Europe 12

EUROPE TRIP 2012 August 1 to October 20 - 2012 Germany France Spain Switzerland Denmark Norway Holland Belgium Poland Slovakia Slovenia Italy Czech Republic WITHOUT DESIGN AND DESTINY..... WEEK ONE Day 1 - 8.1.12. Wednesday - travel Madison to Germany Up at 6am and on the road to O'Hara in Chicago, arriving by 9 for 10 AM check-in for the noon flight to NY City. However, weather in NY kept us from leaving for 2 more hours.. The upside was that a 5+ hour layover in NY for the 8:30 flight to Frankfurt was shortened to two hours. The A380-800 took an hour to load. Two luxuries- I need/get a wheelchair around the airports so there are few decisions or mistakes and I’m always on time... And. My 80 # bag was not charged extra at all, yet.. The plane had a landing gear problem so we taxied to a work area. After the fix they had to wait for permission from Airbus and Singapore airlines to fly. Nobody was home, so at 3AM we went back to the gate and were fed before unloading for hotel placements----NONE AVAILABLE IN NY, NJ, ETC... I stayed on the plane resting til they kicked me off and moved the plane to storage at 4am. NOTE - Swiss student re SA.. Natascha Polke.. Will email for info.. DAY 2 - 8.2.12 JFK NYC 4am - Rescheduled for 4:30 pm departure on 8.2 / arrival 8.3. I found a floor space to sleep at 4 am. Awakened 15 min later and moved to a lounge.. To sleep at 5 on the ac floor vent til 9, missing breakfast. Given food vouchers of $40 and sent at 1 pm for new boarding passes. Not hungry! Checked in and waited 3+ more hours to load.. Bought food for later. It was announced that we would load at 4, leave 5:00.. The crew did not show until 5 and we were not loaded an hour later.. Meantime, by email I got my limo from Frankfurt to Heidelberg rescheduled for 5 am, which I will not make. Wheels up at 7:00 to cheers. Day 3 - 8.3.12 Friday Arrived in Frankfurt at 8 am and got a wheelchair, changed money, picked up my bag and met TLS limo services to Heidelberg.. Knopf Tours at 78 Hardtstrasse by 10:30 and will stay in the B&B, but our friend/owner Stefan is in the US. My bike was to be ready.. But there were no weights on the wheels with new tires.. Went to BMW garage and found both wheels were in balance without weights - unbelievable - only 1 tire out of over 50 used over the years did not need wts. Checked tire pressure and got engine oil. Tried to get back to B&B and was lost in Heidelberg for 2 hours. In spite of asking many people I could not follow instructions on the randomness of street design and disregard for order interfered with by odds street signs and odd stop lites- no gps with me.. I deserved it. Started packing but couldn't concentrate so showered and napped before MickyDee’s. Got lost again after dinner. DAY 4 - 8. 4.12. Saturday. Loaded bike, repaired data window and slept.. Up to ride to Heidelberg old city and down the Rhine river+ out in the hinterland for about 2 hours. No breakfast or lunch- slept. Later I enjoined the wiener schnitzel derby at the Dufke Restaurant. Schnitzel breaded, pan- cooked in butter and garlic. Back to the B&B early to prepare for early start for Grenoble tomorrow. Watching the Olympics with garlic aftermath... DAY 5 - 8.5.12 Sunday 450 miles from Heidelberg to our friends’ gite in Moirans France in 7:30 hours .. About 55-60 mph for first 3 hours to make sure the moto I have was running well- it has had little use in the last 6 years, has more than 131,000 miles, and is 14 years old- '98... When I got to the Swiss border, they wanted 40 Euros ($50) for a road pass. I refused, they turned me around and I went back north and west into France where there was no border charge.. As a result I had to ride about 50 miles further at no cost, except gas is $8.10/gallon. In France I passed the MAGINOT LINE gun turrets out in the farmers’ fields. French road tolls amounted to about $25 and of course I made one bad turn so I had to go back on the one way toll road..a cop caught me and pulled me over but when he saw my license plate he waved me on- whew! Arrived at the Muzet and Massit's home (GITE) in Moirans about 5:30 and had a tour of the new house (a house built on their own land took 6 years to get approved to be built). We had been their first customers at the GITE in '03, and returned '05 and '06 - feels like family. Father Marcel is a retired self-employed house painter my age and, tho we can't speak each other’s language, we get along well and communicate slowly.. He raises sheep and chickens - sounds familiar. Had dinner, with blue cheese they always have for me, cooked by Bruna, a caterer chef. Nath is the daughter and the son-in- law is Manny. Two boys (11 and 13), 6 years mature since last seen, are a delight and help translate for me. What a nice evening with old friends and we shall visit again in Oct..... 330 euros.. 100+ for la pastorale gite. DAY 6. - 8.6.12. Monday Up late for petite dejeuner.. Rain starts and I’m staying inside. Read half a book, then rode to Grenoble BMW garage to discuss my faulty neutral lite.. Went to the old place, they moved.. Went to the new address, they moved.. Went to the new place, they were closed. Nice trip through Grenoble tho, with neat tree lined streets with huge trees trimmed square all the way to the top..beautiful.. Back for visit with Massits and then to dinner on Muzet’s balcony overlooking the massive rock front formation around Grenoble in the Rhone Alps. Lots of wine.. Tomorrow to Istres in the south of France by back roads.... DAY 7 - 8.7. 12. Tuesday 212 miles today down the Route of Napoleon- Grenoble to Gap thru the Alps and then expressway and back roads to Istres and Marc Rock n Roll’s ( no kidding-ROQUEIROL) house at the harbor. Auspicious start this am- dropped my bike loading after breakfast breaking the rt side mirror, the dash, the lite, and the lens. So I went to the Grenoble BMW dealer to find it closed until 8.20.12. Left Grenoble and rode above 4000 feet some with much at/above 3000 feet. Hard ride, always turning while going up or down all the time. Nervous wreck when I got to Marc's and had muscle spasms and cramps in abdomen. Too old for this hard a ride... Nice dinner prepared by Marc.. Watched the Olympics til bed. Tomorrow to get the bike fixed at a dealer.. FIRST WEEK....... Nearly 700 miles.. Gas is about $8.00 / gallon on average. WEEK TWO Day 8 - 8.8.12 Wednesday Very nervous and tired... Hoping to repair my bike but if not, it will run okay.. Change money.. Julien, Marc's son, returned from a trip with his grandfather. We called all moto dealers for parts for my damaged right turn signal and mirror but no one has parts for a 14 year old bike. Bike is damaged but rideable, as damage does not effect performance.. I neglected to mention the high mountains of the Alps I passed thru and over yesterday.. Much is above the tree line and has austere rock faces and buttresses. In lower areas the mountainside has been farmed even to over 45 degree angles. Gap is a large city at close to 4K' and bustling with vacationers this time of year, so one big traffic jam as I passed thru. Beautiful country. South of Gap the terrain levels out and toll ways start for the south of France. I found a bike dealer who had used equipment..got a used right turn signal and repaired my neutral lite.. Came home and installed the mirror guts but still with cracked mirror.. Now for a new bulb and we are sufficiently back together. On the way to the dealer Marc noted that his rear wheel bearing was bad.. They picked up his bike by truck and repaired it in the afternoon.. Maybe we will be able to leave in one piece tomorrow.. Home sick listening to The Mic on Iheart radio. Julien, Marc's son of 11 yrs, Julien's grandfather, with whom Julien will stay, and grandfather's girlfriend came for a wonderful dinner.. I'm exhausted and went to bed at 10:30 while they talked on.. DAY 9 - 8.9.12 Thursday 231 miles thru Montpelier, Narbonne and to Perpignan.. No rooms at the city so we headed for Andorra to nowheresville of Eus and Simao Rui's pension for room and food.. Could not get on the net as no password was available or understood. Very hot ride below 100 feet sea level along the mer, until rising to 900' out of town. Julien was a marvelous rider... And quickly learned to play ball with a border collie resident. Stopped at the walled city Pradres and Argue Mortes, dead water, a place for early Christians and base for crusades. We are staying in the only place we could find- crummy old, non ac, on the road, noisy place. Decent omelet and salad for supper for 10 e. DAY 10 - 8.10.12. Friday Rode 111 miles over 4 riding hours in the mountains - starting at 1000', now at 4000' and over 6000' at Front Romeu...the high ski areas...We stopped at the huge sun focus electric generator we stopped at in '03 and thru the Forges of Georges. Very hot and we burned out so stopped at rural Gite at les Sapins and cool up here with many campers and guests. Not many miles but exhausting, turning, up-down ride. Actually a beautiful day. Also visited walled city of Villefranches de Confluent (a place we stopped in '03), Mont Louis, and Targasonne for Helioydiessy (where research on sun to electric was started). Then in the mountains to Axat, Quillan and Prades-Camurac for the nite. Our Albere is wonderful.. Rural with beautiful views and great food run by 2 generations including 2 adult children. The facility has petting animals, mini golf, kids pool. DAY 11 - 8.11.12 Saturday 115 miles in 4 hours.. Late start due to great breakfast in spite of being awakened early by the loud tinkle of cow bells as the cows started grazing at sunup. Started at 4000' and went down to 1000' before two passes, col d' port d Lers at 5000' and col d' Agnes 6000'. We finally got to D816 and the portel d' Aspet 3000' - Stopping in Moncapu, a small town nowhere. Slow progress toward Tourmalet and Campan.. We passed the chambers where we stayed 2 nites and the chef was trying to get Michelin ratings and the Gite in St Lary where I discovered a seal and bearing leak, sending us to Toulouse and Perpignan for repair in '03. Julien is learning solitaire and has double trouble learning the English words and the game at the same time. Short rides make for long sitting mostly in less than interesting places. DAY 12 - 8.12.12 Sunday We awoke to rain and ate breakfast watching it.. By 10 we were tired of it and started to ride out of the Pyrenees to the valley north and the rain stopped.. At Saint-Gaudens Marc decided to head home as his bike was still having brake problems and Julien was tired after hard days.. I headed for Saint Marie de Campan and the Auberge des Pyrenees where I have stayed many times over the years, and particularly in '06 when the Tour passed this spot after topping the col de Tourmalet ( most famous col on the tour ). I rode col de Aspin today and Tourmalet tomorrow. Going over 4800' and down to 2k' I arrived in Arreur. Since the Spanish border was only 28kls, I rode there, passing thru Saint Lary (different than yesterday's Lary- this one is a sports and big skiing center). Back over the mountain I settled in to get warm and have half pension. The Auberge has been entirely rebuilt and remodeled.. The owners immediately recognized and welcomed me..instead of combination toilet-showers, they are separate and there is wifi and tv. Entirely new and as amazing as the Pyrenees, my favorite mountains. I will stay here two nites and then start to Marc's in Istres. DAY 13 - 8.13.12 Monday Going east into the Atlantic Pyrenees and near Bayonne. Left late to ride 156 miles in 6 hours, all in the mountains or along the foothills. Over Tourmalet at near 7000' thru a herd of ranging cattle and sheep and the ski areas at La Mongie with its 50+ ski lifts along with thousands in every vehicle imaginable. Continued on 618 (new 918) over col la Soulor at 4800' and past the road to Pau. Then on a road carved out of and clinging to mountain rock and on to another col Aubisque. Actually it is the first road we rode in France in '03 when we came from Jaca, Spain. It made me nervous today, I've forgotten what it felt like then- narrow with no rails or lines. I went all the way to Laruns and stayed on 918 until it dwindled to a farm road and a farm where I bought sheep cheese from a farm kid out of the farm cooler.. The 300 sheep were ranging on the mountain. Rode back thru Lourdes, over Tourmalet again, and had a bread and cheese snack at the auberge. Beautiful, cool day.. It has been so hot I think I shall not cross Spain to Portugal; probably best to go north or into the mountains after Istres/Marc's. Marnie read our '03 logs and we discovered that the place I am now staying was the first place we stayed in France and the road I rode was the same path. The angles to Tourmalet, Soulor, and Aubisque are between 8 and 9.5 degrees and each is 10 miles of up- down.. We have seen 17 degrees last week. Day 14 - 8.14.12 Tuesday INTO SPAIN - to Broto where I stayed twice in '06 at 4000 feet. I am lucky I started on the first of the month so the days-month are easy to figure.. After la Mongie I went east over Tourmalet with its 14 switchbacks and a thousand plain old TURNS, Soulor with its road on the wall of the mountain, and then Aubisque (which I forgot yesterday) with 5600'. I passed Pic d Midi observatory high on a mountain peak ( which only can be accessed by gondola for a pretty euro) as I passed thru LaMongie. I once observed to a bicycler that of all the people riding the cols, not a one was ever smiling ..he said the satisfaction and smile come from meeting the challenge, a smile of the heart. I make a point of giving a thumbs up to the riders and many respond with a smile of wave. In Europe people are not used to being waved at...so I do! It takes a long time for them to respond in kind, if they do at all. It is too hot to ride across Spain to get to Portugal..so after returning to Marc's to wash clothes I shall go to Switzerland and Saas Grund in the Alps where a friend I met in South America owns a half pension...and rest..my shoulders ache when I get tired on the bike. Half Pensions have been costing about 80 US. I crossed into Spain over 6000 feet, a route we took over 9 years ago.. Onto Broto and my favorite hotel for half pension... Pig knuckles, great salad, and tapioca. Afternoon nap and early bed. I have not seen one Element! WEEKS END...... And thousands of mountain turns....... WEEK THREE DAY 15 - 8.15.12 Wednesday My day in Spain is over.. Leaving on Wednesday .. The PLAN ... Drive 30 miles east and turn left ending in Istres France at Marc's and then on to Golda's. BUT I drove 20 miles east and turned right... And kept going for 361 miles, ending in Avila Spain on my way to Portugal.. I was not going to do this as I was concerned about the reliability of my bike and the heat crossing Spain.. Clouds shielded me all til mid afternoon to Madrid and kept me cool.. Then the rain on the Main hit and I froze, adding clothes as I went. The bike is holding up and i have ridden 1958 miles so far and will surpass 2k on the way to Tourem Portugal. Spain looks like Mexico, fun, they speak the same language...none of the stores, factories and towns were active, maybe the vacation time or the economy... I shall find out.. Needless to say, Marc, I will not be there Friday and at your place, Golda, on Tuesday... More likely i will arrive at Marc's Monday or Tuesday and your place, Golda, about Thursday or Friday. Hope that is okay with you.. I am staying in the old city.. A walled area with 88 towers on corners... Most dramatic we have seen in our European travels... Beautiful! In addition I am staying in a Paradores hotel... The elite of Portugal and Spain- thought I deserved the best after all the special effort. Now for around the town.. Avila is an apartment city..I got lost for awhile.. Unbelievable given the size of the old city.. Had a first class dinner that took 4 plates and 4 set of utensils.. Not any better than at home. DAY 16 - 8.16.12 - Thursday Left Avila at 8:00 having decided at nite not to ride 600 more miles to Tourem for a short stay. So i head for Madrid and points in France- Cool on the road. The color of the road fences and other road devices are a beautiful blue- much like the blue of the Tibetan monasteries. The only crop id'd besides olives was wheat which has of course been harvested. I rode 4 lanes until I hit the Pyrenees and then wondered around on 2 lane mountain roads, crossed the border into France at 401 miles and after the tunnel between the countries I dropped 1700 feet in ten switchbacks and many curves.. Hot on the road. Then back to the 4 lane and some back roads to Foix for the nite. I really like roundos, roundabouts; I have had very few stop signs or lites in the last 5 days.. Actually I kept coming and ended riding 513 miles and 2471 total.. DAY 17 - 8.17.12. Friday Miserable nite in a rat hole camouflaged as a three star establishment... My window was three feet from the wall of the next building, thus no circulation. The fan from the kitchen ran all nite and garbage men must pick up in the dead of the nite, noise to wake to.. Hot, the overhead lite was broken and what else. Actually the restaurant was good (salad and omelet at great prices for France) and the wifi was great.. Wella!! On the road by 8am when it was cool. cross country until I could catch the pay expressway to Narbonne, Montpelier and Nimes. 222 miles in 4 hours and tired from the nite experience and the heat by 11 am. Istres and Marc's house. Spent the day kibitzing, doing laundry, and shopping. Julien leaves tonite with his mother for a week in Morocco. I will have tomorrow for a day of rest and bike cleaning, then I'll leave for Switzerland on Sunday with overnite in Grenoble on the way. Out to dinner tonite to reduce the hassle with Marc and Elaine. DAY 18 - 8.18.12. Saturday I was exhausted last night and went to bed early. Up late this morning and did bike work - gas, tire air, adjust dash (last owner broke read outs), rearranged load. Lite lunch and an all-afternoon nap. Dinner out and to bed early. DAY 19 - 8.19.12. - Sunday On my way to Moirans Gite and the Massit's for the nite. A made-up day as I went... Left Istres at 8:30 destined to ride the pay road to Moirans...but I decided to ride thru the Alps and headed for Sisteron. When I got there I decided to ride bigger Alps and go to Briancon on 2 lane roads. Came to rivers of glacial Green-chartrus with clouded sediment. Ate at Briancon and rode to the Italian line where Marnie's bike broke down in '05. Back down the hill and on to the Route of the Grand Alps. The glaciers came into view on the glacier route to Grenoble... Next major turn was to col Galibier 8 klicks up hill, so I rode to above 8600' - more nerve-wracking than the rock road, even tho I have ridden it several times before '06. On downhill to Grenoble and Moirans in suffering heat. 277 miles and six hours for a 157 mile ride. DAY 20. - 8.20.12. - Monday. CH Great breakfast by Bruna and all, including my adopted nephews for whom i am the American uncle. Everyone came to say goodbyes before going about their daily chores. I took the wrong turn in Grenoble and sustained city traffic. Finally, back to 4 lane til Annency and over Chamoix and Mt Blanc where I did not get on the "A" road soon enough so 2 lane in the mountains until 10 miles from Martigny CH (Switzerland). The first sighting is from 6 k' and then in 10 miles I switch backed down 5000' to the valley floor. Stopped at the BMW dealer in Sion and waited an hour for them to reopen from lunch. They would not service my bike this week and had no mirror to replace my crack one. On to Visp and up the Saas valley to Saas Grund and Heino Pension, owned by a friend I met when traveling in South America in '97. Neither of us changed a bit since, we assured each other. Shower and rest.. Raining here now so I made it at the right time. Talked to Marnie on Facetime as she got up. DAY 21 - 8.21.12 Tuesday The Matterhorn from Saas Fee. Rested in the morning, rode around upper Saas valley in the afternoon and read thru the evening... Almost ready to ride again.. Great to talk in English at length.. Like a conversation.. And share with my old travel partner, Golda Andermatten, owner and manager of the family Pension. - Heino Pension. About 60 people are here on half pension..petite Dejuana and dinner.. End of week three WEEK FOUR DAY 22 - 8.22.12 - Wednesday Another rest day.. Tho I'm antsy from too much beer and my legs ache from cramps the day before.. I am beginning to lose my all-around conditioning built over 7 months of exercise.. Hoping I can hold up. Tomorrow to Heidelberg where I can get bike work done..right side mirror, adjust neutral lite, and adjust valves-throttle bodies.. No service in Heidelberg but I can get services in Bremen on Monday at the factory store. With the service set up I decideed to leave Saas Grund and Heino and take an afternoon ride to a friend' s home in Gomadingen Germany. I met Bruno and Eva in '06 and visited them then. We had been in contact and then lost it so it was a guess whether or not I would find them where I last visited them. On my bike by 12:30 I rode 50 miles to Fruka Pass and over 8000 feet to get to Andermatt. Then I got an express road. I made a wrong turn and ended up in a tunnel which had no exit for 17 kilometers in Italy. I stopped at an emergency stop area with a service crossover and no vehicles were coming from either direction so I turned around. On my way I dropped 7000' to the low lands of Switzerland, passing beautiful lakes, going around Zurich in rush hour and crossing the German border without having to pay the Swiss 40 Euro road fee. On thru the Black Forest I found Gomadingen and Bruno at home. 254 miles in six hours of riding with two rest stops. After Eva got home we had a happy reunion over dinner, catching up since our loss of communication over the last year. The odds I would find them in the same place and at home were very slim - I am lucky today. And unlucky - in my haste packing I left my iPad charger and wire in Saas Grund. I failed to remember (age) that when my odometer got to 134999 and a half, it stuck for 50 miles- finally it jarred loose- so do not try to make any numbers match. On the left-One of Eva's nature/animal photographs. DAY 23 - 8.23.12 - Thursday Spent the morning with Bruno over breakfast and then resumed viewing Eva pictures of nature she has begun to take with her magic camera. She has some of the most interesting pics of bugs and animals. When I got there she was out shooting a horse exposition for the horse's owner. Being exhausted I took a short nap and we sat around and talked til I prepared for leaving at 3:00. Went up to Stuttgart on country type roads and then caught the A road (expressways) to Heidelberg. 2 hours 30 minutes for 116 miles to Knopf tours where I store my bike. Been averaging 1100 miles per week so far over 4 weeks. DAY 24 - 8.24.12 - Friday. Starting toward Bremen Up early but still tired.. Raining hard and predicted for all day... Maybe a rest day and leave tomorrow.. Yes.. Went to ADAC to get maps for the northern Europe part of this trip. Starting another book on the overcast, cool day.. Rode down the river toward Frankfurt until it started to rain, so back to the Knopf's B&B. Read and listened to 92.1 on my IPad to feel like home. Ate at Dudke's with guys from Minnesota going south. To bed early for an early start toward Bremen... Hope it stops raining by then.... DAY 25 - 8.25.21. - Saturday. Really starting for Bremen and service Monday. Ready to go up the Rhein river and back roads. 354 miles on all combination of roads, but mostly the shortest route on country roads - which are generally quite good. First through the industrial areas around Frankfurt and to Mainzs, then into agricultural areas reminding me of West Virginia and the Black Forest. Taking country roads on GPS is messy- I often missed complex road instructions and on one occasion the gps had me ride all four of the lobs of a clover leaf exchange before I finally stopped to get a map and decided on my direction. 70 miles from Bremen it started to blow from 45 degrees and rain like hell... The brighter it got the harder it rained and nowhere to hide.. Not even a gas station with a top for 20 minutes.. So I stopped at the first guest house to be warm and dry for the nite.. 33 miles out of Bremen.. No wifi.. After a beer with an english speaking guy (73yrs old) who knows something of America (he flew his personal plane there 4 times) we crossed the street to another bar which had a computer..... And i discovered wifi, so i got to talk to Marn.. Dinner, prepared by the old guy who owns the haus, was alone in the haus bar. The room was only 24 euros. The toilet is down the hall but the shower is in the room. Oh well ! At least I am dry and warm...... DAY 26. - 8.26.12 - Sunday At 5am someone is getting ready to go somewhere. Left at 8 and 10 minutes later it rained for 10 minutes... Then overcast and cold; first time I've worn more than a tee shirt. Found the BMW dealer for service and 200 meters beyond an ETAP hotel with small comfortable rooms. Had to wait for a room until 10:30 so I rode downtown and around.. When the weather clears I shall explore more and after service tomorrow I shall return for another nite here. The sun comes out until I prepare my things for a ride downtown, get on the bike and the rain starts. ------------- Bike for Sale.... 14 years old and in xxxxx shape !! Again and Again... I give up and read my book. There is a black rabbit living in the woods outside my window. DAY 27 - 8.27.12- Monday Sun is shining, i wonder when it will cloud and rain... Delivered my moto 100 yards down the street to the moto service people after a European breakfast. Bmw Motorrad Zentrum Bremen - Niels Paulsen ... Should be done by noon...oil and filter service, rear end lubes, neutral lite repair, clock-gas gauge reglued, mirror replaced, plugs, valve adjustment, and throttle body coordination. Sent Marnie directions to Kirckheim and Knopf's for her arrival in September. Service is done and I leave for Bremenhaven (euro port) and a ride out to the North Sea on this beautiful day.. Went to the harbor to see their lovely convention center, some example and preserved boats, and the sea town. I went thru the port and saw thousands of cars coming off trains and car haulers and going on ocean going car transport. I came across unusual metal contraptions and asked their use- bases for ocean-placed wind electric generators. Then I went to the North Sea and rode on the flood dams, tho the mud flats showed out as far as one could distinguish. Went thru farms with Holstein cows. Most of the elevation was below sea level, tho I did not know the Germans reclaimed any flooded land like the Dutch. Had lunch-dinner out there - some wurst and pomme frites, could not find sea food. Best tune up I ever had..feels like it has 40K instead of 140k miles. I shall never get used to the crotch rockets zooming past me in switchbacks and never get used to cars doing 160 (100 mph) in the lane left-next to me and they disappear down the road so fast. 138 miles this afternoon and 4079+ total. Oh - 5 gallons of gas for my bike runs $40 US... BE happy its below $4 in the US... Getting about 45 mpg. DAY 28 - 8.28.12 – TuesdayTO Uhre Kro (near Brande Denmark) and the best weinerschnitzel in the world... Rain in the nite and 56 deg in the morning..rode on 4 lane before stopping and adding clothes and full gloves. Then.. Traffic jam for more than 10 miles...told it was an accident but never saw the problem.. We merged into a larger road and the two side roads merged into us before going to a 2 lane tunnel under the Alba River at Hamburg. Luckily i made time in those 10+ miles as they expect (or do not punish) motos to keep moving between the cars and the cars move over for bikes. On to 2 lane roads 5&11 and many cows in fields, brick barns and houses with thatch, and neat small communities right up to the road. On along the North Sea side of Germany and Denmark. Stopped in Tonning... Look it up... Neat community with a national park, old fashioned town center and the Eide River giving access to the sea. Entered Denmark and had signs to pay road use fee, but no place or person to forfeit money. See very few VW bugs and their place is taken by the Mini. Rode the last 70 miles in sprinkles and one downpour on very rural areas... 281 miles in 6 1/2 hours.. To Uhre Kro. Chance to do laundry which is in now and then to dryer so I can go order wiener schnitzel- the winner of the '06 all-Europe competition..... Tonite the side sauce is melted butter, with potatoes, carrots, and peas. The sun is out... And it is dry.. Different owner, different cook...must I say more.. Dufke's is in the lead this year..garlic butter. End Week Four..... For Sale:BMW R 1100 RT 1998 GREEN 1 of 1500 +/- green bikes produced worldwide. Many extras to improve the cycle: - Hyperlites coordinated with brakes; - Throttle Meister Throttle Lock for easier cruising; - Signal Minder for all-time running lights and turn signal auto cancel; - Cylinder head guards; - electric tilt windscreen; and - Michlein Road Pilot III tires used for only 3 K miles. Ridden in US for 78000 miles then shipped to Europe by original owner for his use, presently showing 141000 miles (all road miles). Always stored indoors, meticulously maintained, and professionally serviced every 6000 miles (10000 kilometers). Titled and Registered in Wisconsin USA, but presently located at Knopf Touring in Heidelberg Germany. Asking $2500. rmbeebe@gmail.com 8906 Royal Oaks Drive Verona, WI 53593 USA 608/334-3342 - 608/497-1123 Knopf Touring - Knopftours.com - knopftours@aol.com (49) 172 978 62 WEEK FIVE DAY 29. - 8.29.12. - Wednesday Race to the Ferry...... Detours are a mystery in Europe as they tell you where you cannot go by blocking the road, but give no direction or guidance how to get around the blockage. My only recourse has been to follow the rerouting of the GPS and hope. Bruno and Eva are an interesting story- I was waiting out a rain storm in a gas station in the Black Forest when Eva pulled in to purchase something at the gas store. We got to talking and by the time the rain stopped I was invited for a weekend in their home 6 years ago- what a nice time.. You are seldom out of sight of a solar panel or wind generator, but seldom see power lines since entering Germany ...maybe that is why Germany only has 21 minutes of electricity interruption per year.. As I moved north in DK the wheat continued but the potatoes started.. 144 miles to Hirtshals and the ferry in great sunshine... 60$ for the 3.5 hour crossing ... Off the ferry in Kristiansand in clouds. Before I got out of town the terrible rain storm hit.. Flooding streets, stopping traffic, and making huge ponds to ride thru. Needless to say there was no cover and I got totally drenched before getting to a gas station cover. With no place to stay I put on my rain pants to conserve heat and pushed on north in the middle of Norway for 50 miles.. 192 for the day.. Planned to go up thru the center of Norway to Trondheim and then ride the coast back south to the ferry. Stopped and got a room at a rafting, climbing, water sports center - so far I've met a staff from Scotland, Latvia, Germany, New Zealand, and Finland. Lars is the manager. Expensive 96$ for bed, no private bath or shower..they are extra. Lots of good English speakers. Many junior high campers, sounds like Onaway Island at the Chain of Lakes back in '68. DAY 30 - 8.30.12. - Thursday Enter a tunnel in the sunshine and come out in the rain.... Enter in the rain and come out in the sunshine but still COLD. 218$ for tonite's hotel in this resort type community, none cheaper in the area. Started out in a deep valley and traveled along a lake for 37 miles.. Then next to a river or smaller lake at all times - the valley sides were very steep and waterfalls were always in sight. Cold but dry.. Went from below 500 ft to over 3000' and above the tree line with snow in the mountains/hills. Into grass roof house/building country. Went thru 30 or so tunnels, one 5 miles long. Going into the valley it began to rain and did so on and off until I got to Voss when it opened up terribly...everyone I saw said the weather will be better tomorrow.. I decided to ride at a lower elevation so came toward Bergen and very close to sea level. A bit warmer but more rain as I rode along Sorfjorden fjord for 50 miles more than 50 miles from the coast.. Then crossed it on a ferry to get to Voss.. They kept saying an automatic toll ahead, but I never saw anywhere to put money or how much to pay.. One lady said there would not be a charge for bikes. THIS PLACE IS EXPENSIVE - coffee and a cheese sandwich was $ 8.50, gas was $9.92 per gallon of fuel, $10.77 for a small beer, and a 30 min ferry ride was over $9. The rain and cold actually decided where I would stay ( here at the train station across from the lake) - hope it is nicer tomorrow. Overcast and depressing now. My tiedowns were missing when I got on the ferry, but I figured them out - for the first time I put them behind the passenger seat and forgot about them. DAY 31 - 8.31.12 - Friday Woke up in Voss to 46 degree temps but no rain.. Thankful.. Deciding to ride a more costal route, try to stay warmer. Went east until I could go northeast thru the farm area and the national park -Jostedalsbreen NP. Best ride I could have picked.. Talked to farmers who were putting up haylege - baling wet hay (it is supposed to rain here the next 10 days) they cut this am and wrap it in the white plastic we see some of in the US - everything here is preserved for winter this way. Rode over mountains and 10 miles from Andalsnes (where I am staying tonite) I was at 2800 feet at Trollstigen and in 5 miles dropped to sea level on this fjord before arriving at Andalsnes... I had three ferry rides across fjords for about 7.50$ per - they were nice because they were warmer than riding so I could warm up. Of the 263 miles today more than 100 were underground in about fifty tunnels- the Lardals tunnel was 24+ klicks or 15 miles long (worlds longest road tunnel), had several 6-8 miles and 12 tunnels 4 miles long... The area I rode today was not what we experienced in '05- this was the interior at its best reminding me of a huge ongoing Yosemite with waterfalls and hanging glaciers... Cold all day but it was dry and worth the punishment... Over hills and mtns and then back down to fjords at sea level and back up again- sometimes in farming country and other times hanging on the side of a shear valley side... DAY 32 - 9.1.12 - Saturday Did not rain overnite.. Up to 41 degrees... Breakfast and on a cold road as the rain started... Rode many fjords and tunnels.. Starting to warm up and the rain stopped.. Moving over 55 mph... On E39 to Bergen... In Alesund while getting off the ferry my bike would not start, pushed it off, plenty of electric and gas.. Pushed it back onto the ferry as the other side had all the services.. Pushed off again.. A person called all the bike mechanics in town but only one was available .. I tore my bike down but could not see anything to do.. A Mechanic showed and checked the fuses and recommended BMW ...okay.. ADAC (like AAA) came to haul the bike there before BMW closed at 2. The driver took me to a hotel where I shall hold up until Monday when the mechanic for BMW comes back to town..They open at 8:30 Monday. Baronen Hotel. 150$ per nite for small room. Great sleep. DAY 33 - 9.2.12 - Sunday Got up late to read about all the football scores.. I am blown away by how many and how well Norwegians speak English... I have had no problem communicating after the first words are spoken.. Most say they learned it in school and have had little additional practice or immersion. Overcast and periodically sprinkling- I am not sure I would last long here. 19$ for a calzone and coke- and it was bland also. While it rained, I read. To bed early- I have some odd swelling around my eyes like I am allergic to something in the food or room. DAY 34 - 9.3.12 - Monday - day before Kelzie's birthday Got a ride to the BMW dealer and the mechanic had already worked on my bike, thinking it was the computer part which allows or causes the spark in the plug since there was not spark thereto. One is overnite ordered from another dealer so i must stay at least another day. To make life more convenient they gave me a 1200 GS bike like I have at home to use. Therefore, I took off exploring this area. Went to Alesund centrum and explored the city and all of it canals, harbors and hills. Then I went out to some islands in the direction of Vigra and Trollhagen. And the local airport. These 4 islands are connected by 3 4 kilometer tunnels and one bridge. This country is amazing...without tunnels and cell phones it would not be a country... But a number of small populations connected by the sea as in the old. In spite of the cold i throughly enjoyed the area and the people... When I mentioned my swelling problem, they moved me to another room since I must stay tonite. Now back to finishing my book. Saw a sign about Trollstigen, the place I rode... See................... DAY 35 - 9.4.12 - Tuesday HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELZIE.... 30 years. To BMW to check bike service. They got the part so I went to get my clothes and check out of my hotel. I should be reimbursed for the room costs by ADAC insurance that also hauled my bike to BMW. My bike was back together by 11:00, just in time to pay the $1090 bill. The temperature was low 50 s and dropped as I moved on and went higher. On the road 15 minutes then the rain started and an hour later the wind made progress difficult. The weather was impossible and it froze and soaked me....so I stopped in Forde at 4:00. 130 miles in 4 hours - Miserable sub 50 degree ride on wiggly roads and over low passes next to lakes, streams and fjords. Drying out and getting warmed.. Weather does not look much better tomorrow-max 50 degrees and 90% rain. Norway only has 5 million citizens and lots of money from oil. END OF WEEK FIVE WEEK SIX DAY 36 - 9.5.12 - Wednesday. Forde Norway Start of a new week. My first look out my window was cars driving slowly with there wipers on fast.. Thought I would stay, but forecast was for the same tomorrow. I decided to try to ride. 100 miles in the rain, wind and cold and now in Bergen. Rain let up in 50 miles and there were patches of dry pavement but the cold was incessant. Made Bergen at noon in the sun so I decided to go on to Stavenger for the nite... Made Stavenger by 4 after an hour of ferry rides (which gave me relief off the bike and warmth to quell the chill). Kept going and stopped 30 miles from Kristiansand where I will catch the ferry for Denmark. South to Stavenger the terrain changed from mountains to hills and forest and fjords to lakes and small vegetation ( some places the severity of the North Sea denudes the hills). Sheep are the predominate field animals. The total for today was 386 miles for 9 hours of moving (including the ferry moving). DAY 37 - 9.6.12 - Thursday - Kristiansand Up at 6:00 to sunlite, and not rain... 41 degrees. Loaded bike according to plans last eve so I could make the 8 am ferry to Hirshals Denmark. Cold ride to the ferry where loading was in process so I loaded with the semis. While talking to the deck hands and captain, I was invited to the bridge for the ride... WOW..... tied down and to breakfast and to get rid of my Norwegian money. $ 40 to cross..exchanged money. Credit card everywhere so I spent less than 100$ in cash for the expenses of this expensive country. My bike repair in Alesund was $1090 - ugh! TO THE BRIDGE. On the bridge with deck captain for 1.5 hours... Learning how to drive the ship and sharing stories...he has a farm and sheep.. 3 kids and probably 37 yrs. old. 4 year old ship of old design ( no electric drive and pivotal props, etc..) and already refit once.. This was a special time which made the passage easier. I have been enlightened. The Norwegians blame the weather, which they also think is terrible, on the North Sea weather pushed ashore by the remnants of recent tropical storms and hurricanes.. I get it whereever I am. On to Denmark... 11:15am in Denmark and roads south. Chilly and sunny with strong side winds when I was close the the North Sea.. Rode south on E39 which I followed the entire coast of Norway. At Verjes I cut across Denmark thinking I would stay the nite in Tonning, Denmark (the ancient village I mentioned before). However, there were no rooms available in the place, having toured all 4 hotels. Started out again on the way to Hamburg. I spied an Etap discount Ibis Hotel 2 miles from the expressway... Got a room for the nite... Hamburg schnitzel for dinner.. 374 miles in 7 hours today and 3.25 hours at sea with 1.5 hr. on Ferry's bridge. DAY 38 - 9.7.12 - Friday. Bremen, Germany Maintenance day.. Organized my medications for two weeks... Rode to Etap in Bremen next to my BMW service place... Got bike washed, adjusted clutch and repaired speedo cable... Filled with fuel... Washed clothes at motel overnite.. Loafed after several long, hard days. The weather is overcast and threatening rain, but not much moisture. The whole North Sea area is overcast. 72 miles and 6066 overall - average of 1100 per week is holding. But I will slow down now. DAY 39. - 9.8.12 - Saturday. Groningen, Netherlands On to Groningen.. Warmth, this is the first day in 10 that the weather is not a challenge. Rode out of Bremen southerly to avoid the fast roads and to see the countryside - right away I am on a road with a bike path on one side and a canal on the other ....so I followed the water. This way I turned a 70 mile ride into 4 hours and 128 miles... And the last hour was below sea level... Am in Friesland, the area reclaimed from the North Sea and maintained by specialized levees. Went into a small village with a tall steeple and started talking to two Dutch Reform theology students who were bringing their grandparent to visit the church.. One of two in Holland - the steeple was made of bricks and very tall..could see from 5 klick away. I rode in to Groningen to the centrum... Stopped at several hotels and no space..but calls found a room at the City Hotel. After being lost another biker showed me the way to the City Hotel- lo and behold it was the same hotel Marnie and I stayed at in '05 when we picked this place at random... I had hi hopes for finding the City Hotel but never thought I would/could end up here. Then I negotiated price saving 16 euros. The swarms of bicyclists amaze me. Time for the canal tour - Nice way to see the heart of Groningen where people live on boats, float houses, and who knows what......... Sat with a German senior in college here and her psychiatrist mother visiting for the weekend. Had dinner on the sidewalk next door to the City Hotel. DAY 40 - 9.9.12. - Sunday -- Groningen Slept in.. I was tired. Finally south of the rain and cold. $48-50 to fill a motorcycle with gas. Tank? Rode to the North Sea and thru the small villages and farm areas... The older areas built with houses right to the street and often sharing a wall.. But in almost all you can see all the way thru the house because they have such big and lots of windows- so when it is mostly cloudy, like all the time, the house has lots of light to fight depression. There is an election here but "T E Koop" is not running... We saw signs with that name all over the place years ago and thought it was a person running for office.. Actually it means "For Sale" and I think most of the Netherlands is for sale- they tell me it is due to the hard economic times and poor work market. I had to learn about TEKoop all over again. I saw fields of potatoes, carrots, beets (probably sugar beets), onions, and wheat.. And windmills...Field animals were all sheep.. Went thru several wind turbine fields and places where they make/ship the parts. The ride was 95 miles thru the hinterland. I took a late afternoon nap in anticipation of the 10:30 Packers game. Could not get it on the internet so Marnie propped her iPad in front of the TV at home (photo) and I watched it on FaceTime until 1:30 am.. DAY 41 - 9.10.12. - Monday -- Leewarden, Netherland Special Day as it turns out.. I ate late breakfast because of trying to watch the Packers on my IPad til 1:30. Plotted a course for the central North Sea villages and farm land... About 10 AM I stopped at a farm to ask about potato harvesting from a young farmer, Hans, who had had some internship in farming US style in Texas. After talking about their equipment he took me to the barn-attached house (I think so he could go back to work on the tractor being repaired) and I met his mother, a teacher, and his dad, Douwe age 63. I was invited for lunch and given a tour of the farm - potato harvest was done, wheat is done, onions next week, cauliflower the week after, and carrots. They are somewhat eccentric and environmental as they are trying to keep some of the rushes in the drainage ditches for birds to live in, ponds for ducks and they have 2 elk. Their sons are trying to cross breed potatoes to improve their varieties. Douwe had left farming for 10 years (until his father could no longer farm) and trained in bridge and sluice design... He had designed a nearby bridge and the sluices in central Friesland where the gate opens on low tide to let lowland water out to sea and closes when the tide is high to keep out the salt water (which would poison the land for farming). Marn, we stopped and talked to a worker about how his gates worked when in Friesland in '05. He showed me the original blueprints he had made before they were built. He reported that the land is sinking, from pumping out oil and long term drying of deep soil, so in the near future the sluices will need to be rebuilt and pumps added. I then went on to other villages talking to farmers and others who could tell me about Friesland. I ended up in Leewarden after 100 miles hereabouts. Hard to find a room because of a conference and had to overpay for a place at the train station. Leewarden has a seriously leaning tower as well as Piza, Italy. All the field animals today were sheep except for a field of kangaroos- don't ask me. I was concerned about their still plowing when the US stopped long ago...turns over the good soil down and the bottom-worse soil to the top. However, they all justified the use because some of their soils are hard clay and need to be broken up by hard freeze. DAY 42 - 9/11/12. - Tuesday On the Rhein River Challenged by the weather ... I rode Friesland farms in the am.. Left there at 11 and the rain started - hardest and windiest for the 40 miles across the long dyke from Friesland to Amsterdam. Thereafter it alternately shone sun and rained on the 20 minute schedule til 4:00. I was so miserable I decided not to stop in Amsterdam and Den Haag. The farms use little fencing to separate fields and animals. The separation and confinement are done with drainage ditches. In those ditches live swan and swanlings - beautiful. The tractor tires are wider and flatter then we have as they think their tire arrangements - smaller on the front but as wide as rear tires - compact the soil much less than our tires in their sandy conditions. I finally found out the name and spelling of the breed of sheep they raise here- TEXEL - which originated on Texel Island in the North Sea off the Netherlands coast. This young farmer has visited in North Dakota..in addition to growing potatoes, he raises eating chickens. He has 78,000 at a time and feeds them out for butchering in 37 days. 177 rainy and sunshiny miles.. The Netherlands are never complete without ..... THE END OF WEEK SIX. AND 6546 miles.... Week Seven..... DAY 43 - Wednesday - 9/12/12. GENT On to Brugge Belgium.... But I did not make it...decided to stay in Centrum Gent for the day-nite. Southern Netherlands and Belgium are not nearly as well kept as northern Holland and the buildings here are nondescript, looking like Germany ( except for the old area and the cathedral). Undistinguishing ride for 95 miles mostly in 3 hours in the countryside - corn is now the main crop and cows are in the fields (and a few butcher horses). It is amazing how many trucks were on the road, this must be the crossroads of transportation and production for western Europe. Now for the Olde City. All pics taken from one bench and within one block. Walked 12 block which is the furthest I have walked in 2 years and with only short rest each block. I had to, however, stop for beer in the market square and I had dinner in front of cathedral square. DAY 44 - Thursday - 9/13/12. Brugge On to Brugge, Belgium... Heart attacksville this am - first I had to ride up a very steep exit ramp that was about 3 meters wide with the middle meter in steps..thus I had 3 feet between the wall and the steps..half way up I gave it more gas and shot out into the street. Outside it was sprinkling and all the olde city streets are paved, making them very slippery. Also had tramp tracks in the street to contend with- so treachery... To complicate matters my gps kept loosing its signal among the tall buildings on narrow streets so I kept missing turns to get out of town- net result was continuing in a circle on paved streets. Finally, I just went straight until out of centrum and then figured out which way to go. Nicely my gps routed me beside the Gent-Brugge channel.. So I followed that all the way, marveling at the canal construction and the motor barges. These barges, one sailor told me are 9 feet deep when loaded and the control depth of the canals is 3.2 meters- not much room down there. The rear area is the captain's house with an auto on top for use when they stop. After checking into my cheap Ibis budget room which is very compact at the station in Brugge, I rode out to the North Sea port at Zeebruggen.. There must have been 50,000 new cars of all varieties parked and waiting to be picked up or shipped. Back in Brugge I rode thru the Old City centrum. One cab led the way and when we got to the centrum another cabbie told be to get the hell out of there- so I did what I wanted. After a short nap I return to the old city and rode every street until the track feature on my gps had covered every street and it's directions. Then took a ride to the suburbs and bought dinner supplies, Lipton sparkling tea and chocolate for dessert at a grocery. To my miniature room for the nite. DAY 45 - 9/14/12 - Friday on the Rhein During the nite I decided my work and investigation of Brugge had been completed. Checked out by 9 and rode for Nijmegen in the Netherlands where I could intersect the Rhine River or Rhein River or the Rive Waal, depends on where you are, what name the river is called. In 180 miles I was 30 miles west of Nijmegen in the road closest to the river, and sometimes bike paths - thru neighborhood and villages and the pastures. With about 50 miles to go it started to rain so I ran for the nearest ETAP (budget Ibis) hotel. Then the sun came out for 15 minutes before opening up with a deluge for the nite. 268 miles and 7 k by tomorrow. I will follow the river closely tomorrow as I work my way to southern Germany. DAY 46 - 9/15/12 - Saturday My goal was to ride the Rhein River... But city, factories, and town kept getting in the way until I cleared Bonn about 1:00. Then I had an unencumbered view of the river and the boats and an uphill view if the grape fields. Other than starting out going down river (away from Heidelberg and toward the North Sea) and not knowing it for about hour, i had to double back to see Duisburg again. I do have a cold coming on and will try to sleep it off over the next 2 days. 257 miles in 7:30. Closing on 7000 miles total. DAY 47 - 9/16/12 - Sunday Short ride to the finish... But a serious cold set in so I stayed put and slept all day. Must ride on to Heidelberg tomorrow to store the bike and prepare for Marnie's arrival Thursday. Can hardly wait. I have now ridden the Rhine from one end to the other, over the years. Interesting about the two major rivers in Europe - the Rhein and the Danube... They both start within 30 miles of each other in the Black Forest - southern Germany. DAY 48 - 9/17/12 - Monday. - to Heidelberg Rode from Mainz to Heidelberg feeling half asleep from meds.. 60 miles very slowly. Arrived at Knopf Tours about noon after filing claims for my breakdown in Norway with ADAC for my hotel expenses and getting eastern and southern maps for the next trip phase. 7689 miles total in 48 days. Washed and waxed my bike and sold it one hour later... Actually it is in much better repair and condition than when I bought it this summer.. Now no European worries- I can buy it back if I need it next summer. Head cold is driving me crazy.. Must find good food for a change.. DAY 49 - Tuesday - 9/18/12 Rode the final 11 miles to round out 7700 miles.. Feeling very bad and throat the sorest ever in my life, so I went to a physician because I was concerned about strep and bronchitis. He listened to my back and wrote a script. I walked 15 small blocks back to the b&b- my second major slowly long walk. Maybe I'm getting better! DATA: 1100 miles per week / 157 per day on average Food - total $829 / 16.92 per day Room - $ 3550 total / $72 per nite and about $6-8 for breakfast Fuel - $1043 / MPG= 46.39 / $8.13 per gallon, with range from 7.75 to 10.25 Equipment cost per day $89 / 628 per week / 57 cents per mile Driving expense.. Tunnels..ferries.. Road fees = $1097 Bike services - $1510 Medical - script 19 euro / antibiotic 24 euros Not inexpensivei END OF WEEK SEVEN AND MOTORCYCLING WEEK EIGHT DAY 50 - Wednesday - 9.19.12. In Heidelberg Rested, read and recouped energy.. Nice warm day for laying around. Marnie made her flight and connection with no problems and ended the evening at the Holiday Inn Express near the Frankfurt airport, having left Madison yesterday at 2 PM on the bus for O'Hare. I had nice times talking with Bikers as they came to stay here to prep to leave on bike trips or came here off bikes to fly home.... Most are older people who can afford this extravagant lifestyle & activities. Everyone shares/brags about where and how much they have ridden and what special experiences they have had - one guy was leaving for the Dakar in Africa and had ridden in 52 countries and was waiting to visit Europe until he got old... Others with trips in southern Africa, down eastern Africa, down South America, and across Russia. Makes one dream about the next possibilities. Had dinner at Dofke's - weinerschnitzel, garlic and butter. ... This year's schnitzel contest winner. Bed early and up early for breakfast and waiting for Marnie.. Nice arrival. DAY 51 - Thursday - 9.20.12. Moving by car to Poland On the road to Warsaw by 9am... Marnie arrived as all riders were kibitzing in the breakfast room. She rented a Chevy crossover 5-door so we have plenty of room. On the road to Frankfurt, Berlin and the Polish border via autobahn and tried for a hotel in Poznan, Poland at 5:30.. There was a medical conference going on there so no rooms at all. Told to follow the old road (we had been driving A2, the pay-fast autobahn). By 7:30 we stopped at a restaurant/hotel and had a fine Polish meal with an English-speaking Polishman before 9 bedtime. Slept like a rock. DAY 52 - Friday - 9.21.12. Into Poland Up early for breakfast and iPad update to OS 6. Drove the old highway to get a feel for Poland and then back to the fast road. 120 miles to go and estimate 1pm arrival in Warsaw. First visit to old friends- Jassers. Adam and Elvira are friends from our sailing days ... Starting in 1987. Adam taught Marnie and I (as well as my brother Paul) to ocean sail and then helped us pick out our first boat - KELZIE'S SCHOOL. Then to Falentica (south of Warsaw) and Bosena / Wtodec Adamczewski. These are people who live across from my first residence in Poland in the summer of 1991 and were friends of Jacek Demescke, an artist-architect with whom I stayed. In January of 1992 I stayed with the Adam's when the heat failed and all froze up at the Warsaw house of Jassers which we were working on at the time. In years following, their daughter (Justyna) and her husband (Tomasz) came to stay with us in Madison and work in Chicago for a period of time in 1996 before they were married. We have visited here several times when we have come to Poland as they have the best space for visitors.. They live on Cucumber street, Ogorkowa Street. We had a great Family-polish dinner together. We learned that the friend with whom I stayed in '91 made a major swim in the Baltic Sea (Hel Peninsula to Gdansk) of 20+ kilometers at age 72 after many heart problems and repairs. We shall have tea with him later in the week. DAY 53 - Saturday - 9.22.12 Justyna i Tomasz Wielemborek (son Frank & daughter Ola) own a business where you can rent blowup yard-party toys and supplies for events and parties and are the distributor for Segway in Poland. They have started a theme park which we shall visit today. After family brunch with European varieties of food, we struck out for the Farm Of Illusions tho it was sprinkling and cold. On the way we stopped at the family cottage purchased and built before WWII and found some mushrooms. On the Farm we found several buses of patrons and a fair number of cars. It turned out to be a red letter day for attendance in spite of the weather. We spent 4 hours looking at all the exhibits, watching a magician give his show, and trying the various illusional activities - the mirror fun house, a house built entirely at an angle with balloons holding up one end (people will wait 2 hrs in line to get in on a busy day), faces that follow you, etc.. Families with preteens will spend all day as there are blow up slides, swing, a beach with alligators, Segway to rent, tents for groups to cook a meal, etc. now this project is 80 kilometer from each of 4 population centers - Warsaw, Lublin, a Russian city and another large Polish city - you had to be a dreamer with great imagination to design, build and make this project with 20 employees in the middle of nowhere work- Tomazs and Justin did it. On our return we had dinner at a country restaurant and then home for WI game on Iheart radio and family fun with the Polish I've got Talent program. Day 54 - Sunday - 9/23/21 This afternoon to Warsaw to the Jassers for a visit and dinner out. We had a nice ride around Warsaw and now the city is at European standards of Berlin and Paris. It has improved, become better organized and cleaner each time we have come here- starting from a depressed and dreary Soviet satellite capitol city in 1991. There is a new underground metro which is expanding. We feel proud to have known the city and friends here over the years. Day 55 - Monday - 9/24/12 Pack riding clothes and tried to rebend the bent part of our car- we have a dent on the lower front panel. Went shopping in nearby Falenica for glue, etc and tried to fix the dent. We could not get the plastic to go back to its original shape. Nice family dinner, special thai soup made by Tomasz and conversation thru Polish-English dictionary with Wtodec. Bosena and Wtodec are anxious to carry on a conversation with us in English, so the Translator is open on the computer for challenging vocabulary. The younger generation (Thomasz and Justyne) have a good command of English because of their visit with us in the 90's and attendance at many trade shows in the US over the years. Their children, Ola and Frank, understand some English but are shy about speaking. DAY 56 - Tuesday - 9/25/12 Laundry and Rest day. Family evening dinner out at a Balkans restaurant with excellent food. All food was either unusual for us or prepared in different ways, except the kids pome Frits , fritcke, fries, and chicken breasts.. Great Greek salads! We came home stuffed because we had to have the usual "small" lunch at 4:00. Always eating. Large normal breakfast this morning, which always includes meat, cheese and vege plates, tomato salad, bread basket, smoked fish, a variety of jams. Of course, one is to choose, but so many wonderful flavors! End of week 8 ..... Much easier time... And companionship...! Week NINE DAY 57 - Wednesday - 9/26/12 Went to old friends for visitation, wine, pastry, and talk.. Jacek Damiecki, artist and architect, with whom I lived in the summer of 1991 while restoring Adam Jasser's house in Warsaw. We met Viola, his past wife with whom now lives, and she is delightful.. She is an exhibition artist, i.e. she arranges artist displays all around the world. Home at 9 for early bed and early rise... Jacek gave us another of his paintings of Hel Peninsula made the days before his swim. Clothes are washed and packed. We are stuffed with Bosena's great cooking. DAY 58 - Thursday - 9/27/12. Kosice Slovakia On the way to Godesic Slovenia (it had its 1000th anniversary in '06) with stopover in one of our favorite cities, Kosice, Slovakia. 332 miles on two lane roads with poor stretches and many trucks. The further we went the hillier and more wooded it got...really enjoyed the change in scenery. Arrived in Kosice about 5 and went riding to see the soviet apartment buildings. This city has had three lives.. Pre communist as a rural, agricultural community with population of 60,700. Then the soviet structure brought in industry and to house these people built massive apartment complexes for thousands of people ( 250,000 population now) so the hills around the entire old area of the city are ringed with huge and many apartments. They were called sleeping rooms in the old days because of the meager accommodations, and with long factory work hours they only slept there. They have clearly been updated... We counted 256 apartments in two adjacent buildings and there were hundreds of such apartment complexes on 3 sides of the old city. The buildings are compressed together more than the projects of Chicago and are not urban in nature, but set off by themselves. Parking is in short supply for the plethora of cars with the advent of good jobs and money. Unemployment here is about 13 %. That is the third stage..many new buildings in the city which focus on the commercialization of the city with many new products, modern buildings and services. The Capitol, Bratislava, has 2 % unemployment, but between the two is the agricultural center which boasts 30% unemployment according to an engineer I talked with. The city is much better organized and cleaner than in '04 or '06, our last visits. We went to the fountain to see the thousand nozzles spurting water responding to the music in the mall. Then to dinner on the platz and bed in the pension at which we stayed 2 times before. Day 59 - Friday - 9/28/12. Godesic, Slovenia Left Kosice and entered a broad agricultural valley. We connected to a 4 lane in 70 miles which goes to Ljubljana... Nondescript farm land all the way-hate to travel like this where you miss all the cultural communities, but we have 450 miles to drive today and that is a long distance in Europe. Arrived at 4:00, in time to greet Natasa, daughter Zoya, mother Eliza and grandmother Olga. Sister Alenka, Tomazs and daughter Nika came. We learned upon arrival that the girls' father was in the hospital most likely with cancer - exploratory surgery is next week. I met Natasa and Alenka in Peru in 1997 and travelled with the sisters for a week. We have visited their home several times starting in 1999, and one winter they stored our motorcycles. We then left for our favorite dinner at the Baron restaurant where we had calamari and pizza. Gastro-interrupted sleep. DAY 60 - Saturday - 9/29/12. Dolenska Up early to go to the cabin and vineyard 65 miles from Ljubljana on the Croatian border (35 miles from Zegrab). We trended the grapes-to-wine picked two weeks ago and picked apples and pears for liquor. The house is high on the hill and the orchard runs down the side. Slovenia is totally rolling-hilly terrain and mountains (Julian Alps).. We are working above the valley clouds-fog below. Both girls' families helped as did Marn and I . A nap and late lunch. Back in Godesic we unloaded and prepared apples and pears for tomorrow morning. Listened to the IU against NW football until half time when the score was 20-0, you know which way (unfortunately). Too tired to listen to UW. DAY 61 - 9/30/12 - Sunday. Packers won. IU & UW LOST Up late, breakfast and back to the fruit. Tomasz and I hand- cranked a machine to grind the apples and pears for the process of making snoops (schnapps). We then filled several large plastic barrels in which the fermenting process takes place. In the meantime other parts of the family filled 60 liters of snoops to take to the ladies who sell for dad. In the afternoon we went to visit father in the hospital.. He looked healthy and fit to us who have not seen him in 6 years...but he has lost 30 #s in a short time and has been diagnosed with cancer. He will be transported to the cancer hospital in Ljubljana on Tuesday and have surgery on Thursday. Then they will know more... I have started reading a great book " In the Garden of the Beast" by Larson - re the life of the ambassador to Germany during the first years of Hitler' s Germany. Up late.... Reading DAY 62 - Monday - 10/1/12 Visit to Tomasz and Alenka's home 25 miles from Godesic. Tomasz works in a factory which makes measuring tools and Alenka is the shipping supervisor for an electric controls factory. We had a late afternoon family dinner in their apartment, which is the 2nd floor of his parents' home. We took a ride in the beautiful hilly countryside where almost every hilltop has a small church or interesting house. On the way to one of the churches i walked into a barn where a lady was in the process of milking her 19 cows while her husband was preparing for church. One of the churches built in 1721 to which we walked was having one of its 3 masses per year. Today was one of those days but the priest was late...but not speaking the language, I could not take over. The roads are helter skelter and a crossroads junction where 5 house are located may have 5 roads meeting. Schools start with 1 grade, but childcare is called kindergarten and the school. Kids as young as one can attendmand the cost is about 120 E per month, 5E per day for services from 6 am to 8 pm. Fine family dinner and tour of the machine shop and house-shop complex followed. Rode home and continued my good book. DAY 63 - Tuesday - 10/2/12 Father Silar will be moved from the area hospital to the cancer hospital in Ljubljana this morning. A neighbor has invited me for a beer later in the day and we shall tour Natasha's apartment in late day followed by a family dinner, maybe at the Baron for calamari. After lunch, the main meal of the day, Marnie and I went to a neighbors for coffee and pivo (beer). Lado was non conversant in English 13 yrs ago, but now due to the TV and computer is very fluent in English and his pride at the challenge shows. Mid afternoon we went to Natasa's apartment. Small but very function and neat... She has bought that apartment. The next door neighbor is an artist and was on the fine arts faculty. 9 month ago he fell from a ladder while changing a lite bulb. he has not worked since but he was anxious to show us his work, all 500 pieces averaging 3x4 feet in size - some 8x9 feet -and hundreds of small paper size test and idea pieces. He compulsively interpreted each while we stood back to observe. He has a long recovery of enough intellectual function and impulse control to reconven his work. We think going thru his. Paints with him for the first time may have been therapeutic. After much reading on the computer, sitting outside at the neighbors where we could get wifi, about the prospects for the ballot races we went back for pizza and calamari.. Yum! Dad, Janez, got moved and mother, Eliza, will visit tomorrow. We think taking care of us has been a positive diversion for her fears about Janez - even tho we could have been a pain in the butt as well. Tomasz Farm of Illusions special weekend was a big success.. All the illusionist in Poland want to preform there.. There is good hope for the winter season activities . The 4 cylinder engine of our Ford Crossover built in Korea is getting a workout- Plenty of space and comfortable. The End of Week Nine.... Week TEN ..... west DAY 64 - Wednesday - 10/3/12 Up early for breakfast and a 444 mile ride across Italy with as few stops as possible. Factories left and right are closed and general business activity seemed depressed. Ljubljana to Venice to Verona to Milan to Simplon Pass into CH. Simplon Pass is 6600 feet high and very narrow, one lane, winding road. Down to Brig in tunnels...east several mountains... Into a tunnel and up the pass toward Saas Fee and Zermatt.. Stopping in Saas Grund.. and Henio Pension at 4K' owned by Rinaldo and Golda Andenmatten. Met Golda in South America in '97 and have visited her pension several times. Anxious about the debate but will not stay up til 3:00 AM when it starts here... Will read about it and hear from Merrie in the morning. DAY 65 - Thursday - 10/4/12 We went up the gondola from Saas Grund which is a mile high, 5259'. We stopped at the top of the first gondola at 7874' to walk and have a snack. The second gondola 10500' (where we walked down from in '04) and the top of the mountain is 13123'. You can see both Saas Fe above and Saas Grund below. Then drove the Saas valley. Late afternoon we napped and read. Starting to plan for South Africa trip in '13. Kelzie is in Columbia, Maryland at a home stay preparing to race a 40 mile TRI on Sunday... We get just snippets of her life...she actually will come to Madison for a stay before going to a Florida half Ironman. We are hoping she returns for Thanksgiving. DAY 66 - Friday - 10/5/12 Reorganized our travel schedule this morning so Istres France where Marc and Julien Rock n Roll live will be next, then Grenoble and finally the Black Forest. At noon we caught the Post Bus (carries both the mail and people) to Saas Fee. (Golda set us up with a tourist pass that gives free activities in the area, including bus and goldola access.) We rode to the very top into the glaciers where hundreds of people and ski teams (pre season prep) were skiing. First we rode the first and second gondolas to 2600 meters and then took an incline funicular railway ( the longest and highest such transporter in the world) - actually they had 15000 meters of very heavy cable with a car in which a hundred people could ride on each end of the cable, so the weight in the cars was mostly neutralized and the engine to move the cable was not unusually large. It took us the last 1000 meters and onto the snow - 11811 feet. On the way down we rode with three French skiers... Ophelie David, her coach and her husband.... We googled Ms. David to find she was the Eight time World Cup champion in the ski cross and the medalist in the Xgames for 6 years... She is from Corsica, skied for Hungary in the 94 Olympics, now skis for France being married to a frenchman, has a preteen daughter, and is the number One ranked female cross skier in the world.. Of course we learned all this after just some leisure and joking conversation going down the gondolas and walking to the center area of Saas Fee where their vehicles were parked. She competes in the World Cup ski cross competition at Telluride in Colorado December 10-14. SEE http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophélie_David. To Heino to relax and drove to see the late afternoon workout of Ms. David once we found out who she was.... DAY 67 - Saturday - 10/6/12 Day for the COLS/passes. Left Saas Grund and went over the col of Moosalps at 6747 feet. Then down to the valley to Martigny CH and turned left so we went over the Grand St. Bernard Col at 8169' (where St Bernard dogs were initially bred and come from) into Italy. We did not get the height as we where in a tunnel for 7 miles which cost $30. Down to the valley and Aosta where we turned right. This took us to La Thuile (where we stayed in '03) over Little Bernard Col @ 7208 to Val-d' Isere . Then up again to 9096 feet of Val-d' Isere Col and ski runs longer than 10 miles. Back down again to A43 east until we turned for Col Telegraph at 5138 feet before going over Col Galibier at 8720 feet and down to Briancon to the hotel where we stayed in '05 when Marnie's bike broke. We would show you pics but it was dark by the time we made the last Pass. At all other times we were between 1500 and 5000 feet. 280 miles today in the mountains and roads on the Tour of the Grand Alps and now half of the Tour completed. 9500 miles total. DAY 68 - Sunday - 10/7/12 On to Istres for Marc and Julien Rock n Roll (the English spelling). After a late breakfast at a hotel our friend previously owned we continued down highway D902 - the Route of the Grande Alps. Do you realize how many switchback we have done and will do today... Seems like a million but probably only a thousand so far. The first Col today was d'Izoard at 7780 feet only 15 miles out of Briancon. Then at 45 miles was Col Vars at 6951 feet and down to Vars valley. We went thru Barcelonnette where we stayed in '03. Finally, to the national park- Parc National du Mercantbur and over the 40 miles of rough and twisting road we saw only 2 cars and 4 motorcycles. Beautiful country in the Heuz Alps. We did, however, see hundreds of sheep on the range land. We went over the Col Cayolle at 7655 feet. We also passed thru two gorges, one had 17 tunnels. We saw hundreds of motorcycles today and talked to a few....but the most popular motorcycle in Europe is the BMW 1200 GS... Every pod of bikes has at least one and some pods are all GSs. Once we got to D202 we began westing on fast road (A type and $$) to arrive at Istres, France and the home of RnR. Had a great evening of catching up on the last 8 weeks since our ride in the Pyrenees Mtn in August and finding out about Julien's school activities (8-5 most days). Brother Paul set his iPad up on FaceTime so we could see the Packer game; tho we missed major parts we saw the terribly depressing ending, making their record 2-3 for the season. DAY 69 - Monday - 10/8/12 In the South of France.... Up late. Traveled to Arles, a city on the Rhone River about 25 kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea, that was a Roman city with circus track, coliseum, theater and many more structures. First, we to the museum of Roman artifacts found in the area. They retrieved an entire Roman sailing barge from the river and a full statue of Caesar. The statue is the only full one known to exist. After riding around the old city on one-way streets just wide enough to get the car thru and contrasting that to the newer town we returned to Istres. I helped julien read his English school assignment before dinner and then we ate homemade pizza and talked all evening. DAY 70 - Tuesday - 10/9/12 Cheese and the Viaduct du Millau Bridge... We took Julien to school and headed for Roquefort-S-Soulzon. Roquefort is one of four Roquefort towns in France, but this one makes the cheese. All Roquefort comes from 7 companies within a 10 kilometer diameter circle around the village- trademark cheese that can only be named Roquefort, uses a special penicillin (the green parts in the cheese) made from rye bread made in the cheese factories and is cured in caverns of limestone under the town with perfect temperatures and moistures ( so they say). However, i am sure Wisconsin could easily duplicate the cheese. As we left we drove toward the Rhone Alps and Valence we went under the most amazing bridge/Viaduc at Millau. It is a magnificent span more than a kilometer long, high above the valley floor, with only 7 supports and heavy wires (which reminds one of sails). We crossed each way at 6.70 euros each way. I have a .wmv file at home which shows in time laps the unusual building of the bridge (I will send the URL when I get home). Over the mountains we found the village housing to be deteriorating and it seems rehabilitation of these old buildings and homes is not taking place. We wound up-down on the drive through the central part of the country to Valence. Then north on pay roads to our favorite Gite at the Mussets and Massits. Bruna, the catering chef, made dinner for the family and us and we had a jovial evening of trying to figure out what their French and our English meant... even with a few drawings. To bed with full stomach, wine-enhanced heads and exhaustion. END OF WEEK TEN...... Week Eleven. .... Northing and Easting Correction... The Millau Viaduct is 2.4 kilometers long or 1.5 miles.... Also we have completed 10233 miles so far at the end of week ten. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millau_Viaduct#Construction DAY 71 - Wednesday - 10/10/12 Ready to be home..prepared week 10 and send it out...what works best is to send a PDF file unless it does not work for you. Spent the am relaxing and went to Grenoble in the afternoon. Stopped by the BMW dealer who used to do my bike work and got their last remaining Moto Liner bike sticker. Home for visit with the Massits and then a family dinner hosted by Bruna and Marcel Muzet in their home. Home early to catch up on sleep.. DAY 72 - Thursday - 10/11/12 Started the morning with fois gras - goose liver - made by Bruna. Went hunting for country signs (white oval sticker with F in the middle) and only found license plate decals (blue with EU stars on top and F on bottom). Took the Massits and Muzets to dinner at the "Grill", a restaurant in business over 45 years just outside Moirans. Had steak but Marcel had various pig innards which I tested... To bed early to get up early.. My shoulders are getting painful and awakening me. DAY 73 - Friday - 10/12/12 Thought we set the alarm for 6:45 but actually set it for 7:45, missing the early departures of Nathalie and the boys. Breakfasted, said goodbye to Bruna, Marcel and Manu and left by 9... Stayed in France on mostly 2 lane roads to avoid 40 euro charge for Swiss roads and crossed into Germany above Basel. We stayed in Freiberg in an ETAP- Ibis budget. Spend late afternoon reading about last night's VP debate. 387 miles today and 10500 to date. We plan to go on to Leipzig, Wittenberg, and Berlin before returning to the Black Forest and Heidelberg. DAY 74 - Saturday - 10/13/12 Late start. And instead of Leipzig we headed for Chesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic. 402 miles on forst D then A roads until we crossed the border to CZ. We were struck by the hundreds of fields of solar panels with thousands of panels each all thru southern Germany. They have discovered something about fossil fuels we refuse to think about.. Gas above 8$/gallon and similarly priced heating fuel makes one figure out how to make things less costly where you can. Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungry, Italy, and the Czech Republic... And a good time was had in all except Norway. The early Black Forest was beautiful and the terrain interesting, then into flat lands until we got to the Bayern-Bohemia area and rolling hills again. The Czech Republic reminds us of the Black Forest. Our room tonite is above the eaves and under the roof.. Funnily shaped and the smallest we've had.. With only partial headroom and a small window. DAY 75 - Sunday - 10/14/12 Cesky Krumlov, a small city in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, best known for the fine architecture and art of the historic old town and Český Krumlov Castle, started in the 1200s. Old Český Krumlov is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was given this status along with the historic Prague castle district. We decided to stay for the day after two days of constant driving. Chesky Krumlov is in a dip in the rolling hills made by the Vltava River which winds tightly thru the valley and make a 330 degree bend. The city renovation started in the '90s and was a waste land of unused buildings til then. High on one side of the basin is a very long castle and castle gardens of magnificent presentation. There are now 125 hotel-pensions etceras in the old city and as many restaurants. We Spent the morning touring the Soviet era apartment buildings / housing on the fringes of Chesky Krumlov, similar to the housing in Kosice (CK IS 14500 population). Tho every building here has been refurbished. Went to the suburbia single family areas and the castle gardens. Met the Kennedys of Germany, who are kayakers here for a 30 mile race yesterday. Walked the central Krumlov streets and sat in the middle of the plac watching people and resting in the sun. Ate dinner on the river and walked around the central plac. To our small misangled room for an early bed time... Computer dinged all nite with info on the Packer game. Sounds like a "good" win. DAY 76 - Monday - 10/15/12 On our way to Leipzig thru Prague early. It was great to be in Chesky Krumlov again. The farm fields here are huge and unfenced (no animals out) compared to the US and west Europe, a product of the factory/communal farms of the Soviet era. The corn is not picked but most of the other field work is done and looks beautiful. The farm building are in clusters of many medium buildings like we found on the farms in '91 but now they have better equipment and neater buildings-grounds. We drove 2 lane to south of Prague and the 4 lanes the rest of the 300 miles. As we passed the border it was clear German areas were neater and cleaner and the general landscape is better groomed. However, the general style and condition of the buildings in CZ and eastern Germany are very similar and many years behind the west side. A lot of villages look like the decaying French countryside village where it looks vacant and unimproved. Of course there is a convention in Leipzip so hotels were filled and expensive so we have gone 3 miles north of the city center to a 30- euro- for- the- nite Ibis Budget in a business park area with light manufacturing. On our way to Leipzig thru Prague early. It was great to be in Chesky Krumlov again. The farm fields here are huge and unfenced (no animals out) compared to the US and west Europe, a product of the factory/communal farms of the Soviet era. The corn is not picked but most of the other field work is done and looks beautiful. The farm building are in clusters of many medium buildings like we found on the farms in '91 but now they have better equipment and neater buildings-grounds. We drove 2 lane to south of Prague and the 4 lanes the rest of the 300 miles. As we passed the border it was clear German areas were neater and cleaner and the general landscape is better groomed. However, the general style and condition of the buildings in CZ and eastern Germany are very similar and many years behind the west side. A lot of villages look like the decaying French countryside village where it looks vacant and unimproved. Of course there is a convention in Leipzip so hotels were filled and expensive so we have gone 3 miles north of the city center to a 30- euro- for- the- nite Ibis Budget in a business park area with light manufacturing. We went on a tour of Leipzig by car at rush hour but we got a great flavor of the city and place we remember from the past. Progress is not uniform here- a new building and a refurbished building will have a derelict building of no value between them. We figure 20-25% of the business and housing buildings are unusable but new construction is stunning and very business-like. The huge train station is used maximally and being face cleaned. Trams are of the first order and buses are hybrid. Then we went past a four story apartment building of no use. Then to the single family homes or duplexes which look like any other good areas of Europe. This is the most tagged city we have visited. This was the biggest idle building. Dinner late of an omelette. We can visit the city center and Wittenberg tomorrow from here. DAY 77 - Tuesday - 10/16/12 Day of discovery unanticipated and uncalculated.. Left ETAP (discount Ibis motel with just enough room for bed and mini desk with a shower-toilet combination) at 10 driving north.. Saw a field full of vegetation we had observed all over the east and Germany for which we had no name. We drove into the field and picked some samples. Then we drove 1 mile to a communal farm from soviet times.. Four entities used the space - a dairy farm with 800 hectares ( 2400+\- acres) with 400 Holsteins for milk, a metal chimney fabricating factory, a fish farm, and a hog feeding facility. The dairy farm is owned by two men who bought it in '89 from the communal people and the state. We explained our interest in knowing the plant thru the english speaking farm secretary. They could not identify the weed/crop but were willing to follow us to the field from which we had harvested our samples. On the way to our field we stopped at a similar crop.. It was not our product, but was a crop from which biofuels was pressed and which the left over product was fed for cattle fodder in mixed feed. Then we got back to our field and discovered we had a plant which is winter grown for spring plow-down as green manure to enrich and lighten the soil for other crops. They were as excited as we were- the first Americans to come to their farm and ask about their enterprise. On the road to Lutherstadt Wittenberg ( Marnie's 3rd and my 4th time, starting in '92). We got an English tape of what we would see and contracted with a rickshaw driver for transportation. ... First, the dioceses church where the bishop sold indulgences for forgiveness of sin (the principal complaint of Martin Luther's Theses) on which his 95 Theses were nailed to the door... Then city hall where Luther's heresy trials by the Church of Rome were held... Then the low church where Luther chose to preach... Then to Luther University down the street ( now trains Lutheran pastors for German churches) where Luther got his doctorate in Theology and then became a teacher-preacher... Finally to his home where he lived with his previous nun wife and kids, in addition to increasing visitors who came to learn the principles of the Reformation. Then we drove all over Wittenberg to comparatively assess the level of civil life and physical manifestations of the village '92= 14500 and now 50000 inhabitants. There are 10% unusable, unrehabiable buildings...less percentage-wise than Leipzig... and there and in the villages they just live around the old, dilapidated and unrehabiable buildings both of WWII AND Soviet vintage. Marnie remembered a small village we visited with Nook where there was a park and lake, so we guessed and drove out there thru many villages and much big farm land. Then back to Leipzig... Remembered the nearby Porsche factory with its inverted structure from my '06 trip... When I went to the front desk and asked for a tour of my car's birth place... They threw me out, wouldn't let me in and I went on. Today I tried the same thing. When they decided we could have the phone number to arrange a tour Marnie went into the security office to get the info.. When she came out, we had been invited to go to the inverted building where there was a Porsche junk store on the second floor, a Porsche reception center with restaurant on the third floor, and a museum of Porsche cars on the 4th floor. Along side was the test and driver training track for both road racing and off road track. We could watch a demo of a Cayenne being test driven and a group of trainee driving school dupes going 130 miles per hour. There were more Porsches sitting around than are in all the stores in the state of WI. They only produced 500 Cayennes and 250 Panamerias by hand today and test drove them all for 10 kilometers. WOW..WOW..WOW.. Spent our extra funds at the store. The cars in white coming toward us are cars just released from the factory for their test drives. Back to our cheap, cheap hotel in our crossover Chevy. Nice day. 11442 miles To date................ THE END OF WEEK ELEVEN. WEEK TWELVE DAY 78 - Wednesday - 10/17/12 Back to Heidelberg thru Frankfurt. I forgot to mention the huge BMW plant we drove around yesterday outside Leipzig. We have few facilities that big. Interestingly, VW bought up Audi and now has taken over Porsche. Leipzig has been the beneficiary of this merger and the fall of the wall. No other area has such new facilities for heavy industry. Leipzig even tried to host the summer Olympics. Cesky Krumlov below.... Nothing worked right today.... We left Leipzig in the am without news about the debate. We drove to Heidelberg without GPS as the map had too many blanks in the data. We went to ADAC (road service which owes me money from the Norway events) for my check. However, it was sent last Monday to my friend's address in Heidelberg. We went to the friend, but the check had not arrived. Then we looked for a hotel.. All full or excessively expensive because of a weekend music event in Heidelberg. Finally we got an expensive hotel, but the promised wifi did not work. Next to the schnitzel winner for this year. We shall hope they are open. Update - They were open and we had garlic, butter, breaded Wienerschnitzel and fried potatoes - umh ! Heartattacksville. Best in Europe in this year's competition. DAY 79 - Thursday - 10/18/12 Listened to Rachel's podcast and Chris Matthew's group discussion. We immediately went to Stefan's for my ADAC check-waiting. He rents his b&b rooms he uses for moto customers to students in the winter when the motorcycle trade is down. No check.. On to the Black Forest and Gomadingen with Eva and Bruno (who I met in '06). Spent the afternoon packing-stuffing our luggage and touring the hills and some of the small towns around. Eva and Bruno came home from work and we went to dinner at a Greek restaurant in Munsingen; great meal. Home to conversation and bed. DAY 80 - Friday - 10/19/12 On the way to Heidelberg and Frankfurt to fly tomorrow. Made arrangements in Heidelberg to finally get my money from ADAC and then we moved on to Frankfurt. Checked in at the Holiday Inn Express, filled our rental car gas tank, took the rental to the airport, and got the shuttle back to the motel. We got tagged for a chip in the front paint and the front windshield. I jumped out of the car at 70 mph and tried to stop the stone, but missed so it is my fault for the chip for up to 600 euros. Nuts ! Bar pizza at the hotel and problems with redirecting on our Apple products. Resting for early tomorrow morning loading and 14 hours of flight and three hours drive home from O'Hare. Can hardly wait. Let us hope for no travel problems like in NY trying to get here. Summary Total miles 13,014 miles in 12 weeks Bike. 7700 miles Car. 5314 miles Car time costs - Total. $4088. 136.27 per day. .77 per mile. Board 544. 18.13 Room. 1183. 39.43 Fuel. 1560. 52.00. .29 per mile Misc/road costs. 770. 25.67 Car rental 864. $165.06 for all costs. $.93 per mile DAY 81 - Saturday - 10/20/12 Up early, breakfast, shuttle ride to the terminal, and a long walk pulling my heavy duffle bag. Load, took off 1/2 hr late, and watched 3 1/2 movies. Transition in New York went well. 4 hour layover...which was shorter by an hour than my original schedule and sooner landing at ORD. Sure like disability help in the airport,.. No decision, little waiting, and company. Landed in Chicago while Marnie was still in immigration and got picked up by Paul/Dar first (I was suppose to be 3 hrs later than Marnie) and we directly picked up Nook and Marnie for the 2 hour ride to Madison and dinner. HOME to autumn and ... mice lived in one motorcycle and chewed the wiring, the battery died in the Honda Element, and the PC monitor died ( which brother Paul replaced before our return, thanks Paul). See why we are away.....??? In bed by 10:00 after 19 hours awake and traveling. Where to next..around the Black Sea? Back to working out... End of it ALL .... Twelve Weeks and at HOME!!

WEEK SEVEN

WEEK SEVEN

DAY 44 - Tuesday - 2.19.13
Loading up the child...demonstration of loading up for a walk Home. Sent Log and many lifted maintenance activities. Exercises and nap. Great dinner, met Lisa's new Bo and evening of talk. Read til mid nite, and asleep. Up at 2am to stream IU v MSU. Way to go Indiana...another week of #1 we hope.

DAY 45 - wednesday - 2.20.1
We returned our rental to the Tambo airport with 4200 miles driven. Then Off to Pretoria...we don't know why but feel we must visit several times in spite of having inspected most every place worth the time. It is a great, well organized city with nice architecture. The only problem is the walls and fences around properties obscure the viewing of the nicest places. We visited the gardens, the Parliament, the Voortrekkers monument, the high school (residential and called a college) our friends' boys attended, and the house of the first president, Paul Kruger.  The area between Joburg and Pretoria is continuous manufacturing and business buildings - half the GNP of the country must be produced in this corridor and the cities. Home for a nap after being up from 2-4:30am.... Yah IU !  Dinner out and early to bed.

DAY 46 - Thursday - 2.21.13
Shopping at the Africa crafts market. And beginning to figure out how to pack for coming home next Thursday. Looking forward to our return as we are filled up with joy and exhausted from our runnings around.  We are truly lucky to have great friends like the Cowan's to host, direct and encourage us.  They keep saying they are coming to the US, but who knows when.. We will be looking forward to their arrival... and planning a party for them.

DAY 47 - Friday - 2.22.13
We drove to the Cradle of Humankind  to Maropeng museum in the fore day - a World Heritage Site - From whence we all were derived starting 190,000 years ago. A great facility and very educational. Mid to late afternoon consumed with learning cricket rules, watching a confusing game (hits do not lead to runs, except in some case, wickets, other things) and naps. Tonite packing to head to Madikwe Game Reserve  (4th largest reserve in ZA) in the North West province, the 9 th province for us and the one we have yet to visit in South Africa.

DAY 48 - Saturday - 2.23.13
Off to the wilds.... Madikwe Game Reserve...  thebushcamp.com... Mosetlha Bush Camp and Eco Lodge for an overnite, two game drives in the reserve, and great food. Left at 8am to meet the pick vehicle at the admin building as personal vehicles are not allowed in the reserve... We had to ride and be advised by a ranger. On the trip to the Reserve we passed through the area of many deep mines of predominantly Platinum but also chromium.. We arrived at the gate precisely at 11:30 as planned and promised, on the tail of another car (eating their dust on the gravel road) that carried 2 people from New Zealand and 1 from Australia, all of whom would be with us on the drives. We drove to the pick-up point a few KM inside the Reserve and were met by our transportation. At camp we received our training on our housing, the drop toilet, the bucket shower, the dining procedure and our schedule. This is a very rustic camp, having no electricity, no running water, and very basic facilities, though adequate for our needs. People generally congregate in the dining hut around the massive railway teak table (new due to a fire that destroyed the previous dining hut) and next to the honesty bar. We are only about 14 people, which is capacity.
 We had lunch around 2:30 and at 4:30 we met our drive leader/driver, Justice and left for the 3 1/2 afternoon drive. I will detail our sightings at the end of this daily post. The weather was perfect, as it was hot and dry. Justice was aggressive in going after game, driving into and through deep brush to find and trail sighted animals. The drivers from all the camps in the reserve worked well together to notify each other over the radio of sightings and share the space around game. They have an agreement that no more than 3 vehicles will be close to a sighted animal, with the late arriving vehicles being numbered and waiting in line for their turn. Drivers work to get good sightings and positioning then give up the space to the next in line when the guests have seen the animals and taken photos. We found and watched a pride of at least 9 lions, females and cubs, for a significant amount of time. We came back to them later during the drive, sharing space with another vehicle, and moved a KM away to intercept the female who left the pride to hunt after dark. After sighting her as she searched for a kill we left her to her work, as there were a lot of hungry animals counting on her getting dinner.
We had late afternoon snacks and drinks near a dry water hole and saw the largest dung beetle ball we've every seen and several rhino including 3 under a tree. To end the drive we had a near-altercation with an elephant on the road, as he was reluctant to give way to us. In the last 30 minutes of light we saw some great sights - elephants, black back jackel, and a large herd of zebra. We arrived back at Camp well after dark, cleaned up, and had dinner. Guests included the New Zealand and Australian vacationers (3), a family of 4 from J'burg, a couple from Italy, a couple from Portugal, a single older gentleman from Switzerland and a couple from the Cradle area. We were urged to take care of all bathroom tasks before turning in, using kerosene lanterns positioned all over the camp including 2 in the hut and 1 on the porch, and using the thunder mug provided in each cabin during the night if possible. Sightings today:
Kudu, Impala by the dozens, 3 rhino upon arrival, many giraffe, many elephants, lion - 9+ twice and stalked, wildebeest, dung beetle with very large ball, black back jackal, and numerous zebra in many locations.

DAY 49 - Sunday - 2.24.13  Mosetlha Bush Camp & Eco Lodge in Madikwe Game Reserve on the Botswana border to Johannesburg, South Africa.
Up early, coffee and rusks then we departed at 6 AM for the 3 1/2 hr morning game drive. We spent the first part of the morning looking for a pack of wild dogs with several other vehicles after they were sighted by one vehicle. Finally, one ran by us with part of a kill in its mouth and we followed it to watch him eat and another stay back waiting his turn. The pack of at least 18 was sighted and we were able to take a turn at watching the adults and pups move through the area in search of more food. Supposedly the pack had already killed a small impala this morning, but more food was needed. It was a special sighting as Wild Dogs are not a common animal because it is the most endangered species in ZA. to see. That was perhaps the most interesting activity of the morning, along with seeing a large group of elephants, including 2 very young. We also saw a family of giraffe including a male, female and 2 very young. We had breakfast, packed up and were taken to the car. Also leaving were the family of 4, the Portuguese couple and the couple from the Cradle, who will be picked up at the private airport by their plane. Sightings today: Wildebeest, rhino, eagle, kudu, wild dog pack including one running by us with food in its mouth, impala, 3 young giraffe, one of which was missing the end of its tail and had an injured leg, Zebra,  a family of 4 giraffe with 2 - 1 mo old babies, and an elephant herd with 2 very young. Left camp about noon to get our vehicle and start the 3.5 hr drive back to Joburg.

DAY 50 - Monday -2.2513
Packing day and done by 9:30 .... Send the plane... We went to try and find the Chinese pearl lady, but only found a Chinese market where we bought some unstrung pearls. Then across town to the Apartheid  Museum- closed on Mondays. Grocery shopped and home to read and nap, having felt satisfied with our tour of Joburg. Made arrangement with my personal trainer to be punished next Monday at the regular time - easy Corey!  Kelzie got the job of providing exercises, an event, or/and training for the Disney personnel in Austin.. We know little detail about whether it is face to face training, program for training, or management of the 5k event ....we are awaiting details. Last weekend she was in Jersey and DC to get CEUs for her trainer/coach license. Gary and Diane have been working hard at their headhunting business. Walmart has moved to ZA and Diane has the job of finding 5 store managers. Gary works a lot with mining companies to find managers, etc. Both are trying to find people from the majority. They work hard as the rewards of work are the fodder for their world travels (northern Europe in the northern hemisphere summer this year). We are awaiting their arrival on the North American continent.

+ DAY 51 - Tuesday - 2.26.13
Up early for exercises and logging. Special thanks to Gary and Diane for providing the comradeship, companionship, fun and room/board thru out our 7+ weeks in South Africa. Our traveling together, their guidance for our sole travel and staying at their house has been great. Thanks to you Gary and Diane! We also think about how our complicated and flowing plans worked out successfully almost always-for this we are thankful. Out for dinner together tonite at a good steak restaurant.

++ DAY 52 - Wednesday - 2.27.13
Streamed IU v Minnesota basketball - unfortunately IU lost. Probably should have slept instead of listening at 3am. Anxiously waiting for late afternoon to go to the airport. We leave Joburg at 7:30pm arriving in Frankfurt in AM... Leave Frankfurt to arrive Chicago at 10:30 am Thurs. to catch Van Gelder to park n ride in Madison. Do you think it will go as planned?
+++ Days 53. 7.28.13 - ARRIVE TO WINTER.                      END OF WEEK SEVEN