, because if I had not been going pretty slow, I am not sure I would have seen the Harley Davidson Dealership passing us on the opposite side of the road. “what an appropriate symbol for my last stop on the last long day of the ReDiscovery Tour’, I thought, so we came to a stop and dashed inside for the obligatory photo perched in the saddle of a giant Harley ‘Hog”. Riding into Town Hall Square was almost a little melancholy. The weather was great but I was a little sad that the 2500 km ReDiscovery Tour was just about over. When I pulled up with the other members of the Team there was, I thought, only One Way to cure the melancholy … To Tivoli we went!! Everyone agreed it was a fitting way to end the day so we grabbed tickets and hopped on the Red Demon. It was the first time for some, so the experience, and the photos, were priceless. But there is only one really fitting way for Team Rediscovery to end a day like this, and it isn’t on a hair-raising Tivoli ride; it is to get … Ice Cream! So we headed to our favorite place, Cold Stone Creamery, where I had had the honor only a few months ago to cut the ribbon on this, the first Cold Stone Creamery in Europe, and all agreed it was one of the best decisions we have made in the past 36 days of Biking! Next stop … July 4, and the Final Day of the ReDiscovery Tour.from Day 35, Slagelse-Sorø-Ringsted-Køge, 80km (2421)I reluctantly left Valdemar Slot feeling a little bleary-eyed after a gourmet breakfast and a quick kiss on the head for Josephine and Alexander (who very cleverly had managed to end up with three of my ReDiscovery Coins!) Unfortunatly I could not convince Mads to join me for a second day of riding, perhaps because he did not want to leave the fun group gathered at breakfast, or perhaps because he had looked out the window and seen the rain pouring down outside. Regardless, I am glad that he awaked to see me off, as I was worried that when the Castle opened to the public in another hour or so the first tourists would be surprised to find a body soundly asleep underneath the sheets in the “King’s Bedroom”. Arriving back in Slagelse our first stop was the new in-line skating track recently built by the municipality. This includes the only parabolic skating track in all of Northern Europe. It is a great track and I was impressed to see “Team Slagelse” take to the track and show me their stuff. (The rain of course slowed things down a bit, and I was somewhat relieved that it gave me an excuse not to embarrass myself by trying to skate with these young folks.) I enjoyed visiting with the team and their coaches over coffee and I wish good luck to Nicolai and his teammates in their quest for the Gold. The 15 km ride to Sorø Academy was without a doubt the wettest of the entire 35 Day tour. My guest riders, including Martin Lykkegaard Mogensen from the Gerlev Sports Academy, Sergeant Cates of our US Marine Corps Detachment, and several members of our Public Affairs staff, rode through the most severe deluge I think I have seen in the three years we have been here. We were all soaked to the bone when we arrived at the historic Sorø Academy and were greeted by Senior professor Lars Kelstrup. Sorø Academy is the oldest academic institution in Denmark, going back 1200 years to when it was a Cistercian Monastery. Its Cathedral was the first brick building in Denmark, and its headmaster, lives in the oldest building to be continuously occupied in the country. Sorø was founded by King Frederik II in 1586. The first football came to Denmark here 150 years ago next year. Archbishop Absalon is buried here in the Cathedral. All this grand history, however, was relegated in importance for the moment because today was GRADUATION DAY! I felt really guilty that Lars had missed the graduation ceremony in order to receive us, and I will be forever greatful to him for giving me the opportunity to participate in the Graduation exercise. When the formal ceremony in the Cathedral was completed, the 150 graduates filed down to the grand steps in front of the library for the ceremonial photograph. With lightbulbs flashing and cameras clicking, I was invited to address the students, which I did with relish. I ended with a hearty “Congratulations” in my best Danish-English, wishes for a Great Truck ride and an invitation to ‘Come to America”! It was great fun watching the young graduates hop on the elaborately-decorated trucks for the traditional Truck Ride. Our daughter Cameron just graduated last week from the Copenhagen International School and we had really enjoyed hosting her “Truck” at the Residence for a good-old American hamburger and hot dog cookout. But I did not get to see the inside of her Truck, so it was a real treat when one group of graduating students offered me a Tuborg and invited me to hop up on the truck to join them for a commemorative photo. We left Sorø following the Truck brigade and headed down the road for Ringsted. Miraculously, the rain had stopped almost the moment the students headed out from the Graduation ceremonies so the rest of the day’s ride was much better than the morning. In Ringsted mayor Hermansen and Freddy Svane, director of the Agriculture Council, and former Danish Ambassador to Japan, led us in a discussion of Danish Agrucultural policy. It was great to be joined by 4 young Danish farmers. They are facing the same problems as American farmers, and we talked of the challenges of high prices, particularly on the price of soybeans in America which are an important import for Danish feed for swine. We spoke of the differences in rules and regulations between America and the EU, the growth of the organic movement, and the increasing importance of genetically modified crops if we are to meet the needs of the growing global population for healthy food. Freddy and I agreed that it would be great to initiate an exchange program between young farmers in Denmark and America. Two of my favorite responses to my First Question came from the discussion with the young farmers. When I asked what “America” meant to them, Randi said “Big Tractors!” Mie said “Men in Cowboy Hats!” When I asked her if she had ever seen a man in a cowboy hat in Denmark, and she said no, it gave me a great opportunity to tell my favorite story of the Tour; that immortal Day 4 when we rode past Jørgen and Doris Olsen’s “Texas Square Country and Western Store” in Farendløse. Mayor Hermansen was thrilled with the story because he knows Doris and Jørgen, and the store is actually in the Ringsted Kommune, so many of our guests in the room had heard the story, and I found out then that the local paper just yesterday had run a story about my coming to town on bicycle, and ran a picture of me with Jørgen when he came to our “Bamse” Elvis CD Release party at the Residence and handcuffed me with his authentic Texas handcuffs. Leaving Ringsted in the direction of Køge, we seemed to be going a bit out of the way. When I mentioned that to Philip, he said he had a little ‘surprise” for me. After carrying our bikes across a muddy section of road under repair, we turned a rural corner and there it was: Texas Square Country and Western! What a delight it was to return to the site of my favorite experience on the Tour. This was a surprise visit and unfortunately Jørgen was not in the store, but Doris was there and the store looked just as I had remembered it, and it was great to have Alistair and Michael and others from the Embassy riding with us so that they could confirm that I was not exaggerating about this amazing place. Doris proudly showed us the photos from our visit last year, mounted along with the ReDiscovery Coin, and also the photograph of Jørgen and me in yesterday’s newspaper. We took a few photographs for posterity, and headed back on our bikes. (Philip, this was a brilliant surprise. All of the wrong turns, gravel roads and misdirections of the past 35 Days are completely forgiven!!) The last long ride of the day was 25 km ride to Køge. I had a burst of energy after about 5 km from all the pastries I had eaten in Ringsted so Rico and I hit sprint speed and flew the last 20 km at an average of around 40 km per hour (we had pretty good wind most of the way). We arrived in Køge at Hastrup, a community with a large ethnic population, and stopped at Hastrup Skole where I was greeted by my friend Mayor Marie Stærke and my new friend Louisa, a teacher dressed in festive ‘Spanish’ attire, representing the teachers who were celebrating graduation with a Spanish-themed party. I do not think I have ever seen a more fun group of teachers. But before joining with the teachers in celebration, I first needed to meet a remarkable young lady named Cecilie Hallev. Cecilie is an avid football (soccer) player. Last year, at the age of 15, Cecilia was troubled by the fact that young Muslim girls in this neighborhood did not have an opportunity to play organized football. So she started a team of young girls, and called them FC Hastrup. I was greeted by the cute young girls in their pink football jerseys with “FC Hastrup” on the front, along with the name of their sponsor Spar Nord Bank. Two of the young girls were in their traditional headscarves and Cecilie explained to me and to the local media in attendance that she was leading a campaign within the Danish Football Union to allow girls to play in headscarves. Cecilie is a remarkable young lady, and she has been nominated by the commune to receive the Ministry of Integretion’s Annual Integration Award (the one that Reverand Torben Hangaard and Imam Abu Hassan received a couple of years ago.) I can think of no better example in Denmark of the combination of the spirit of volunteerism and the spirit of cultural diversity than Cecilie. She would be an excellent recipient of the award. The visit with Cecilie and FC Hastrup gave me a chance to tell the media and the Mayor about our Taking the Lead summer leadership camp for young people from ethnic backgrounds. I am a firm believer in the Power of Team Sports to bring people together, and the Leadership camp this summer at the Gerlev Sports Academy will showcase that power. I am hopeful that some of the young ladies from FC Haslev will join us for the camp. After kicking the ball around with the girls for a few minutes on the field I made the obligatory stop by the teacher’s party to wish them well for the summer. Wow, do those teacher’s know how to party! As Philip said as we were leaving “If my teachers had been like that, I would have stayed in school for a lot more years!” I am really sorry that we could not stay longer (and I think Team ReDiscovery was equally sorry to have to leave), but we headed for the last stop of the Day, the Køge Town Center, which was about 4 km away. I was honored to have both Mayor Marie Stærke and Cecilie Hallev join me for the final ride and was really pleased when Cecilie committed that she would join us on July 4 in Copenhagen for the final ride of the ReDiscovery Tour. That is now only one day’s ride away.from Day 34, Odense–Kerteminde-Slagelse 80 km (2341)After a good night’s sleep at Valdemar Slot in the largest bedroom I have ever slept in (I believe it is the same size as the tennis court at the Residence), I was thrilled that my day was starting with good friend, and “celebrity guest rider of the day” Mads Ulrich. Mads had been worried about whether he could make the 75 km Day or not, and I think he was encourage when we left Valdemar Slot in my black armored Cadillac with the bikes in the van behind us, drove 45 minutes to Odense, and then took the bikes out of the van just a few hundred meters from the Fraugde Skole, which was our first destination. “So this is how it works!” Mads said with enthusiasm ‘You don’t actually ride the whole way on bike, you just pull up in the car a few meters from your destination, get the bikes out, and throw a little water on your face so that it looks like you have been riding!!” The bodyguards and I laughed really hard and explained to Mads that we did this to start the day so that we could pick up exactly where we left off the day before, but from here on out it was all on bicycle!! (Mads was a real Champion and made it in great form for the entire 75 km, looking pretty good, I should say, in his “designer” cycling jersey and pants! ) As we were unloading the bikes to start the day I was pleased to see the great article and photographs from the day before in the local Fyns Stiftstidende newspaper showing the “Elvis Twins” entertaining the crowd in front of the Odense Zoo. I was afraid the image would be a little “undiplomatic”, But the media seems to have understood the point about the celebration of the Great American rags-to-riches success story that Elvis represents, which I call “Elvis Diplomcay”. The biking day started In Tingkjær to the Fraugde Skole which was having its annual sports day. It was great fun riding in to the school with the enthusiastic students eagerly wanting to shake my hand and try out their English. I was hosted by Henrik (“Elvis”) Busborg, who is a teacher at the school, and clearly a very popular teacher. The School honored me with the opportunity to address all the students, and then about 30 of them joined me for the 12 km ride into Odense. The ride into Odense was one of the most delightful of the Tour. Each of the 30 students took turns, usually in pairs, riding beside me to have a conversation. Some were a little shy but I think all eventually opened up and shared their thoughts with me. Two of these young people had been in a group that interviewed me last year at the News Museum in Odense. (that was one of the most fun interviews I have ever done.) I learned a great deal from these young people, mostly between 12 and 15 years old. I learned that they are curious about America, that they like American music and American movies. The boys like American sports, mostly base ball and basketball, and the girls would like to go to New York to Shop. These young people have an impression of America that is large, open minded, with lots of opportunity and powerful, but that is too “war-happy” , not healthy enough, and does not take care of its poor people. My favorite response on the” What does America mean to you” question was “The Green lady”, meaning the Statue of Liberty. These young people are split almost 50/50 on their preference for Martin or Basim! (I invited them to all come join Basim and me for the Tour-ending celebration on July 4 in Copenhagen.) I told several of the students how proud I was when I joined the President at his private home earlier this year to host Prime Minister Rasmussen, when the Prime Minister mentioned to the President the “great Elvis party” we had hosted at the Residence last year. I told him all about Henrik and the “Power of Elvis” in Denmark. I think their teacher got a lot more cool all the sudden! The great group of young folks, along with Henrik, rode with me all the way to the headquarters of TV2 in Odense where News Director Michael Dyrby met us out front and provided welcome refreshments for all the young people. I presented the commemorative coin to all my guests, and then headed to the offices of IFAD, a very impressive small company involved in software design Here the 20 employees do very sophisticated design, including design of certain software in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter airplane. Their primary expertise is in warfare simulation software, which I got to see tested. I’ll bet these guys are really good at video games. Our next stop was in Munkebo where I was met by a group of Gymnasium students who joined me for the ride into Kerteminde. These young people were great conversationalists on the 13 km ride into Kerteminde (giving me 7.1 and 7.7 on my Third Question), and I was really happy that they could join me for the very unique experience in Kerteminde at the “Dialogue Bench.” Mayor Palle Hansborg-Sørensen explained to me upon arrival that the town several years installed several benches outside of their beautiful cathedral for people to sit on and “talk”. They were inspired by the “Speakers corner’ in Hyde park in London, and I could not wait to take my turn on the bench, where I was surrounded by my young riders from Munkebo, and by a dozen new young friends from schools in Kerteminde. I was particularly pleased that two of our new group included two students who had travelled to America last summer with our “Windows on America” program. This is a program we initiated, along with a commitment from the Egmont Foundation, to send 15 young people from ethnic backgrounds in Denmark on a three-week study tour in the US. It is a fabulous program, and these two students reported enthusiastically about the positive experience they had had. They said they returned with a whole new appreciation for the people and spirit of America. I spent about 30 minutes on the Dialogue Bench talking with the young, and some not so young, people. It was really funny trying to talk while eating a huge ice cream cone that the mayor handed me as we were just beginning the dialogue. I kept watching Bo, Claus and Alex laughing and pointing, when I finally realized that I had been speaking for about ten minutes with a big glob of whipped cream on my chin. (thank you Alex for finally giving me the not-so-subtle sign to wipe it off.) We left Kerteminde for about a 20 km ride to Nyborg with the imposing bridge growing larger in the distance. On the way to Nyborg we were a little ahead of schedule so we stopped at a great antique store where I was able to find a few things to add to our collections. Arriving at the foot of the bridge we packed up the bikes and drove them across. I have now returned to Sealand, almost completing the 2500 km odyssey I started 34 days ago. Arriving back on solid land, we unpacked the bikes in Korsør and were joined by Kim Carlsen, the Director of Tourism, and Per Christiansen from the Danish Cyclist federation who gave us a “riding tour” of Korsør and the beautiful countryside as we made our way toward Slagelse. On the way we stopped at Trelleborg to see the historic Viking fortress. We were met by Mayor Lis Tribler and Mads Thernøe, the director of the Trelleborg museum. Trelleborg is the only Viking museum in Denmark actually located on an ancient Viking settlement. I was treated to a Viking feast and hand-to-hand Viking combat by two valiant authentically dressed Vikings who were fighting over a woman, also dressed in authentic period costume, and who happened to be from America! In Slagelse I was invited to visit the beautiful performing arts hall and participate in the Nordea Business Awards Ceremony. I felt a little underdressed as I greeted the crowd of 100 guests and was invited to speak, but it was a grand opportunity to talk about the meaning of the ReDiscovery Tour, the spirit of innovation that the Nordea Business Award celebrated, and of my joy at returning to Slagelse which is the home to my favorite of all of our initiatives: our “Taking the Lead “ summer leadership camp for young people from ethnic neighborhoods. It will be held the first week in August at the Gerlev Sports Academy and is designed to nurture the next generation of leaders within the ethnic communities of Denmark. Returning to Valdemars Slot for the evening, Mads and I were delighted to have the opportunity to sit down and enjoy a fantastic meal with our hosts and a very interesting gathering of guests. We shared stories of the day, talked a little politics and faith, spoke of Denmark’s unique role in the world, and learned of the history of the grand castle, including its legendary ghost. When I retired in the wee hours of the morning after enjoying the best of Danish hospitality, tradition and fellowship, I tried to stay awake long enough to hear if the ghost had arrived, but I am afraid that the rigorous day had zapped me of my energy, and I was soon fast asleep dreaming of knights and battles and castles and ….from Day 33: Faaborg-Glamsbjerg-Odense - 83 km (2261)Today I arrive on Fyn, for the eastward ride toward the final return home. The day started with at 12 km ride from Bøjden, at the ferry dock, to Faaborg. The first stop was at the Faaborg old town hall where Mayor Bo Andersen and his colleagues briefed me on the municipality which is home to 20,000 people, 70% of whom live in small villages. The town has 20 “free schools”, which are “private” schools who get 15% of their funding from tuition, the rest public. Like much of Denmark, the town has an aging population, which is creating fiscal pressure. Two unique features of the town are the management structure, which is a four-year experiment in decentralization and leaves much autonomy in the local unit (school, hospital, elder care home, etc) pursuant to a contract. The second is the spirit of volunteerism that is present down here, particularly in the area of elderly care. It is a spirit that Anne Jensen says is growing as the citizens realize that government cannot take care of everything. Tom Lund then briefed me on the Danish Cycling Championship that begins here tomorrow in Faaborg. 20,000 people will witness the 160 riders compete over the course, some of which we will ride today. Leaving Faaborg we had a great group of riders join us for the 25 km into Glamsberg. The ride was beautiful over a rolling landscape with great views of the water from almost every location. (It is not wonder that many are moving here from Copenhagen.) Mayor Andersen was a great riding companion and is training for the “Denmark to paris” ride that other of my fellow riders along the tour are also attending. (I would love to return and do that some day.) Glamsberg is interesting because it has a town association that makes sure the town stays alive and active. I enjoyed hearing of their civic-minded pride at investing in the future of their community from a voluntary perspective. They escorted me to the hotel in the middle of the town for a “Fyn Coffeetable” which was without a doubt the most decadent, delicious and dangerous spread of sweets I have encountered on the tour. There must have been at least twelve different pies, cakes, and pastry treats that I was invited to try. Fortunately the dozen businessmen joining me had a lot of things on their minds so my attention was distracted, then we invited in a dozen young people from neighboring schools who joined us for a dialogue and to help us with the feast. The town has eleven schools, which is remarkable for a town of its size. Their slogan is “where knowledge is, knowledge will grow”. The young people were absolutely delightful . To my first question; “What does ‘America’ mean to you?” I received great responses: The older folks in the audience said “freedom, religion, big, NASA, and hospitality”. The young folks said “movies, education, war and power, and junk food”. To the second question (what would you want an American to know about Denmark), the older folks said “social security for everyone, our informality and our tax system”. The younger ones said : “our closeness of family, social system, lack of worry. The responses to my Third Question were really interesting (How close are America and Denmark, and does it really matter.) The older folks gave me a 6.5 and 8.5 average (on a 1-10 scale). The young folks gave me a 7..5 and 8.5. We talked about why the numbers for young people outside of Copenhagen are so much higher than for those inside Copenhagen. They said things like: “because in Copenhagen people are brainwashed and too controlled. They think they are the chosen people in the country and that they know better than everyone else; that the people in the countryside are simple. We in the countryside like to have friends; to us relationships are more important, so we see the need for closeness to America while they don’t”. Interesting perspective, I thought. Leaving Glamsberg I was delighted that many of the students rode with me, and I was particularly pleased that Minister of Environment Troels Lund Poulsen joined me. The Minister is very focused on the role of the agricultural community in the environmental debate, and is a great advocate for proactive environmental policies. We rode into Odense and arrived at the Odense Zoo for what would become one of the more unique, if not bizarre, events of the Tour. When I pulled up in front of the zoo my good friend Henrik “The King” Busborg was entertaining the gathered crowd with a booming rendition of “Blue Suede Shoes” in his black sequined Elvis outfit. I was thrilled to tell the crowd about the amazing “Elvis Fest” that we had had at the Residence two years ago, and the fact that the Prime Minister mentioned it to the President when we met at Crawford, Texas ealier this year. Henrik promised the crowd a “surprise”, so he and I dashed into the back and I slipped into Henrik’s white sequined Elvis outfit, complete with an incredible America Eagle and flag encrusted belt. The Crowd cheered when the Elvis Twins emerged. (though I think Henrik had a better hair day than I did!) I think the two of us cut a striking figure on our bicycles as we rode the six km from the zoo to our next destination. It was so funny watching the reaction of the Danes we passed by on our bikes – which was no reaction at all! Danes try so hard not to seem nosey. When we had passed by, and stopped by about a dozen people, none of whom had even looked surprised or shocked or even curious, I finally pulled up beside one young lady of about 20 years old, who we had been riding behind for about a km, looked at her, with Henrik on one side of her and me on the other, and I said: “So, does this happen to you every day?” She smiled slightly and said ‘Yes”. And rode on off! Our next destination was the home of Torben Eschen, who is probably the best Elvis historian in Denmark. Above Torben’s door is a sign that says “Graceland”. The media was there In full force for our arrival, and joined us as we toured Torben’s apartment, full of Elvis memorabilia. I must admit that my attention was distracted by some of the other less politically-correct items in his home, and it was probably good that we did not linger very long in the house, but it was great to have the opportunity to meet Torben, pay tribute to the Power of Elvis, and learn from Torben about the connection between Denmark and The King. I have to admit a little apprehension about the news coverage of the Elvis episode and I anxiously await the news stories. We left Torben’s home after changing back into our biking gear, said goodbye for now to my friend Henrik, and headed to the Vollsmose Kirke to meet my old friend Reverend Torben Hangaard. I have been to the Kirke several times, to check in on the amazing work that Torben and his Muslim friends Imam Abu Hassan and Maher Al-Badawi are doing to bring the Christian and Muslim communities together. (the last time I was here was for an Elvis concert given by Henrik busborg.) I call the work here “Interfaith works”, because here Torben, Abu Hassan and Maher are not just talking about integration, they are creating projects to make it happen. I was pleased to find that things are going better than ever here in Vollsmose. Twenty to thirty young Muslim kids come to this Christian church twice a week after school to work on their homework. The extraordinary thing is that their mothers also come twice a week for tutoring in how to help the kids with their homework. What a great “InterFaith Works” initiative. Torben showed me for the first time the photo that went all over the international news the day the Muhammad cartoons were first published in September of 2005. It was of him and Abu Hassan standing together with a crowd behind them, holding a Bible and a Koran. I was particularly pleased to hear Torben report on the great success their programs were having, as they are now starting to see young Muslim kids from the community attend University. This place is spreading the spirit of hope and inclusion to young people from ethnic backgrounds better than anyplace I have seen in Denmark. I still find it strange that more leaders from the faith community are not coming forward to learn from and replicate the good works of the Vollsmose Kirke. The Day ended with a ride to our host for the evening, Valdemars Slot. This is the most amazing Manor Home in Denmark. It was built by King Christian IV for his favorite son Valdemar in the years 1639 - 1644. Valdemar was killed in battle in Poland and never occupied the home. It was given as a prize to an ancestor of the current owners after he won a great battle against the Swedes in 1678. The castle is open to the public and elaborately decorated, boasts an antique toy collection, an antique boat collection, and the most unbelievable trophy collection of mounted big and small game animals; better I think than the collection I have seen at the Smithsonian in Washington! The current owner, Baroness Caroline Fleming, is the eleventh generation of the family to own the historic castle. Caroline is an amazing lady with two adorable children, Alexander (4) and Josephine (18 months), and she was an incredibly energetic and gracious hostess for our two nights at the most remarkable Residence in the Kingdom. (It was the first time I had ever slept in a bedroom with its own postcard!)from 2300 Copenhagen SCongratulations U.S.A. - and to you! What a splendid idea with your ReDiscovery Tour! Is it possible, that 20 children from Urbanplanen at Amager (where 2.200 children from 60 nations live ..) could come for a visit and hear about YOUR experiences with the Danes and Denmark? Please look at the homepage from Nordea Danmark-Fonden under "børnekulturpiloter". 2 million Dkr have been donated. I can be contacted by cell phone ## ## ## ##. (PS I work as receptionist at ###### ## ...) Best wishes from Marianne Falck Orbyfrom Bornholm5 people from bornholm will be joining you tomorow. we are all students from bornholms gymnasium.from OdenseDear mr. Ambassador, On behalf of all the kids on Tingkaeskolen, especially those who rode their bikes with You, I'd like to say thanks for an exciting day. The kids refered to it as "their best sports day ever"! You truly are "the peoples ambassador"! sincerly, Henrik Busborgfrom OdenseDear mr. Ambassador, Has anyone ever told You, that You look great in a jumpsuit (belt especially)? Thank You for a wonderful bikeride through Odense. Many Odense citizens turned their heads in disbelief seing TWO Elvis Presleys riding their bikes! Hope to see You in Odense again some day soon. Once again thank You or as Elvis would have put it: Thankyouverymuch! TCB Henrik Busborgfrom Day 32, Sønderborg - Fynshav - 37 km (2178)Today included the best event with young people that I have had on the entire Tour. But to start the day, Pia and Hans treated us to a wonderful breakfast, with their adorable children Benedicte (6 ) and Christian (8 months) joining us. We were also joined half way through breakfast by a journalist from the local paper who conducted an interview over coffee and hastily-eaten bread and home-made jam. Then with Hans in the lead we headed the few km down the road to the Sønderskov school. The Scene upon arrival was simply unbelievable. 750 cheering and screaming students standing outside the school awaiting my arrival, waving Danish flags. I rode the line of students, like I was “reviewing the troops” high-fiving the kids as I went. After their principal presented me with a photo of the school, they sang me this very enthusiastic and catchy song, written by one of their teachers. I yelled a few words of greeting to them, invited to them to skip school and join me on the bike, to which I got enthusiastic cheers, and then I was MOBBED! Mobbed with a laughing and cheering crowd of kids trying to get my autograph. I signed paper, shirts, flags, crumpled up bits of homework, I even signed a hat! I think I signed 300 autographs. But the highlight was the several dozen cute young girls who wanted me to kiss them on the cheek. When I complied they yelled and screamed in their high pitched voices like it was Justin Timberlake. And the best thing of all … my mother and father were there to see it all. (I hope they have called my two brothers to report it all to them.) One of the local reporters asked me with amazement in his eyes: “Is it always like this?” “Of course it is!” I said with a smile. The enthusiastic welcome was followed by a visit with a delightful class of international studies students from the 6th and 7th grade who were joined by their teacher Hisam. Sønderskov School is a UNESCO School with students from over 30 countries. Dana, Ditte, Sarah, Christoper, Joachim, Rick and Emil were engaging students and became my fun riding companions, tour guides, and friends for the next several hours of what would be one of the greatest days of the Tour. The group briefed me on the impressive international studies programs they are engaged with, currently focusing on Egypt, Jordan and Syria, their “Students Build Bridges” program, and the weekly newspaper they put out which, the current edition of which has an article on the introduction of American sports into Denmark. They had some questions prepared for me on serious topics including EU integration, Guantanamo, and the Cartoon Crisis, and they gave me some great answers to my ReDiscovery questions. On Question One, I really was intrigued by Christopher’s answer “When I think of America I think of bums and poor people huddled over trash cans in the street with fire in them to keep warm”. Why is that I asked? “Because that’s the image I see on the video games I play”, he said. On the Second Question, Ditte said she wanted Americans to know about Tivoli, and we talked about the inspiration that Tivoli had been on Walt Disney as he was conceiving Disneyland. On my Third Question, they averaged around 7.5 and 8.5, consistent with the scores of young people in Jutland (The average would have been higher but for one of my new friends who gave me 4’s and 5’s because he thought Europe needed to become stronger and the way for that to happen was for European countries to become less close to the US.) My new riders and I left Sønderskov School and headed across the imposing Sønderborg Draw Bridge to “Alsion”, the grand structure on the waterfront that houses a University, Concert Hall, Science Center, Nanotech Lab, Innovation Incubator, Office headquarters and Railroad ticket office. It is one of the most fascinating stories of spacial integration I have come across. Former Mayor A P Hansen proudly showed us around the beautiful complex, decorated with Olive trees from America, and I was not surprised to learn that my friend Jørgen Mads Clausen of Danfoss has been much of the inspiration behind the project. (Mayor Hansen said “Danfoss is to Sønderborg what Lego is to Billund and Grundfoss is to Bjerringbro”. Having seen each of these towns on my tour through Denmark, I can attest to the incredible positive impact and public-spirited investment that these companies have had on their communities.) After the tour of the Alsion, Peter Rathje, Director of the Sønderborg harbor project , who rode with us Day 31, gave us an extensive briefing on the plans for the region to become carbon neutral by 2029, called “Project Zero” (which explains the “I am a Zero (fan)” T shirt that I had been wearing.) Peter also unveiled for us the amazing $200 million “Bright Green Harbor” project on twenty acres across the water from Alsion, that is being designed by American architect Frank Gehry. Gehry is one of the world’s most renowned architects, but according to Peter he is having to learn about sustainability in order to design this project. With a little time to kill, my seven young friends escorted me through the cobblestone walking street of Sønderborg to their favorite store: __ Candy store where a world of succulent treats awaited us. Hans was generous enough to offer to purchase candy for each of us, so I picked out a fluffy “Florbolle”, which was a meal in itself. They then escorted me to the Town Hall where Mayor Jan Prokopek Jensen met us and showed us to the beautiful old council chambers, now too small for the 31 member council after consolidation of seven towns into one kommune. Mayor Jensen made a very nice presentation, including the brightest, greenest shirt I have worn on the Tour, and a beautiful miniature glass windmill. Mayor Jensen explained that the windmill was made by hand by handicapped citizens of the town. He said the town employs 200 of them to make things like this, which are then sold or given as city souvenirs, a great example of “public charity”. After a very nice lunch at Brøggeriet hosted by the Mayor, I reluctantly said my goodbyes to Dana, Ditte, Sarah, Christopher, Joachim, Rick and Emil, but only after making them promise that they would consider coming to our July 4 “ReDiscovery Finale”, and after Rick made me promise that I would consider returning to catch the Alice Cooper concert in a couple of weeks (!). I also said goodbye to Mom and Dad who were catching the train back to Copenhagen, and then headed down the road to Danfoss Solar Inverters. Here CEO Henrik Raunkjær briefed us on the rapidly expanding market for solar energy, and the innovative approach that Danfoss Solar is taking toward the opportunity (with Danfoss in the name, it must be innovative.) I learned a great deal about the market and economics for solar-produced electricity from Henrik, and find it interesting that Germany’s “feed in tariff” structure, wherein the government guarantees a “take” price for produced electricity for twenty years, rapidly created a retail market for solar power in that country, leading in only a few years to the concentration of the solar manufacturing cluster in that country. The “net metering” structure adopted by Denmark and most other countries does not provide the guarantee and return that Germany’s structure does, so the market has not grown rapidly elsewhere.(Unlike the wind industry in Denmark which grew rapidly and created the largest wind industry because the government policies made “home ownership” of wind attractive.) I also found Henrik’s discussion of the evolution of Green Tech interesting; he contrasted the Green Tech of today with the “Environmental Tech” of the 70s and 80s: an Entrepreneural mentality vs. a Save the Earth Mentality, an Economic Driven market vs. a Regulatory driven market, a focus on high growth industries (solar, wind, etc) vs. slow growth industries (waste). Before we left Danfoss Solar Henrik presented me with a stuffed Lemur, whose actual taxanomic name is “Microebus Danfossi”. This little guy is one of the most efficient creatures in the animal kingdom. When he goes into sleep mode his body temperature drops 50% and his energy consumption drops 40%. How it got the “Danfossi” name I do not know, but with this company, nothing surprises me. Leaving Danfoss Solar we make a quick stop by Sønderborg Værktøjsfabrik, a company that has produced the mold for making parts for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. The Joint Strike Fighter is the next generation of fighter jet that our military has chosen for America’s defense. Denmark is a partner in the early design of the JSF, and certain parts of the JSF are manufactured in Denmark. This particular part manufactured by the Danish company Terma and is a component of the Rolls Royce jet engine. The Lockheed Martin-designed JSF is one of two American planes that we hope will provide Denmark’s next generation of fighter jet; the other being the Boeing F-18. With a few new riding companions from Sønderborg Værktøjsfabrik we headed 20 km down the road toward the Fynshav harbor and our final leg in Jutland. The scenery of the back roads of this area is rolling and beautiful. We were having a very pleasant ride, and good conversation, when we passed a Go-kart track that looked like something I used to go to as a boy in North Carolina. It just looked too compelling, so we had to stop. Heading down the hill to the “pit” area we arrived in an excited group of about two dozen young IT engineers who were here on a corporate outing from, where else, Danfoss. They insisted I don the racing helmet and take one of the go carts for a spin around the track. I felt like Tom Christensen as I negotiated the hair-pin turns at top speed (perhaps a little slower than my friend Tom). As I got into the last turn, I had to smile as I saw proudly placed on the hill above the track the ten-foot high letters spelling the word “HOLLYWOOD”. A few km later, as I stood on the dock at Fynshav peering across the Little Belt toward Fyn, I thought…. How appropriate for my last encounter of our highly visible, highly successful, ReDiscovery Tour through Jutland to be an unscheduled stop where one of America’s most iconic and internationally recognized symbols, greeted me. I took this as a fitting tribute to the Spirit of friendship between Denmark and America that I have witnessed all over Jutland. I also took it as an invitation to return any time I could in the future, to a land that had treated me as a friend.from Day 31 Aabenraa - Sønderborg - 51 km (2007)Today was one of the greatest days of the Tour. We had an amazing host, absolutely great guest riders, poignant history, remarkable innovation examples, and the most unique evening of the Tour complete with my first Rock Concert ever with my Mom and Dad. Our host was Hans Tjørnelund. Hans had heard about the Tour in the media, researched it, and contacted Philip to invite us to Sønderborg, offering us his home, and offering to arrange the events of the two days. I knew we were in for a special experience when I pulled up in front of the Jysk in AAbenraa and was greeted by Hans, Merete Lund Brock (real estate magnate) , Jes Johansen (MD of Culture in the South), Niels Christensen (CEO of Danfoss), Peter Rathje (Dir of Sønderborg Harbor) , Mark Luscombe (Chair of AmCham), Claus Ewers (MD of Brdr. Ewers) and Ellen Trane Nørby (Member of Parliament), all of whom had on the coolest, personalized “ReDiscovery Tour” cycling jerseys I have ever seen! Complete with a recreation of the souvenir ReDiscovery Tour Coin on the right and left sleeves! I was thrilled when Hans presented me with my own jersey, and was really proud to ride out of town with Team ReDiscovery in our smart looking jerseys, with my new friend Merete at my side. On the scenic but hilly ride to Ballebro Merete told me about the wonderful town in California where her sister lives named “Solvang” which was founded by Danes almost 100 years ago. Merete told me that the town is celebrating its 100th birthday in September 2011 and the town fathers would like for me to come and be the special guest. I found Merete’s invitation irresistible, so I committed that I would see the group in California in three years. Before the day was over Hans and I had agreed to lead a ReDiscovery Tour 2011 ride down Highway One in California on the way into Solvang for the celebration. I made Merete promise to be there to keep us inspired on the way, and I will invite all the enthusiastic young riders from Solvang to join us as well. (OK Merete, you and your sister now have three years to get prepared!) The ferry ride to the island of Als was brief but fun, with lots of local media on board, though I spent the entire boat ride giving an interview for a local radio station. Our first stop on the beautiful island of Als was at Danfoss Universe, which resides in the heart of the sprawling campus of Danfoss. I had heard of this place from my friend Jørgen Mads Clausen, who I call the “Apostle of Entrepreneurship” in Denmark. Jørgen was in the States at a Junior Achievement conference, promoting the entrepreneurial spirit among young people, which he is such a champion of, so he could not join us, but I was pleased to see Annette, Jørgen’s wife, there to greet us as we pulled up. Danfoss Universe is one of the most unique hands-on Science and Technology theme Parks in the world. (Actually, I remember Jørgen Mads Clausen telling me it was not a “hands on” experience they were offering but a “body-on experience”. You can tell how well it is done the minute you arrive and see the stunning architecture of the “Cumulus Building” that was listed last year as one of the “Seven Architectural Wonders of the World’ by Conde Naste magazines. Annette described the whimsical architecture as the “negative space between the clouds and the earth”. Annette and Niels briefed us on Danfoss Universe over a delightful lunch, and then took us on a tour of the exhibits in the Cumulus building (where I got to test my scientific knowledge), the Exploratorium (where I got to test my dexterity), the “Blue Building’ (which had been the Icelandic exhibition at the last Worlds Fair in Hanover), the Mads Clausen Musuem (where I learned of his inventions of the valves and thermostats for heating devices), the Water Park, the Skate Park and the Segway Test Track! I gained an intimate understanding of the source of the innovative spirit that is so prevalent down in this border land of Denmark, and I realized that it traces much of its roots to this man Mads Clausen, Jørgen’s father. (One of my favorite stories about Mads was that he invented a ‘car jack” for rolling a car with a flat up on this device to fix the wheel. Mads designed the device, and then travelled around Europe looking for people on the side of the road with flat tires to whom he could sell the device. With this captive audience, the great company Danfoss was born! The entire visit to Danfoss Universe was a treat. I felt like a kid again. As Niels had said, it was a “feast for our senses.” And the entire “Team ReDiscovery” had a great time racing one another on the Segways, a remarkable mode of transportation that I have always wanted to try but never had the chance (or maybe the nerve.) Annette said they were not trying to create an “entertainment experience” but an ‘activation experience” for young people. They have certainly succeeded here. There are several American connections to Danfoss Universe. Annette and Jørgen traveled the US in search of ideas when they designed their Universe. In the Exploratorium, Danfoss Universe has created an experience in collaboration with Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner who is the world’s leading expert in “interactive intelligence” and has theorized that there are seven different types of human intelligence. Gardner comes here several times per year, and says that it is the finest “exhibition” of its kind in the world. I also enjoyed learning from Niels about the “Man on the Moon’ project, inspired by John F Kennedy’s famous challenge to his generation, where small teams of Danfoss employees work collaboratively on new business ideas, and are given three months to come up with and present a plan. The top five are presented to the Danfoss Board. I could have stayed and played all day at Danfoss Universe, but we had to get down the rode, so Team ReDiscovery rode the 10 km to the Hardeshøj Ferry Berth where we climbed aboard the 100 year-old MS Constance to sail to Sønderborg. Unfortunately the rain clouds opened while we were sailing, so our Team huddled in the captains quarters visiting and telling stories. We arrived in beautiful Sønderborg , an 850 year old city that used to be a major German port city, and home to the German submarine fleet, since this part of Denmark was lost to the Germans in 1864, and only regained after the First World War. Disembarking at the imposing “Alsion” building that we will tour tomorrow, our team began the long climb up the hill to the historic battleground of the Battle of Dybbøl Banke in 1864. It is on this historic land that Hans and his wife Pia have their home. We said a quick hello to Pia and daughter Benedicte (6) and then headed out on a walking tour of the hallowed land. Museum Director Bjørn Østergaard served as our museum guide. Monuments to the fallen Danish officers are strewn across Hans’ land. The largest Royal Flag in all of Denmark stands proudly at the top of the hill overlooking the scene of the carnage. For Danes, the Battle of Dybbøl Banke was sort of like the Battle of Gettysburg was for my ancestors from the South during our Civil War. The battle was lost by the Danes to the Prussians, who thus lost this part of Denmark, but in loosing, the stage was set for the establishment of the modern Danish state. (In fact, Hans is heading to Gettysburg in a couple of weeks to witness the reenactment of the battle. He woud like to start that tradition here at Dybbøl Banke.) The Battleground has been well-maintained and contains a modern museum with a recreation Redoubt showing what life and battle was like for the Danes in 1864. Dad and I had the thrill of making our own musket bullets, loading and shooting an ancient muzzle-loader like the Danes had used then, pulling the wooden bridge over the moat, and even enjoying a booming salute from a “12 pounder” cannon. The boom of the cannon, which can shoot almost one mile, was incredible, and I’ll bet the cows in the fields are still wondering what that wooden thing sailing over their heads was (the “stopper” had been accidently left in the barrel of the cannon!) We changed hurriedly out of our wet clothes and the entire Team Denmark enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the 300-year old home of Hans and Pia. Prepared by the chef of the nearby Hotel Baltic, owned by my friend Michael Jepsen, the meal of white asparagus, deer meat and rhubarb ice cream was fantastic. For once, with such delightful companionship sitting with me, I regretted not being able to linger longer at the dinner table, but we had to rush off in order to catch the last few songs of the band … KANSAS! Yes! Kansas was playing tonight in Sønderborg! (And our Team member Jes Johansen was the organizer of the event.) Kansas had two great hits when I was a teenager; “Carry On Wayward Son” and “Dust in the Wind”. Unfortunately they had already played Dust in the Wind when we arrived, but we were in time for the last few (loud) songs, and for the “Carry On Wayward Son” finale. It was a rare scene, standing there in the back watching these four guys play who were ten years older than me, and playing pretty darn well, and doing it with my Mother and Father! I realized that it was the first time I had ever been to a Rock concert with my parents! It was priceless when my dad called my brother Rick as we left the concert and said “Watching these four long-haired guys tonight , if I had know what a success you could become, I would have let you grow your hair long after all back in the 70’s!” After the concert we stopped back stage to meet the band. I do not believe they had ever been greeted back stage before by a US Ambassador, so the scene was really special when we took a photo of the Band and Team ReDiscovery with the ReDiscovery Coin. After the concert Merete and Hans insisted on giving us newcomers a tour of the best pubs of Sønderborg, so in spite of the early hour at which we had to get up and ride the next morning, I reluctantly went along with them (!) and enjoyed great conversation and great company until the early hours. As we retired to Hans' house later, the full moon was slowly setting just over the waters of Sønderborg harbor, so Hans and I enjoyed a final glass of wine (and Benedicte’s Pringle potato chips from the US) on his back patio and spoke of the historic battles of America’s past. At this hour, and with only a little sleep ahead of me before I had to ride again, I felt like I had been in a bit of a battle myself today, but what a great day it was.from Day 30 - Copenhagen - 120 km - (2085)Ritter Classic Today was the longest single ride of the Tour, and without doubt the most grueling. I was honored to be the “celebrity guest” of retired-Champion Danish cyclists Ole Ritter and Jens Veggerby in the 8th Annual Ritter Classic. This is a 120 km charity fundraising race that drew 1200 riders. I was eager to support the Race for several reasons. Ole Ritter, the former World Champion, and the World Record Holder in the distance traveled in one hour (50km), is the Sponsor of my Bicycle for the Tour and I wanted to appropriately thank him for designing such a light and swift bike. I also wanted to lend Ole and Jens, both of whom have become good friends, my support for their terrific charitable works. The Classic this year is raising money to benefit two Danish causes: The Danish Cancer Society and the Children’s Heart Fund. Riders pay a fee to enter the race and a number of corporate sponsors sponsor the race, The IT Factory being the largest one in this case. The Classic was well-organized with much media coverage, and Jens’ wife Natasha produces a wonderful magazine for the event that had a great article about her “Favorite Cycling Ambassador.” I enjoy doing all I can to promote the spirit of Corporate Social Responsible and private philanthropy in this country, and this is a great example of that growing Spirit. The weather looked threatening all day, but as we led the pack off from the starting line the clouds broke, and actually we had only one slight shower during the next five hours of riding. The race started off well, but in spite of fairly good luck during the 1900 km of the Tour so far, I had a flat tire immediately, at kilometer 6, and a SECOND flat tire only a few minutes later at kilometer 9! Not only did those two flat tires set me behind, but at kilometer 40, I had a WRECK! This one was totally my fault, and fortunately was a “one bike” wreck. I was getting a bit squeezed on a fast downhill leaving Klampenborg on the ocean road toward Rungsted when a car pulled out on the left. Afraid that I could not get in to the flow of riders to pass the car on the right, I decided in a split second to take the car on the left on what looked like a sidewalk. I did not realize the three-inch high curb until it was too late, and flying into the curb at 35 km per hour dented both of my tire rims. Fortunately I was able to stop by a grassy bank without falling, but the damage necessitated a change of both of my wheels. Mick in the Van was no where nearby, so we had to wait about 8 minutes for him to catch up, and then it took another 4 or 5 minutes to change the wheels. So all-told, we were at least 13 minutes behind the pack from this wreck. But the story of the day for me is not the two flats, the wreck or the four tires we had to change, it was that even with all that delay, my unbelievable Team, which we named “Team One”, managed to get me back into the lead pack each time. Team One consisted of a half-dozen former professional riders, now all retired and most of them my age or a little older, who managed by sheer willpower and unbelievable riding strength to get me back up front. After the two flats, at km 6 and 9, we were back with the pack by around km 20. (During the first 80 km of the race there was a pace car that regulated the speed of the group to around 30 km; the last 40 km were wide open). After the wreck, around km 30, we caught up with the lead pack around km 75. But I want my non-riding readers to understand what a feat that was; at the speed we had been going, after a 13 minute stop we were around 7 km, almost 4 miles, behind the group. But with a combination of great team strategy (four riders taking turns blocking me from the wind, ‘hop-scotching’ over one another), and the occasional push on my back for a little extra speed, we were able to catch up after about 35 km. We must have averaged around 45 km when we were catching up, and having lost the protection of the police escort that had been stopping traffic, we had to negotiate through the traffic and intersections, which the Team did with great skill. I have never been so relieved as I was to see the back of the lead pack when we approached it near km 75. I am forever grateful to my Team One members, Per, Ole, Thorkil, and the gang for their heroic success in ensuring that this Ambassador finished in a respectable position. I do not actually know what position we finished in, but I know that there was a great roar from the crowd when we crossed the finish line, and there were hundreds of riders who came in after we crossed, so I felt it had been a successful day. But I must admit that falling a total of 20 minutes or so behind and the three “sprints” to catch up took about all the energy I had. I would not have been able to finish at all, much less in a respectable place, if not for the Team. I have a new appreciation for the athleticism and strategy of the sport of cycling. Arriving at the finish line was a great thrill. There was much media coverage, and word of my “challenges’ had spread so all of them wanted to know more about it. The stage announcer, if I understood his Danish translation of my words correctly, was suggesting that my “bodyguards” had helped me to catch up. Although Rene and Peter did a great job as Team Members, I wanted to make sure the credit was given where it was due, so I singled out my Team members from the stage, and explained how heroic their efforts had been. It was great to have a chance to thank Ole and Jens for the honor of riding today, and for supporting these worthy causes. Receiving flowers and the traditional three-kisses from the three lovely ladies on the stage made me feel a little like Lance Armstrong. Thanks to all of them, and thanks to my new friend Mads. I hope you enjoy the ReDiscovery Tour coin. And also thanks to Mom and Dad and Helen and the girls for coming out to cheer me on!!from Day 24 - Ilulisat, 8 km (1965)The ReDiscovery Tour arrived in Ilulissat, Greenland on Wednesday May 28. This is my sixth or seventh trip to Greenland, and this one coincides with the Artic Conference being hosted by the Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Møller and the Greenland Premier Hans Enoksen. This was a historic gathering of global leaders at the “Top of the World”, and included our Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte and the Foreign Ministers from Canada, Russia and Norway, the other countries with territory bordering the North Pole. On Wednesday morning I left to start the Tour from the beautiful Arctic Hotel, which sits on a rocky cliff above the pastel-picturesque town of Ilulisat overlooking the Disko Bay. The Disko Bay is one of the most spectatular sights in the world, with thousands of blue-white icebergs, some as small as cars, some as large as office buildings, slowly making their way from the Jacobshavn Glacier, from which they calved, into the open North Atlantic. Some of my most stirring memories of our time in Denmark are from this spectacular setting, including visits with Senator John McCain and a delegation of Senate leaders in 2006, and with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and a delegation of House leaders in 2007. I headed to the town’s conference center, the site of the multilateral talks, where I was greeted by a 18 smiling Inuit children on bikes, ages 6 to 18, and all of the local media, eagerly awaiting the commencement of the Tour so that they could show me their town. Thanks to my friend Jacob, who has been a great tour guide and facilitator on all of our trips to Greenland, I had a rugged mountain bike that was perfect for the hilly terrain and the rocky, often-unpaved, roads of the town. Along with Danish Deputy Foreign Minister Peter Taksø Jensen, we biked about 8 km up and down hills to the scenic overlook above the Glacier. I tried my best to visit with the young people, most of whom did not speak English, so we stopped along the way after a steep hill climb, amidst the howling packs of sled dogs and pups, to talk about the Tour and why I was there in Greenland. We were able to communicate with the help of their teacher who would translate from their native Greenlandic into Danish for Jacob, one of my bodyguards, who would then translate for me into English (not generally in the bodyguard’s job description but it was greatly appreciated.) The kids were all eager and curious, and when I asked about “America”, one young man raised his hand. I presumed for recognition, but his teacher, translating, said he was raising his arm with a cupped hand, as though holding a torch, to show the “Statue of Liberty”. When I asked why, she spoke to him in Greenlandic and he replied “freedom, which we have thanks to you.” Even here at the top of the world, one of the most remote places on earth, the young people have memories of the Second World War and the Cold War, and the threat that fascism and communism created for their way of life. Given all of the harsh criticism America has endured in recent years, it was really comforting to know that even here, people have not forgotten the good that America has done, and is continuing to do, in remote spots around the world. The Tour in Ilulissat was not the longest of our rides, but it was one of the most emotional, as I saw the wide-eyed excitement in the faces of the young people when I passed out the souvenir ReDiscovery Tour coins back at the conference center. The photograph of the enthusiastic young people, with the flags of the Arctic Nations flying proudly behind us, is one of my favorite from the Tour. We had to send the kids on off to school and clear the parking lot as the formal negotiating session for the Arctic Confernece was just about to begin and I had to run back to the Arctic Hotel, shower and change for it. The Arctic Conference was a great success, with the leaders of the nations assembled agreeing, as one journalist said, to "end the race for the pole". The leaders essentially agreed that existing International law, including the law of the Sea Treaty which the US has not ratified, would provide the mechanism for resolving competing claims to navigation rights, mineral rights, etc, which are all becoming more important as the sea ice begins to melt here in the far reaches of the north.from Day 29; Shackenborg - Aabenraa - 86 km (1957)After a memorable dinner at Shackenborg and a comfortable night’s sleep, we headed out in the rain for the 35 km ride to the Naturmælk (Nature Milk) Dairy. This small but unique operation is the most successful organic dairy in Denmark, producing organic milk, cheese and butter, including the butter that we most frequently serve at the Residence. Dairy Manager Leif Friis Jørgensen gave us an interesting insight into the operation of the Dairy, which is owned by 33 farming partners who together produce 33 million liters of milk each year. Started in 1993, the company has had an impressive growth in Denmark, and now has a turnover of more than 200 million DKK, enjoying growth of almost 25% per year for the past six years. This is a testimony to aggressive marketing and to the health-conscious trends in eating. During the tour of the facility we enjoyed watching the American-made milk-carton filling machine, which produces 6,000 cartons per hour. Leaving the Dairy, in spite of the rain, we were running about thirty minutes ahead of schedule so we made one of the unplanned, but really memorable stops that I have come to so enjoy on the Tour. Philip remembered that just a few km off the planned route was the Frøslev Concentration Camp, built during the German Occupation. We spent about 30 minutes touring the historic site, which was built in August 1944 on an agreement with the Germans and the Danish government that the Germans would house Danish prisoners here rather than sending them to Concentration Camps in Germany or other places in Europe. One month later the Nazis broke the agreement and sent captured Danish resistance fighters, the few remaining Jews left in Denmark, and other Nazi opponents from here to Contentration Camps. Altogether, 1600 were sent from here to concentration camps in Germany, where 220 died. Another 1,400 prisoners were held here during the Occupation. After the War the Camp held Nazi collaborators and others who had let down their country. The Camp contains a number of museums including a museum depicting life of the Danish prisoners during the Occupation, which has a great exhibit of Freedom fighter memorabilia and a recreation of the housing barracks. According to a display in the museum, there were 2,674 acts of sabotage by Freedom Fighters during the Occupation. 794 were In Copenhagen, and 99% of them occurred between 1943 and 1945 after the Danish Government, which had been cooperating with the occupiers, was “forced out” on August 29, 1943 by patriotic Danes, whereupon Danish cooperation with the Nazis ended. There is also a UN Museum paying tribute to the Danish military missions overseas, starting with the 1956 mission to Gaza. We cycled the short distance from the Frøslev Camp to the large headquarters of Rose Poultry in the town of Padborg. Here I was joined by Minister of Food and Agriculture Eva Kjer Hansen, who had flown in from Copenhagen to join me for this “leg” of the Tour. “Leg” is the right metaphor, because CEO Per Winther Møller and the good folks at Rose Poultry treated us to a sumptuous lunch of chicken served at least 10 different ways. (the fried was my favorite). Rose is the leader in poultry production in Denmark with a turnover of 1.7 billion Dkr, from a production averaging 300,000 birds a day. The Cartoon Crisis had a major impact on the country as a large part of its exports have historically been to the Middle East. Per says that on the original publication of the Cartoons many of the their customers in the Middle East were willing to forgive what they described as “Danish foolishness” at the publishing of the cartoons, but he says that when they were republished a few months ago, these same customers said “the second is an insult”, and have been pulling their products off the shelves. The Company has been trying to get their facilities approved for export to the US (where people consume more than twice as much poultry per person as in Denmark and the rest of Europe), but slaughterhouse conditions have been a challenge. (The Minister is working of this issue as well.) The company has employed with great effect the “Six Sigma” system of management and inspiration that was launched by legendary General Electric CEO Jack Welch. I really enjoyed talking about management styles on the next leg of the ride with Per’s son Jon who hopes to study for his MBA in applied mathematics and economics in the States. I also really enjoyed visiting with 15-year old Megan, an exchange student in the local High School, who has been in Denmark for six months and has thoroughly enjoyed here time here. On the 30 km ride to Aabenraa the wind was with us much of the way and our large peleton, led by the Minister giving great tour-guide commentary along the way, made great time. I must say I was very impressed with the Minister’s riding, and equally impressed with her enthusiastic interest for spearheading a global effort through the UN for a global food strategy. It is a great thing to see Denmark’s leaders working to play major roles on the world stage in multiple areas. As we were nearing Aabenraa the Minister, who is from here, shared with me the local sporting tradition of “horse ring riding”, a sport where the rider spears a ring with a lance while in motion. She says that traditionally the game is played on horseback, but here they use all sorts of devices, including one race with riders on the back of the old gray post-WWII American-made Massy Ferguson tractors! (I told her about my finding and riding one of these in Bornholm during the Tour). Arriving in AAbenraa, a picturesque coastal town near the border, I was met by Deputy Mayor Jørgen Witte and Jens A. Christiansen and Peter Iver Johansen. Peter is the head of the German minority in Denmark, and Jens is the head of the Danish Minoriy in Germany. This is the Schleswig-Holstein region of Denmark that after the First World War voted to become Danish, while the region to the south voted to stay German. The three gentlemen gave Helen and me a great lecture on the history of the area, with particular emphasis on the Paris Peace Conference following WWI where President Wilson and his counterparts consented to a plan, put forward by the Danish leader Hans Peter Hansen, to allow the people of this region to determine their own nationality. Tensions ran high, and the treatment of the Danish minority in Germany was particularly unpleasant, until 1955 when Germany sought membership in Nato and Chancellor Conrad Adenaur, in an attempt to obtain Danish support, agreed to the “Bonn-Copenhagen Declaration of 1955” which guaranteed respect and recognition of the rights of the respective minorities on both sides of the border, permitting them to operate local schools, maintain their language, worship freely, participate in politics, etc. Interestingly, Post WWII many in the area, in an effort to “punish Germany” after the war, wanted the border moved south to ‘reclaim’ this area for Denmark, but the Danish government said that would be wrong, that these areas had voted democratically to be German in 1920, and that the world, and Denmark, should respect that decision. Our guides said that many diplomats from around the world come here to study cross-border minority relations to this day. Before leaving the lovely town of Aabenraa to head back to Copenhagen, since Helen had joined me on the Tour this week, we made a quick stop by Petersen’s Antiques, a great antique store featuring first class antiques from around Scandanavia. Since I conveniently did not have my credit card with me, Helen vowed that we would return when we make our way down to Germany by car later in the summer.from Day 28 Toftlund - Møgeltønder - 57 km (1871)After an evening that included a wonderful dinner at Hotel Dagmar in Ribe, we picked up where we left off yesterday in Toftlund with a visit to the Toftlund School. This was without a doubt one of the best “starts” to a ReDiscovery Day that we have had all Tour. We were met outside of the school by about 25 students from Teacher Robin Wildfang’s eighth-grade English class who had planned for me a delightful guided walking tour of the town and school grounds. Robin has been here in Denmark for 15 years after marrying a Dane, and is clearly a very popular and very effective teacher at this school. She had seen stories about the ReDiscovery Tour in the media and reached out to our Embassy offering to host an event. The students were delightful, and I was equally thrilled to find a visiting American student among them. Katie, from the Midwest, was spending a week in Denmark visiting friends and happened to be at the school today. The eager students escorted me throughout the town and briefed me on the local history. This area is the part of Denmark that from the 1864 to 1920 was German. In fact this town was the local seat of government for Germany. In 1920 the citizens voted in a referendum to become part of Denmark. Areas to the south voted to remain German. The students showed me the “Judges Offices”, now a boarding school, where there is reportedly still a ghost wandering about; an innocent man sentenced to death for a long-forgotten crime, who is still trying to exact revenge on his sentencers. We saw the very impressive array of sports facilities, including skating arenas and recreational areas currently being built. The open-air pool is the oldest in Denmark, built in 1943 by some local residents who preferred to use German concrete for this purpose rather than building defense bunkers as instructed. We also saw the old jail, now used as facilities for the school, and perhaps occasionally for an errant student. After the tour I had a wonderful 30-minute discussion with the students about the Tour, and was impressed with their responses to my Three Questions. Their impressions of America were much less culturally-oriented than other young people I have met, focused on politics, freedom, size and power, with the exception of one young friend whose impression of America was “of Fat People”! (I assured her that she was not the only one who had this impression.) They wanted Americans to know about their environment and their nature, and their ‘scores” on the third question were consistent with what I have gotten from young people throughout Jutland: averaging 7.6 on the “how close are America and Denmark” question and even higher, around a 9 on the “does it really matter” question. Only one of the young people had been to America, and she has been three times as a tourist. LA is her favorite city. I was really pleased with the ovation the students gave Helen when she entered the room; this being her very first ReDiscovery Tour event! They also asked me some wonderful questions regarding what Americans think of Denmark, how I liked it here, why the President sent me here, and “why can so many people not get health care in America”. This is something I have heard before, and convinces me that there is in this country a very incorrect impression about health care coverage in America. These young people are very aware of the world around them, and are all watching the American Presidential campaigns with interest. My new friends from Toftlund School rode with me for a few km toward Bredebro, but the rain and the narrow busy roadway cut their trip short and I reluctantly bid them farewell not far from town (but I hope to see many of them again in a few weeks for our July 4 finale in Copenhagen!) In Bedebro my first stop was at Ecco Shoes, the amazing Danish success story that is one of the largest shoe companies in the world. Helen and I had a very nice visit with Dieter Kasprzak, the CEO of the company, whose wife Hanni is the Chairman, and daughter of the founder Karl Toosbury. It was great to walk in and see a picture of two of my favorite people on the screen; President George H. W. Bush, our 41st President, and his wife Barbara. The President had written a letter praising the Ecco golf shoe he had received. This reminded me what a great thing it was to visit the President at Camp David two years ago and see him in a pair of Ecco Track 2s! (Director Claus Kjersgaard asked me to let the President know that the Track 3s were now on the market.) The history of this great company is fascinating. The company was started in 1963 and quickly moved to this small Jutland town because Karl Toosbury couldn’t find enough ‘healthy and reliable workers’ in Copenhagen. The founder’s innovative spirit and commitment to a family atmosphere soon put the company on the “right foot” (no pun intended). But his technological development in the mid-70s really was the “pivotal point” of the company’s history Claus said, when Karl developed a technique to directly inject the sole onto the upper shoe, providing extraordinary comfort. This was a revolutionary development at the time, and is reflected in the poem that the company uses as its motto: “We trust in man but still we use to shape our feet to fit the shoes. A future world with less conceit will shape our shoes to fit our feet.” (poet Piet Hein.) Ecco is the only major shoe manufacturer that owns its own factory, and ensures that its family-oriented Danish values are reflected in each one if its locations. You can sense their values in the building; which Klaus describes as being Genuine, Passionate, Uncompromising, Impatiently Curious, Authentic, and Danish. Their newest line of running shoes are going to feature Yak hide, which Klaus describes as three-times stronger than conventional leather, they have discovered. Ecco’s largest market is in America. Our next stop was the Tønder Rådhus where Mayor Pedersen escorted us up the 150-step high old water tower to what is now a scenic overlook of the town where we met with the media and were served us a very nice lunch. This town has been in the international spotlight recently because of the Royal Wedding of Prince Joachim and Princess Marie at Schackenborg Castle which is just 5 km down the road from Tønder. The Mayor presented us with a very nice book that the Town has printed to commemorate the occasion, and gave us a “birds eye tour” of the town from the scenic perch. The area had a stormy past with Germany, and of course is the only part of Denmark which actually “voted” to be Danish, in 1920. Thus, the Mayor says, this area has the strongest nationalistic feeling of any area of the country. As we walked back down the steps of the tower Helen and I enjoyed looking at the exhibit of chairs designed by the famous Danish designer Hans J. Wegner. These are incredibly beautiful designs, and included the “Classic Chair” made famous when it was used by John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon for the first televised Presidential debate in American history, in 1960. They have a picture of that historic occasion in the lobby. There is a wonderful exhibit of Danish antique furniture in the Museum, which Museum Director was kind enough to show us through. Helen was really disappointed that we could not spend more time at the antique furniture exhibition, but we had to get down the road to Schackenborg Castle were at 2:00 we were received by the smiling newlyweds, His Royal Highness Prince Joachim and his lovely bride, Her Royal Highness Princess Marie. The delightful and energetic Royal Couple have just returned two days ago from their honeymoon and I think we were among the first guests to visit with them upon their return. Princess Marie and Prince Joachim have captured the attention of the Danish public, and it is no surprise, as they are a warm and engaging couple. (We have met on a number of prior occasions, including when I was honored to witness Prince Joachim capture the title in a classic motor car race last year, but it is the first time Helen and I have visited with both of them together and the first time we have been to Schackenborg.) Princess Marie and her Bichon Frise ‘Apple’ have clearly brought a great vibrance to the estate, (though I look forward to seeing how Apple gets along with the Prince’s cocker spaniel ‘Churchill’). Over coffee, carrot cake, brownies and biscotti (yes, this peloton travels on its stomach) the Prince shared with us the very impressive operation of his 1000 hectare estate, and the “Five Farms” brand that he launched several years ago. The estate is a fully-integrated agricultural conglomerate, and produces everything from Christmas Trees to beer. Their newest undertaking is the beef business, and with the Prince’s innovative leadership, they have quickly become the largest beef-producing operation in Denmark. After coffee, we hopped in the Prince’s Land Rover and headed off for a tour of the massive and diverse farming operation. As we were leaving Princess Marie was not too happy to learn that Apple, as we left the room, had helped herself to the uneaten carrot cake and brownies. I think Apple was probably just showing off for Emu, our stuffed mascot who Philip had unceremoniously plopped down beside her for a priceless photograph. (Over a later private dinner with the Royal Couple, Helen and I were relieved to see that Apple was not suffering from the sweet indulgence.) In addition to seeing the beef, Christmas tree, wheat (for beer), and potato production of Prince Joachim’s expansive farming operation, the Prince took us to two very special nearby sites. The first was the town of Rudbøl right on the border between Denmark and Germany. The divide between the two countries is marked by granite markers running down the middle of the town’s single paved street, and we took photographs to commemorate the moment. (I probably risked an international incident by stepping one foot over the line without first obtaining permission from my counterpart in Berlin.) The second site was one of the most unique and important in the history of Denmark, and though I had heard of what had happened here, I had no idea the site was in this part of the country. A few meters off the main road stand two large rock sentinals, each about two meters high. These large monuments mark the sites where in 1694 a local farming woman walking home, stumbled upon the first of the “Guldhornene”, the Golden Horns that are considered the most important cultural artifacts from ancient Danish history. The second Golden Horn, virtually identical to the first, was found about thirty feet away 96 years later, in 1790. The Horns are believed to be older than 2,000 years and contained striking figures in gold of humans and animals in a variety of poses and actions, along with brief text in the ancient Ruinic language. Tragically, the original horns were stolen and melted down in the late 1800s, but we know exactly what they looked like from two life-size paintings done of them around the time they were first discovered. These paintings now hang in Shackenborg, and I got goosebumps when I gazed at them later in the evening. (I got even larger goosebumps when Prince Joachim brought out and allowed Helen and me to handle and examine the two exact replicas that were made 100 years ago and presented as a gift to his great great Grandfather King Frederick VIII.) These are a priceless part of Denmark’s ancient past, and suggest a remarkably advanced civilization that had mastered the meticulous craft of intricate goldsmithing. It is believed that the Golden Horns must have been cast into the bog, which this part of Denmark used to be, in some sort of religious rite; most likely to appeal to “the gods” for relief from a pending weather-related catastrophe. Prince Joachim provided us one of the great highlights of the Tour, and our time in Denmark, with his gracious hospitality, and this special encounter with Danish history.from Day 27, Esbjerg - Toftlund - 82 km (1814)We started the day under threatening skies in Esbjerg, where we had left off last week. The weather looked bleak for biking, but in fact we needed the rain because the past six weeks had been the sunniest May and June ever recorded in Denmark. I was joined today for the entire day by Stephen Brugger, Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Denmark, and Paul Schofield, Managing Director of Hess Denmark, and a member of the AmCham Board. Paul’s company has a major presence in Denmark as a result of their North Sea operations, and much of the staging is done from the port at Esbjerg. In fact, I learned later from Mayor Søttrup that Esbjerg is known as the “City of Oil” because over 10,000 people here are employed in the offshore-related industries. Given the offshore and maritime focus of this region, our first stop was an appropriate one; Viking Life, the global market leader in maritime life saving equipment. Kjeld Amann the managing Director of Viking Life and his colleagues Christian, Lone and Elizabeth (a Bostonian) gave us a great tour of the manufacturing facilities from which this company produces rafts, ranging in size from two-man to 200-man in size. Started in 1960, when there were 700 fishing boats in the Esbjerg harbor (now there are less than 30), the company has grown to 46 locations and 1200 employees. This is an impressive niche for this Danish company, but as Kjeld said to me “Denmark is such a small country that we have to go out into the world and do big things to feel bigger!” (I really like that one) the company now has 41 service locations in the US, and does significant business there, though they would like to increase their business with the US Navy. I was surprised to see how much of the actual manufacture of the rafts is done the old fashioned way, by hand. But they have not yet designed a machine that can glue the rubber seams together as effectively as human hands. Leaving Viking we were joined by a great group of 25 riders from the Babcock & Wilcox Vølund company that was to be our next stop. We rode together for the six or seven km, during which time I had a good conversation with several men, long time residents of the area who had never been to America but who had strong impressions of the country. My friend Peter said that his strong impressions had been formed by watching the TV show Bonanza as a child. (In black and white, and dubbed in German). But he loved the “Cartwright values”. He also reminisced about the great games of “Cowboys and Indians” he played as a child. (perhaps I should introduce him to my friend Jørgen at Texas Country and Western in Farendløse.) Arriving at Babcock & Wilcox Vølund, I was greeted by country manager John Veje Olesen, also a member of the Amcham. Before going inside for a tour of their facilities where they manufacture components for waste-to-energy facilities, I had a chance to visit with the 25 riders. These were mostly adults between the ages of 35 and 50. I got some interesting answers to my three questions. To the First Question, their impressions of America included “freedom”, “power” and ‘big.” One nice lady said “Hillary”. (I hated to tell her that Senator Clinton was not still in the Presidential race.) The Second Question elicited even more interesting answers. “We would want Americans to know that we like to pay taxes” one said. I had never really heard it put this way, and probing a little bit, they agreed they liked what they got for their taxes. When I discussed the revolt that would likely occur in America if the government tried to impose the kind of taxes that Danes happily pay, one said “but you don’t get anything for your taxes. We get something for ours!” That is certainly an inaccurate impression of America, but one that I fear is fueled by the negative impressions that come across on the TV screens and news coverage. Another lady said “we would want America to know that we value freedom of speech.” Another younger member of the group said that Americans didn’t value free speech like Danes do, because there are some things in America “that you can’t say”. We discussed why that was, and spoke about the diversity and tolerance that was at the heart of the American experience. ‘I am not sure we are a very tolerant place’ another said. To my third question, as expected I received virtually all 8s, 9s and 10s to the first question, and 10s to the second, except for the young man again who said “2” to the first question. He felt that we were no longer close allies because we disagreed so much on the Iraq War, but he did give us a 10 on the second question. Touring the Esbjerg Babcock & Wilcox Vølund facility, which is now a subsidiary of an American company after a merger with a Danish company, I learned about the innovative strides that have been made in recent years in the area of waste to energy systems. In the mid-90’s I worked with a client that was trying to build one of these systems in my home state of North Carolina, but there were technological problems. Those problems have now been solved apparently, and within the EU the business is booming because the EU prohibits the permitting of any new landfills. Thus municipal waste is incinerated. This system is very expensive, and appears to really only be efficient where you can use the heat produced, such as in Demark where there are District Heating systems. It will be a challenge in America where there are few such systems, but the market is certainly looking for this kind of alternative facilities. I will say one thing though, the Danes have figured out how to make waste disposal facilities aesthetically pleasing, because the plants that I have seen, including the ‘E2D-90” plant in Esbjerg are architectural beauties. It looks like the Black Diamond library in Copenhagen. Leaving B&W V we arrived at the Town Hall where Mayor Johnny Søttrup and Municipal Director Otto Jespersen met us and fed us a wonderful Smørrebrød lunch. Mayor Søttrup is a very impressive leader who has been mayor in this city for 15 years, surviving the consolidation with two other towns a couple of years ago. We had a great conversation about America, where he had spent a year in high school on an American Field Service exchange program in Utah. He describes it as “having the most important impact on me of anything I have done in my life.” His kids are now following in his footsteps, as are Otto’s, whose daughter Marie is heading to work in New York at the Danish consulate. Leaving Esjberg Paul and I had a great conversation about the value of these wonderful programs that send young people to America. He and I agreed with the Mayor that there is no better program for sustaining America’s relationships in the world than these programs. Esbjerg is one of the youngest cities in Denmark, planned only about 100 years ago. It is a beautiful city, and had some great modern art, and is a great contrast to our next stop Ribe, which is not only the oldest city in Denmark, but apparently the oldest city in Scandanavia. We arrived at the beautiful Cathedral, built around 1100, after a rainy and windy 25 km ride from Esbjerg. The Dannebrog atop the Cathedral was blowing beautifully in the wind, and our engaging tour guide Richard explained that it does not fly from there every day, but that it was today “in honor of the American Ambassador”! The Cathedral is remarkable. It is the most beautiful interior of any I have seen in Denmark because much of the painting, whitewashed out at the time of the Reformation in 1536, was replaced in the last few hundred years. The color scheme in many ways reminds me of the Alhambra Mosque in Spain. Richard explained that the Spanish church had a great influence on the Danish Church in centuries past. The Cathedral has a fascinating mix of the old and the “new” with a very modern art nave with glass mosaic panels and stained glass created by the famous Danish artist Carl Henning Petersen. Although they must have been very controversial when they were first installed twenty years ago, Richard made a good comment that “at the time all the art was installed in this Cathedral, it would have been considered “modern”. The Cathedral also holds the remains of two of Denmark’s Kings, Erik Emune and Christopher I. Although most of Denmark’s kings are buried in Roskilde, those who are murdered, Richard says, are buried in the town in which they were killed. Erik was killed here when he tried to raise taxes in Denmark from 10% to 11%. I guess in those days Danes didn’t like paying taxes as much as they do today. Ribe also is the home of the famous Dane Jacob Riis. Jacob Riis was honored by President Roosevelt as the “Most Influential New Yorker” when he was recording his photographic impressions of America 100 years ago. I have visited the Jacob Riis home and museum on prior trips, and was pleased to have the chance to pay tribute once more. After a quick bite of delicious ‘sponge cake” in the sunshine at the beautiful and historic Hotel Dagmar, by coincidence the oldest hotel in Denmark (where we will stay for the night), we began the vigorous 27 km ride to Toftlund. We made the ride in about 40 minutes, at one point hitting a sustained speed of 54 km as we passed through the small town of Højbro. (It was quite a thrill to see that speed pop up on the automatic traffic control as we passed.) I have to confess that we had a pretty good tail wind for much of the trip, but it was still a vigorous workout. Peter, the biking body guard of the day, was a great riding companion to have on the trip today, and helped keep the pace up. The only down side of moving that fast is that I missed much of the beautiful countryside here in this southern part of Denmark, which of course at one point in history was actually the northern part of Germany. I was moving fast in part because I wanted a good workout, and also because I was in a hurry to get back to Ribe because at 19:30 my wife Helen is arriving on the train from Copenhagen! It will be her first experience on the ReDiscovery Tour, and I cannot wait for her to join me!from Day 26; Henne Strand – Esberg - 47 km (1732)The beautiful day began on Porsmosevej after a night at the Hennemølleå Badehotel, a famous beach hotel designed by architect and designer Poul Henningsen. We were joined by a number of officers from nearby Oxbøl Army Base along with Minister of Development Ulle Tørnæs and Hans Christian Thoning, head of the Defense committee in the Parliament. The Minister was a delightful riding companion for the scenic but windy tour through the part of Jutland in which she grew up. She is “in training” for a 1200 km, 12-day bike trip from Fyn to Paris so we kept a brisk pace. As we headed into the massive Oxbøl military training ground Lt. Colonel Jensen gave the Minister and me a briefing on the history of the area, which is comprised of land taken by the national government in the 1930s from farmers to create this impressive facility. The wide sandy beaches were apparently considered by the Germans during the occupation to be a likely spot for an amphibious Allied invasion of Europe, so they were heavily fortified during the occupation. Along our way through the base Forest Manager Ulrik Lorenzen from the Forest and Nature Agency introduced us to the 2000-strong herd of “Red Deer” that makes this facility popular for tourists year-round. He also surprised me by telling me that this area, and in fact most of Denmark, was covered with ice only a mere 10,000 years ago. In more recent times this area has been the site for training for the Danish Army. Today it hosts the Army Combat School. While there is still much evidence of training in conventional warfare, most of the training today consists of skills to fight the modern enemy, which is unlike the enemies of old. (I actually visited Oxbøl about two years ago to visit a battalion of Danish soldiers getting training in winning the “hearts and minds” of villagers in rural villages in Afghanistan.) At the Base Command headquarters Minister Tørnæs and I were briefed by Brigader General Lund on the Danish army’s strategy of “Concerted Planning and Action”, to maximize the effectiveness of all Danish resources in conflict areas as we move away from conventional theatre war to more stabilization operations. The General described the strategy as something he learned a great deal about at the US Army War College, focusing on the three-pronged approach of countering destabilizing operations, supporting stabilizing elements, and providing framework operations. The Danes are employing this strategy to great effect in Afghanistan, in cooperation with Ulla Tørnæs’ Ministry and others, and the General is optimistic about the potential for future progress in Afghanistan; an area where he says that the local population is genuinely committed to working to improve their institutions. General Bundsgaard then met us and gave us a tour of a live 5-day war game (Exercise Yellow Knight) that just started on the Camp. It was an honor to meet General Bundsgaard because he has been selected to lead Nato Response Force 14 (NRF 14), a critical Nato resource that the Danes, for the first time, will command. He is currently organizing the force, which will be comprised of resources from 14 countries, including many troops from the US. We were allowed to see the “War Room”, with a bank of approximately 50 computer screens, as well as the impressive mobile command posts, and communications trailers. The General then hosted us for a conversation regarding the CIMIC components of the operation, and the civilian-military coordination plans for NRF 14. I was pleased to meet Rikke Ishøj from the International Red Cross who was here to observe the exercise. The IRC is a valuable ally in most NATO theatre operations. I was also impressed to witness the effectiveness of the camouflage techniques employed by the Danish army, because I had not even noticed two soldiers hiding in the grass nearby where we were having coffee, until one of them scratched himself! My numerous conversations with members of the Danish military , the Minister and the Parliament member gave me a chance to get a better sense of the Danish reaction to the terrorist bombing of the Danish embassy in Islamabad yesterday. I was pleased to see that the unanimous reaction was that Danish resolve would be even strengthened in the fight against extremism as a result of this heinous act of evil. We decided it would be smart to get off of base property before the “full scale attack” began at noon, so after taking photos in front of the American and Danish flags, which were flying proudly above the Christian V bell that was cast in 1670, we headed away from the base for the 30 km ride to Esbjerg. Although the strong ever-present winds made the ride challenging, it gave me a good opportunity to learn from Minister Tørnæs more about how the strategies of the Ministry of Development have changed in recent years from ‘charity” to “security”. The Minister is doing a great job of representing Denmark on the global development stage, and has been particularly active in the cause of empowerment of women and young girls in the developing world and the Middle East; a cause America embraces. Delightfully, we ended the day at the Minister’s family home overlooking the North Sea across to the Island of Fanø. I was honored to meet Ulla’s father Laurits Tørnæs who had served as Minister of Agriculture in an earlier government and has been a prominent political leader in Denmark. We had to get off the bikes and head toward Odense for two important events; a live interview at TV2 regarding the bombing in Pakistan, and a visit to the Vollsmose neighborhood for the launch of our “GAM3 Street Basketball and Hip Hop” program. This is the fifth or sixth time I have been to Vollsmose, and I was pleased to be here to join two American basketball stars, Michael Pietrus from the Golden State Warriors, and Jennifer Azzi from the San Antonio Silver Stars. Michael and Jennifer are great Ambassadors for America and for the power of team sports to change the lives of young people. There were around 100 young people, mostly of ethnic background, who joined our American guests, hip hop artists, and Odense Mayor Jan Boye and me for the kick-off of the clinic. The enthusiasm of these young people for living life in Denmark in a full and involved way, being part of the society around them, was a stark contrast to the attitude of hatred and insecurity that motivated the attacks in Islamabad yesterday. I continue to be impressed with the spirit of outreach, volunteerism and compassion shown by the leaders and volunteers of the Danish NGO GAM3, and sincerely believe it is one of the best programs any American embassy anywhere has been involved with. It was an important symbol for the mayor and me to be out there on the court with them, and it was great fun. (And I really hope the local TV caught the two straight three-pointers that I shot!)from JutlandClyde! I look forward to seeing you and your colleagues from NC Central!! Welcome to Denmark. J. Cain U.S. Ambassadorfrom Day 25 Herning to Henne Strand - 90 km (1685)I love returning to Herning. Here I know I can count on my friends to be great hosts to our Team ReDiscovery. I was certainly not disappointed during our dinner co-hosted by my friend Mayor Lars Krarup, at the famous A Hereford Beefstouw. Lars is a remarkable mayor, a passionate advocate of expansive ideas and expansive public projects. Under his aggressive leadership, Herning is in the midst of at least four major public projects; the new Herning Museum of Art, planned by the American architect Stephen Hull; the Sports and Cultural Center Downtown, the Lake Holing Project, with 950 homes, a man-made lake 2km by 1 km and a Steen Tyning golf course, and the new Herning Arena. Taken together, these projects represent a more than $300 million (1.5 billion Danish kroner) of public projects. This is a remarkable commitment to public “quality of life” projects in a community of a little over 100,000 people. This commitment to public art and culture was nurtured by Aage Damgaard, a textile magnate who ran his business from here starting in the 1950s. Aage began by inviting artists to come work for him for two years, and subsidized their artistic work during the project. The result is an amazing collection of private and public art, and a public spiritedness of support for the arts that is beyond anything I have ever witnessed. Aage’s son Lars Damgaard has continued this public spiritedness and now chairs the Committee developing the striking new Museum of Art. (I hope to return for its inauguration in 2009.) Of equal importance for my immediate purposes, Lars is also the owner of the A Hereford Beefstouw restaurant concept. The Hereford Beefstew chain has 23 locations in Denmark, and although I have visited their flagship location in Tivoli, I was honored to visit this their first location, and to learn that Lars’ father was inspired in-part by the steakhouses of America when he opened this unique chain (featuring a 50-item salad bar, a fabulous wine list and the best steaks in Denmark.) After the delightful meal we were invited to tour the 150,000 bottle “wine pyramid” that Lars has built to warehouse the wine for his 23 locations. He is opening soon in the Hong Kong Airport, and is centralizing his beef operations on a ranch in Australia that he has recently purchased. Lars is a remarkable entrepreneur. And he is also a collector of profound art. I enjoyed seeing and hearing the story about the 14-ton bronze statue of Lenin that Lars showcases out front of his office. He acquired it in Latvia after the collapse of the Soviet Union and it lies on its side, propped on two stands specially designed by a Danish artist. Our long and busy ride Monday morning started in Tjørring, on the outskirts of Herning, where we visited the Tjørring School. This is one of only a few “village schools” left in Denmark, has been recognized for its innovation by the EU, and happens to be where Mayor Krarup went to school. The 200 students, ages 6 to 13, and their principal Jens Ole Mogensen enthusiastically greeted me and allowed me to join in an experiment in solar energy (I got to see Pikachu Pokemon riding a train powered by the sun.) After visiting all of the upper grades, I was charmed by the 6th graders who had prepared some great questions for me; (How are Danish kids and American kids our age alike and different? Why did you want to be an Ambassador in Denmark? Why are you riding your bike around Denmark?) There has been a school on this site for 250 years, and they are celebrating their 100th anniversary of this building this year. We were joined at this point by riders from ReeLight, a Danish maker of battery-free bike lights. The remarkable lights are powered by magnets and require no other energy source. They emit a flashing light, which is a big advantage because studies show that there are 32% fewer accidents from bikes with flashing lights that with constant lights. The company is currently expanding their distribution into the US, which CEO Kenneth Linnebjerg describes as difficult because the market there is fragmented and the biking community “does not talk to each other.” The Mayor, our friends from ReeLight, my colleague Henrik Jepsen and I then headed to the Herning Sports Arena to say hello to my friends at the Herning Blue Fox Ice Hockey Club, the newly-crowned repeat champs of the Danish Hockey league. I was pleased to see my old friend Coach Todd Björkstrand, a native o f Minnesota and to get updated on the potential of young Danish players in the National Hockey League in America. (Todd believes that a young Dane named Bødker will be drafted in the top 10 this year). The Blue Fox have won the Prince Henrik trophy 14 times. It is no wonder that Herning is the hotbed of hockey in Denmark, and I look forward to a return to cheer the team on in the future. On our ride to the Sports Center Mayor Krarup took me by the Holing Project, a residential, commercial and golf community being built around a man-made lake (yet to be dug). Within 10 to 15 years almost 1000 houses are expected to be built here. During our discussion, Mayor Krarup explained that they needed 444 new homes in Herning each year to keep up with the growth. Almost half of that is coming from people who move in from outside Denmark. Lars told me one story of a new resident from Poland who said to him: “Herning is the American Dream come to Denmark!” (He explained that his ancestors once went to America to pursue their dreams and opportunity, but now he is telling them all to come to Herning!) At the Messe Center my friend Georg Sørensen briefed us on their plans to expand their already-impressive complex to include a 12,500 seat arena next to the SAS football Stadium. If anyone in this country can pull off such a massive project, and do it successfully, it is Georg. I call him the ‘Minister of Magic”, because of what I have seen him promote at the Messecenter, including an incredible “Genesis’ concert and show last year. (Georg has three components of his business plan; fairs and shows, culture and sports events, and meeting and conferences. Currently he appears to be hitting on all cylinders, which explains in part why the Minister of Culture selected him to Chair the “Visit Denmark” Organization. I would like to introduce Georg to my friends in the International Association of Arena Managers, Chaired by my friend Larry Perkins who used to work with me at the Carolina Hurricanes.) Georg and Kirsten hosted us to a terrific brunch, including Danish pancakes that prepared us for the long and arduous ride to come. From the MessseCenter it was a 23 km ride to the Arla Cheese Factory in Nørre Vium. Arla Chairman Ove Møberg and Site Director Peter Møller and Executive Director for International Markets Tim Ørting Jørgensen, met us and showed us around the impressive facility. As I told a local journalist who was with us, the “Denmark’s Finest” Brand, under which Arla sells in America, has stood for quality for a generation, but I had no idea how advanced Arla was on the technology front. At this facility, which is amazingly automated, Arla produces over 130,000 tons of cheese per day, from 1.2 million liters of milk. They export to America from this facility, although they also have production facilities in the US in Wisocnsin. I was particularly pleased to hear of Arla’s strong commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility in Denmark. With an ownership that consists of 4,000 Danish and 4,000 Swedish farmers, this can be a leading force for positive social change in the region. I was also pleased to hear of their “Bike to Work” program, and to be joined on my ride by the guy who heads up the program. Ironically, it was while I was at Arla, only a few moments after I had asked Tim Jørgensen about the impact of the Cartoon-related boycotts on Arla’s sales, that I learned that the Danish Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan had been attacked this morning by a suicide bomber. The news is not good, with reports of 8 people killed, including several Embassy workers. I would spend much of the afternoon and evening getting updates on the tragedy from my Embassy and talking to the Danish media to ensure Denmark of America’s continued support, if necessary, to protect Danish diplomatic assets. Leaving Arla through the beautiful landscape of western Jutland, we made a short stop at the Skjern Å Wetlands area for a briefing from Marianne Linnemann from the Danish Forest and Nature Agency about the remarkable wetlands restoration project here. In 1962 the political leaders decided to “straighten’ a 26 km meandering river in order to create more intensive farming land. The project turned out to do more damage than good as the Rinkøbing Inlet, which is fed by the river, got polluted without the “clensing” attributes of the river and the inlet ‘died”. Between 1999 and 2002 the river was restored to its original banks, after the removal of 2.7 million cubic meters of soil. To date, it is the biggest land restoration project in the EU (and perhaps the world), and is visited by experts from all over, including the US. As we enjoyed the scenic view, which is in some ways similar to the outer banks marsh of Eastern North Carolina, we saw spoonbill, heron and ducks in abundance. Our final ride was a 30 km stretch, in beautiful but warm sun, with a slight headwind, toward the coast. We stopped at the home and studio of artist Ole Halskov and his wife Tut Nielsen for a delicious respite of Danish coffee, coffee cake, fresh bread with home-made honey, cheese and brownies (Why am I gaining weight on this bike tour?) the food was great, as was Ole’s colorful artwork. But I was particularly intrigued to learn of the geothermal heating system that Ole had recently installed in his home. Thomas Bergholdt of the company Stiebel Eltron who installed the system, was on hand to tell us about the 500 meters of pipe required for the system, and the 60% cost savings over heating by oil and gas. Ole is very pleased with his investment. He reports that he had been spending 30,000 DKK per year $6,000) on oil. The system cost him 110,000 DKK ($22,000) to install, and he spends about 10,000 DKK per year ($2,000) on electricity now; thus he calculates a 5-year payback on his investment; with a system that is guaranteed for 25 years. I expect that this will be a growing market in the US with the price of oil at all-time highs. We left Ole’s and Tut’s home for the short ride down to the picturesque Henne Mølle Å Hotel that borders the wind-swept dunes and wide sandy beach of western Jutland. I could not wait to get out to take a dip, my first ever on the west coast of Jutland. The sand was the whitest I have ever seen on a beach, and the water was cool and refreshing. But I did not like the jellyfish! I found the best spot for writing my blog that I have yet to discover, but first had to check on the situation with the Danish Embassy in Pakistan and talk to the Danish media. The day was a great one from a biking standpoint, but the tragedy in Islamabad reminds us of the lengths to which the evils of extremism will go to stop the spread of freedom. America has experienced this before, with the attacks on our embassies in Tanzania and Kenya. For the Danes who read this blog tonight, let me assure you that, as we did when violence erupted two years ago against Denmark’s embassies and assets around the globe, America stands ready to protect and defend our Danish allies whenever help is needed.from North Carolina Central UniversityGood-day Ambassador James P. Cain, My colleagues and I, [Tina Jarrett, Tiwana Nevels, Jeanette Locklear, Monique Gills, Jamaal fisher and Clyde C. Wilson] will be your guest in Copenhagen, Denmark, from May 30th to June 14, 2008, on a Study Abroad Internship representing North Carolina Central University from the great 'Tar Heel' State of North Carolina. We appreciate the breath of your schedule and wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you, for your service to our Nation and the American people. We are MLS Graduate students from the School of Library and Information Sciences in attendance with Dr. Ismail Abdullahi, Professor, School of Library and Information Sciences. Our program of study is in reference to the Public Library system in Denmark. We are the guest of the Royal School of Library and Information Science in Copenhagen, Denmark. Several of my colleagues look forward to biking with you and the citizens of Denmark via the Rediscovery Tour on June 2 or 3rd. This event allows us to see how the Public Library network is facilitated via the city of Copenhagen and its outlaying communities. The Public Library is considered the hub/center of community learning and the development of an informed citizenry. We look forward to being a part of the Rediscovery Tour as opportunity presents, thus enhancing our awareness of the City of Copenhagen’s connectivity to the Public library, and its valued resource the people. Again, (Thank you) for this time in reading our email, and we greatly appreciate your service to the United States of America on behalf of the American People. Respectfully, Clyde C. Wilson, Sr. Graduate Student School of Library and Information Science North Carolina Central Universityfrom Day 23 - Bornholm - 60 km (1595)May 18 Today’s venture was a combination of by car and on foot because we had the honor of participating in two wreath-laying ceremonies on Bornholm for Americans and British heroes who had given their lives during WWII, and we did not think it appropriate to do so in cycling attire. My travelling companions for the trip included my Military Attaché Captain (Navy) Roger Coldiron and his wife Silvia, and British Military Attaché Wing Commander Dick McCormack and his wife Helene. We were greeted on Bornholm by Bornholm Commandant Holger Fulglesang and his wife Jannie and Bornholm Mayor Bjarne Kristiansen and his wife Lotte. They were gracious hosts during our first day on this beautiful island of 36,000 people. At a generous breakfast at the Commandant’s headquarters in the island capital of Rønne, I learned about the history of the island, and was most interested in the unique role it played in the War. For eleven months in 1945, the Russians occupied the island. It was not a pleasant time for the residents, just as the period of the Nazi occupation had not been pleasant. Bornholm now surrives mostly on its tourist business and agriculture, with most of the traditional fishing industry dying out. (I was intrigued to learn, though, that all of the fish for the McDonald’s fish filets in Europe come from Bornholm; the finest quality cod there is.) With their shrinking demographics, they are struggling in the same way as many western Jutland towns, and are seeing increased immigration from Poland and Germany. Before leaving the Commandant’s historic home from the 1700’s, we took photos in front of a mulberry tree, from whose fruit we had enjoyed jam at breakfast. This remarkable tree was planted sometime between 450 and 550 years ago. Our next stop was the remarkable studio and showroom of Baltic Sea Glass. American Pete Hunner and his Danish wife Maibritt Jonsson opened this world-reknowned glass factory 25 years ago. It now houses what must be the most interactive, and beautiful, glass studio in all the world. They make remarkable creations, and are just now showing 60 of their original creations in an exhibition in Copenhagen; which Pete says is the first glass exhibition in Copenhagen in 11 years. Their “Corn” themed creations are some of the most exquisite works of glass art I have ever seen. “We do not let glass into our world – we enter into its world”, Pete says. There are 9 glass studios on Bornhom, and this is without a doubt one of the best examples of the fusion of Danish and American talent that I have come across. Our next stop was for the ceremony at Pedersker Kirke (church), where the remains of Technical Sergeant Harry J. Ambrosini and Royal Air Force Sergeant Terence M. Twomey are buried. T/SGT Ambrosini was killed when his B-24 bomber was hit by ground fire returning from a bombing run on Berlin on April 29, 1944. The aircraft lost three of its four engines and the entire crew bailed out over Bornholm. T/SGT Ambrosini's parachute failed to open. British airman, Sergeant Twomey was killed when his minelaying aircraft crashed returning from Swinemunde on August 17, 1944. For over sixty years the residents of Bornholm have honored and preserved the graves of these brave men who died so that others could live in Freedom. At St. Ols Church, a little farther down the road, we honored the grave of Emil Rasmussan, a young Dane who had gone to America, like so many others, to follow his dreams, and ended up enlisting in the US Army to save his Danish homeland. Emil died in Italy on 6 June 1944. (Philip, Roger can give you all this detail.) Emil’s remaining relatives were in the cemetery with us, and his grand-nephew proudly held the uniform worn by his great uncle, of whom he is rightfully proud. It was a touching and somber ceremony, under a glorious sun-filled Bornholm sky, and I was honored on both occasions to be able to pay tribute to these brave men of the Allied forces, and also to the citizens of Bornholm who had honored their memories for so many years by preserving their grave sites in such a beautiful way. St. Ols Church is one of four Round Church’s on the island. We had the pleasure of visiting two in total, including Østerlars church, which is the largest of the four. These were built some time around 1100, and legend has it that they were built by the Knight’s Templar to point to, symbolize, or protect “something”. Our host at Østerlars said that many believe that the treasure of the Knights Templar lay underneath the stones of the Church floor. (Don’t tell this to Tom Hanks or Dan Brown.) Regardless of the legend, they are each unique and beautiful. Our pleasant sojourn included a very nice luncheon hosted by the Mayor at Restaurant Algarve, where I ate several different kinds of herring. We had a nice 7 km run through the forests and quaint downtown streets of Rønne (since my bike doesn’t arrive until the 21:00 ferry), and were thrilled to see the Royal yacht “Dannebrog” anchored in the Harbor. (Apparently the Prince Consort is hunting on the island.) Our evening was rounded off by a very elegant dinner at the residence of Commandant Holger and Jannie We had the opportunity to talk about the role of the Home Guard in the historic defense of the island, and their critical role in “plane spotting” during the Cold War. I also was intrigued to hear Holger and Jannie describe the “Foster Parent” program they are involved with, where they host three children from the same family once every three weekends. These children are in need of parental guidance and influence, and Holger and Jannie give of their own time and love, even though they have four children of their own between them. They say this program came from America. It certainly appears to have had an influence on the three children, and is a noble example of the “spirit of volunteerism”. (It sounds like that spirit may be under threat as a result of the taxation policies which seem to give a disincentive to such acts.) We dined on a wonderful all-Bornholm menu, including delicious Bornholm deer prepared by chef Rasmus. And the dessert was probably the best I have had anywhere in Denmark; figs in a three-liquor sauce, flambéed at table side and accompanied by vanilla ice cream with a “sugared strawberry”. It was divine. And it was just the preparation I need for a vigorous ride around this beautiful island tomorrow. May 19: After a short ride, we started the day with a delightful conversation with five students from Bornholm Gymnasium; Louise, Kristina, Anders, Bjørn and Mathias. We improvised a quick tour of their school (most students are in exams) and made a surprise visit to “Miss Hanna’s” History Class before settling in for a brief dialogue around my “three questions”. Of these bright, young and ambitious students, only one, Louise, has been to the US, but all have decided opinions about America, our politics and our foreign policy. On my “impressions” question, I got exuberant responses: “huge”, “Hollywood”, “supersize”, “power”, and “war.” The four others commented on how positive Louise was after her exchange student experience in North Dakota (a common experience). On my “What are you most proud of” question, they told me they were most proud of their social security network and the “decent life” they were guaranteed by living here. They also wanted Americans to know of the “hygge” feeling here and the warmth of the people, though Louise said Americans were quicker to welcome strangers than her Danish neighbors. On my “How Close are we question”, I find these young people are much more akin to young people in Jutland than in Copenhagen, giving me 7-9 on the first question and 9 to 10 on the second. (One of the young men said “it is more important to Europe than to Denmark that we stay close with the US because Denmark can’t start a war by itself.” These young people are all attuned to the Presidential election, and all hope that America will “reach out to Europe” and that we will “sign Kyoto” (I had to dispel them of that notion, but talked enthusiastically about the follow-on agreement to ‘Kyoto” which will hopefully be signed next year in Copenhagen. The young people rode with me for most of the day, and were joined by their headmaster Finn Pedersen as we all biked to Bornholms Regionskommune (regional municipality) where Manager Steen Schønnemann and his staff briefed us on the impressive branding, economic development and energy-independence strategies for the Bornholm Region (Bornholm is both a Kommune and its own “region” within Denmark. ) They have effectively galvanized the “triple helix” of academia, business and government to work together to reverse Bornholm’s population decline. They are rebranding Bornholm as the “Bright Green Island” which is “Open all Year”. With respect to energy, they are around 20% renewable now, with the goal of getting to 68% by 2025. They are pioneers in the use of animal waste for energy (which perhaps our hog farmers in Eastern North Carolina can learn from.) The next stop was one of the most exciting from an energy independence perspective. We biked to the production facility of “BioGasol”, currently under construction outside of Aakirkeby. BioGasol intends to open Denmark’s first demonstration plant for second generation bioethanol in October of next year. This plant uses non-food agricultural products based on a patented technology that extracts the C-5 sugars from cellulosic material, rather than the C-6 based sugars of other ethanol products. Most interestingly, the company and its founder Dr. Birgitte Ahring was awarded a $24 million grant from the US Dept of Energy in collaboration with Washington State University and Pacific Ethanol, Inc, to build a sister facility in the state of Washington. The US facility will be about a year behind the Bornholm facility, but much larger and on a commercial scale. (Their founder just met with Asst. Secretary Andy Karsner last week.) This process is something well worth watching in the months to come. Our next stop was the picturesque “Johs. Dam og Søn” Bakery in Aakirkeby. This small baker has been in business since 1924 and makes a unique and delicious rye-based cracker that is distinctive for its 27 layers, which give it an extraordinary crispiness. My dozen-plus “Team Bornholm” was delighted to have the opportunity to visit the factory and sample all three of the company’s products, including that which they are in the process of marketing into the United States. The baker can produce 120,000 crackers per day when operating at full capacity. After the bakery we made a quick stop by “NaturBornholm”, an interactive nature exhibition that depicts the geologic development of Bornholm over hundreds of millions of years. It is a fantastic experience, for young and old. The closest thing I have seen to it is the “Museum of Humankind” outside of Johannesburg, South Africa. As we left the nature center, I was miked up by the Local TV2-Bornholm crew, so I rode most of the rest of the day wired for sound. This was fine until we hit the “hills of Bornholm” where I am certain they caught me breathing pretty heavily. We had a very beautiful 22 km ride to Svaneke down the bike path that has been constructed within the old railroad right-of-way. On the way there we passed through Nexø where we saw the “Swedish houses” donated by the Swedish government to replace houses destroyed during the Russian bombing of Nexø in 1945. In Svaneke we visited the studios of Pernille Bülow, another of the great glass artists of Bornholm. In addition to the beauty of her glass creations, Pernille is renowned for her “Ghana Project”. Started only four years ago after Pernille had seen the beautiful glass beads being produced by women in a Ghanian village, her operation there now employs 20 women on a full-time basis, and is doing wonderful things for the women and children of this village. It is a real “win/win”combination, helping Pernille’s business while doing great things for this village in Africa. Before leaving her shop, Pernille gave us a lesson in the art of glass making, and even invited this Ambassador “behind the rails” to try his luck at making a decorative glass cup. I can now fully appreciate the talent, artistry and steady, constant hand that goes in to the making of these beautiful products. (I am afraid that my glass cup turned out a little lopsided, a little smaller that all the others, and with a “lid” that isn’t perfectly straight. But I will treasure it all the same! Leaving the award-winning picturesque village of Svaneke, we started the 15 km ride to Gudhjem, which was said to include the “worst hill in Denmark”. The hill was indeed pretty tough, but the scenery along the way was well worth the pain. The ride was mostly along the beautiful rocky coastline along the eastern coast of the island. We stopped a few times for photos, and to let the team catch up, and dropped in on my friends Pete Hunner and MaiBritt Jonnson at Baltic Sea Glass so that I could take a photo with them in full bike gear. Before heading down the hill into Gudhjem, I made one of the more memorable stops on my 24-day tour. I stopped at the “Agriculture Museum” and hopped into the “drivers seat” of a Ferguson tractor from 1948 . Thousands of these tractors were sent to Europe from America following WWII as part of the “Marshall Plan” to rebuild the European economy. The Ferguson is still in operating condition. I also took a photo with a John Deere from 1948. These great machines were suitable reminders of the role America played in rebuilding the agricultural base of Denmark and Europe following the war. Occasionally you can still spot an old Ferguson tractor operating in the corn fields of Jutland. Sailing down the final hill into the postcard-perfect seaside town of Gudhjem, we headed for our reward after a hard days ride ; an ice cream cone that is billed as the “largest ice cream cone in the world”, and certainly deserves the reputation!! This thing, built by “Bornholm Ice”, stands about two feet high, and contains enough ice cream to feed nine people (which it did in our case). We took some great photos of the giant cone, and then devoured it in a fitting tribute to the great ride that our “Team Bornholm” had completed today, a team which, to the “sweet end” included my friend Mathias from the Bornholm Gymnasium and his principal Finn, our “Navision” friends Eric and John, Philip and his friend Katrine, and our “wingmen”, Commander Dick McCormack of the Royal British Air Force and his wife Helena, and Captain Roger Coldiron, of the US Navy, and his wife Sylvia. Captain Coldiron got the “good sport of the day” award, sticking with us for the entire ride, on a slow bike and with the “wrong clothes”, but with the best headgear of the Tour so far: a vintage WWI flying helmet with goggles, that was actually used in the historic dogfights of the First World War. (We called him “Snoopy”, which he did not seem to mind since, in the end, Snoopy and his “Sopwith Camel” vanquishes the Red Baron.)from Holstebro – Herning – 60 km (1535)Day 22 began with a beautiful sunrise over the Fjord, and a great Danish breakfast fixed by Bente Rainer and shared by my ODC military escort. I was delighted to be joined for breakfast and the morning’s ride by Chief of the Army General Poul Kiærskou. General Kiærskou and I, and our staffs, have worked closely over the past three years to ensure close coordination and cooperation between the US Army and the Danish Army, particularly on the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq. The General has just returned from Afghanistan and gives a very enthusiastic report on the spirit of the Danish soldiers. We also spoke of our shared enthusiasm for the deployment of new French forces in the country, and the important signals of renewed international engagement coming from that valuable ally. Our first ride of the morning was a short one to the beautiful and giant new showroom of Actona Furniture; a dealer/manufacturer featuring Scandinavian furniture. Their enormous showroom on three floors showcases the finest in modern Scandinavian furniture design. I was pleased to learn that they have a showroom at the International Home Furnishings Market in my hometown of High Point, North Carolina, and that the market for Scandinavian design in the US has been growing. Growing up in the “Furniture Capital of America”, I have visited many furniture showrooms over the years and this is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and well designed I have ever seen. The highlight of my morning visit to Actona was that I was joined there by Minister of Defense Søren Gade. Minister Gade, a good friend, was unable to ride with me today, but wanted to pay his respects as I rode through his hometown. (Plus, he said he had heard many stories about the “Men In Tights” and wanted to see for himself!) We had a great visit, and reminisced about the success of the recent Nato summit in Bucharest, and the well-timed and very positive visit of our Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to Denmark. We were also able to update each other on the progress of Denmark’s deliberations concerning the next generation of fighter aircraft; a competition in which we have two very qualified American competitors in the Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter, and the Boeing F-18. We left Minister Gade and jumped on the bikes for the 7 km ride to the Holsterbro Town Hall. At the Town Hall I was met not only by Mayor Arne Lægård, but also by Minister of Taxation Kristian Jensen. Kristian is a good friend who cleared his schedule to join me on today’s ride from Holsterbro to his hometown of Herning. The Mayor escorted us into the beautiful chambers of the Kommune council and made a very nice presentation, then escorted us through the Town’s stone-lined Walking Street (one of the prettiest in Denmark) to the other side of town where we made the short trek to the Nupark Innovation Center. Manager Peter Kjeldberg showed us around this very impressive facility which is in essence an “incubator” designed to nurture young companies in a synergistic atmosphere. The facility already hosts 70 different companies, all of whom pay a market rent, and is adding capacity to continue to accommodate these companies as they grow. (Unlike other incubators I have visited in the US where they nurture the companies and then send them off on their own, this facility hopes to keep the companies on campus as they grow.) When Peter sent an e-mail out asking if any of the 70 companies had connections with America, 23 said yes. I was able to meet with two of these companies; a development firm and a trade show operator who, coincidentally, was working on a big show that is scheduled in the near future in Charlotte, North Carolina, where I was born. Leaving Nupark, we were joined by a half dozen riders from the “Færch Plast” Riding Club, who escorted us the 4 km to the giant manufacturing facility of Færch. Færch is Europe’s largest manufacturer of plastic food containers, producing over 1.6 billion units per year. They refer to their headquarters as the ‘White House” because it is an all-white edifice reminisicent of the Home of our Presidents at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (they even had a large photo of the ‘Real White House” waiting for me when I got inside.) They are really market-leaders in the area of innovative packaging, and are now focused on making packaging that is as cheap as possible while still being at a top quality level, through through research into even more precise machines and new and innovative materials.The company has made only modest inroads into the US, in part because of import regulations and taxes, and in part because Americans have historically been much less receptive to prepared foods, and more committed to tin cans. I think their future is bright in America though, and perhaps with the weak dollar, now is a good time for them to enter the American market with an acquisition. After taking lots of photos in front of the “White House”, and being treated to a very nice meal, we got back on our bikes and started out on the 45 km trek to Herning. Unfortunately, at this point we were running an hour behind schedule, so we had about 70 minutes to make the 45 km distance. It was too bad, because we passed some beautiful scenery along the back roads of western Jutland. General Kiærskou set a great pace during the first 15 km before he had to leave us, and we were going so fast that a couple of times we lost our “chase cars” who couldn’t make it down some of the narrow backroads . I think we made a few wrong turns because what was supposed to be 45 km turned out to be about 60 km, and we arrived at the Herning Messecenter in full sweat, about 30 minutes behind schedule. At the MesseCenter Minister Jensen and I were met by our good friend Georg Sørensen, the Director. Georg Sørensen is one of my many friends in Herning, which is the home to some of Denmark’s finest leaders including Minister of Defense Søren Gade, Minister of Taxation Christian Jensen, Minister of Science and Technology Helge Sander, and Mayor Lars Karup. I call Georg Sørenesn the “PT Barnum of Denmark”. He is a great showman. I have been to Herning and the MesseCenter several times for shows and events and continue to be impressed with the quality of events, and caliber of “show” that Georg puts on here. It is a real compliment to him and his staff how successful they are here in this part of Jutland, far away from the population center of Copenhagen. (I promised Georg I would let Bruce Springsteen know what a great market Herning is, and what great nightspots Herning has, like my favorite “Murphy’s”). Georg and his staff and about two dozen friends celebrated the Minister’s and my arrival with champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries. I really enjoyed visiting with the very enthusiastic, and very attractive, group, and promised to come back when I have more time on June 1 when the ReDiscovery Tour picks back up in Herning. (Murphy’s Be Warned, we are coming back in June!!)from Skive - Struer – Holstebro – 61 km – (1475)We started Day 21 early, at 6:00 am (only five hours after we turned in for the night after finishing last night’s blog) with a nice breakfast at the Regitzes Minde Hotel, next to Flemmings’ house. During breakfast, Søren, the owner of the Inn shared with us the work he is doing with a non-profit organization taking blankets, school supplies and other necessities to people in need in Belorussia. Søren and others started this project several years ago, and take one truck per week to that country. This is a great example of the spirit of volunteerism rising in Denmark. Following breakfast we headed toward Skive, and on the way stopped by “Lonliness”, the beautiful historic home of the famous Danish poet Jeppe Aakjær. There were stunning views down the sloping meadow to the Fjord, which are now enjoyed by students who come to the home to study the poetry of the famous Dane. Along the way to Skive we passed through three of the famous ‘Jacob Jensen Roundabouts” that Tim Jensen has showed us the prototypes for last night. The most striking is The Sun, a huge golden ball made with 28000 panels of real gold, I am told. Our first stop was the Skive Handelsskole (Commercial High School), which is situated in a nice campus-like setting with five or six other schools in this part of town. (It is known as the “School Town”.) The business school was founded in 1884 and hosts 600 students, divided between several different curricula. The upper level group of about 30 students is going to the states next year; a week in New York and a week in Washington. I had a chance to visit with these students, as well as about another two dozen students who were on the technical track. I had the opportunity to share the purpose of my ReDiscovery Tour, and then open for questions. The students were really prepared with some good questions, about gun control, the health care system, the environment, drug use, and differences in America and Denmark. I am not sure if their impressions of America are really as negative as their questions implied, but they certainly seemed to have an impression of our country based on the prime-time TV shows. I tried my best to dispel their notions of America as a drug-infested, gun-toting, rich and heartless culture, but I really expect that their impression was not so much negative, as it was that they had been instructed to think of some “tough questions.” (I have to admit, though, that I was a bit troubled by my new friend Casper reporting that during his recent year in an Orlando high school, he was amazed at the overwhelming use if drugs by “almost all” of the students. His theory is that they turn to drugs because they are easier to get than alcohol.) After our question session we passed out coins and took photos. I think all of the students who asked me tough questions came up to me and told me how much they were looking forward to going to America, or how much they wanted to go. Biking along the rural roads to Struer with mayor Martin Merrild escorting us, we stopped at the Sahl Church, built in 1150 in the Romanesque style. The most remarkable thing about this ancient Church is the Golden Alter, a beautiful piece of Danish art crafted, they believe, around 1200 by a master artisan from Ribe. In the Church, I enjoyed ribbing my friend “AC”, who had biked with us for the prior day also, and who had “proudly” declared to me on the road that he “did not believe in God”. In the Church, he told me he had been married there years before. (AC was one of the more interesting guest riders, who asked me good questions about America every time he got close; for example…” why is it in America that a man can be dancing with a lady, and before the song is over, another man can come break in and dance with the lady?” I had to admit that I had a little trouble with that one. Along the road to Struer we came into the quaint town of Vinderup, where in addition to Major Carswell and Captain Rainer and is wife Bente, and kids Jonathan and Emma, I was met by beautiful flags lining the main street. We stopped for a quick cucumber sandwich at Rich’s family’s house on the water, and then got back on the road to Struer. On the outskirts of town my guest rider Eric suggested we stop by the Gimsing Church where, in the well-manicured graveyard lay the grave of Jesper Nielsen, the first Dane, I think, who died in battle after my arrival. He died in Iraq on March 26, 2006. I said a prayer for Jesper and his family, and the other men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. I also noticed in the cemetery the grave of Peter Bang, the founder of Bang & Olufsen. Peter died in 1957, and is buried here beside his wife. Arriving in Struer we were greeted on the steps of the Town Hall by three delightful young ladies in the International Baccalaureate program: Tia, Kristina and Sarah, along with their teacher Arial. They are all heading to Cape Town for college, and are very interested in the international arena. Interestingly, Sarah had actually been to North Carolina for a month a couple of years ago, in the small mountain town of Old Fort. Mayor Martin gave us a very nice introduction to the city (and some great smørebrød), and spoke of his abiding interest in America, where he has visited many times. I particularly liked his observation that “we in Denmark feel like your parent, and you are in your late teenage years. You do a lot of things, some we don’t like, but we like your energy.” From the Town Hall is was a short ride to the Park School where I was to meet with a few students in the international program. What greeted me, though, was a throng of students, at least 100 or 150, who all wanted to come out and welcome the Ambassador! It was a great thrill, and I really enjoyed seeing their reaction when I invited them all to come join us in Copenhagen on July 4. My meeting with Principal John Korsholm and his colleagues, along with the international students, was very interesting. Here, the political and academic leaders have decided to establish an international curriculum with teaching 50% in English. They believe this is necessary in order for Denmark to remain competitive, and in order to respond to the needs of the local business community, particularly B&O. But they are meeting with some resistance from some elements of the Danish political leadership who think that only Danish should be spoken in the schools. It was an interesting discussion. I was particularly impressed with young Frederik and Cecilie who have both signed up for the international program. When I asked Frederik how it was that he spoke such good English he quickly replied “Counterstrike”! Apparently it’s a voice-over-internet computer game that he plays with many other young people in England and America. (The school had hoped for 8 to 10 students to sign up for the voluntary program, and were overwhelmed when 23 students signed up.) I reluctantly left the Park School, where I was charmed by the students, and headed for the offices of Bang & Olufsen. I have been to the headquarters and met with the senior executives on prior occasions, so this time they decided to show me the “B&O Automotive” group, which is a “skunkworks” for creative design in the world of automotive sound. In early 2000 some smart folks at B&O figured out that 70% of new music is listened to by people in their cars. For B&O this was a compelling business opportunity. After being turned down by many of the manufacturers, Audi finally said yes in 2003, and starting with the Audi A8, the incredible sound of B&O is an option in many high-end cars. I was given the opportunity to hear for myself when Torben drove me to 40 km from B&O to my next stop. Travelling those 40 km listening to the likes of the Eagles Live (Hotel California) was one of the highlights of my Tour. I was intrigued to learn from Torben and CEO Jens Peter Zinck that the acoustic lens technology, which seems to be one of the secrets to the concert-like sound of the A8, was American technology that B&O acquired. The incredible sound of the Audi, powered by 14 speakers located throughout the car, prepared me for the fantastic experience to come; at Wave Star Energy. Wave Star Energy is one of the most exciting things I have seen on my Tour. According to founder and CEO Per Resen Steenstrup, Wave Star has finally “cracked the code” on the secret of harnessing the power of the oceans. There are over 1000 patents on wave-energy devices, and more than $500 million has been spent on wave energy technology. But no one appears to have made a commercially viable prototype until now. Based on two seemingly-intuitive inventions, involving retracting the floats out of the water in inclement weather, and creating “continuous electricity” with a “piston-engine” type array, Wave Star seems to have come up with the right design. This prototype has operated since April of 2006 with no problems, and endured 14 major storms. Next year, at Horn’s Reef off of Denmark’s coast, Wave Star and its partners will install a 500 kilowatt structure. Hopefully it will be ready in time to showcase at the COP-15 UN Climate conference. I was pleased to learn that my friend Jørgen Mads Clausen, one of the great entrepreneurs and venture capitalists in Denmark, was involved in funding the company. I am confident that Wave Star will find great partners and collaborators in America. As we left Wave Star we stopped by the home of Eric and Hanne Andersen, the delightful parents of my good friend Morten Andersen, the holder of the scoring record in the National Football League, and the “most famous Dane in America.” Eric and Hanne have a beautiful home overlooking the fjord, and treated us to wine and cheese and tales of their recent trip to New York to join Morten and Jennifer for Morten’s receiving of the “Man of the Year” honor from the Danish-American society. I am really sorry that I could not be there, but I really enjoyed talking with Morten on the phone while walking in the back yard where he learned to kick a ball. The interlude at the Andersen’s home was an appetizer for the beautiful and peaceful 15 km ride that awaited us to Holsterbro. I must admit that, with the combination of weather, scenery, and company (Mick decided to join us for a bit) I do not know if I have enjoyed a 15 km ride any more than I enjoyed that one. And I know for sure that I have not enjoyed writing my blog anywhere as much as this… on the back porch of Captain Rich Rainer’s summer home, overlooking the fjord with a setting sun. This is a day I will long remember.from Thisted - Nykøbing M - Skive 79 km (1414)Day 20 Started with a full stomach from the fantastic dinner the night before. We had driven back to Western Jutland to meet the legendary Lars Larsen, founder of “Jysk”, on the golf course at Himmerland Golf Club in Gatten. The “New Course” at Himmerland is one of finest golf courses I have ever had the pleasure of playing. Lars and Hans Henrik Kjølby, the Managing Director of Jysk Holdings, were great playing companions, and I think Lars is the best marketing genius in Denmark. (He wrote a book a few years ago and, as a marketing device, sent a copy of it to every household in Denmark.) So the conversation was inspirational, and I learned a great deal about the opportunities of doing business in “New Europe”and the challenges of doing business in America. But as good as the companionship was, I could not wait to get off the course to email my two brothers to tell them that on the only Par 6 hole in Europe (a 713 yard, 620 m monster), I had a birdie! (Of course I won’t talk about the rest of my game.) The Himmerland Club is situated in a beautiful part of Jutland, and features, without question in my opinion, the finest restaurant of any Golf Club I have ever eaten in. Claus, the restaurant manager, and the club’s chef have recently arrived from other parts of Denmark where they worked in several of the finest restaurants in the country. We had a 17 course meal (if you count the nine different items on the appetizer plate) that rivaled anything I have had in the finest restaurants of Copenhagen or New York. (We started with a fascinating watermelon on a skewer, onto which you squeeze a few drops of balsamic vinegar from a medicine dropper, and to which you add a dash of salt. It was a delightful combination and started us down a path of gastronomic delight. The most intriguing feature of the experience was the ‘self administered” sauces, creams, juices and syrups that we applied to the dishes ourselves, from every manner of device imaginable; a tube that looked like a toothpaste tube, a small areosol spray, a ‘cough medicine “ bottle, a “cold cream jar” and several others. It was a fun surprise, and added to the already creative presentation of the dishes. I highly recommend this restaurant to my friends, even if you don’t play golf. So, awaking from a good night’s sleep in one of the Himmerland Clubs rooms overlooking the 18th green, we set out by car to Thisted where we had left off two weeks ago. Our first stop was Coloplast, the Danish company that is the market leader in ostomy products. Steen Scheibye, the CEO and my good friend, joined us for the ride to Coloplast, and stayed with us for the morning ride. Coloplast was founded in 1966 based on an idea from Nurse Elise Sørensen, by the company founder Louise Hansen. It now employs 6,000 people in 33 countries, and produces over 80 million units per year in the Thisted facility alone. The most remarkable thing about the Thisted location is that machine manufacturing section where engineers design and custom manufacture the complicated and huge continuous-line manufacturing machines that make Coloplast’s products. Thisted Mayor Erik Hove Olesen joined us at Coloplast and biked with us to the Thisted Town hall where gave us a nice overview of the Town, andparticularly its commitment to alternative energy. (they brand themselves as “Denmark’s leading environmental municipality”.) I continue to be impressed with the municipal commitments in the country to alternative energy. Thisted’s alternatives are a broad mix of wind, geothermal, waste incineration and wave technology. There are 226 windmills in the municipality, producing 332 million kws. From the town hall we were joined by ‘Team Coloplast”, ten riders who joined Steen for the 13 km to the Vilsund Bridge through beautiful countryside. At the beautiful bridge, which connects the island of Mors to the mainland, we were joined by Mors city Council members Lauge Larsen and Martin Jorgensen who guided us through the stunningly beautiful island of Mors toward Nykobing Mors. Along the way we climbed to the highest point on the island, from where we could see the entire island and marvel at the beautiful patchwork of bright yellow fields where the Rapeseed is in full bloom. We soon stopped at Morsø Jernstøberi, the oldest and best known Danish stove producer. I was able to watch their assembly, which is still by hand to preserve quality, and see their newest, and as yet unreleased “glass front” stove, designed by our friend Monica Ritterband. Morsø Managing Director Peter Jessen-Hansen treated us to a healthy barbecue chicken lunch, with delicious potato salad, that I had to quickly eat in order to greet the crowd of new riders forming in the parking lot. We were joined by one of the most delightful combinations of “riders” we have yet had on the Tour. First, we had a dozen young people, around 14-15 years of age, from the Holms Skole. The young people all were waving Danish flags. The girls were delightful with “greenery” woven into their hair, and the boys were eager and full of questions. (Interestingly, the boys all spoke very good English, while the girls all seemed to really struggle with it, even though they were the same age.) The second group that joined us for this leg consisted of the “Pain and Agony” Club. This is a running Club in Mors that has decided to “adopt” the elderly and the infirm who do not have the “Power of legs”. Ten times each year these compassionate volunteers take 40 to 50 “guest riders” out in running strollers to expose them to the outdoors and give them the exuberant experience of running in nature. Two such guests accompanied us this day, including a 94 year old lady who spoke absolutely no English, but who smiled and laughed for the entire trip. This example of “the Diplomacy of Deeds”, volunteers doing good for others in need, was particularly inspiring. Jens, the group organizer, came up with the idea several years ago and hopes to spread the effort throughout Denmark. (I think it would be really popular in America as well. Perhaps we can find a “sister organization” in America.) Our diverse group left Morsø Jernstøberi and headed for the town center of Nykøbing Mors. At the beautiful old Town Hall, dating to 1846, the Mayor gave us a very gracious welcome including sharing with us the story of Ted Sørensen, President Kennedy’s famous speechwriter who visited here in 2004 to trace the roots of his grandfather, who was born here. (As he was leaving, Sørensen apparently said; “Why on earth did my ancestors leave this place??”) I was honored to sign the town’s guest book just a few pages after Ted Sørensen’s signature. Leaving the Town Hall, I was given a walking tour of the city center, and was told the story of Niels Andersen Christensen, the founder of the Morsø Stove company I had just visited, who built the first “modern” industrial assembly factory in Europe here in 1913 after visiting the assembly plant that Henry Ford had set up a couple of years earlier in Detroit. We then toured the Library, built inside the original factory that Christensen built, and I had the chance to visit with the young people who had been accompanying us for the past hour or so. I found them eager and interested in America, and their answers continued to confirm my impressions of young people in Jutland (8s and 9s to my two questions.) After the short ride down the charming walking street (where bikes are not allowed!) we headed off to the other end of Mors to the Sallingsund Bridge for our departure from the island. The Mors Kommune is planning a 160 km “bike path” around the island. I cannot imagine a more beautiful place for biking. As we crossed the long Sallingsund Bridge, a new group of riders, led by mayor Eskildsen joined us for the ride into Skive. This was perhaps the largest group yet of “professional” riders. There were at least 20 guests, including many of the 31 Town Council members and Kommune staff, a number of business leaders like Timothy Jensen and Peter Vinther Christensen, and several riders who heard or read about the Tour in the local media and just decided to join us (these are my favorite kind; the spontaneous and curious). This was a spirited ride through more beautiful countryside for 35 km toward Skive. At Skive, the end of our riding for the day, I learned of the history of this town, founded over 800 years ago at the origin point of the Limfjord. This municipality has the most coast line of any in Denmark, at 190 km, and boasts some of the prettiest views in Denmark. We learned a great deal about the kommune’s commitment to alternative energy, and I was impressed to learn that there were many schools with solar collectors, and an ice hockey rink with a heat exchange. There are also 47 Church’s to accommodate the 47,000 people in the Kommune (as Niels Mortensen of the local historical archives said, “there is a lot of room in the Church’s on Sunday.”) Niels gave us a great history lesson, and told about the Priest who travelled to the US in 1903, and upon his return to Denmark in 1908, decided to organize a reunion of Danes who had immigrated to the US. Over 50 immigrants attended, joined by his Royal Highness King Frederik IX and Queen Louise. This was the inspiration and predecessor for the Rebild Festival, which commenced a few years later in 1912. Following a quick shower at the Skive Town Hall, we headed to the pastoral offices and design studios of Jacob Jensen, the world-renowned Danish design firm. The company has produced some of the most stunning designs ever, with an incredibly diverse product array; from watches to wind turbines, and stereos to suntanning beds. They have received over 100 international design awards since Timothy’s father Jacob Jensen founded the company in 1958, and have 19 products that are exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Jacob Jensen is perhaps best known for being the lead designer for Bang and Olufsen for many years. The first stop was the ‘Jensen Design house”, a new facility in an old farm house that is part museum, part showroom, and part office. (I really enjoyed lying in the dentist chair, seeing the amazingly stylish B&O stereo designs, including some that are almost 50-years old, and the beautiful watch, designed by Tim, that is one of the 19 MOMA exhibits. They also showed me the mock-ups of the 11 “Round Abouts” that Jacob Jensen designed for the Skive Kommune. They have won awards all across the globe. ) Tim has done a wonderful job of maintaining the creative, inspirational, and at times whimsical atmosphere first built by his father. He refers to his father as a “Charlie Chaplain figure”, and Tim has a photo of the Marx Brothers proudly displayed in his office. The Design Studio from which his designers work, and which upstairs houses Tim and his family, is a stunning converted farm house overlooking the marsh and fjord. We were treated to a superb dinner while watching the pink and purple-hued setting sun. I was really charmed by the story of Tim’s father meeting his mother. His mother Patricia Ryan was an American. At the time Tim’s father met his soon-to-be bride on a boat cruise in 1956, she was married to a “spy who was on his way to Moscow.” They fell in love during the cruise, and she left for Moscow to tell her husband that she had found the man of her dreams. I really like the inscription in the Jacob Jensen book that Tim presented to me. It captures the essence of the Jacob Jensen inspiration: “One of the eternal laws of our planet is action-reaction; in nature and in culture. A creation demands a reaction. The success of a creation is dependent upon commitment, idea, communication and the evolutionary process until perfection is reached. Being aware of these components, one can achieve results which reduce vulnerability and strengthen recognition and survival. It is in fact very simple.” Our delightful evening ended as the last light was leaving, with still-pink hues over the water. After catching the ferry to Fur we settled in for the night at the home of Mayor Flemming Eskildsen, ready for a good night’s sleep, and hopefully more great weather tomorrow.from US EmbassyDear Sofie, Dear Gerry and Janne, Thank you to you all for your invitations to Ambassador Cain. As you can probably guess, the plans for the ambassador's stay in Skive have been made quite a while ago so he is not able to visit, or overnight at your respective houses. He will, however, be very near Ørslev Kloster when visiting Jacob Jensen Design late Wednesday evening. Also, don't forget you are all invited to ride along with Ambassador Cain in Skive. If you show up at Skive Handelsskole Thursday morning at 08.30 you can ride along from there to Struer. Also remember to return to these pages to read about the events taking place over the next three days. Moderatorfrom Ørslev Kloster, SkiveDear Ambassador Cain, We only just recently became aware of your original and amendable ReDiscovery Tour. What a great idea! This is just a short comment to convince you why you cannot cyckle through our local area without experiencing Ørslev Kloster and talking with its guests. It is a medieval benedictine nunnery, later rebuilt as a monor house set in beautiful rolling hills just outside of Skive. Parts of the building go right back to the 13th century. So you'll be hard pushed to have the possibility to stay in a building this old anywhere else in the country. Today the old manor house functions as a creative residence for anybody and everybody with a project in mind and the need for peace and quiet to work on their idea. This is not an elitist residence and has no religious connections or role of any kind. This is a place with a history that embodies both the past, present and future. The history of this place reflects Denmarks history from Viking times, through the medieval period right up to modern times. It's role today as a creative residence is a small piece of modern danish society that is worth experiencing. Our role is partly one of regenerating and preserving an historical building, a national treasure, but more importantly regenerating a small rural community. Apart from ourselves the local village also hosts the design offices of the world renowned degin house Jakob Jensen Design. Ørslev Kloster attracts users from all social backrounds and ages from the whole country and international guests from mostly the nordic countries and Germany, but also most european countries island and the states! Believe it or not. We have a small but active number of american guests and members of our friends society. I just think that the experience of both staying in the house and meeting and talking with the other ordinary guests - doing their thing. It would all show you a different side of Denmark that I dont think you otherwise have the opportunity to experience for yourself. See more on our website www.oerslev-kloster.dk Your more than welcome to stay over on our trip through Skive and we have lots of room for extra guests. Yours sincerely, Janne Fruergaard & Garry Keyes Ørslev Kloster tlf. 97538565/ 97538575/ 20643943/ 21774177from Hald, SkiveInvitation to Mr. James Cain. We have just read in our local paper (Skive Folkeblad) that you would like to stay in a privat home when you arrive to Skive. We would like to invite you Mr. Cain to stay in our house for the night. We consider ourselves as a family that couls challange you in a positive way an make it an interesting stay. Kind Regards Sofie Ambeck + familyfrom US Embassy CopenhagenDear Antonio Gilliam, You're absolutely right about the photos and more photos will be posted on the pages of the individual days. The blog itself, unfortunatley, does not allow photos.from Harmony, North Carolina, USAI just wanted to say how PROUD we are of Ambassador Cain and hope he is able to complete all of his duties after this long,grueling ride..he is TRULY a GREAT AMERICA and is making all of us PROUD!! We all in the US would ask that more photos documenting your journey be posted, its easier to follow your writings that way..Thanks & GOD BLESS AMERICA and DENMARK!!from Day 19 - Brovst - Thisted - 88km (1335)The cost of a bus ticket to get 15 young riders back to school: 30 kroner The amount those young people make gutting fish at Thorup Beach fishery: 70 kroner per box The sound of those youngsters, and 350 of their 18 and 19 year old classmates, cheering, screaming and clapping for you when you enter the gymnasium with your teenage daughter there to witness it: unforgettable The value to the ego of the the girls in the audience whistling at you when you take off your biking jacket (again with your teenage daughter there to witness it): priceless. This was a really great day. We started at Brovst School where the Mayor, two teachers and about 20 students ages 8 to 15, several with tiny American and Danish flags in their helmets, joined us for what was supposed to have been only 5 km. But we were having so much fun riding and talking that when we reached their designated “turnaround point” after 5km, they all said they wanted to keep on going for the remaider of the 23 km trip to Migtronic, a manufactiuring company. I was worried about the young people, many without helmets, biking along the narrow shoulder of the very busy roadway with lots of truck traffic. So I made a command decision to go a different route, through the scenic back country, though it added about 30 minutes to our schedule. Although a few of the younger children put their bikes in Mick’s van after another couple of km, the majority, including Laura and Mayor Gade, made it. Migatronic is a manufacturer of welding equipment. They have been in business since 1970 and have significant distribution in the US. I had great fun donning a welder’s cape and helmet and trying my hand at a little welding, which I have not done since the summer of 1976. I am not sure my weld was too straight, but I think the local TV news crew enjoyed it. Leaving Migtronic we headed a few km down the road to Fjerritslev Gymnasium. I had a feeling the reception was going to be good when I saw the 40 or so large Danish flags lining the road on my ride into the entrance. Rektor Per Beck was there to greet me, which was fun because he had been a teacher of Lars, one of my PET bodyguards who happened to be with me. As mentioned above, when I walked into the assembly room, all 350 students, ages 17-19 began to cheer wildly. It was a great way to get pumped up before a speech, and it was great for Laura to see it! I had a traditional Town Hall meeting, which I really enjoy doing, followed by Q and A from the students. I found the students questions to be fairly typical for young people in Denmark: the war, climate change, the consequences of 9/11, Capital punishment, who would be President next, etc. I was also pleased to find that, by a show of hands, these young people gave me an average 6.5 to 7 on my first question and an average 7 to 8 on the second. I think I blushed when, as the questions started, I took off my bike vest, revealing my “smashing tights” and got catcalls (whistles) from the girls in the audience. (I know Laura blushed, though she started clapping with all the others! Later she told me it was hilarious, and she said “I wanted to say … Hey, that’s my Dad! He’s not sexy!” The visit with the gymnasium students was a real highlight. I ended with a rousing invitation to “Come to America” (only about a dozen had been before.) I hope I was able to give them a more positive impression of America than much of them seem to have had. We next did a 13 km stretch to Thorup Beach, which is a unique fishing village that is unique because it is the only fishing hamlet in Denmark that is actually growing, and the only place in Europe where fishing boats are pulled up on shore by cables and tractors at the end of each day. We watched with our host Kirsten Monrad as three or four of the fishing boats were being hauled up on the beach (there are about 20 total stationed here) and were able to talk with a couple of the fishermen about the rough, though apparently fairly rewarding, life. The fishermen catch lots of plaice, sole and similar fish. It is a great deal for the young people of the area, including many of those I visited with at the Gymnasium, because they come here after school to gut and scale the fish, getting paid 70 kroner per box (50 kilos per box). Many of the kids can make as much as 1000 kroner ($200) per night. I was not anxious to leave the fishing village because it had turned cold and started to pour down rain. Rico and I headed out into the wind and rain and made the 50 km ride to Thisted. It was a pretty miserable ride for the first 20 km or so, plus we got lost once and went about 10 km out of the way. But then the rain stopped, and the ride was good. But then the hills and the wind started, so the last 20 km or so was pretty brutal. I was really really happy to pull up into Thisted around 3:00, and to reward myself (and Laura!) with a chocolate milkshake at McDonalds. I wouldn’t usually indulge in such an “unhealthy treat” but I convinced myself that after almost 275 km in the last three days that maybe I deserved it!!from Day 18 - Hirtshals - Svinkløv, 110 km (1247)This was the longest day yet, with many many guest riders, and probably the best weather we have encountered on the entire Tour. We started south of Hirtshals in Horne at the home/railroad station of our potter/anthropologist friends Alyne and Greg. We were joined by a delightful group of seven young people from the local “arts school”, a boarding school with young people from around Jutland. Maria, Anya, Dennis, Emma, Henrietta, Frederick and Maria were delightful companions during the first 20 km headed toward Åbybro. These young people had decidedly strong opinions, not at all sympathetic with President Bush, and very much opposed to the War in Iraq and the War in Afghanistan. They had recently all seen the Michael Moore movie on 9/11 and of course they appeared to believe the stuff Moore depicted in the film. I did my best to share the truth with them, but quickly found that they were really more interested in who would be the next President, and what his or her priorities would be than hearing about the current President. They have strong “hopes” that the next President will “end war” and “sign Kyoto”, but they seemed open minded to my reasons why Kyoto could never be signed by an American President, and why the ideal of “ending war” sounded good, but that it implied that there was no retribution or recourse for terrorism, violence, or evil. Given the strongly “left wing” opinions of these young people, when we finished our ride at a beautiful ancient Church, I was convinced they were going to contradict my theory and give me low numbers on my “How close are we and does it really matter?’ questions. But I was pleasantly shocked when they unanimously gave me scores in the 7 and 8 range, just like other young folks in Jutland. Among the interesting things I learned from these young people was that their class had recently travelled to Nigeria on a two-week study trip. When I asked them what they had learned, several of them spoke of the ‘big difference in religion”. Apparently the Nigerians presumed that because these young people were “white”, that they must be very religious. As one of the young people said, “it was the white man who brought them Christianity, so they presume all whites are religious.” The young people said that when they explained to their Nigerian hosts that in Denmark “everyone can choose whether to be religious, and most of us have chosen not to”, that the Nigerian hosts “actually got pretty mad and started preaching to us.” Our next stop was Børglum Kloster, the ancient monastery built in the 11th century by the “White Monks” from France. The Cloister is privately owned by my hosts Anne and Hans Rottbøll. Anne was present to show me around the amazing Cloister with her daughters Benedicte and Christine. When I was escorted into the Cathedral I was almost breathless. The altarpiece at the front of the narthex is one of the most beautiful I have seen anywhere in Europe. It was built in 1729, contains six striking paintings of scenes from the life of Christ and the early Saints, and has still retained its stunningly beautiful basalt blue and white paint. It is miraculous how the paint has retained its beauty. Speaking of miracles, there “was” a miracle of the Børglum Cloister, known as the “Nodding Madonna”. When parishioners would place money in the hands of the carved wooden Madonna she would “nod” her thanks. Of course it was finally revealed after the Reformation that there was a hole in the back of the Madonna through which a monk would place his hand and tilt the wooden head. The ‘Nodding Madonna” still sits silently on the high wall of the Church, but no one is placing money in her palms today. There may no longer be a “miracle of Børglum”, but there is at least one ghost of Børglum, if not more, and Anne’s daughter Benedicte has seen him. He apparently comes around noon on most days gliding down the corridor of the beautiful living quarters of the Cloister. Benedicte says he is not threatening, but is very life like. (The bodyguards suggested I hurry out of there just before noon.) If there is a ghost in the corridor he has a front row seat for one of the more unique features of this “museum” that Anne has created inside of the cloister. She and her daughters and staff have created a wonderful thematic museum that has exhibits depicting life in the monastery, depicting life throughout Denmark’s history, showing a beautiful Nativity Scene (I told Anne I have not seen many of those in Denmark) and showing Hans Christian’s Andersen’s room as it was when he spent 10 nights here in 1839 writing fairy tales. But perhaps the most exciting exhibit is one that will open on May I showcasing the costumes that Her Royal Highness Queen Margrethe created for the Royal Ballet’s production of HCA’s Fairy Tales. The show travelled to Japan and was a great success. This is the first time the collection has been shown outside the production, and I am sure it will be a big hit. One of the more poignant moments of the tour was when Anne introduced me to the memorial to her great uncle Captain Christian Rottbøll who was a hero of the Nazi Resistance. At the age of 25 he was shot by the Danish police sympathizers. He is buried on the property, with a memorial written in English that states; “ In Denmark’s hour of strife he gave his answer to an inward call with his life.” The highlight of the tour at this magnificent place of history was the tour of the cellar in which an exhibition has been dedicated to the family’s relative Gutzon Borglum. Gutzon Borglum was a Danish American who, between the years 1927 and 1942 created one of the greatest of American architectural and artistic treasures, nestled in the Black Hills of the Dakotas, the majestic Mount Rushmore. On this majestic mountain, which Gutzon originally intended to depict the entire upper body to the waistcoat rather than just the upper torso, are the stone visages of America’s greatest heroes: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Thomas Jefferson. Gutzon visited this cloister in 1942, during the Occupation. He died in 1947. Before leaving Anne, Benedicte and Christine, we took a photo in front of their ancestor Christian Michael Rottbøll, the Minister of Foreign Affairs who in 1908 sold the Danish West Indies to America. While there are probably many in Denmark who do not consider him a hero, there are certainly many in America who are delighted that what is now know as the Virgin Islands is now part of America! Riding the 20 km from Børglum Cloister to Åbybro we were joined by a four-man bike team from Biersted. The bikers were great companions and were great patriots. Bjarne, a Master Sergeant in the Danish Special Forces (now retired), a veteran of 6,000 parachute jumps, provided some great insights into the mind of the Danish people. The ride was made even more exciting because TV2Nord had me miked for the journey, and rode along beside us for much of the way. As we were approaching Åbybro the TV2 journalist Tommy joined us for the last 10 km. Tommy gave me a really interesting answer to my question: “What should the next President do to reconnect with Europe?” “Solve the problem of Iraq!” he said. His counterparts in Copenhagen would have said “Pull the troops from Iraq”, but Tommy’s phrasing was very insightful and led to a good conversation about the gains made recently under President Bush. We arrived at the TV2 studios right on time, and Pia and Peter and their crew welcomed our whole peloton for sandwiches and cold drinks before sitting me down at the anchor desk with their lead anchor Zita who did a delightful interview about the purpose of my bike Tour. (We watched the teaser trailer for the interview and the interview itself later at Birkelse and I was very pleased.) Leaving TV2 we journeyed the short distance to the massive country estate of Jørgen Skeel and his wife Malou Toft, Birkelse. This impressive and productive estate sits on 16,000 acres of beautiful land in western Jutland. This is where we are bunking down for the night. Before touring the estate and settling in, I had a very daunting task awaiting me: arriving in the estate driveway, just as I pulled up, was the Cycling Team that Jørgen and his son Erik belong to, Team CCJ; and the team was primed for a 35 km ride from the Estate to Svinkløv Strandhotel on the West coast of Jutland. (I decided later that “CCJ” stands for “Cruel Crazy Jutlanders”!) The ride started out very pleasantly, as the Team Leader Erik gave Laura a few extra “pushes” to get her to the front of the 12 member group. After a few km of travelling 35 km on a busy road with no helmet, I sent Bo my driver and Hans our bodyguard up ahead and they coaxed Laura off the road for safety reasons. But the fun really started then. Erik the Torturer (as I affectionately called him) kept the team at top speed for the remaining 25 km of the ride. By my speedometer, we averaged 34 km per hour, with several “free breakaways”, including the steepest and most tortuous hill I have climbed yet; about a 1 km climb at full tilt. Although Eric gave me a couple of pushes, it was brutal. But when we got the top, I could not believe it when Eric announced “on the way down we go 75!” I thought he was kidding, but when I topped out at 62 km, I knew he was serious, and only a little disappointed that I did not make the full 75! Arriving at the beautiful Svinkløv Standhotel on the rising sandy banks of the West Jutland shore, I had a great moment to catch my breath, enjoy a Pepsi (“invented in North Carolina”) and visit with the boys of Team CCJ, and of course their leader ‘Erik the Torturer”. (I really loved the experience with Erik. He is a remarkable coach and inspiration for the boys and for me, but I enjoyed kidding him about how hard he made me work.) The boys are equally curious about America, they think of McDonalds, Coca cola, and Walt Disney when they think of America, although they did not know many of the American artists that my daughter Laura likes: The Jonas Brothers or Miley Cyrus for instance. But they all know Paris Hilton! They also all know my friend Morten Andersen, who is from this area and a great hero. I challenged them to race in America, and they all agreed that 2010-2011 was their goal. I told them that if they made it, I would be there to cheer them on! Leaving the CCJ team, we headed to Jammerbugt Kommune where I was received by the mayor and the entire 26 member town council for their regular monthly meeting. There were two great surprises from the experience, the first was that about 300 protestors greeted us on arrival, wearing yellow jerseys and carrying signs. Of course, I first thought they were there for me, and that maybe their yellow jerseys were signifying that I was biking too slow. But soon I was informed that these were health care workers striking for more pay (they want a 15% pay raise and are being offered only 12.9%). Of course they turned their attention on us when we arrived, but they were very pleasant. The second surprise was how the Town Council meeting opened. It opened with at song: “Today is a Sunny Day” (English translation). Fortunately they did not make me sing, but the mayor did make a nice presentation, and I enjoyed the lesson in Danish democracy as the Kommune discussed library policy and two new kindergartens. But, I was very glad to return to the comfortable confines of Birkelse. Laura and I were invited by Jørgen and Erik for a swim in their pool, followed by a steam in their sauna, after which we were treated to a delightful dinner prepared by Chef Morten from Aalborg’s finest restaurant: Morten’s Kro. During dinner I learned about the history of this ancient manor home, the original foundation from which dates to 1200, but most of the buildings are from 1400 to 1500. There are ghosts at Birkelse. While I did not see any of them, the tales are legendary. There is also a dead cat entombed in a glass case hanging above the doorway of one of the entrances. The story Jørgen told me was that in the 1300s there were still pagan influences in the family line, and custom was to hang a skinned cat above the doorway to keep away evil spirits. When the skeleton of the cat finally deterioriated and fell down, that meant someone was going to die. Jørgen has the cat skeleton screwed in tightly to the wall. A tour of the ancient manor house was a tour through Denmarks 1000 year history. Twenty-one generations of Skeel’s have lived on this estate. There are 158 portraits of his ancestors gracing the walls of the home, the oldest of a young man painted in the 1400’s. The estate is one of the largest in Denmark. It used to be three times the size, but in the “land reform” of 1919, the state took 2/3rds of the property of these large estates, without paying any compensation, and without any due process. The land was distributed free of charge to the small farmers of the country. This must have been one of the most massive “takings” of private property in history. It is remarkable that the family has been able to maintain this place so well, and retain the art and furnishings through succeeding generations. Malou has done a remarkable job refurbishing a number of the guest rooms in the massive manor house. And Jørgen runs an impressive diversified agricultural operation whose products range from Christmas trees to pheasants. I was pleased to learn that since the Marshall Plan of WWII the farm has used only “John Deere” equipment, a great American company. Jørgen’s father spent two years in America from 1948 to 1950 learning farm management in California. According to Jørgen, he brought the combine tractor to Denmark following his US experience. It was a wonderful evening for Laura and me visiting with Jørgen and Malou and Erik and learning about life in such an historic place. After playing a little on their treasured-family grand piano, we headed to bed for a too-short night’s sleep.from Day 17, Skagen - Hirtshals - 71km - (1137 km)The Day started back in Skagen, after an evening that included a wonderful meal at the Skagens Fiskrestaurant, one of the great restaurants in Denmark, and a hearty breakfast at Hotel Petit. This week’s ride is extra special because our 15 year old daughter Laura is joining me on the Tour, the first time a family member has been able to join me. We biked the short distance from the beautiful summer home of Niels and Inger Nejsig where we are staying to the Skagen Museum. The museum, where Helen and I have had the pleasure of visiting on two prior occasions, is this year celebrating the Centennial Anniversary of the Golden Age Skagen painters. Museum Director Lisette Vind Ebbesen guided us on the remarkable exhibit that includes all 500+ paintings that the museum has in its collections; including amazing Krøyer’s, Ancher’s, Locher’s, Drachmann’s and Jørgenssen’s that have not been on public display for years. The exhibition included the large and whimsical grand Willumsen painting “Bathing Kids at Southern Beach” which was so large that a hole had to be knocked in the wall of the museum when they brought it in for the exhibition. This was Laura’s favorite. My personal favorite remains P.S. Kroyer’s “Summer Evening at Skagen Southern Beach” where Krøyer has captured the twilight amble down the beach of his wife Marie and Anna Ancher in glorious blue hues for the ages. Upstairs at the Museum a timeline has been painted on the wall showing the development of Skagen art from 1840 to 1940, along with a very creative timeline of other notable world events that were occurring at the same time, including many that occurred in America (the Wright Brothers, Thomas Edison, Elvis, etc.) (I hope they keep the timeline up after the Exhibition) I had the pleasure of joining a group of 25 high school students on a tour for a photo opportunity. Treating us to delicious cakes and coconut macaroons in the garden after our tour, Lysette predicted that the Museum would receive over 200,000 visitors for the special exhibition this year. I will certainly do my best to promote this special exhibition to all of my Danish and American friends, and I hope to return before the exhibition closes on December 31. Leaving the Museum, biking down the lovely walking streets of Skagen, I could not resist the urge to stop in the flagship store of Skagen Watches, our favorite watches, to see what the new summer 2008 line looked like, and I was not disappointed. They are very exciting. Leaving town, we took the scenic route through Gamle Skagen so that Laura could see the sites in this beautiful area including Ruth’s Hotel and the beautiful beach. Our ride this morning included two guest riders, our friend Eric who had joined us last week in Aalborg, and Michael, a Canadian investor who lives in Skagen and who had heard about the Tour. It was great conversation to have these two interesting friends along for the day. On the scenic route we rode through the beautiful sand dunes, stopped by the buried “Sandy Church”, and headed out to Råbjerg Mile, the large “living sand dune”, that is moving at the rate of 15 meters per year, and will soon (200 years?) migrate all the way to the other side of the peninsula, burying all vegetation in its wake. While at the Dune we met a delightful group of 45 young people who were on a tour of Denmark. It appears to be a group of recent graduates who worked for the same company, in sort of a team building exercise. They were all excited to see us at the top of the Dune, and were pleased to let me take a picture with them. Because I had lingered, sightseen and shopped a little too long in Skagen, we had to make up some time, so we rode the 50 km to Hirtshals at a brisk pace averaging around 34 km/h. In Hirtshals we were met by the Deputy Mayor Jens Broen, who was all alone, but gave us a tour of the Town Hall (which was proudly flying the American flag I might add), and talked with us about the challenges in a municipality that is rapidly loosing its young people. The political leaders are working hard to give the young people a reason to stay in the area, but the aging of their population is putting pressure on their social system. (the local government is responsible for health care, education up to gymnasium level, infrastructure, and utilities, among others. I was interested to learn that in Denmark, the 62.1% income tax, which kicks in at about $50,000, is divided between the state and local governments with the local receiving 26%. The 25% VAT goes entirely to the state, with local governments charging a property tax. In this municipality the tax is 1.2% of the ground value, with no tax on improvements.) I was also intrigued to learn that this area of 66,000 people gets almost 2 million visitors per year from Norway who arrive on ferry boats after a 3 hour ride, shopping for meat, vegetables and beer. No wonder the merchants here all look so prosperous! Jens, by the way, has not visited America but he is a great enthusiast for vintage American cars. I invited him to North Carolina to do a little shopping. With the weak dollar, he could get a 40% discount right now! Our next stop was a little ways out of town to the Bunker Museum in Hirtshals. The Museum is Denmark’s “only excavated, complete German defense installation from WWII open to the public.” It contains 54 different bunkers and gun emplacements within a 20 acre site. Stig Christensen, the Museum curator, gave us a fascinating tour in which we witnessed the daily life of the 300 soliders who manned these batteries from 1940 to 1945. 50,000 Danish workers were employed building the 9 different types of bunkers designed by the Germans, designed to control the sea-lanes between Denmark and Norway, a distance of 150 km. The Germans were concerned about Russian ships getting out of the Baltic, and had designed a gun capable of firing a shell 55 km. With guns on both the Danish and Norwegian side, and mines in the middle, the Germans were able to prevent any Russian ships from getting out into the Atlantic during the entire duration of the war. Leaving the Bunker Museum we rode the six km to the picturesque home and pottery studio of Alyne Delaney and Greg Miller in the town Horne. Alyne and Greg are both American. Alyne is an anthropologist at Innovative Fisheries Management, originally doing work funded by the EU on fisheries management, but now funded in collaboration with the University of Aalborg. Greg is a world-recognized potter, and is currently in Japan at an exhibition. We were joined by Adam Mowen, also an American who lives in the neighborhood, who is a glass blower. Adam showed us some of his beautiful work (drinking glasses complete with American and Danish flags in the bottom) while Greg’s pottery partner Janne Hieck showed us the four kilns and the beautiful pottery, including works they are currently doing for Læsø Salt. There is a colony of Artists in this part of Jutland, including a number of Americans. We discussed hosting an exhibition of “American artists in Denmark” at the Residence. (With the several that we have met it could be great exhibition.) The highlight of this particular stop, though was meeting Alyne and Greg’s three sons Hamilton (10), Aidan (6) and Kieran (3). The delightful boys, who have lived most of their lives outside of America, presented me with beautiful beaded American and Danish flags they had made for me, and charmed me with descriptions of their daily lives growing up in rural northern Jutland. (they live in a beautiful restored old home that was once a train station, and they do not own a car; bike and train are their means of transport.) The visit was topped off with mouth watering chocolate chip cookies and moist brownies!! I don’t know how Alyne did it. She replicated what my mother used to make, and they were fabulous. Our final stop of the day was to travel by ‘SandWorm” to be northernmost point of Jutland ‘Grenen”, which is where the North Sea and the Baltic meet. This remarkable geologic ‘feature’ shifts 7-10 meters per year to the north as the mighty seas crash into each other at this exact point. Over the past few hundred years, residents of Skagen have had to build four different lighthouses in order to keep the light near the shifting sand. It was a thrill for Laura and me to take our shoes and socks off and stand one-foot in the Baltic and one-foot in the North Sea. Our host Rene Zeeberg from the Skagen Tourist Authority was a great host, as was Tony, the owner of the Sandworm who stayed a bit late to drive us to Grenen. The evening was capped off with a cool drink, surprise entertainment and dinner at Ruth’s Hotel. Ruth’s has an amazing restaurant that is all but impossible to get in to during the summer months. (Yes, I know I said we would stop by “Mr. T’s Famous American BBQ” that we spotted last night beside the grocery store in Skagen, but I just couldn’t resist another visit to the kitchen of Ruths.) Our long time friend Morton took great care of us at the restaurant, with the able assistance of Lise, and the food was terrific. The surprise entertainment was a fashion show hosted by Pier One Skagen, a local high-end retail shop, featuring almost-exclusively American summer sporty fashion (Ralph Lauren, Polo, Sebago, J. Crew, Marco Polo, American Eagle) choreographed to great American music. It was a great way to feel at home here in northern Jutland. At 9:00, just as our entourage, including our friend Michael who has a beautiful home down the street from Ruths, were preparing to sit down for dinner, we joined the crowds to walk out to the beachfront to watch the setting sun, and the rising moon, in one of the most beautiful pastel panoramas that surely any man has ever had the pleasure of witnessing on this earth. It is no wonder that the great artists of the late 19th century flocked here to capture the beauty, and to found a wonderful culture that has withstood the tendencies and temptations of time. As a post script, the long ride from Skagen to Hirtshals, with little headwind, gave me a little time to reflect on just how remarkable this Tour has been. It is giving me a great opportunity to better understand the history, values and shared culture that brings our two countries together, and the tensions and differences that pull us apart. More importantly, it gives me an unparalleled opportunity, both through the media and through direct personal contact, to accentuate the former, and try to ameliorate the latter. I am very glad we made the decision to launch this Tour, regardless of the pain!from Day 16 - Frederikshavn - Skagen - 56 km (1066 km)Today is the Queen’s Birthday! This is a big day in Denmark, and it was stirring to see all the flags out all over the countryside in honor of Her Royal Highnesse's birthday. Our day started at 8:40 with our hosts Lene Høegh and Lene Haakonsen leading us on a short ride from the hotel to “Skrubben”, a place where the most marginalized adults in Frederikshavn hang out. The place is really amazing. Up until a few years ago the alcoholic and destitute of the town used to gather on the waterfront, to the annoyance of the shopkeepers and tourists. Then the Kommune decided to give these folks a “place of their own”, and they have morphed into a cohesive community that takes care of each other, and also takes great care of the property they call “home.” I was met here by Frederikshavn Mayor Erik Sørensen, an extremely popular mayor, and the 20 or so men and women who spend their days here. Clearly many of them still suffer the effects of alcoholism and other dependencies, but they were joyful when they were describing to me what the place means to them. “It’s a way to get a better life”, said one. “It gives us a social network”, said another. “What do you do with that network ?”, I asked. “We help each other” was the response. These were very genuine people who were trying to better themselves. In our conversation, they were most interested in talking about the difference in America between rich and poor and the Danish social welfare system, so we had an interesting conversation about the American tradition of self-reliance, vs. the European social welfare model. Two things in particular struck me. I was intrigued to see on the walls a number of depictions of “Americana”; an Elvis clock, a black and white of Jimmy Hendrix, Marilyn Monroe on the bathroom door, the famous photo of New York skyscraper builders having lunch on a beam 80-stories up, a 1913 boxing poster featuring two American boxers (Billie Parke and Frank Klaus), and a large American flag on the wall with an American Indian in the middle. No one could really tell me why all of these images of America were in the Skrubben, except to say “We like them. They make us think of happy things.” The second thing that struck me was the picture of Jesus that I saw on the wall. Following my conversation last night about religion, I was a little shocked to see the picture. I asked why it was there, and the answers revealed an intense interest in religious faith from a number of the members that I would not have expected. When we left a few minutes later to get on our bikes, a number of them shouted “God Bless You” to me. I was very pleased that one of the men from Skrubben, my friend Leif, accompanied me for the next several hours of the Tour, all the way to Strandby. The next stop was the city’s technical administration. Here Technical Director Michael Jentsch explained Frederikshavn’s “Energy City” concept where the city has set a goal to convert to 100% renewable energy by 2015. Listening to Michael, I came to understand what an ambitious goal this is, particularly in the transportation sector. This may be possible here because 80% of the homes and businesses are on the District Heating system. If they can wean themselves off of the natural gas which currently provides about 50% of their annual energy, it might be possible. But their goal is to become 100% renewable-based without increasing the cost in a significant way; a very tall order indeed. But I applaud these good folks for their goal. As Michael said, “Every city needs and ambition, and this is ours.” The City hopes to become 100% sustainable in part based on wind power, so we rode down to the harbor to look at the four turbines that provide power for 7,500 homes in the area. These are actually “test” turbines, paid for by the turbine companies and used as test sites, with the power going to the city. Interestingly, the largest turbine is a 3 megawatt monster, but one of the smaller 2.3 megawatt turbines actually produces more energy. The city is planning to build 6 more turbines. Michael explained that it was the shape of the blades. Michael indicated that so far no American companies or individuals had been to learn about their efforts at sustainability, but the Chinese have been here and are interested. At this point we were joined by about 15 students from the local commercial high school’s “International Relations” program, for a ride out to “Palm Beach”, the summer hot spot. This was a real highlight as I got to visit with these very bright young people who had prepared some great questions for the Ambassador. Along the ride I had a very interesting conversation with Camilla who, though she had never been to America, was concerned about the “poor people of America, who if they get sick cannot get health care.” I found that Camilla, like other young people in Denmark, and some not so young, have a misimpression about the health care system in America. I explained to her that anyone who is sick, or has emergency needs, can generally get medical attention, but there is often a problem with long term care or complicated procedures unless there is insurance coverage. Our experience has convinced us that health care in America is clearly the best in the world, but it is often expensive, and the most sophisticated care can be out of reach of many of the poor and underinsured. I had another great conversation with Dan who is a very patriotic young man who believes fervently in the value of freedom. He wants to serve his country by joining the Danish Army and fighting in Afghanistan. (I must tell my friend the Chief of Defense about this young man.) Not surprisingly, my theory about young people in Jutland was born out by these young people. As we were eating ice cream cones by “Palm Beach”, I had a chance to ask my standard questions and got answers averaging about 8 and 7 to my two key questions. These young people in Northern Jutland think that it is very important that Denmark and America remain close partners. When it was their turn to ask me questions, they wanted to talk about American’s views on capital punishment and abortion. They also wanted to talk about the Presidential election, and interestingly I found the crowd about evenly split between the three Senators in the race. At the end of the visit the students presented me with a lovely glass ornament from the famous Danish glass manufacturer Holmegaard. I hated to leave the students behind, but “the Lene’s” were trying hard to keep me on schedule. We stopped by “Palm City”, a planned development just outside town where 1000 new summer homes, with a Colin Montgomery Golf Course, are being built, with a sustainable development plan. Leaving Frederikshavn heading to Strandby I was treated, for the first of three times during the day, with a wonderful gathering of kindergarten kids waving the Danish flag for me. The first gathering there was a class of about 12 children, the second time there were about 20, and the third time there were about 30 children. And they were all adorable, and all waving flags. At the first stop I discovered that one cute young girl also had a birthday today, so I serenaded Jasmine with a good old rendition of “Happy Birthday”. She didn’t understand a word, but I think she liked being sung to! I thoroughly enjoyed stopping for each of the three groups and taking photos with them, usually with “Emu” alongside. In Strandby we were greeted at the world-famous Strandby Fish Auction by a rousing choir of retired fishermen! This was a spirited bunch, and they had prepared two songs especially for me! One of them had the following lyrics: Strandby greets you with a shanty Hr Ambassadør (Mr. Ambassador in Danish) We are very pleased to meet you Hr Ambassadør Feel the harbor, the heart of the city If you miss it, it sure is a pity On the wings of spring be riding Hr Ambassadør Have a nice trip Hope you´re top fit Hr Ambassadør I was given a tour of the auction floor, where 50 varieties of fish are auctioned each day of the week, to agents representing buyers from all over the world. One of the buyers is Skagen Food, a remarkable company, started here about 4 years ago by a husband and wife couple, to deliver “frozen fresh seafood” directly to your door in Denmark. Betina showed us their factory where they package and ship 7500 styrofoam boxes each week with an impressive efficiency. She does not know of a similar operation in America for fresh fish. This was a very impressive operation. From the fish auction we headed to the small town of Jerup where we had a great lunch of Danish open-face sandwiches at “Jerup Bette Kro” (Jerup Wee Tavern). As we headed toward Albæk we were joined by city council member Peter Nielsen who took us by the home of the famous Danish sculptor Christian Svendsen. Christian is modern sculptor, who has been commissioned to create a sculpture to commemorate the 2009 Cop-15 UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen. Christian showed us his model for the sculpture, which he calls “Will” (as in “willpower”) which will stand 6 meters in Copenhagen sometime next year. We saw many of his other creations before being treated to snacks and great beef from the local butcher before hitting the road again. As we started out toward Skagen, we were joined by Mike Grey, the star of the Frederikshavn Ice Hockey Team. Mike has been playing with the team for almost 15 years, and is the assistant captain of the team. We had a great time swapping hockey stories, and he expressed a great interest in coming to America to watch an NHL game. We stopped by the picturesque Hulsig Church, painted in bright pastel colors inside, and had coffee and cakes where we were met by Deputy Mayor Bjarne Quist. Bjarne escorted us the remaining 12 km to Skagen on some of the prettiest bike paths we have been on; through the wind-swept sand dunes of the northeast Jutland shore. We stopped by the “Sandy Church”, which was buried by shifting sands in the 1700s, and juts up eerily today from the scrub bushes as if to signify a time lost. As we rode the quaint back streets of Skagen, filled with small yellow summer houses, I was reminded of how much I love this place, and how forward I look to coming back this summer. We rode to the harbor, site of two of our favorite restaurants in Denmark (Skagen Fiskerestaurant and “Pakhuset”). We were me by the captain and crew of the Coast Guard rescue boat “Lars Kruse” who took us on a thrilling ride out in the sea, simulating a rescue, up to the northern point where the Kattegat and the North Sea collide. This area is called “Grenen” (the branch), and is one of the most striking examples of the wrath of nature present in this peaceful country. We had to make the trip quick in order to make the ferry back to Copenhagen, but as we departed on this beautiful, sunny afternoon, with the sky a unique shade of purple-blue, I was reminded why the famous artists of Denmark’s past flocked here at the turn of the Century to capture the beauty of this place. At the end of the boat ride we were treated to a new rendition of a very old Skagen tradition: Champagne and kransekage (a Danish marzipan-based cake) at Grenen. What made this a new rendition was that it was on the boat off Grenen instead of on the beach. A spectacular end to a spectacular day. I hope to witness it again many times before I relinquish my post as Ambassador, and to return many times again thereafter.from Day 15, Ålborg - Frederikshavn - 92km (1010 KM)The Day started with a delightful breakfast with the Rosenkilde family where I was sad to say goodbye, but happy to see the beautiful Danish sunshine. (As you will see, the day was bracketed with the best of Danish weather, and the worst of Danish weather.) The first stop took us to Grønlandshavnen just east of Alborg with a visit to Royal Arctic Line, the company that handles all the shipping for Greenland. We have a close relationship with this company because they also handle all of the transport of goods and equipment that comes from Denmark for our Air Base in Thule, Greenland, 600 miles north of the Arctic Circle. The company has a rich history, dating back to 1774, and is owned 100% by the Greenland Home Rule Government. Their business is good, but they are concerned about diminishing fish supplies, since a large amount of their business is based on transporting “Greenland Gold”, the small shrimp caught offshore Greenland. They are hopeful that the mining and minerals sector, and ultimately the oil and gas sector, will be a big business for them. Obviously they are counting on American companies to be in the forefront of these projects. Our friends at Alcoa have already announced a $2 billion aluminum smelter project in Greenland. We also toured the giant container ship the “Mary Arctica”, named after the Crown Princess who christened her a few years ago. This great ship can hold 588 cargo containers and is incredibly strong to withstand the icy waters of the Arctic. We then headed down the road to Aalborg University. This is the third or fourth time I have visited this great campus, and I am constantly impressed by their embrace of the “culture of innovation.” Vice Rector Hanne Krogstrup and city council member Thomas Kastrup-Larsen briefed me on the growth of the campus, which has seen an enrollment increase in recent years of an incredible 30%. They espouse a unique “problem based approach” to learning, which entails a very close cooperation with the private sector. They are also very focused on international education. 22% of their PhD students are from outside of Scandinavia, and 25% of their professors are English speaking. They are working closely with the city to try to stem the departure of their “best and brightest” for Copenhagen. (Interestingly, Thomas and Hanne told me that 40% of their students leave the community after graduation, as compared to 20% at Aarhus University, and 10% at Copenhagen University. They would like to increase their collaboration with American universities, which I am more than happy to work with them on. I know that the morning was at least a success on one front, because as we were talking about the collaboration between the university and the private sector, Niels Clemensen from Royal Arctic, who was riding with us, spoke up and indicated that he could use an intern from the University! So at least we helped place one young member of the student body. I was impressed by Hanne’s summation of the mission of the University: ‘We want to be a global university with responsibility for the Northern Jutland Region”. Thomas, Hanne and Erik then escorted me through the lovely town of Aalborg toward the Town hall. We made one unscheduled stop for shopping when I spotted a great looking antique store. Inside I found one of the cute salt and pepper shaker figurines from the 1930s that Helen collects. At the Town Hall we were met out front by the august members of the “Christian IV Society”, in their red robes and regalia. The Society is one of the old brotherhoods in Denmark that dates to the War, and plays a large role in the annual Rebild festival. They gave me a wonderful toast, insisting that I join them in the glass of Red Aalborg Snaps (aquavit), which was certainly going to make the remainder of the bike ride more fun, if not a little more dangerous! We also sang a great “C4 Society Drinking song”: I like the snaps and the snaps likes me thrilling as only a snaps can be I want to drink the real elite Aalborger aquavit. Over the mountains over the sea thousands of snapses are waiting for me. Please go to Hell with juice and tea. Snaps is the drink for me. As we left the Town Hall we were joined by many new riders from the Danish American Club of Aalborg. They rode with us to the beautiful and ancient burial ground of the pagans and Vikings called “Lindholm Høje”. As Director Lars Nørbach explained to us, here between the years 400 AD and 1000 AD the pagans and then later the Vikings buried their dead in a ritualistic fashion. The large stones from the tombs are still present, preserved by virtue of a freak of nature that deposited 4 meters of wind-blown sand on top of the site, protecting the stones from decay and looting for centuries. The site was discovered in the mid 1800s, and excavated and preserved in the mid 1900’s. A number of grave sites are in the shape of Viking ships. It was almost eerie standing at the bow of a ship-shaped burial site over 1200 years old. The new Lindholm Høje museum expansion will open in September. Following my tour of the historic site, I was escorted to the site of what will forever be one of the great events of my ReDiscovery Tour. Gathered behind the museum building, in an outdoor alcove that had been furnished in the style of a Viking home, 40 friends of America from the Danish American Club of Aalborg, joined by Henning Jensen, Mayor of Aalborg, treated me to a real, authentic old fashioned American barbecue, complete with chicken and beef cooked on a real American Weber Grill! But the highlight of the day, if not of the trip so far, was the shocking music that greeted me as I joined the crowd. Here, in the middle of Northern Jutland, I was treated to real, authentic Southern American Blue Grass music! Foggy Mountain Breakdown, Rocky Top, Dueling Banjoes, and my all time favorite “You Are My Sunshine” were played with expert precision, and sung with a good old Southern twang, by The Muleskinners, All String Band. The last song “You Are My Sunshine” is a personal favorite because my Dad used to play that on his guitar and try to teach my two brothers and our cousin and me how to sing along in harmony. Then later, when our girls were young, their grandfather would play and sing that song while his five granddaughters ran around the living room table dancing to the tune. It was such a special moment that I felt compelled to call my Dad and Mom back home in North Carolina and let them listen as the band played the tune once more. (Even though it was 6:30 am in the morning back home, I think they really enjoyed the early morning intrusion!) The barbecue, and the music, was extra special because four of my friends from North Carolina, Wendell and Linda Murphy and Ken and Thomasine Kennedy, managed to join us while on their tour of Denmark. I’ll bet not many travelling Americans have been treated to Blue Grass Music in Denmark before! I really did not want to leave the barbecue. I was having great fun, the food was terrific, I was really enjoying the company, and besides, I was not looking forward to the 65 km ride to Frederikshavn. But eventually it was time to bid my good friends goodbye. After passing out a few coins, and taking a few photos with my friends from North Carolina (and with MICK who was trading his van for a bike for the first time on our Tour), our group left Aalborg for the long ride to Frederikshavn. The ride was very scenic, but a little tougher than I expected because we had a cross wind much of the way. Jacob, Mick, our new rider Erik (who lives in Atlanta, and heard about the Tour on the media and just decided to join up) and I made good time on the way to Frederikshavn. We travelled some very scenic and blessfully flat roads heading up the northern coast of eastern Jutland. About 15 km out of Frederikshavn we stopped at a “Transportation Center” (what we might call a “Truckstop” in the US, but a very nice one) and upon walking inside, the young lady at the counter looked at me, then looked at the front page of the local paper that was sitting beside the counter and said “hey, that’s you!” (It is fun to be recognized.) But no matter how hard Bo and Claus tried, she would not ride with us the rest of the way , so we dragged ourselves up and headed the final 15 km in to Frederikshavn. Now I mentioned earlier that it was a beautiful morning. The sun stayed out much of the day, mixed in with a few clouds. At one point about 30 km out of Frederikshavn I removed my windbreaker because it was so warm. So I was totally caught by surprise, and totally unprepared, when, about 5 km outside of town, it started to SLEET! Sleet in late April! Right after warm sunshine! A cold front had suddenly come in, so as I say, the day was bracketed with the best and worst of Danish weather. So when I arrived at the SAS Radisson Frederikshavn I was totally soaked and freezing. The hot bath felt really great. And as I was waiting for the dinner which was hosted by Frederikshavn Kommune, I had a delightful conversation with a young lady who is opening a business near the hotel. She had spent a year in Denver as an Au Pair, and loved America. She had very strong opinions about the differences between Denmark and America. And when I asked her what was most different she replied “Religion”. I realized that the topic of Religion had seldom come up in conversations on my bike tour. She said she had loved going to Church in the States with her host family, but that “if you go to Church every week here, people think you are really strange.” She felt that most Danes do believe in God and Jesus as the Son of God, but that they really don’t like to talk about it, and they don’t go to Church because “Church services here are not very joyful”. She said there was a remarkable contrast between Churches she attended in the US, where the songs were happy and the sermons full of encouraging, inspiring messages, and the services and songs in many Danish churches. She said that even though Danes were religious, there weren’t many symbols of Christ during Christmas because Christmas had “gotten too commercial in Denmark.” (It certainly has in America as well.) She said that she was worried that religion would become “even less popular, and that people will want to talk about it even less because of the Cartoon Crisis and the issue with the Muslims”. (I told her that I had discussed this topic with many of my Danish Muslim friends and I found that they actually felt more “at home” among a community of “religious believers” even if those believers had a religious faith different than their own). I found this discussion of religion to be very interesting, and my new friend to be one of the few Danes who had ever brought the subject up to me in conversation. We travelled to the picturesque harbor town of Sæby for a fabulous dinner at Frank’s. Frank’s overlooks the marina of Sæby, where each summer evening a trumpeter hails the setting of the sun to hundreds of onlookers. Our hosts were members and staff of the Kommune town Council. They treated us to a smorgasbord of locally-caught or grown fish and produce. The “fiskefrikadeller” with remoulade was the best I have had in Denmark. Of the dozen or so fish and seafood-based items I had, all were absolutely wonderful. I look forward to bringing the family back here for a trip this summer. And I look forward to a bright summer day tomorrow as we head up to Skagen.from Day 14 - Hobro-Skørping-Ålborg, 70 km (918 total)We picked up where we had left off a few days ago, in the parking lot or Jyske in Hobro. We cycled very close to hobro Gymnasium, the high school where I had been so warmly received a year ago by 60 students and their principal Birger Aigen. Birger has since retired, but I was thrilled that he joined us at our first stop on the tour today; at “Cemtec” in Hydrogen Valley. Cemtec is like a business incubator, working in the alternative energy area, and trying to stimulate and incubate private company success in the alternative energy area. They have a vision ofbecoming the global leaders in hydrogen technology. I like their slogan; “where the future energy economy begins.” CEo Michael Kau, his assistant Birgitte, and the myor of Hobro welcomed me and gave me a full briefing on the great work being done at Cemtec. Cemtec has targeted the hydrogen and fuel cell business in collaboration with Aalborg University. In collaboration with the University, they have a goal of creating 5 new companies, with 100 to 200 new jobs, within 5 years. Currently $17 million has been invewted, and they seem to be well on their way to success. As the first industrial site devoted to attracting hydrogen consuming industries they are really pioneers in theeffort to create higher efficiency electricity. They are also a great example of the growing experience in academic/private sector collaboration to commercialize technology in Denmark. But what they do not have, but would very much like to have, is an intersection with the US, with venture capitalists, marketing partners or strategic collaborators. ( I pledged to help them make those connections.) Interestingly, the Chinese have been around here lately, and are very interested in the potential of hydrogen technology. We visited one of their companies, “Move Easy”, which has a very interesting “electric golf cart” which can be operated either by pulling on it or standing on it and riding on it. I expect there will be a good market for this in the US as our sedentary cart-reliant golf culture yearns to become more health conscious. But what I was really excited about was the electric bicycle! They have a line of “Move Easy” bikes with electric motors which I was more than happy to try out when we later got back out on the road. (the 2km or so that I travelled with it were super easy. I could probably cut my 40-day ReDiscovery Tour down to about 10 days with this thing, but I am sure the media would not look kindly on my getting “electric assistance.” As it was, the TV News crew that was travelling along with me loved filming me on it.) I had a great group of riders who joined me at Cemtec including a local cycling club. I was miked for the first 15 km or so by the TV film crew, so it figures that we had to stop to discuss which direction we were going three different times in the first 1 km! (Every member of the cycling club had a different idea of the short cut!) The guest riders stayed with me for about 15 km, including two teenage young men who are members of a local cycling team. Coincidentally, they are both American citizens because their fathers were both born in America. The “Jutland Corollary” to my Age Differentiation Theory of Friendship is proving so far to be valid, because these young men both gave me very high numbers (8s and 9s) on my questions: “How close are America and Denmark, and does it really matter?” Another of my riders, who had not been to America said: “What I like about America is that you can dream and be somebody”. He felt that was true today just as it was generations ago when his great grandfather left for America. We left Hobro headed to Rebild, and had a beautiful, but rough, ride through Rold Forest. The dirt and gravel roadway was definitely not built for racing bikes, and to make it worse, right at the start we passed a tractor that had just scraped the road. So the 10km trip through the forest was on a soft, very rocky road. At one point we slammed on the brakes and took a picture of a beautiful home built in classic American Log Cabin style, complete with a “US Postal Service” mail box (The home owner did not come outside, but she looked mighty puzzled at this group stopping to take a picture of her home!) Claus, Phillip and I were really happy to see pavement when we got to the outskirts of Rebild. But as we approached Rebild, I was reminded why it is referred to as the “Rebild Hills”. There were some MEAN hills as we approached Rebild Park, where we were met by Mayor Anny Winther, Hydrema CEO Jens Jensen and another local TV film crew. Mayor Winther walked me through the historic and remarkable Rebild Park, which was purchased in the early 1900s by some thankful Danish Americans and given to the nation. Once each year, on July 4, a festival is held that celebrates those Danes who have made a life in America, and the relationship between our two countries. I have visited Rebild for the festivities, and I look forward to being back up here on July 3. (Mayor Winther tells me that the ReBild Committee is working this year to make it into a three-day festival, complete with a major concert on the eventin of July 3. The Mayor rode with us to Skorping and the Ottrupgard Solar Distric Heating facility and SolarCap. She had recently finished the New York Marathon, so was very interested in the US Presidential election. She shared with me her predictions for November, and urged me to tell the next President to “do something dramatic right off the bat to reach out to Europe.” Executives from Arcon and VKR Holding, the parent company of Arcon, joined us for the ride into their facility. SolarCap is the name of the holding company for a number of businesses that work in solar thermal energy. Their goal is to be the largest company in the world for solar thermal heating. Currently they are very active in Europe, but are third in the market in the US. SolarCap Group CFO Claus Michlesen gave us a full overview of the SolarCap and Arcon businesses. They are very interested in the changing attitudes in the US toward solar thermal energy. Unlike many European countries where solar thermal energy is well established (for example, in Austria, 25% of single family homes have solar thermal heating), the US is slow to adopt solar. The tour of Arcon, led by Jan Michael Runager, was very interesting because this is where the inspiration came from for the humongous solar thermal heating facility I visited in Aero at Marstal last month. Their first facility was built in 1994, and still provides all the heat and electricity for the 22 homes in the neighborhood. We were able to watch as two men built one of large solar arrays. I was surprised to learn that these large arrays are still built by hand. After taking photos in with the American flag in the background, and after donning a ‘Team Sonnekraft” bright orange jersey (their brand name), our large group headed out of Skorping down the dirt paths toward Alborg. We rode through Volsted and Ferslev. At Ferslev Church we were met by my friend Major General Stig Ostergaard Nielsen, Commander of Tactical Air Command Denmark, and Colonel Ole Ryberg, Commandant of Air Station Aalborg, who led us an about a dozen of their fellow officers on a scenic and brisk 25 km ride to the Aalborg Air Base. Along the way I had a great opportunity to catch up with my friend the Major General and was pleased to learn that the morale of the troops in Helmand Province is very high. He is looking forward to getting the helicopters down to Afghanistan that the Danes announced on the heels of the Nato Summit last week in Bucharest. I was also pleased to learn of the progress being made on the Danish considerations for the next generation of fighter aircraft. It was a real treat to travel with and visit with this fine group of patriots on the way to the Air Base. At the Air Base I had the honor of touring one of the four Danish C-130J Hercules transport planes, hearing an update on the Danish contributions in Afghanistan, and discussing ways in which we can assist the Danes in obtaining the pilot and crew training they need to fulfill the mission they have set for themselves in the coming years. (I will work on this immediately on my return to Copenhagen. The Danes are the best partners America could hope for, so anything we can do to assist we will be delighted to.) I really hated to leave my good friends, and America’s good friends, at Aalborg Air Station, but we had to get back on schedule. My evening was a delightful authentic Danish meal served by my wonderful hosts Jørgen and Mette Rosenkilde. Jørgen and Mette had invited me to join them and their three lovely daughters, Simone (15), Sofie-Amalie (9) and Emilie (8) for a "traditional Danish dinner and evening at home". I have never had so much fun on an evening during my Tour. The family lives in a wonderful new home outside of Aalborg with a spectacular northwest view looking toward the city. We had a delicious meal of "Bøf med løg" (beef with sauteed onions), with white potatos and a delicious brown gravy. I had THREE helpings. They also treated me with "Citron fromage", a light lemon pudding with merange on top, for dessert. (Between the main course and dessert we caught the TV2 news coverage of my Bike Tour). The dessert was light and great. Meal time is very important to this family, and they seem to have conversations around the dinner table similar to what American families would discuss - schoolwork, social schedules, boyfriends, homework. Mom and Dad both work, which is typical for Danish couples, but still atypical for Americans, so there appears to be more sharing of the household "chores" than some in America might be used to. (Although when Jørgen claimed to do the vaccuming I thought Mette and all three girls were going to spit out their food!) The meal was delightful. But with the rich sauce and dessert, clearly this beautiful family was serving me a heavier meal than they usually eat. Jørgen confirmed this when he said that they have raised the girls to eat healthy food, and to understand the effects of rich food on their bodies. (More American familys need to learn this lesson.) I saw this confirmed again later when Simone, Emilie and Sofie-Amalie all got cucumbers out of the fridge for a late night snack! After dinner we were thoroughly charmed by Simone who played and sang for us on her electric piano. She has a spectacular voice, has written some amazing songs, and i expect will be next year's star on X Factor! (Her entertaining us was a bit of a favor to us all, in reward for which she got to go see her boyfriend) As the sun was setting I went out with the younger girls and jumped on the trampoline, joined them for a ride on their new "four wheeler.", and played with their beautiful and talented Golden Retriever "Victor". This is an evening I will not soon forget, and I am really going to sleep well tonight! (Although I must admit to feeling a bit guilty that Jørgen and Mette have given up their master bedroom for me!)from Thisted, ThyDear Mr. Cain. I learn about your ReDiscovery Tour on a mail from Thisted kommune to-day. I think that it is a great project. I understand that you will be in Thy on April 25th. I am a member of Thisted Byråd, elected by SF and I hope that I get an opportunity to meet you. I was an AFS exchange student in the US (upstate NY) 1963-64 and I have been an ambassador for the USA ever since and in Thy since 1970, which means that my experience as an ambassador outrules your's by several decades. I might be able to teach you something. Your agenda probably will not admit it; but I would like to invite you to my home for a talk and a coffee. We may not agree on all issues - but that of course is what nourishes a good discussion. I expect to meet you. Mogens Kruse Kallerupvej 8 7700 Thistedfrom Day 13 - Bjerringbro-Viborg-Hobro, 89 km (848)The Day included another long ride, although the wind was with us much of the way. And along the way I made a significant discovery (see below). After awaking from a good nights sleep (preceeded by a great dinner at The Golden Oxe restaurant), we started out a few blocks from the headquarters of Grundfos, where we had left off the night before. Grundfos is one of the largest companies in Denmark, and makes pumps and wastewater treatment equipment. I was inspired when I arrived at their headquarters, not only because they had both the Danish and the American flags flying, which is always a great way to start a morning, but because they had large signs outside the headquarters buildings blazing the companies new slogan; “Be, Think, Innovate.” CEO Carsten Berg, who met us as we arrived, explained to me that the slogan is short for “Be Responsible, Think Ahead, and Innovate.” I really like that slogan, and enjoyed hearing Cartsen describe how Grundfos, currently enjoying 10% annual growth, is poised to capitalize on the growing global interest in energy efficient water-related equipment (the company is pouring 4.8% of its turnover into R&D). I was particularly pleased to meet with a number of students from Danish colleges who were participating in a week-long “innovation competition” at the company, and as we were leaving the building, to meet the legendary Chairman of the company Niels Due Jensen, son of the founder Poul Due Jensen. I asked Niels to join us on the bike tour but alas, he said he was not dressed. Fortunately about a dozen of Niels and Carsten’s colleagues were dressed, and joined us for the next 36 km of our tour. We stopped on the way by Lars’ bike store ‘FriCykler”. Lars did a quick repair job on the flat tire we had the evening before. Lars is participating in a campaign in Denmark to encourage people to cycle more. He firmly believes that biking will cause people to live longer, and be healthier. I could not agree with him more (After this Tour, I should live to be 100!) We were also joined by Viborg Deputy Mayor Per Møller Jensen. The ride with the Deputy Mayor and the other dozen men from “Team Grundfos” gave me a great opportunity to learn about their impressions of America. One rider, who had just returned from visiting Grundfos’ facility in Fresno, California, said to my delight “people there weren’t nearly as fat as I expected!” Another, contrasting Danish bikes with America’s reliance on the automobile, said “The biggest difference is that in America, your vehicles have engines! And you need them!” These men had a very favorable impression of America, and all who had not been there yet, were anxious to visit. The pace of Team Grundfos was rapid. It was so rapid, in fact, that as we approached Viborg, after travelling from Grundfos, we were about 30 minutes ahead of schedule. But instead of pulling over and stopping (as we usually do when we are ahead of schedule) our intrepid team explored the countryside (hilly) and added another 15 km to our trip. So what was supposed to be a 21 km trip, turned into a 36 km trip! But I must admit that the roads down which the Team took me were incredibly scenic. It is good to be with riders who know the countryside so well, and who are such enthusiastic bikers. Arriving in Viborg we first visited the Animation Workshop. Here several hundred students per year get hands-on training in animation. This is one of the most productive animation ‘schools’ in the world, although Rector Morten Thorning explained to me that “film is about art, animation is about business!” the School is teaching the eager and creative students that animation is no longer purely entertainment, its about communication, so they are moving into animation for the medical, technology, corporate and scientific communities. There are some strong ties to America here, including a reverence for the American Richard Williams who Morten described as the “Godfather of modern animation.” I was also surprised with a visit with the 10 Americans who are currently at the school, as teachers and students. These young people are strengthening a bond that Michael Eisner, legendary former Chairman of Disney described to me last year when visiting Copenhagen, as “longlasting and vital”. Mayor Jensen then took us to see Viborg Stadium, a sports complex which the community is rightfully very proud of. They host the national women’s teams in both handball and football (soccer) and boast some of the best athletes in Denmark. Their goal, as explained to me by Lars Munkø, head of Cultural Affairs, is to become ‘The Biggest Ball Town in Denmark”. They were also pioneers in clustering commercial businesses and office buildings around the sports arena, which has created very beneficial synergies with the sports events. They have recently purchased a new plastic floor covering for the pitch, and Dolly Parton is going to the Opening Act. Our next stop was Genan, an impressive Danish company that is the global leader in “tire recycling”. Technically, they are much more than that, as their technology creates new raw materials out of used rubber tires. The environmental benefits of their approach are huge. For example, in Germany alone, their technology can reduce CO2 emissions by 1.8 million tons per year. The benefits in America could be huge. I was pleased to learn that their US headquarters is in my home state of North Carolina. They hope to capture 10% of the American market in the coming years, with at least four major facilities. I was delighted to be served a very nice lunch, and to have met Genan founder and Chairman Bent A. Nielsen. The next stop was the highlight of the day, if not the Jutland tour so far. We stopped by EUC Midt vocational school. Here I had the chance to speak to about 100 delightful students, roughly around 15-17 years old. I gave them my standard “ReDiscovery Tour” Speech, and then posed my questions to them. The words they used to describe America were interesting: Hollywood, Liberalism, American Dream, Wall Street, Times Square. Only one student used what I would consider a negative term “warfare”. This should have given me a heads up about the discovery to come: When I asked these students my question: “How close are Denmark and America, and in this day and age, does it matter?”, I was shocked at what they said. The numbers they shouted out were all at the upper end of my 10-point scale. 6,7,8,s on my “Are we close” question (for what I guessed to be a 6.8 average) and 7,8,9s on my ‘does it matter” question (for an average of 8.1) this was a stunning difference from what I have found in the prior 11 days of my Tour, the Zealand part of the Tour. There, as you recall, average scores among young people are routinely in the area of 2 or 3 on both questions. Here they are much much higher. Why is this? Why are the young people in western Denmark, of the impression that we are so much closer than their Copenhagen counterparts, and why do they think it is important that we stay close when other young people I have encountered do not? Is it because these young people are not as affected by the media? Do their parents have a different viewpoint? Are they by nature and upbringing less jaded and cynical? I don’t know the answers, but I will look forward to seeing if the remainder of my Jutland tour confirms what I have discovered in Viborg. (By the way, I also got the easiest question from a student I have gotten so far in Denmark. One delightful young lady from the back row raised her hand and asked ‘What is your name?”! I don’t think I managed to mess that one up!) For most of the remaining 30 or so km of the trip to Hobro we were joined by Henning from Genan. Henning is a great cyclist, and he and Rene and I kept up the best pace I think we have had during the trip so far. At several points we were cruising along flat stretches at 40 km per hour (of course we didn’t have wind in our face.) We stopped by the ‘World Map” in Klejtrup, which I have seen in pictures many times. Unfortunately it was not opening until May 1, but we managed to sneek a peek and take a few photos. We then biked the remaining 10 km to Hobro, to the parking lot of Jysk, owned by my friend Lars Larsen. Here we will pick the Tour up again in a week. But before catching the ferry back to Copenhagen we had a little chance to do some shopping at a wonderful antique store just outside Hobro where I found a wonderful pair of salt and pepper figurines that Helen collects and a beautiful 19th century writing desk that would look great in my office back in the States. So I made a little contribution to the Hobro economy! My day, in fact the inaugural leg of my Jutland tour, ended up on a great note when the very nice waitress on the Aarhus - Odden (Ferry) Benedicte Vinter came up to me and after a charming curtsey, said “I saw you on TV last night and you were great, and I think what you are doing is great!” The boys were not the least bit surprised when Benedicte ended up with the last ReDiscovery Tour commemorative coin that I had in my pocket!from Day 12 -Århus-Silkeborg-Bjerringbro, 98 KM (759)The day was long long long (98 km) but very rewarding with great focus on cultural diversity, the spirit of volunteerism, global trade, and a celebration of nature. We started at 8:15 am at the Aarhus City hall where I was met by my friend Mayor Nicolai Wammen. Mayor Wammen and I have been friends since my first visit to Aarhus in the fall of 2005, soon after we arrived in Denmark, when we made that memorable visit to the ethnic neighborhood of Gellerup Park (see below). The Mayor served me a hearty breakfast for the start of the long ride, and shared with me the exciting news of the growth of Aarhus. The city is growing at a very high rate, and with young people. In fact, he predicts 10,000 new students per year at Aarhus University within ten years. The rapid growth brings with it many challenges, but the city seems to be aggressively making the investments in infrastructure and housing to accommodate the rapid growth. One of the areas getting the most attention, and the greatest investment, is Gellerup Park. With over 10,000 residents of primarily ethnic descent, this is one of the most densely populated ethnic neighborhoods in Europe. The public and private sector has committed to spend 1 billion kroner in the coming years in improving the commercial and cultural dynamics of Gellerup Park. This has already begun with exciting projects focused heavily on women, girls and young people, including workshops in microfinance and entrepreneurship. Nicolai told me of a recent program he attended designed to teach women how to start a business. They expected about 20 to attend and over 200 showed up. The really encouraging thing, he said, is that they were mostly Somali women, among whom the unemployment rate is drastically high, approaching 50%. He is also excited about a ‘Young People for Young People” project in which young people are volunteering to hit the streets at night to patrol the neighborhoods and discourage violence and tension. This program is getting many young people off the streets and into constructive activities including sports programs. I was excited to see Gellerup Park again, but first the Mayor took me through the City to the beautiful urban reconstructed historical village of Den Gamle By. I have visited this beautiful jewel several times but I had never seen the great museum that is currently hosting an exhibit of old motor scooters and bicycles. I was thrilled to see that the opening showcase of the display was the early 1900 bicycle ridden by King Christian X, and it was made in America! It was a bicycle from Ohio made by Pope manufacturing company. This is also near the area where Orville and Wilbur Wright came from just a few years earlier when they left their bicycle shop, went to the Outer Banks of North Carolina (my home state) and put the first flying machine into the air. We then biked to Gellerup Park. In late 2005, soon after the “Muhammad Cartoons” had been published, and with ethnic tension growing, the Mayor and I made a spontaneous decision to visit the community, somewhat to the concern of our protection detail and the local police. The alerted media joined us for the amazing scene at BazaarVest, teeming with neighbors, who appear to never had seen such “high profile’ visitors in their neighborhood, much less in their bazaar. The appearance got national publicity and I would like to think it brought attention to the good that political leaders, even American ones, can do when we reach out to those of different backgrounds. Nicolai told me this morning that everyone on the City Council now had an attitude not of “Them and Us” but of “We”. So I was very anxious to see for myself what was happening in Gellerup Park. Our stop was the Globus 1 Cultural Center, opened soon after my 2005 visit here. Here almost 4,000 young people come together every week in a variety of afterschool and weekend activities, primarily related to sports and internet communications. The Center is having a remarkable impact, as I learned from one neighbor who stopped me to talk, and from the seven gentlemen who joined us for coffee. The overriding theme of the Center is engagement. The coordinator told me that “sports provides a social connection for these young people.” Another said “it gives them something to feel a part of.” In one of my favorite lines, my new friend Freddie said “sports has no color.” They confirmed for me the power of organized team sports to change the lives of young people. And I am thrilled that the organizers of these efforts committed to assist us in our ‘Sports for Life” summer camp initiative. Together, we committed to try to recruit four boys and four girls for our summer sports and leadership camp this summer. Before leaving Globus 1 I had the chance to shoot a little hoops with two members of the Bakken Bears basketball team. One was without a doubt the biggest man I had met from Denmark – a full two meters and 12 centimeters. He had played college ball in the US, and his partner was from Texas. We all are excited about watching this weekend’s NCAA Final Four, but I am afraid that I did not hit many jump shots. I did, though, commit to trying to come watch one of their games. Our last stop in Aarhus was at the Ellekjær School. It was a real thrill to ride up the boulevard to the School entrance, lined with Danish and American flags, to be met at the front by about 100 students, the headmaster, and my old friend Niels Hussein, a teacher at the school who had partnered with us on our integration initiatives in the past. The highlight of the visit was meeting two young men who are going to America to study. One of them, I was pleased to learn is going to my former school Wake Forest University, and the other, Hussein Umar, has been selected by YFU for an American Diversity Scholarship to study for 10 months in high school. From the school we biked about 50 km to Silkeborg. We left Aarhus 25 minutes behind schedule, but Alex and I made up for it with a brisk pace, and were back on track after about 30 km, passing some beautiful sites including the Brabrand Lake and Church, the Sønder Arslev church, and Linå church. About 15 km from town we were met by a dozen business leaders from the city, also avid bikers, who formed my escort for the better part of the next 50 km. Two young members of a top-class local racing team led the way for us (at a pretty good pace). We also picked up our first TV film crew who miked me up, and rode in an open van beside me much of the way, asking questions as I went along. We arrived in the beautiful city of Silkeborg on schedule at the stunning headquarters of Jyske Bank, one of Denmark’s leading banks, and the bank where my own money happens to be! It was thrilling to see the American flag flying beside the Danish flag as I arrived and my friends Anders and Per gave me a great reception. Jyske Bank is at the forefront of innovation and technology in Denmark, including the launch of a pioneering “JB TV” channel currently accessible to all JB employees, and soon available to customers and others as well (the JBTV crew also miked me up so for the rest of the day I was wired by two TV stations) I was able to watch the huge trading floor, with at least 125 traders, performing around-the-clock trading on global exchanges. The huge 10 meter by 20 meter video screen had a “welcome sign” for me, and I was treated to a fantastic Danish lunch while visiting with about 20 members of the business community, organized by the Chamber of Commerce. This gave me a chance to try some of my questions out on these seasoned business leaders. The consensus seemed to be that “the environment” and “peace” should be the highest priorities of the next President, that they think America could learn from their social safety net system, and they were all committed to the importance of a strong US/Danish relationship. On my two questions I got solid 8s to 10s on both questions. One friend said “history has proved that it is sometimes difficult to do things together with the US, but often it is impossible to do things without the US. Unfortunately”, he continued, “many young people today have only gotten the first part of that lesson.” (I like that quote.) The lunch that Jyske Bank provided me was great. But I do wish I had remembered, before going to the bathroom to wash my hands, that I was still wired to two microphones by two TV stations! Leaving Jyske Bank we headed up the charming walking street to visit Lyngbyg, a company that makes energy efficient products for the home building market. Ivan Lyngby, whom I had met in New York at Creative Nation, is a real entrepreneur in the area of alternative energy. It gave me a great opportunity to visit with his employees about the importance of partnering with America in this critical area. We left Silkeborg for the long 50 km bike ride to Bjerringbro. My determined friends Jan, Poul and Ivan stuck with me for about 35 km, taking me through some of the prettiest countryside I have seen. We stopped by a charming and “hyggelig” Kro where I hope to bring Helen some day, a needed rest from a long day. Right before leaving us one of my new friends asked “when did you last have a flat tire?” That was the WRONG question, because just a few km after they left me, I HAD A FLAT! It was only the second flat that I have had on the trip, and ironically the other one was also within 10 minutes of a fellow rider asking me when I last had a flat. SO DON’T ANYONE ASK ME THAT QUESTION AGAIN! To make matters worse, Mick, driving the van, had a flat too right as we were finishing the ride. We made the last 12 km to Bjerringbro as the sun began to peek through the clouds, and I must admit I had never been so pleased to be off the bike. It was the “sorest” day so far. But it was all worth it when we checked into the Best Western Hotel Palads and I walked into my room and realized that my room came complete with a hot-water Jacuzzi! I have already spent about 45 minutes in there soothing my aching knees (and other parts of my body), and now that this Blog entry is finished, I AM GOING BACK TO IT!from Randers Public LibraryIt was great to see you at our Library yesterday ;D. If you would like to follow up on our common link to Charlotte, North Carolina, you can follow the link below. http://plcmcl2-about.blogspot.com/ The Learning 2.0 program, was originally designed by Helene Blowers, LCMC Technology Director at Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County, with the support and assitance of several staff and is loosely based upon Stephen Abram's article, "43 Things I (or You) might want to do this year" (Information Outlook - Feb 2006) and the website 43Things. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FWE/is_2_10/ai_n16133338 The design of this online program was completely built on Web 2.0 technologies that are freely available on the Internet. These sites include: Blogger, Flickr, Odeo, YouTube, PBWiki & Bloglines. Link to a good article on this, "Public Library Geeks takes Web 2.0 to the Stacks" : http://www.wired.com/culture/education/news/2007/03/learning2_0 Helene Blowers and co. have inspired library staff all over the world to develop their web 2.0 skills, so that we can inspire our visitors and citizens to become internet literate. We at Randers Public Library take part in this quest: http://23ting.blogspot.com/from Day 11 Aarhus - Hinnerup - Randers, 55km (661)Today marks the beginning of the second leg of the ReDiscovery Tour. I have been looking forward to this day for over six months, since we left the tour at Kalundborg on September 27. We start the day back at Kalundborg, but are a little late because I had to go to Kastrup Airport in Copenhagen to say goodbye to Bob Gates, our Secretary of Defense who has been visiting Denmark for the past two days. Secretary Gates is on his way to the NATO Summit in Bucharest, and he wanted to stop by to pay tribute to Denmark’s steadfast commitment to global security. As I said in my toast at the dinner for Gates and Danish leaders we hosted on Monday evening at the Residence, “from the Hills of Helmand, to the seas of Somalia, from the dusty plains of Darfur, to the muddy flats of Mitrovicia; wherever the call of freedom is heard, Denmark is there…” Secretary Gates’ visit was the first one to Denmark by an American Secretary of Defense in over 10 years. His meetings with the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, and Defense Minister gave him an opportunity to express America’s appreciation for Denmark’s friendship, and to coordinate on important policy matters like NATO expansion, Missile Defense, and strategy in Afghanistan. After saying goodbye to Secretary Gates we headed to Kalundborg where Mayor Kaj Buch met us in front of the historic Vor Frue Kirke to commence our Tour. The unique Vor Frue Kirke was built around the year 1250, and is said to have been inspired by Ispen, the brother of Bishop Absalon who founded Copenhagen. The Church, in the shape of a Greek Cross, is the only one of its shape in the world. According to the mayor, it appears to have been built to the specifications mentioned in the Book of Revelations. It contains a beautiful carved wooden alterpiece dating from 1650, the time of Frederik III. Kalundborg is an ancient town that has the second largest harbor in Denmark. It’s deep harbor makes it a favored docking point for cruise ships and cargo container ships. 70% of the ferry cargo traffic to Jutland passes through this port (which was obvious as we tried to thread our way through all the trucks and trailers in the hold of the ferry boat.) On the way to the ferry the mayor showed us the beautiful buildings of the old town, rode us down the bumpy cobblestone streets, and spoke with great interest about the upcoming Presidential elections in the US. I expect there will be a great deal of discussion on my tour through Jutland about the upcoming Presidential elections. Given the interest in the elections, and in order to broaden my storehouse of data beyond the answers to the three questions I began posing to riders last summer ( first, what does “America” mean to you? Second, what one thing would you like for an American to know about Denmark? And third, how close do you really think America and Denmark are as allies, and does it matter?) I am going to add to my standard list of questions. After taking suggestions from everyone within the Embassy family, we have come up with the following new questions: 1) What should be the next President’s top priority? 2) What are the biggest differences between Danes and Americans? 3) What can the US learn from Denmark? We arrived at the ferry landing in Aarhus around 13.40 and drove about 200 meters out of the port and immediately unloaded the bikes and started riding. It would have been nice to drive a little farther, because the next several kilometers were up a steep hill! Is all of Jutland going to be this steep? We biked about 5 km when we were met by Favrskov Mayor Anders Christensen and his cycling club of about a dozen riders. These were fast riders! We rode through the small towns of the Municipality including Skejby, Lisbjerg, Olsted and Grundfor before arriving at Hinnerup where the Mayor hosted us for a reception at city Hall. I learned that Favrskov is the fastest growing community in Denmark, with a rate of 1.7% last year, mostly young folks from Aarhus who are seeking less expensive housing. During the briefing I had a chance to visit with the members of the Cycling Club to ask my questions. Very few of them had ever been to the US, but all had strong opinions, and all were following closely the American elections. They would like to see the next President focus on renewing the ties between America and Europe, and they felt that America could learn about energy conservation from Denmark. The Mayor, to my question about what “America” means to him, immediately answered “land of opportunity, where anyone can follow their dreams”. The mayor had never been to America, but had this opinion from childhood. I asked him if he thought America was still like that and he said, “I hope so, and I hope it stays that way always.” The Mayor presented me with a gift that is bound to be the biggest hit with my girls of any that I have received on the tour: a “Guitar Hero” guitar painted in the colors and with the logo of the Municipality. What a great gift! On the way from Hinnerup to Hadsten we followed part of the route that Lance Armstrong had ridden when he was last here in a race a few years ago (I bet he got up the steep hill faster than I did.) We were joined by the Hornbaek Cycling Club along the way, and the weather really turned bad. It started to rain hard. (Where were all the expensive rain clothes I had purchased a couple of days ago??) Nearing Randers we were met by a large group led by my friend Henrik “Colonel Tom” Knudsen at the intersection where he dreams of reconstructing Graceland. Borrowing Henrik’s “Elvis sunglasses, we headed the few kilometers into Randers where we met halfway across the beautiful Blue Bridge over the Gudenaa (a small river) where a great crowd of media met us, along with the Mayor of Randers Henning Jensen Nyhuus and my old friend from the Ethnic Minority Council Soukrou Eroksen. Henning presented me with a fine set of leather cycling gloves made in Randers, which really came in handy given the cold temperatures. Our entourage, now totaling about three dozen, set out for a tour of Randers led by the Mayor and Anna-Mette Knatrup, the Director of Tourism and Birgitte Strobeck Pedersen, with the Culture and Leisure department. We visited a number of beautiful sites including the beautiful house from the 1600’s where the hero of Randers Niels Ebbesen vanquished the evil German count in the 1200s to save the people of Randers. There is a grand statue of Ebbesen in the town square. We also saw the grand equestrian statue in the center of town that was done by the famous Danish sculptor Helene Skou, who lived right beside us at Rydhave until she passed away about a year ago. We made a stop at the Randers Library where I noted the impressive high-tech and high-touch e-learning that the Library is pioneering here in Denmark. They are particularly proud of the “23 tasks” initiative that they are introducing into Denmark to help the “technologically illiterate in Denmark” (which they describe as 40% of the population) learn how to learn in the 21st century. When I asked if they collaborate with any American libraries, they said “yes, the 23 tasks program comes from Charlotte”. What a coincidence. That is the town in which I was born in North Carolina. We made a visit to the memorial to the great Danish leader of the 21st century Jens Otto Kragh and then entered my favorite spot in Jutland… the Elvis Unlimited Museum! We entered to the boisterous tones of Heartbreak Hotel sung by The King himself! (Ole and the Boys) Henrik had a wonderful reception for me with about 30 guests, intermingled among the remarkable memorabilia that Henrik has collected. I had the honor of “cutting the ribbon” on Elvis Unlimited’s new website, which consisted of me entering the pre-set password ‘TCB2008” , which actually didn’t work the first three times I tried it., and then we were treated to a sumptuous Danish feast that Henrik had arranged. Henrik gave a very warm and heartfelt speech and presented me with a personalized “Rediscovery Tour” CD of the King’s Greatest Hits! (Ok, that and the Guitar Hero are both now my favorite gifts). In thanking Henrik I had the opportunity to tell the story of the conversation at the President’s Ranch in Crawford, Texas last month when, during the lunch on Saturday, the Prime Minister told the President about the “great Elvis party that the Ambassador hosted last year” (the PM had not been able to attend but his close friend Lars Lokke Rasmussan, the Minister of Finance, who has ridden with me on the Tour, told him all about it). This gave me the opportunity to share with the President and the Prime Minister the story of my first visit to Randers when I discovered this remarkable museum, and how Henrik had arranged 13 Elvis impersonators to perform that night at the Residence. I thought Henrik was going to cry when I told him the story! But it is true. Now the President of the United States knows about the King in Denmark! Our celebration of the King was a special way to end the long day. After taking photos in front of the blown-up pictures of me in the “Elvis Gold Lame suit” from my Elvis party, we headed off toward Randers. But not without lots of hugs and heartfelt goodbyes to my old friends at Elvis Unlimited, and to my new friends in Randers. This is one city I must bring the family to; they make me feel so welcome here.from EmbassyHello Chresten. If you show up on Thursday April 3 in front Århus City Hall at 09:00 a.m. and ride along with Ambassador Cain and Mayor Wammen chances are quite good you'll get a coin.from Ærø, 41 km (606)Day Ten of our ReDiscovery Tour took us to the lovely Danish Island of Ærø, located south of Fyn. Mayor Jørgen Otto Jørgensen was our host for this scenic 41 km trek along the beautiful rolling hills of Ærø. While the ride was scenic, it also reminded me of the risks of launching the second leg of the ReDiscovery Tour in March. It was freezing! While Copenhagen was getting blanketed with snow, Ærø was suffering through high winds and temperatures that approached zero degrees. (Why did it always seem like we were riding up hill and into the wind??) With daughter Laura at my side, we started our Tour with a ride to Marstal, to the Solar Energy Facility. This remarkable facility, covering 18,000 square meters of solar panels, is the largest solar array in the world. During summer months, this facility provides the electricity needs of all 7000 inhabitants of the island of Aero. On an annual basis it provides over 30% of Marstal's requirement for District heating. The Facility Manager Leo was a delightful host and proudly showed us around the impressive facility. Ærø has committed itself to the goal of being the world's first energy independent island. With this facility, they are well on their way, and there are many things that communities in America could learn from this facility. Leaving the District Heating facility, we then headed to the town center and the historic waterfront of Marstal. This beautiful waterfront, at one time home to more than 350 sailing vessels, now boasts the famed Marstal Maritime Museum, and one of the more picturesque walking streets of any we have seen in Denmark. We rode around the town, waving to the residents we passed, all of whom seemed to know the Mayor (and all of whom seem to have heard that we missed the Ferry over from Svendborg; I learned only later that day that the local paper had a large photo on the front page of our cars at the Ferry landing with the headline "Sorry Mr. Ambassador, the Ferry has left !" It made for great conversation and joking during the three days of our trip!) We then headed into the teeth of the wind, cycling southwest around the beautiful island. We rode past the three giant 100 meter tall wind turbines situated on the Western side of the island at Rise Mark (near the great antique shop that Helen and I would return to visit the next day), past the old Town Mill, a preserved windmill which dates from 1848, and past the ancient Church at the crossroads at Store Rise. This Church dates back to the twelfth century, and is the oldest on the island. We passed the beautiful small colorful houses that stretch east to west along the beach called Erikshale, which Helen and the girls and I would return to later on the trip for pictures. We ended our tour back in the town of Æroskøbing, one of the finest medieval jewels remaining on the planet. The efforts at preserving the charm and beauty of the homes and buildings are remarkable. We rode past some of the most beautiful and quaint homes I have ever seen, many with brightly colored and uniquely decorated doors. One of the more unique features we saw was the number of houses that had twin porcelain dogs in the window. In times of old, the dogs signaled when the fishermen were away at sea. When the fisherman who lived in the home was away, the dogs faced outward to the street. When he had returned home, they faced inwards. In 2002 the people of Æroskøbing were awarded the prestigious "Europa Nostra" prize for their preservation efforts. If I had a vote, Æroskøbing would be on the list of the UN "World Heritage Sites". While in Æroskøbing we toured the many historic sites including the Æroskøbing Church (1750's) and the Museum of "Bottle Peter", the famed artist who produced hundreds of amazing "ship bottles" during his lifetime. Over 200 of the models are preserved here in the lovely museum. The Museum has recently purchased another 200 bottles that Peter had sold several decades ago to an American who put them on tour. Reportedly, one of the bottles was given to President Eisenhower for display at the White House. I promised my friends at the Museum that I would find out if it was still there. We also visited with two dozen young students at the "Æroskøbing Højskole", which focuses on Theatre and Music. Here young people from Denmark and other areas focus on a five-month curriculum in theatre and music to determine whether they want to pursue these careers. This particular day was "Challenge Day" where each student was given 24 hours to do something they had never done before, but always wanted to do. We met one young lady who held a spider, another who flew a home-made kite, a third who gave a speech in public, and a young man who performed for us a song he had written for the piano. We were delighted to join them for lunch, and to discuss with them their impressions of America, and what I had learned on my ReDiscovery Tour. Our day in Ærøskøbing was completed with a tour of the Ærø Museum, preserving the heritage, costumes and livelihood of this ancient island, and a walk around the several interconnecting streets to see the hundreds of beautiful and charming homes that make this place so unique. Our stay in Ærø was made particularly comfortable by the hospitality of our hosts at our hotel "Pension Vestergade 44". Susanna Greve and her husband were a joy to be with for three days, and helped to make sure that we saw all of the important sites of this beautiful island. While in Ærøskøbing, we had two wonderful dinners at Hotel Ærøhus and Restaurant Mumm . Laura and "The boys" and I also had a delicious traditional Danish Lunch at Restaurant Landbogaarden, a block from our hotel. While the biking was somewhat arduous, the visit to Ærø will be a highlight of our time in Denmark, and a highlight of my ReDiscovery Tour. Among other things, I learned that Ærø will be a great place to showcase the innovative advances in alternative energy when the world comes to Denmark for the UN Climate Conference next year. I learned that there is remarkable beauty on this small island of 7000 people just three hours from Copenhagen, and I learned that I really have to get some warmer clothes before I start biking in Jutland in two weeks time!from ÅrhusWill I recieve a coin if I only ride along some few kms? I'm kind of in a bad shape...from SkibbyWhat a great idea! Kudos Ambassador. We're from Utah and have been here about a year and a half. I'm going to try and clear some time to participate and ride along a few of the days, even though little old Skibby is out of the way.from CopenhagenHello Jason, Thank you for wanting to ride along. Make sure you check the web site for updates about the tour. I actually passed by Skibby last year on 9/11 going from Lyngerup to Sæby. See you on the road! J. Cainfrom CopenhagenHello Jack, Thanks! I'll bring back as much as I can from Denmark. About the coin. I'm afraid you'll have to ride along to get it. J. Cainfrom St. Louis, MO, USADear Ambassador: Congratulations! Your idea, efforts and goodwill make me proud to know you represent our country. Best wishes and please bring back to our nation your discoveries on what makes communities livable and prosperous. My family and I have enjoyed Denmark before and appreciate the value placed on people. By the way, where can I buy the coin (patches perhaps?) to share and distribute to other great Americans who also are rediscovering the joys of everyday life through cycling? Thank you, Jack W. Painterfrom ÆrøWhat a great idea! I learned about the bike tour while listening to you on a radio talk show. But Ambassedor, you haven't seen Denmark unless you get to the true south! You are hereby invited to visit the little island of Ærø, south of Fyn, where more than 6500 Danes live year round and where there are at least five or so Amerikaners! It's an idyllic summer vacation spot with cultural history that stands out. Ærøskøbing is recognized internationally as a World Heritage Site, and its rival 'city', Marstal, has shared the limelight as one of the country's largest trading ports. Marstal is called the Skipperby, because so many captains have made their homes here. But the island's nature is also beyond compare, as is the green focus of young and old alike. How can one of the oldest preserved villages in Denmark have community heating that is 100% renewable? Ærøskøbing does! They say that people who move here expect to want to leave the island often - but once off the island find themselves wanting to return. It's THAT hyggelig! I can make sure you meet all kinds of folks, and see all the sites - by bike, bil, or buggy! We hope you'll come this summer! The invitation stands open!from Day 9, Havnsø – Kalundborg, 40 KM (565 Total)The day started in dense fog in the parking lot at Havnsø Hotel north of Kalundborg . Despite the fog and the rather low temperatures six students from Kalundborg Gymansium specialized in chemistry and biology showed to ride with me the entire day. Steen Riisgaard, who is a friend of mine and CEO of Novozymes, also rode with me the whole day as did one of Steen's colleagues Jes Guldbrand Andersen who is Director at Novozymes in Kalundborg. Jane Hansen and John Kryger from The Kalundborg Center for Industrial Symbiosis who helped organize the day also rode along for the entire day and presented me with an Industrial Symbiosis bike T-shirt. The day was primarily focused on "industrial symbiosis"; a project involving 7 companies who are a textbook case of the reality that "one company's waste is another company's raw materials". Here, Denmark is once again showing innovative leadership in the area of alternative energy and creative conservation. It was important to focus on this topic on this particular day, as it is on this day in Washington that the US formally exhibits its leadership (long called for by our European friends) on the challenge of energy sustainability and climate change. (The President and Secretary Rice have called together the 16 largest emitting countries, plus UN and EU representatives, to put in place a framework of cooperation that can drive the UN post-Kyoto process.) At 9:00 we left Havnsø. We took the scenic route through Vesterlyng. When you enter Vesterlyng you have to cross cattle grids, something that should have warned for what was about to happen. A few kilometers into Vesterlyng, still driving in dense fog, a large group of cows appeared in front of us, completely blocking the road. Apparently the road was being fixed and the cows thought that was so interesting they had to watch it. This is apparently not unusual when driving through Vesterlyng because Anna, one of the students from Kalundborg Gymnasium, promptly chased the cows off the road. From Vesterlyng we took the scenic route to our rendezvous point with about 40 students from Kalundborg Handelsgymnasium (High school level business school). Getting there meant going down a lot of small roads, sometimes several times, but we got there on time. So did the students. The students, however, were at one entrance and we were at another entrance. Because we were meeting at the Asnæs Power plant – the biggest power plant in Denmark – being at different entrances meant being about one kilometer away from each other. We managed to find each other and went to the first stop of the day, RGS 90 A/S, where we were received by Katrine N. Christensen and Manager Søren Refsgaard. Luckily, they have a pretty big reception room at RGS 90 to accommodate the around 60 co-riders of the day. At RGS 90 Søren Refsgaard told us about what they do there and how it is part of the industrial symbiosis. Their role in the industrial symbiosis is that they receive sludge from Kalundborg Municipality which they clean. Apart from that they remediate earth contaminated by oils and chemicals and apparently kitchen ware. As a momentum of my visit there, they gave me a small plate they had dug out from a load of contaminated earth. The plate had belonged to German soldiers during World War II, and was manufactured in Denmark and had the Nazi Swastika on the back. (It is probably similar to the china that was used at our Residence from 1940 to May 5, 1945, since the Nazi High Commander had resided there at the time.) It served as a reminder of what could have happened if the forces of freedom had not prevailed sixty-five years ago. At RGS 90 I also had the opportunity to talk to an American, Robert, who works there. He gave me a ride in his huge loader and explained to me what they do at RGS 90. From there we all rode to Statoil's big refinery which is actually just across the street from RGS 90, but because it is so big it takes almost ten minutes to get to the entrance. There, the lady who registers all visitors and guests at the refinery, was overwhelmed by the number of people showing up. When she heard how many people we were coming she simply replied, "We don't have that many guest cards!" After a few minutes Director John Berg came out to give us a quick tour of the site. I was particularly intrigued with Statoil's leadership in bio-fuels. It is from this single refinery, originally built by the US company Exxon, that all of the gasoline used in Sealand comes. Because of the sheer size of the place we used our bikes to get around. The next stop was only two kilometers further down the road. It was at a company called Gyproc where we were received by manager Søren Kilmose. As with the other places we visited today, Gyproc is part of the industrial symbiosis. Gyproc makes the plaster – or gypsum – walls we all have in our houses. Their walls are different though. Whereas traditional gypsum walls are made from gypsum found in quarries, Gyproc's walls are made almost entirely out of waste from the nearby Asnæs power plant. The benefits of this method are amazing. Not only does it save the country side from being turned upside down in the search for natural gypsum, it also reduces the pollution from the Asnæs power plant. On top of all that, industrial gypsum is a lot cheaper than natural gypsum, so the cost of building products is lowered. On the way to the next stop, which was only a five minute ride, Philip Holten from the embassy managed to get a flat tire, his fourth on this trip. After a brief ride through Novo Nordisk's huge insulin manufacturing plant (which is also a symbiosis partner), we arrived at our last stop of the day, the Novozymes facility in Kalundborg. Again the focus was on Novozymes' role in the industrial symbiosis. Manager Stig Nielson gave a short introduction of how Novozymes cleans their, and Novo Nordisk's organic waste using microorganisms. In six tanks the size of housing blocks billions and billions of microorganisms work 24/7 to clean waste from the two companies. They clean waste equivalent to the amount of organic waste created by 1.7 million households. After the introduction Stig and a few of his colleagues took groups of 10 – 15 people for a tour of the cleaning facility. To see it we had to climb 20 meters of stairs and walk around on top of the structure. The view from up there was spectacular. You could see all the places we had been throughout the day and you could also see to the center of Kalundborg with its five towered church. After seeing the cleaning facility it was time for lunch. At Novozymes' cafeteria their chef had made sandwiches, muffins, and cookies for everybody. That provided the perfect frame for a really rewarding Q&A session where I had the opportunity to talk with some the many co-riding students of the day. We discussed the relationship between Denmark and the U.S. The answers I got today were a bit different than on earlier parts of the ReDiscovery Tour. The students from Kalundborg thought that Denmark and the US were closer than many of their peers in other parts of Zealand. They also valued this relationship more than many other students I've talked with on this tour (with one exception, who thought that it "didn't matter if we were close, except in times of war"). At the end of the session Novozymes CEO, Steen Riisgaard, gave a very nice speech where he emphasized the importance of close relations between The U.S. and Denmark admitting that maybe this was because he belonged to the 30+ age bracket which usually has a less critical view of the U.S. than those under 30! Sadly I had to leave much sooner than I would have liked because I had to participate in a debate on DR2's Deadline with former Minister of the Environment, Svend Auken. This gave me a great platform, however, to talk about what America is doing to follow Denmark's pioneering efforts in energy sustainability. Following that, I attended the Annual Meeting of Dansk Industries, where LM Glasfiber won the "Company of the Year" Award. This company has accomplished the amazing engineering feat of building the longest wind turbine wing in the world (61 meters). And it was the perfect ending to a day devoted to energy sustainability, and what America can learn from our Danish friends. (Of course, the day wasn't quite over, as I had to return to the Residence in time to watch myself on the Deadline television show at 22:30!) I'm already looking forward to getting back in the saddle when the ReDiscovery Tour resumes in the early spring of 2008, where I will tour Jutland, Fyn, and Bornholm, before making the triumphal ride into Copenhagen to end the Tour.from Sæby kirkeDear Ambassador Cain I'm very impressed that you did remember me in your blog.. so here you are as promised; my Brownies: (you may ask somebody to translate - or call me and I'll bake for you ) (Translation in parenthesis by moderator) Brownies 250 gr. smør (butter) 200 gr. rørsukker (cane sugar) 4 æg (eggs) 1 æggeblomme (egg yolk) 200 gr. mørk chokolade (dark chocolate) 50 gr. hvedemel (wheat flour) 50 gr. cacao (cocoa) 1 tsk bagepulver (baking powder) --- rør smør og sukker hvidt pisk æggene sammen og rør dem i dejen lidt efter lidt. (Mix butter and sugar until it turns white. Whisk the eggs and mix them into the dough bit by bit. ) Smelt chockoladen, køl den lidt ned og rør den i dejen i en tynd stråle. (Melt the chocolate, cool it a bit and mix it into the dough.) sigt hvedemel, cacao og bagepulver og rør det i dejen. (Bolt flour, cocoa, and baking powder and mix it into the dough) Kom i papirforet bradpande og bag ved 175 grader i 30 minutter. (Place in a paper lined roasting pan and bake for 30 minutes at 175 centigrade.) ------ Best wishes Helle Helle.dissing@gmail.comfrom Day 8, Munkholm - Havnsø, 46 KM (525 Total)A meeting with the Foreign Minister and a US Congressional Delegation in Copenhagen necessitated keeping the day short, but not before a tough final 25 km ride through fierce headwinds. We started the day where we had left off the afternoon before at the Munkholm Bridge, just outside of Holbæk. We biked the 8 km to Holbæk where we were greeted by Mayor Jørn Sørensen and his colleagues, and enjoyed a delightful ride through the growing neighborhoods of this seaside town. During our ride the Mayor educated me on the income tax system in Denmark, and the struggles of providing for the young and the elderly on the 20% tax rate that Danes pay in local taxes (another roughly 20% going to the state government, and 10% going to the regional government. I told him that my friends in municipal government in the US face the same struggles, but would probably be very happy with a 20% tax rate.) Holbæk has the good fortune of hosting a population that is actually getting younger, as more and more young people move into the area to enjoy the comfortable life by the sea, while being a short distance from Copenhagen. The Mayor, Municipal Director Niels Elmer Hansen, Communications Chief Claus Westergaard and Secretary Jette Hansen offered refreshments at the Old City Hall. One of my several interesting conversations of the day occurred there as I was speaking with a local journalist who had been covering us for the morning. "I was brought up during the Vietnam era", he said. "None of us liked America very much back then. I lived my young and adult life not liking America. Then a few years ago I went to Minnesota. My view of America and the American people has completely changed. Maybe you just need to make sure more people go to America!" From Holbæk we headed to Tuse, a small town nearby, and home of the Holbæk Red Devils, an American Football Team. My friend Henrik Ørnstrøm, President of the Danish American Football Federation, accompanied me on the ride to the beautiful new playing field, where I was delighted to engage in some passing plays with the Coach and four of his star players. (The Red Devils have a record of 7-0, and look to be headed to the League Championship.) Each of the young men indicated they had learned about American football from television, and they were excited when I told them that I am working with my friends in the National Football League and the Ministry of Culture to hopefully bring an NFL game to Copenhagen in a few years. Leaving the football field we rode through the campus of Tuse school, where I enjoyed taking pictures with a group of 7 and 8 year-old girls. They invited me to join them as they headed to the playground where the local police were going to give them a demonstration with Danish police dogs. This was a great surprise, and was made extra special because one of the protection officers traveling with me today, Kim, is from the area, and used to be on the "Police Dog Squad". I was as delighted as the several hundred young people who were watching with the amazing discipline of the police dog. We left Tuse on our final 25 km stretch of the day toward Kalundborg. This is when we encountered the fierce head wind, which slowed our pace down considerably, and set us a bit behind schedule so that we neither had time to stop by Kim's house, as I had hoped, nor time to do a little antique shopping along the way. But what really made the headwind difficult was the terrain. Whoever said that Northern Sealand is flat, has obviously not ridden a bike from Tuse to Kalundborg.. It seemed as though it was up hill all the way. Kim, who is a good rider and a good motivator, kept telling me "just one more hill, just one more hill". Each time, as I got to the top, another hill loomed ahead. (I am not sure if it was Kim's motivation strategies, or the local journalist and photographer from Havnsø who were "hop scotching along" beside us in a car that kept me pedalling hard.) When we finally arrived at the waterfront of Havnsø, I can honestly say that I have never been so happy to get off my bike. Havnsø is a scenic seaside town just north of Kalundborg. We were met by Deputy Mayor Peter Jacobsen, Deputy Mayor Martin Damm from Kalundborg, and a number of their colleagues with an American flag proudly flying beside the Dannebrog. As we visited over a light lunch, the leaders of the region briefed me on the governance, economy and history of Kalundborg. I was disappointed not to have spent more of August here, when I was informed that Kalundborg has "the most sunshine of any place in Denmark." I was particularly intrigued to learn that in 1870 a native of Kalundborg, Wilhelm Hellesen, invented the Dry Battery. I observed to my guests what an impact this citizen of Kalundborg had had on America; to think of the advances in our culture brought about by this revolution in the portability of power. (Not to mention the all-time most popular American advertising mascot -- The Energizer Bunny!) The discussion of Wilhelm Hellesen brought us around to a discussion of Alternative Energy, and America's interest in learning from Denmark. I was pleased to learn that Kalundborg is the global leader in "industrial symbosis"; the integration of industrial processes in order to maximize industrial ecology. "Someone's waste is someone else's raw material", I was told. Seven local companies have joined together for this 24- project collaboration. A number of American institutions have visited to learn more about industrial symbiosis, including Yale University's School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. The discussion of Danish innovation in alternative energy was a suitable end to my day, as I sped back to Copenhagen (by car), to join a US Congressional Delegation, led by Congressman John Larsen of Connecticut, in a meeting with Per Stig Møller, the Danish Foreign Minister. The Delegation is focused primarily on energy issues, and I am pleased to see that they are learning, as I have learned, about the unique opportunity that America and Denmark have to work together to address this pressing global issue.from Day 7, Esrum - Frederikssund - Munkholm, 95 KM (479 Total)Our longest ride yet, on this sixth anniversary of 9/11, but a beautiful day to do it; and a fitting way to commemorate the occasion, having wonderful conversations with more than 100 children, about the way of life we fight to protect, and a moving ceremony, at 14:46 (08:46 am New York time), at Saeby Kirke. The day started at 8:00 from Esrum Cloister, where we departed for a 10 km ride through the stunning beauty of the Gribskov Forest. Emerging from the Forest, 10 km away from our first destination, SkævingeSchool, we came upon two dozen children hiding in the trees awaiting our arrival. As we rode by one shouted "That's him!" and they all grabbed their bikes, hidden in the grass, and joined us for the ride. (It reminded me of the Scene from The Sound of Music where the Von Trapp kids were hanging in the trees playing and singing with Maria when their surprised father drove by.) This group was primarily boys, ages 9 - 10. Within minutes we were joined from the opposite direction by a group of two or three dozen other children, mostly girls. The two groups, led by Karsten Hecht-Nielsen, Philip Holten's father who teaches at the school, joined up, and we rode together the remaining 5 km to school. Along the way I felt, for the first time, a bit like Forrest Gump. We picked up additional riders, young and old, along the way, so that by the time we reached school, we must have had at least 70 guest riders. We even picked up some on the way who didn't have bikes, and who ran with us all the way to their school. Arriving at school, we talked about what America meant to these young people, and of course they responded in primarily cultural terms with endearing observations. "Disney World", one said. "McDonalds", said another. With "high fives" all around, and everyone smiling and holding high their souvenir "ReDiscovery Tour" coins, we soon departed for "Macho Custom." "Macho Custom" is one of the largest Harley Davidson Custom shops in Northern Europe. Bjørn Susgaard started the shop several years ago, and now has seven employees, who produce some of the most beautiful "hogs" I have seen (and I have toured a number of Harley Showrooms in the States.) Bjørn couldn't wait to show me his "stuff". As I was beginning my speech to the gathered 20+ people, Bjørn went into the garage and cranked up his "Twin Cam, Steel Head" , and the inimitable "potato, potato" sound of the Harley engine filled the air. Giving up on my speech, and giving in to the encouragement of the crowd, I donned a helmet, hopped on, grabbed onto Bjørn's stomach, and headed off down the rural roads of Græse on the outskirts of Frederikssund. I have already admitted in this space how terrified I was on the first day of my Rediscovery Tour when I stood atop one of Denmark's tallest Wind Turbines (80 m) in the driving wind, waving a Danish Flag to the crowd below. But racing down the road at 160 km/h, holding onto the stomach of a stranger, with nothing stopping me from falling off but my sweating and slipping fingers, knowing that we were going so fast that the chase car of the bodyguards was having a tough time keeping up, was just short of terrifying. ("Don't go too fast", I had heard one of my bodyguards say to Bjørn just before we took off, which I think only challenged Bjørn a bit more!) But we returned safely to the cheers of the Harley-loving crowd. While my riding companions enjoyed the home-made Pølsehorn (small hot dogs wrapped in pastry), I engaged in a heartening conversation with these good people. And I must say, these Harley-lovers love America almost as much as the patriotic Harley-lovers of the States. When I asked them my "How close are the US and Denmark and does is really matter?" question, I believe I got a 10/10 from everyone in the crowd. The Harley's and vintage cars cranked up and escorted me from Macho Custom to our next destination, Haldor Topsøe's factory in Frederikssund. The precision with which the bikers stopped traffic and directed our caravan was as impressive as the motorcade I witnessed the last time President Clinton was in Denmark. Haldor Topsøe makes catalysts for industrial facilities, and has a major presence in America. From there we travelled to Europe's largest provider of custom accessories for Pick-up trucks. Owners Marie Louise and Lars Bjerg, who travelled with us on their tandem bike for most of the visit in this town, showed us great hospitality around the impressive facility, and treated us to a wonderful lunch, which Philip cut short to ensure that we stayed on schedule. Our next stop was the Frederikssund Private Realskole, a private school which is over 100 years old but still very modern. We did not have time to visit the school itself, but we enjoyed the best the school had to offer, as we were joined by about thirty delightful young people, mostly in the 7th and 8th grade, who thoroughly entertained me during the 11 km ride to Hansen's Ice Cream with questions about what American teenagers are like, and with comments about their favourite American TV Shows (Friends and Desperate Housewives), favourite movies (The Simpsons and Pirates of the Caribbean III), and favourite Danish and American actors (Sophie Lassen-Khalke, Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom). I learned a great deal about Danish teenagers from my brief but intense conversations with Jaqueline, Julie, Mette, Sarah, Ida, Stine and all their friends. (I learned that they are a lot like American teenage kids!) And I thoroughly enjoyed Sarah and Mette trying to teach me how to pronounce my new favourite Danish word: "Rodirod mel flude" (Rødgrød med fløde) (which is a Danish dessert, and which simply cannot be uttered without permanently swallowing your tongue.) One of the more humorous moments of the ride with these young people was revealed to me later when Alex, one of the protection officers riding along with me, told me that as he was riding behind me in the middle of the pack of teenage girls, he heard two of them talking. One said to the other "It would be like sooooo embarrassing if one of us ran into the Ambassador and made him fall, wouldn't it!!!" And sure enough, about two minutes later, as we pulled into the parking lot of Hansen's Ice Cream, one of them collided with me, to her mortal embarrassment, and the never ending teasing by her friend. (But neither of us actually fell down, thankfully). At Hansen's, three generations of Hansen men treated the gathered teenagers, my caravan, and me to the delicious treats that have been pleasing the palates of Danes young and old for over 80 years. Hans Hansen, grandson of the founder, told me how his grandfather had been inspired by the ice creams of America, and built this high-end delicacy using American recipes and equipment. Several of the machines that his grandfather purchased in the 1930s' are still in use in the factory today. After visiting Hansen's, I consider myself very fortunate to discover that there is a Hansen's store a few meters away from the front door of the Embassy on Dag Hammarskjölds Alle in Copenhagen. As Hans Hansen's sons joined us, along with members of the Tourist and Enterprise Association in Frederikssund Kommune, we biked briskly the 15 km to Sæby Church, pulling into the parking lot just as the Church bells began tolling, inviting the guests and neighbors to gather for the Sixth-annual memorial service for the victims and heroes of 9/11. At 14:46, Vicar Helene Rasmussen asked the crowd gathered in the sanctuary to pause for one minute of silence. The silence was broken only when I began speaking, as I had been invited to do by the Vicar. My comments were translated by Philip Holten, the Coordinator of the Rediscovery Tour. Philip's presence made the event more special, as Philip is a direct descendent of Just Johan Holten, who renovated and re-established the Sæby Church in 1806, after the British bombardment of Copenhagen had caused Philip's ancestor and others to seek shelter away from the City. Philip's parents were in the congregation as well, Philip's father having quickly changed to a coat and tie after riding with us all day. We had many wonderful conversations with members of the congregation after the service, including with several men who had memories of WWII, who defined America as "providing us our Freedom". I will also long cherish the conversation with "Helle", the mother of six young children, five under the age of eight, who told me how much she wished her children could have been here to witness the memorial service. When I asked her why they weren't here, she said "I wasn't sure they could stand that 'Moment of Silence' part of the service." And although we still had a 20 km ride to the Munkholm Bridge in the radiant sunlight of a beautiful Danish summer afternoon, I will leave you with the words I shared with the congregation of the Saeby Church at 14:47, as best I can remember them: "Six years ago, at this moment, an event happened that changed the world. At that moment, the deranged men who piloted their machines of destruction into the World Trade Towers in New York, and into the Pentagon in Washington, rendered the face of evil much more clear to us all. That moment we will never forget. But it is what happened in the moments after the first plane struck, that will have the most lasting impact on the world; for it was in that moment that the world came together; when all men and women around the globe who cherish freedom, and who cherish security, and who cherish life, joined in a spirit of unity and togetherness, with a vow never to let evil prevail. "It was a moment unlike any the world had witnessed before. It was a moment when Citizens throughout Denmark felt at one with America. Yet as the terrorist-arrests of just last week, in Germany and in Denmark, remind us, the fight against evil goes on. As the memories of 9/11 begin to fade, we worry whether the spirit that united us six years ago, can be sustained. Today I come before you, sweat-stained, haggard and dressed in cycling clothes, because I am on an 1800 km tour of Denmark to rediscover that spirit; to rediscover that special bond of friendship that has made America and Denmark the closest of allies for over 200 years. That is why it was so important for my colleagues and me to be with you at this moment, in a House of God, on this solemn anniversary. On this day we pay tribute to those who made the supreme sacrifice at this moment years ago. On this day we say prayers for all of those around the world who continue the fight against evil. On behalf of the people of America, on behalf of all of those who cherish freedom, I think you for the compassion and support and love you have shown for those victims, and for those heroes. And I thank you for your continued dedication to the fight for the values we cherish, and the spirit that binds us together. God Bless you, God Bless this House, and God Bless Denmark."from The Embassyfrom Day 6, Hillerød - Helsingør - Esrum, 57 KM (384 Total)From Bagels to Brownies; from Vanilla Pudding Pastries to Carrot Cake; from Brown Sugar-Covered Almonds, to Cistercian Beer -- this day can perhaps best be summed up in former Professional Cycler Jens Veggerby's closing comment: "It's the only time I have ridden 52 kilometers, and gained 4 kilos." Jens , Three-time European Cycling Champion, joined me for the entire ride today, along with Minister of Interior and Health Lars Løkke Rasmussen, and numerous other friends. His comment reflects the gracious, calorie-filled hospitality that was shown to us by our various hosts throughout the day on our rain-swept ride from Hillerød to Esrum Cloister. We started the day in Hillerød, at Frederiksborg Castle, the spot where we had left off on August 29. It was a difficult start for me, as I had just landed at the Copenhagen airport after an overnight flight from New York, shaving and changing into my cycling clothes in a bathroom along the way. The Chairman of the Social and Leisure Committee of the Commune, Ingo Hvid, greeted us in the courtyard of the historic castle. This was a unique and coincidental moment for one of my protection officers, Peter, who had been taught by Ingo Hvid in High School 35 years ago. The moment was made even more unique when Peter and Jens Veggerby immediately recognized each other as former cycling competitors, who had not seen each other in 25 years. (It's these small things that aren't planned that make for such an interesting journey.) We rode in the driving rain through the lovely streets of Hillerød to the gates of the huge Novo Nordisk Research and Manufacturing Facility where 1400 are employed developing insulin and insulin delivery systems for diabetic patients. This is an impressive facility, and is the companion facility to a plant in the Research Triangle Region of North Carolina, where I am from. Along the way I had a very interesting conversation with Henrik Rasmussan, Corporate VP, regarding the epidemic of obesity in America, and the growing problem in Denmark. (This is one area where I hope American culture does not influence Denmark.) We shared our pride at the UN endorsing the International Diabetes Resolution, and I told him we were looking forward to the arrival of the Novo Nordisk "Diabetes Truck" at the UN in New York in a couple of weeks. We agreed that encouraging cycling trips around the countryside, such as this one, sends a powerful message about a commitment to healthy living. (Of course, this was right before I consumed my first of six or seven pastries and sweets during the day.) As much as I enjoyed my conversation with Henrik, and the visit to Novo, there is one thing I will not soon forgive him for. As we were leaving Hillerød, Henrik leaned over and said "So Ambassador, have you had a flat tire yet?" I replied "Not Yet!", while thinking to myself "Oh No, I hope he didn't just jinx me!" But sure enough, ten minutes later, I had my first flat of the Tour. The whole peleton of 14 people had to come to a halt, but thanks to the crack cycling team from Novo (Doug Wallis, Torben Nielsen, Rita Herrman, and Jens Gerwein) I had a new tube in a matter of minutes. Our next stop was the headquarters of "Miss Bagel"; where founders Lars Bogs, Lone Kok and Tom Tietze told us the fascinating story about how they came to create in Denmark that most-American of bakery products, the Bagel. Starting only fifteen years ago, they now produce over 140,000 bagels per month, serving restaurants and bakeries around Denmark, using exclusively machines imported from America. They have been very successful in this market in part because they created the perfect mix between the "East Coast bagel', which is hard, and the "West Coast bagel" which is soft. Danes love their "in-between bagels", and I cannot blame them. They also bake muffins and brownies, which is where my kilo-calorie binge for the day began, and on top of that, they are the Danish importers of three of my family's favorite American products, French's Mustard, Kraft Cream Cheese, and Oreo Cookies!! (The company has a very impressive track record of creating internships for ethnic immigrants who are trying to enter the workforce.) Leaving Miss Bagel, a little stuffed, we headed to Vapnagaard, a 4,000 person, highly integrated residential area that has managed the challenges of integrated communal living in a remarkably effective manner. We were met by Mayor Per Tersbol and Chairman Ole Husum Frederiksen who helped us to understand that their decision, 15 years ago, to give residents and potential residents hands-on involvement in the design of their community had resulted in a spirit of collective pride that immediately upon opening, caused problems of disorder and disrespect to property to vanish. "The lesson is to give people a sense of ownership, even when they don't technically have ownership", one observer commented. I was particularly impressed with the library, funded by the Commune, where every day after school, 40-50 school age kids, mostly of ethnic backgrounds, come to do their homework, practice their Danish, and enjoy literature from other cultures. Our next visit in Vapnagaard was particularly meaningful for me personally; we visited in the home of Selahattin T. and his wife, Danes who arrived from Turkey several years ago. Selahattin described how, after he arrived here, he was concerned that immigrant kids in the neighborhood did not have the experience of organized sports, "because football is played in the Club system, and these kids did not belong to Clubs". So he started a football clinic in the neighborhood, and now each year more than 170 ethnic young people in the neighborhood are trained in the skills of football, and funnelled into the Danish Club Football system. "There is only one language on the sports field", Selahattin said "and it's the language of inclusion and integration. Sports is for everybody." He estimates that, including families, more than 500 neighbors are reached each year through his program. He says "our goal is not necessarily to make better athletes, it's to avoid problems in the community before they arise, from young people feeling alienated, and having nothing to do." These words resonated with me. And Selahattin committed to help us with our sports camp project next summer. (And I helped myself to the delicious vanilla-pudding topped pastries his wife had prepared). Leaving Selahattin, we stopped by the home of Mona A., a resident who has devoted her time to creating activities for the senior residents of the commune in order to ensure they have happy, healthy and fulfilling lives. Mona showered us with further hospitality, and further delicious treats. On our bike ride leaving Vapnagaard, Lars Løkke and Jens and I had an interesting conversation about the spirit of volunteerism that motivated Selahattin and Mona, and neighbors like them. They each are giving of their time doing good to help others, not through government, but through private initiatives (the "diplomacy of deeds".) I was impressed to learn that Lars Løkke recently completed a 4,000 km bike ride to Paris to raise money for cancer research, and to hear of the more-than 17 charity events Jens participates in each year. There is clearly a growing interest in private-driven philanthrophy in this culture. (And I believe I committed to join Jens in at least one Charity Bike Ride next year!) Our final stop of the day was at Esrum Cloister, an ancient abbey built by the Cistercian monks in the year 1150. The Cistercians were well travelled, well educated, and land-wealthy. Before the abbey was closed during the Reformation in 1536, the Cistercians owned and controlled over 20% of the land in North Sealand. The King controlled the land thereafter, which explains why there are no large country manor houses in this part of Denmark, whereas they are spread throughout much of the rest of the country. Today, only 10% of the abbey buildings remain, including the peaceful Abbey gardens. The beautifully-restored monastery was used by the State Archives and National Museum as a bomb-proof shelter to hide the original manuscripts of Søren Kierkagaard, Hans Christian Andersen and other national treasures during WWII. We were particularly enthralled by Lone Johnsen's tale of Brother Ruus, who after leading the Brothers of Esrum to the heathen sins of speaking in public, drinking beer and cavorting with women, was roasted at the stake in the 12th Century in the Abbey courtyard. The gruesome story still did not discourage us from partaking of the delicious treats Lone and Vibeke had prepared for us, including carrot cake, candied almonds, and Cistercian beer. My colleagues who joined us today, Lt. Colonel Severin Blenkush, Lt. Nicole Langley, Patrick King and Deputy Chief of Mission Sandra Kaiser all agreed that they no longer felt sorry for me riding all these kilometers, when I was fed so well. (I told them not to be so quick to judge, since two of them did actually get lost during the trip today!) Heading back to the Residence, I arrived late at a dinner we were hosting in honor of celebrated Harvard author Tom Davenport. Professor Davenport is a leading author and commentator on knowledge-management and business process innovation. He and the assembled three-dozen guests were very curious about my Rediscovery Tour. But I think they were most curious how I could have ridden 52 kilometers and arrived full and complaining of over-eating. I invited them all to join me on the Tour so that they could see for themselves.from Day 5, Roskilde - Hillerød, 60 KM (327 Total)Today the weather was again terrific. And the leg a bit painful, but didn't prevent us from completing the day. We started again at the Roskilde Cathedral, then stopped by the Roskilde Viking Museum where the community has recreated a fascinating display of Viking crafts and restored Viking ships. Since Maria Rasmussen of Fjordbyerne (the local paper) was travelling with us, we stopped by their offices for brief photos and then rode to the Roskilde Language Center where newly arrived immigrants are taught Danish language and Danish culture. The 276 students are from 62 nations, and include adults and younger students. I met with a class of about 25 of them, mostly of Asian and Middle Eastern background, and found them eager to learn about America and eager to be fully integrated into Danish society. We left and headed to Trekroner, an entirely new, planned section of the community where Jan Bille, our Tour guide, and around 3,000 others live. Our first stop was the Trekroner school, a beautiful new campus where 600 students attend. Meeting with a classroom of 13 year olds, I was really impressed to hear their intelligent and mature questions, and they spoke wonderful English, complete with familiar colloquial American expressions (the kids here are taught English as early as age three. How many other European countries can we say that about?) The students were very curious about America's foreign policy, my relationship with the President, and what I was doing on my bike tour. Their responses to my "three questions" implied an impression of America based primarily on television and movies, much of it negative. Several, however, spoke of "freedom", and "power to do good", and one said "if not for America we would be speaking German right now!". My personal favourite was one who said he thought America was "boring". When asked, he said he had been to Wyoming, and it was boring because there was nothing to do there. ( Colonel Blenkush, of our DET 1 office, who was riding with me today, is from Wyoming and had to jump in to defend his honor!) Interestingly their impression of how close America and Denmark are was slightly lower than the impression of the young ethnic immigrants I had met earlier: around a 6.5 vs. The immigrants 8. All believed it important that we stay close, primarily for "protection". Leaving the school, we were joined by 5 young students who had been in the class we had just visited with. The principal called them "the parrots" because they "talk so much". They were irrepressive in their questioning, asking in some cases very personal questions. I realized in these conversations that there is something fundamentally different between these kids and most American kids; they grow up with a different view of "authority", almost as if the "Jantelaw" commitment to egalitarianism prevents any greater respect being accorded the elderly, the elected, or the "successful". (For example, several of the boys addressed me as "Cain". While this would have been impertinent in our culture, it appears to be indulged in theirs. This probably is consistent with the tendency here to treat kids as "adults" much earlier than we do in America) I have to admit, though, that I thoroughly enjoyed the boys and look forward to their riding with me on the final day, and attending the end-of-Tour Celebration next summer. The boys joined me for a visit to a "cluster neighborhood" where we had lunch in the "common building". This is a neighborhood of 17 homes, built on the same model in a neighborhood where the homeowners all chose to live together and, three times a week, to eat together; almost in a communal fashion reminiscent of the "hippie 60's" in the US. But Lene, one of the pioneers of the neighborhood, convinced us of the comfortable and satisfying lifestlyle there. I cannot think of a similar model in the US, although the basic planned community of Trekroner is very much present in the US. From there we rode north and took the scenic route to Hillerød, through the charming towns of Sengeløse, Veksø, Ganløse, Lynge and Lillerød. The roads around Veksø and Ganløse took us through the hilliest and steepest terrain we had encountered; including some tough climbs in this country which some erroneously describe as "flat". Phillip, our intrepid Tour Director, commented "Oh yes, this is the hilliest terrain in Zealand. There is nothing else like it!". (Causing me to wonder ... Hmmm, why did we take this route again??) But the route took us through some memorable spots. We saw the ancient ruins of Bastrup, dating from 1100. We took photos next to a beautiful 1956 Lincoln we spotted (complete with tail fins). And we made a side trip to see Denmark's only drive-in movie theatre. Talk about cultural connections with America! (The complex has three screens and is very successful. It was a memorable visit for Christian, the PET Protection officer who was riding with me today, because he had hidden in this theatre years ago when he was participating in a training exercise and was being chased by police dogs.) We completed the ride to Hillerød, and ended up at Frederiksborg Castle, where we will pick up again with a tour and meeting with the Mayor Nick Hækkerup on September 10. Before returning to Copenhagen, though, we had to do a bit of antique shopping on the walking street. We headed back to Copenhagen for the memorial ceremony at Memorial Park for the heroes of the Danish Resistance. The Resistance is celebrated as commencing on August 29, 1943; the day the Danish police stopped cooperating with the Nazis. We participated in a wreath laying for the hundreds of Danish heroes who made the supreme sacrifice in order to resist, and Helen and I were honored to shake the hands of the dozen-plus heroes there, who are still with us today. "Now its Spring and Denmark is free. Bless the Lord from hill to sea." Almost the end of a perfect day. But not quite. First we must cheer on FCK as they compete on the pitch against Portugal!from Day 4 Næstved - Haslev - Roskilde, 80 KM (267 Total)With apologies to Charles Dickens, "It was the best of Days. It was the worst of Days ....." Today the weather was spectacular as we left the McDonald's parking lot in Næstved at 8:15 (though the Boys and I were disappointed it was closed so we couldn't get our Egg McMuffin.) The weather was perfect throughout the long and exciting ride, during which we were joined by Minister of Culture Brian Mikkelsen and his wife Eliane. (The Minister had to leave us after about 20 km, but Eliane was a great rider and stayed with us all the way.) That, the weather and the riding companions, constituted the "Best of Times." The "Worst of Times" happened at the Sydøstsjællands Idrætsefterskole, a "Sports School" in Haslev, about 15 km from the McDonalds. There, after demonstrating my skills at spinning a Basketball on my fingers and successfully climbing to the top of the "Rock Wall" (to the cheers of the massed students), I got a bit too aggressive at the Skateboard park, and with an un-diplomatic and ungraceful fall on the "half pipe", I popped a "hamstring" in my left leg. Trying hard to hide the pain, and the injury, from the students and journalists present, I limped and cycled a bit slower for the remaining 60 km of the day. But thanks to Rene and Alex icing and bandaging me up several times, and Eliane's encouragement, I was able to make the rest of the painful trip. But I am jumping ahead of myself..... Before and after the injury, we had a series of wonderful visits, and travelled the inspiring Danish countryside. With Mayor René Tuekær and Municipal Director Sven Gerner Nielsen as our tour guides. We started the day visiting two stunning, and very large neighboring estates : Gisselfeld and Bregentved. Gisselfeld, constructed in 1547, is enshrined in literary history as the place where H.C. Andersen wrote his immortal tale "The Ugly Duckling". While there, Greg Kobertt, the architect (an American), and Jens, the Director of the Estate, gave us a tour of the amazing botanical gardens (including a "Venus Fly Trap", a unique carnivorous plant that is only found one natural place on earth-- in the mountains of North Carolina, not far from our family summer home.) This beautiful estate has an American connection; in the early 1900's the only surviving heir of the estate was found in Los Angeles. Surprised to learn of what he had inherited, he arrived at Gisselfeld and made numerous "controversial" decorating changes. But his Southern California wife missed the California sunshine and they soon departed. At Bregentved, Christian Count Moltke and his wife showed us his beautiful ancestral home, built in 1680. Before walking us through the lovely gardens, which they graciously open to the public, he allowed us into the spectacular baroque Chapel which features a beautiful hand and foot-pumped pipe organ, built in 1835. When Christian asked if anyone in the room played the organ or piano, my hand spontaneously shot up, so he invited me to play. With the Municipal Director Sven Gerner Nielsen pumping away, I filled the Chapel with the somewhat-sluggish melodies of Amazing Grace, Dixie, and Let It Be, by the Beatles. (I expect that two of those three tunes have not been played in that Chapel in its entire 327 year history.) Leaving the estates, which together total more than 5,000 hectares (or over 12,000 acres), we travelled to Haslev to meet up with Brian and Eliane, at Sydøstsjællands Idrætsefterskole, one of several fine academic institutions in this "City of Schools". Riding with us were a group of seven students and Principal Erik Stengaard from Haslev Gymnasium, all of whom are headed to New Hampshire in October. We talked about New Hampshire's critical role in next year's Presidential primaries. Just before arriving at Sydøstsjællands Idrætsefterskole, Sverri Hammer, the Principal of Haslev Seminarium and several of his prize teachers (or "Brain Coaches" as they are called) presented me with examples of the impressive achievements from the school, and Merete Olsen, Denmark's Teacher of the Year, explained her very-effective approach to teaching. Next, at Sydøstsjællands Idrætsefterskole we learned from Principal Lissi Braae, and several current and former students, of the unique features of the Danish Efterskole ( a boarding school system for students who have not yet started high school). Minister Mikkelsen and I were even more impressed with the School's "India Project", where they are building a school, with private donations raised by the students, for young people in a village who fail their 10th grade exams (50-70% do). I was pleased to learn of this moving example of "Danish Heart", and was particularly impressed to witness Brian and Eliane offer personal support for the efforts. (Our daughter Cameron's High School in the US adopted a village in a similar way in Africa. This is a powerful example of compassion-in-action for young people.) I have already mentioned the impressive, although personally painful, demonstrations of sports excellence at Sydøstsjællands Idrætsefterskole. The team handball was of the highest calibre, and the trampoline squad of four athletes at Haslev Hallerne are true potential world-champions, in this sport that I was intrigued to learn from the Coach, was invented in America. After Haslev, we headed for the Old Grocery Store in Førslev, the oldest "country store" in Denmark. The collection of soaps, sundries, sewing kits, and trinkets from generations past, was fascinating, and the store owner was a gracious host (who indulged us with sandwiches and kindness while I rewrapped my pained hamstring.) After the Old Grocery Store on the way to Jens Thorsen’s farm we had one of those amazing spontaneous experiences that simply couldn't be planned: we turned a rural corner and happened upon "Texas Western", a Country and Western store that rivals anything I have seen in Texas itself. If the American flags flying from the roof hadn't caught my attention, then the cowboy in the window surely did. We slammed on the breaks, brought the caravan to a screeching halt, and dashed inside. There the storeowner Doris Olsen, who was in the back and had not witnessed our arrival, practically had a heart attack when she came out front and realized who this excited group of English-speaking visitors was. She quickly called her husband Jørgen Olsen, who soon arrived with great enthusiasm, insisted on changing into his "authentic Country and Western" uniform, and joined us for a priceless photo. I thought Rene and Alex were going to jump him when he strapped on his six-shooter and started shooting what sounded like real bullets, but I presume were blanks! (Texas Western specializes in Square Dance and Line Dance attire and accessories, and must assuredly be the largest of its kind in Europe. Personally, I found the "Harley Davidson Underarm Deodorant" hard to resist.) Shouting a hearty "Goodby Texas" to our new friends, we headed out on the longest continuous bike ride yet; 45 km to Roskilde. We stopped briefly by Jens Thorsen's pig farm. Jens is a young farmer who has recently started his business from scratch, and has grown to over 7,000 pigs produced per year. We discussed the difficulties of succeeding in the face of rising feed prices, and I was very tempted to take one of the cute piglets on the bike with me. Arriving in Roskilde, the first capital of Denmark, and home to Europe's largest music festival, we were received by Museum Director Frank Birkebæk who invited us to a reception for Søren Kaare-Andersen, the new CEO of Roskilde Bank. It was delightful to meet Søren and his family, see a few friends, and see the ornate Hotel Prindsen (though I must admit that I felt a bit underdressed!). Frank later took us on a guided tour of the stunning Roskilde Cathedral, with its long and impressive line of ancient royal caskets. (It was my third trip to this famous Cathedral, listed as a World Heritage Site, the most recent being for the ReBurial Service for Empress Dagmar, Mother to the last Tsar of Russia.) While we were having a wonderful dinner at one of the many fine local restaurants, Frank told us about Roskilde's announced-plans to build Europe's first "Rock and Roll" museum. Based on the museum in Seattle (which I went to several years ago while it was under construction), Frank and I argued over whether Elvis will return first to Roskilde or the Seattle museum; but we both agreed that he will most certainly "return" to one of them. After dinner we wrapped it up for the night. I limped home to nurse my aching hamstring, in hopes of being able to ride swiftly tomorrow. I had many inspiring and intriguing conversations with our many riders today. I found a number of riders who think of "sports" when they think of America; others who said "hospitality" and "friendliness" and "openness". One, of course, said "McDonalds", and another "big cars". One of the riders turned my second question around on me and asked what one misconception about America that many Danes have would I like to correct? "Many young Danes know America only from television, movies and music" I said. "Usually they have images of violence, crime, selfishness and greed. But any Dane who has been to America knows that is not a true picture at all. And I would like more young Danes to come to America", I said. The same rider said "I would like for Americans to know that we Danes are not as prejudiced or as reserved as the media sometimes depicts us." I thought that was certainly fair. On my questions; "how close are Denmark and America? And does it really matter?", from the collected two-dozen students, I believe I got an 8 on the first question (out of 10, with 10 being "very close") and a 6.3 on the second question (with 10 being "it matters a great deal"). Though I am in a bit of pain, and have lots of heat applied to my injury, on balance, it was a good day. The weather was good, the Minister and his wife were a treat to ride with, we only lost our way once, and the bodyguards have a new bicycle -- a shiny "fire engine red" one. Perhaps now they can keep up!!!from CopenhagenThank you T for your question. It is so nice to hear from youngsters back in my home state of North Carolina. I wish you would send me a picture of you on your Huffy. I'll bet you can really ride fast. Do you also have "streamers" on your handlebars? My bike is white, and is an "Ole Ritter", carbon-framed, 21 speed dynamo. It goes so fast that even my security guards can't keep up! I have a bell, but it doesn"t work very well, so it would be really nice to have some of those colored cards to put in the spokes so people can hear me coming! Please come over and join me for a ride. And bring your Huffy. Together, we can "Share The Spirit". J. Cain US Ambofrom Raleigh ,NC USAAmbassador Cain, what type of bike are you riding, is it a HUFFY 10-speed, I had one of those when I was 8 years old, a real nice bike, does your's a BELL, mine did. I would like to know what color it is, I can send you some colored cards to stick in the spokes that will will allow the fans along your route to hear you coming and be out by the street. We are so proud of our native son touring Denmark on a HUFFY 10-speed.I have heard today, that David Crabtree & Bill Leslie are working to get to Denmark to document your journey for a FOCUS series on WRAL...God Speed James, Gods Speed!!from NæstvedHello mr. Ambassador.... Thanks for a pleasent ride during Næstved. My young riders and I were thrilled to meet you and enjoyed the ride. We noticed that you was using ordinary shorts and we are at little worry. Please send our size of shorts if you want to ride in a pair from Næstved BC. Greeting from Line and young riders.from Day 3, Vordingborg - Næstved, 55 KM (187 Total)Day Three: This was another spectacular day, the best yet from a weather standpoint. We started out with a great breakfast at the Hotel Frederiksminde with Silja Bienna, the delightful operator of the hotel. I committed to returning soon to enjoy her Gourmet restaurant, and I eagerly look forward to the occasion. Our ride commenced with Mayor Henrik Holmer showing us some of the historic sights of Vordingborg. We climbed the steps to the top of Gåsetårnet (Goose Tower) the oldest Medieval Castle in Denmark and the main attraction at Danmarks Borgcenter. While there, in the pastoral setting of the castle grounds, I had an interesting conversation with those who were riding along with me about the cause of Denmark's "happiness" (polls show Danes are the happiest people on earth). My friends observed that Danes are happy because in their lives there is little pressure to do, be or achieve anything in particluar in your day, or in your life; ' there is little 'control' exercised by others over the hearts and minds of our fiercely independent people", one said.. Another commented that, even those who do have the desire to take risks and achieve, feel secure in the knowledge that there is a safety net that will take care of them if they falter. They commented that, in America, there is the pressure to achieve, the desire to get ahead, and the willingness to take risks, but there is less security if you fail. (I tend to disagree. Historically, I think failure is more tolerated in America than elsewhere, with those who fail encouraged to get up again and start over. But things may be changing in Denmark.) Another commented about the love of nature and the happiness with the sunshine, when it’s not raining! We then rode to the beautiful Rosenfeldt Estate where Peter Tillisch and his daughter Cecilia gave us a tour of the impressive Manor House and barns, occupied by the German officers during the Occupation. This huge 2000 hectare estate, dating from 1776, produces much of the wheat and carrots for this market. I know it is a huge estate because on our next leg, riding through the rolling pastureland of Rosenfeldt, we got lost. The small detour put us only slightly behind schedule as we biked a scenic 18 km route to Svinø Church. Between 1940 and 1944 the people of the small village of Svinø offered a final resting place to the earthly remains of the many pilots of the Allied forces who were shot down over the southern part of Sjælland and Lolland-Falster. Included were 46 pilots from America. The remains of the American pilots were transferred to other cemeteries in the later 40's, and small rose bushes now occupy the site of the headstone of the Americans. The roses were, on this day, in full bloom. A memorial to the American pilots, along with the Cross of Sacrifice, grace the grounds of the cemetary, along with a memorial to Donald Smith, a Canadian whose plane was shot down near here in 1942. When Smith died in 1998, he asked that he be buried next to his six fellow crewmen who were buried here following the crash that he alone had survived, 56 years earlier. I was honored to leave a note to the people of Svinø, thanking them, on behalf of America, for their compassion in taking care of America's 46 young heroes, so many years ago. I hope that I will be able to return for the Memorial celebration in Svinø on the 4th of May. We then headed to Næstved, where we left Mayor Holmer and were joined at the border by Mayor Henning Jensen, along with an enthusiastic group of young riders from a local cycling Club. Mayor Jensen, a much beloved Mayor of 20 years, had arranged a series of rotating riders from the commune who briefed me on key aspects of Næstved's community life; nature preservation, energy sustainability, and cultural life. We had a leisurely and very pleasant ride to this beautiful city (leisurely, that is, except for the sprint that I, at one point, foolishly challenged the young riders of the Cycling club to. I held my own for about 300 meters, but then age and experience succumbed to youth and legs, so I waved them on.) Our first stop in Næstved was at the Næstved Language and Integration Center. Here, 150 "new Danes" are trained each semester in how to "be better integrated into Danish society." In addition to language, cultural and social skills, these eager volunteers, mostly first generation ethnic immigrants, are taught how to ride a bicycle! One young lady from Pakistan told me that learning to ride a bicycle was the hardest thing she had done, "but the most important thing for my new life in Denmark!" I loved that comment, and I loved visiting with the eager students, and dedicated teachers at this wonderful institution. We then headed to the Cultural Center where, among other impressive things, we were invited to join about 150 gifted artists from around Denmark, Poland and Lithuania, who, in addition to their artistic talents, suffered from mental or physical handicaps. My appreciation for their art, and their gifts, was exceeded only by my appreciation for the spirit of love and compassion that I felt among the volunteers, and artists in the room. This is the spirit of private philanthrophy, those 'small acts of goodness and compassion', that I have been seeking around Denmark. It is a spirit that is very much a part of the American Spirit, and it is a spirit that will keep our countries close, as long as that spirit is alive in our people. I was honored to visit them, to speak with them, and to learn from them. We then rode through the woods to the Herlufsholm Boarding School where Headmaster Klaus Jakobsen showed us the remarkable institution that has been at the forefront of private Danish education for generations. Walking among the uniformed students, amidst the rich traditions of the school, I could not help but sense a kinship with the proud Ivy League institutions of America's Northeast (except for their fabulous new sports hall, which many of the US institutions would be envious of.) I was joined then by the Coach and star players from Næstved's championship Basketball team. Howie (the Coach) and two of the star players were from America. It was fun to have them join us for the last segment of our ride which ended, appropriately enough, in a McDonald's parking lot. The American stars insisted! Approximately 50 km today, and 170 km for the first three days. Fittingly, my day ended back at the Residence where I hosted 80 at a dinner for members of the Copenhagen Rotary Club. I was pleased to learn that all of them, to a man and woman, had heard something in the media in the past three days about my "ReDiscovery Tour" around Denmark. They were all very enthusiastic about my trip and its impact, and I believe I may have 80 new riders when we head through Copenhagen next summer. (I promised them I wouldn't ride too fast!)from Sofienlund 23, 8543 HornsletHey Ambassedor. I will first say, that it is a very good idea with this biketour. I would like to bike with you, when you are near my location. Im a little farmer who admire the USA, for all you do to protect the freedom in the world. I would like very much to hear from the embassy, if it is possible to bike with you. my phone nr. is #### #### , i hope to here from your staff. Yours Henrik Alroe Sorensenfrom Day 2, Nykøbing F - Vordingborg, 76 KM (122 Total)Today, Day Two, covering 76 kilometers was a great day for learning, but a lousy day for biking, with sustained winds of between 15 and 20 meters per second all the way, directly in our face most of the time. But the experience was exhilerating nonetheless, and we managed to stay on schedule (and I managed to stay ahead of the pack, thanks in great part to my 'Ole Ritter Special', carbon composite bike!) We started the day with a pleasant breakfast with Frederik and Christel, where I learned a great deal about the challenges of sustaining the large farm operations, and country estate life, in Denmark. We discussed the differences in corporate regulation, land use and tax policies in the US vs. in Denmark, which are largely regulated by the EU. Frederik took us on a tour of his expansive facility, among the largest in Denmark, which is really an amalgamation of three estates. The visit to the beautiful parish Church which is directly next to his home, was very special. There I saw a wonderful memorial to Monica Wichfeldt, the Resistance Heroine that Frederick had told us about the evening before. We also viewed the facility where Frederik burns straw, grown on his land, to provide all the heat for his operations; a very efficient plan. We then headed through the woods to the 'Forest Kindergarten', a remarkable facility that daughter Laura would love because it looks like it is straight out of Hagrid's Forest in Harry Potter. Here, 25 kids spend their day in the woods, rain or shine, living with the tools that nature provides them. No toys, nothing articificial, except colored crayons, and paper to draw on. Their counting tablet is a tree trunk, lying on the ground, on which the numbers 1 - 25 are carved. There are several 'teepee' like structures that keep them somewhat sheltered from the rain. I was shocked by this 'primitive' schoolground, until I realized how totally self confident, uninhibited, creative, and self sufficient these young children were. Two of them brought me beautiful pictures they had drawn for me (and upon receiving my 'commemorative coin', of course word spread fast, and soon I had 12 beautiful pictures and had given coins to all, except one cute lad who did not have a picture, but offered me his frog instead. The journalists enjoyed me holding the frog, particularly when it decided to 'relieve itself' on me. I hope they didn't get a shot of that! I left one fantasy world, to head to another, the Medieval Center in Nykøbing. (Along the way we took a pleasant ride through the woods and visited the ancient defense works built 1000 years ago to defend warring tribes of Vikings. We also had our first casualty, Kim the journalist traveling with us had a flat riding through the forest trail and had to temporarily join the caravan. I also got into a 'bleating' contest with a sheep along the way; he, or she, repeated every bleat I uttered, including saying 'Baa Baa' after I said 'By By' ) The Medieval Center is a cultural jewel. Here I was treated to the honor of pulling the 'trigger' ( a rope) on the giant war machine (trebuchet) that was used in the 1300-1400s to sling rocks ( or dead bodies according to my host ... the first bacteriological warfare!) The rock sailed over 250 meters into the sea, to the delight of the several hundred tourists. This was followed by a sumptuous Medieval meal, served by the Lord Mayor and his hospitable wife, a tour of the facility, during which I got to do knightly battle with a battle axe, and light armour (I thought I was going to have to get one of the bodyguards to shoot my opponent, it was getting so serious!) These staff, dressed and acting in period costume, are totally volunteers, who stay on the property for free for several weeks and fill appropriate rolls) And then we witnessed an honest to goodness, full contact joist, with lances, dashing knights and thundering horses. My knight, Sir Hernik, won, after splitting 5 lances on his beleagured opponent. We sailed away in a beautiful 40 foot Medieval ship, to the waving arms of the children gathered on the shore (all wondering why we had bikes on the ancient boat.) I must admit the experience was a bit embarrassing, seeing the sophistication and resourcefulness of these ancient people, who had such advances in civilization long before our country was founded (though of course several hundred years after its discovery by Danish Vikings!) We then rode to the Cultural Factory, which is really a Youth House, where kids hang out and stay out of trouble. Had a challenging conversation with the delightful young man who runs the facility. He doesn't like America, mainly because of the war in Iraq and the foreign policies of President Bush, but he promised me he would visit America, and would keep an open mind. Then to the Sports College Lolland Falster; an impressive facility that had its first open day today. I was treated (mistreated?) to a hands-on exhibition of Greco-Roman wrestling, but the young men who are the best in Denmark. (Only kidding, I really loved getting thrown around on the mat by young men one-third my age!) Mikkel really impressed me with his answer to my 'what do you learn from sports' question. He said he had learned that it was ok to want to win, that the will to win teaches you how to deal with the challenges of life, how to be resourceful, and how to compete and still be friends. Next was a gruelling 35 km stretch, in the teeth of the wind, headed to Vordingborg. We had to make several 'MicCafe' stops along the way for water, and were almost pushed backward by the fierce winds on the 70 year old Storstrøm Bridge. We were met on the other side by Mayor Henrik Holmer. We stopped by the WWI era Masnedø Fort, site of the first parachute attack in history, in April of 1940. Also visited the municipalities wonderful new library, and then wintessed the ceremonial welcoming of 250 new recruits to the Danish Army. We were enjoying our visit to Vordingborg so much that we decided to abandon our plans to return to Copenhagen for the night, and after a very nice dinner with Henrik and Stefan, we headed to the very charming, and historic, Hotel Frederiksminde, where Silje Brenna was kind enough to let me use her computer to complete my daily blog. I am getting some very interesting, and very different, responses to my question 'What does America mean to you?' which I ask frequently along the way. Responses range from 'it means bad foreign policy', 'it means Las Vegas', 'it means great parties', it means 'generous people', 'it means poverty and wealth', to my personal favorite 'it means wide open spaces and fat people'. I am finding many strong impressions about America, many of which are formed as a result of current policies, but I am also finding a curiosity, and an open-mindedness that gives me confidence that whatever challenges America's image faces today in this part of the world, we can retain our strong bond of friendship in the generations to come.from AalborgWhat a great idea! I wish you a nice tour!from Day 1, Nakskov - Maribo, 56 KM (56 Total)Sun peaking over the Oresund when I departed Rydhave at 6:45 headed to the first day of my 1700 km ReDiscovery Tour of Denmark, boding well, I thought, for this journey. Of course, as I probably should have expected, the clouds soon appeared and as we drove to Lolland it looked as though our whole day would be spent in the driving rain. We stopped in Naestved for a radio interview at 8:15, where the interviewer asked me an interesting question: ` Will this make you a better Ambassador?` I had not actually thought of it that way, but the first day allowed me to answer that question in a remarkable poignant manner. We started at the Baltic Sea Solutions Test Facility in Nakskov. There, after being greeted by an adorable group of young children waving the Dannebrog, we learned first hand of the remarkable work being done at BASS to lead the Lolland-Falster municipalities to true energy independence. This includes the creation of a strorage capacity using hydrogen, for the electricity produced from the 2 and 3 Mw wind turbines. We saw a unit, about the size of a refrigerator, that is designed for use in the the home. I hope that we can assist BASS in partnering with the City of Santa Monica, or other American cities, in bringing this technology, and this commitment to energy independence at the municipal level, to America. We next rode to the Vestas Blades factory where we saw the fabrication of the longest in the world wind turbine blades, measuring 44 meters. Vestas is partnering with a number of American municipalities to manufacture these blades for the American market. Next year they will open their new US manufacturing facility. Then we were off to an experience that was awe-inspiring, thrilling, and terrifying (sort of like the new swings at Tivoli), a climb up the 80 meter tall Wind Turbine to the top of the tallest current wind turbine in Denmark. (The staff wanted me to ride the elevator, but i didn't think that did justice to the marvel of engineering that the tower and turbine represents.) So up we climbed, 250 steps ( I counted), in full sweat, up to the top where we threw the hatch open, latched on, and stood on top , surveying the beautiful landscape of Lolland and the sea below. (One of the many journalists following us ran about a kilometer down the road where he could get a photo of us on top of the turbine, with me waving the Dannebroug proudly. Sitting on the top of that turbine, feeling the slight sway of the 200 foot tower beneath us, peering into the waters where Russian ships were spotted by our Danish allies during the Cuban Missle Crisis, was an experience unlike any I had ever had, and that few individuals in life will ever partake. The climb down was a bit faster, and we arrived to the claps, and cheers of the waiting guests and journalists. (TV2 did a live interview as we arrived at the bottom.)These experiences were a great testament to the innovation of the Danish people, and the commitment to being world leaders in energy independence. Then off to the Rewentlow Museum dedicated to CDF Rewentlow, a reformer of the Danish agricultural sector on the early 1800s. He was a true Renaissance man, much like Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, according to John Erichsen. (This gave me a nice tie-in to the bonds between Denmark and America when I spoke after lunch about the relationship that Jefferson and Franklin had to Denmark during their service as Ambassadors for America.) After enjoying a fabulous Danish meal, using all local items, I was enticed to demonstrate my command of the Danish language by pronouncing `rød grød med fløde`. I think I butchered it, but everyone gave me an ovation for trying. We then rode to a Land Art site where the artist, as he says inspired by the Land Art movement in America, has created a remarkable work designed to depict the disappearing ancient burial mound (only about 3,000 of 15,000 remain in Denmark.) We climbed inside the 5,500 year old grave, and spoke of the history that lies within these remarkable sites. The artist explained that a public official had to give a broad, and very innovative, interpretation of the 100 meter law in order to allow him to produce his unique work. An amazing work, wrapping the tomb in a foil-like substance, as though it is disappering, without interfering with the grave itself. Then to Birket Church, where w saw the oldest wooden tower in Denmark, and bells that are over 400 years old. (the climb up that tower was not quite as challenging as the climb up the Vestas tower.) Approximately 30 people attend Church here on a regular basis. Then we rode against some fierce wind to Knuthenborg where we met Count Knuth, a good friend who had escorted me when I presented my credentials to Her Royal Highness in September of 2005, and after enjoying some much-appreciated refreshments on his lovely veranda, we biked through the Dangerous Animals section of this remarkable estate. Giraffe, gazelles, rhino, wildabeasts, zebra, and even a few donkeys greeted us as we biked, and rode, through this amazing place. I must bring Cameron and Laura back here. The Count has created an African treasure in this assuredly non-African part of the world. (Though I must admit that when I saw the `red reared` baboon i felt at this point in the day that I had something in common with him! ) Alas we did not get to see the lions, I believe they thought I could not ride fast enough to outrun them! Off to Maribo, accompanied by the Dean of the local Church, where we had a wonderful conversation about the history, and future, of the Church in Denmark. He remembered Billy Graham´s Crusade in Denmark in the 60´s, which Dr. Grahams`s daughter had described for me. We were met in the Maribo town square by a delightful band of young people who entertained us with a stirring rendition of a number of American songs, including When the Saints Come Marching In, one of my all time favorites. This was followed by a tour of the Cathedral, where I learned of the relics which were hidden by the monks during the Reformation, and held the oldest Bible in Denmark, and the remarkably beatuiful golden Chalice from the 1500s... priceless. Then along with Frederik Luttichau, by boat along incredibly scenic waters full of every species of water fowl imaginable, to his beautiful 1800 hectar estate at Engestofte. Here we were met by his wonderful wife and charming children, and after a much-needed shower, experienced the closest thing to the view at Mount Vernon, George Washington´s home over the Potomac, that I have ever seen.. a beautiful sunset over the fowl-filled marsh. This was followed by a delightful dinner, where we were joined by Count Knuth. And then retirement to write my first days entries into my ´blog´and journal. This day has been the start of a journey that I hope will lead to a strenghening of the bonds between America and Denmark. My commitment to the President is to do all I can to ensure that the bonds between our two countries are stronger when I depart here, than they were when I arrived. Today was a good start on that journey, and I look forward to another 39 days, and approximately 1649 kilometers, to go.