After a couple days of desert free-camping, we both feel the need for a shower so we're packing up and heading to Remla to check into the youth hostel.

The short 6 kilometer ride from our free-camp seems to take forever due to the constant, powerful headwinds here. When I stop by this windswept scene to snap a photo, two kids living at a house opposite serenade us with sing-song choruses of "BONJOOOR" and "HEYLO!!!" accompanied by giant full-arm waves. God, I love this island. We continue on, arriving at the hostel which is actually welcoming, a first among our hostile hostel experiences.

The youth hostel in Remla is relatively clean compared to its mainland counterparts and is much less of a hassle to check in to. They give us an entire suite to ourselves so we can stow our bikes in the hallway, and they don't even ask us if we're married. The building itself is intensely white against the huge blue Kerkennah sky. The property opens onto the beach which is expansive, shallow, and empty, free of noise, people, and even waves.

Just after getting settled at the hostel, Tyler checks out my bike trying to find the source of a "chunk chunk chunk" vibration I mentioned to him during out short ride. My rear rim has a crack and is in the process of failing just like Tyler's did in Switzerland. We wanted to stay here for a few days, but it's looking like it might be a required vacation to wait for our new parts to arrive. There are worse places to be stranded!